THE 1992 STATISTICAL REPORT
by Robert H. Stymeist
A total of 273 species were listed by the Brookline Bird Club on 139 reported field trips during 1992. A total of 156 trips were scheduled: 63 all day, 72 morning, 16 afternoon or evening and 5 weekend trips. Seven trips were cancelled due to bad weather, and nine trips went unreported. The annual July 4th weekend in Machias, Maine, added Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Boreal Chickadee to the overall Club list. A field trip to Forest Hills Cemetery coupled with a behind the scene tour of the aviary at Franklin Park Zoo with staffer and birder Tom Aversa added 86 write-ins.
Not counting the Franklin Park “zooies”, the following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) Checklist were reported by the Club in 1992:
Arctic/Pacific Loon Provincetown April 12
Common Murre Provincetown April 12
Cerulean Warbler Quabbin May 17
Cerulean Warbler Mount Auburn May 18
“Brewster’s” Warbler Newbury July 7
Bar-tailed Godwit Monomoy August 8
“Ipswich” Sparrow Newburyport October 24
Atlantic Puffin Stellwagen November 1
The Club also recorded Ruddy Shelduck in Norton and Muscovy Duck at Mount Auburn.
Missing from the Club list in 1992 were all the pelagic species with the exception of Leach’s Storm-Petrel. This certainly is a first-time event in the Club’s long history of organizing and leading pelagic trips. Not one shearwater or jaeger was seen. Other missing birds include Northern Fulmar, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Bobwhite, (pheasant was recorded on only three trips), Clapper Rail, King Rail, the uncommon Common Moorhen, Marbled Godwit, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Ruff, Red-necked Phalarope, Red Phalarope, Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer, Dovekie, Thick-billed Murre, Chuck-will’s-widow, Whip-poor-will, Red-headed Woodpecker, Loggerhead Shrike,
Golden-winged Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Seaside Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak, and White-winged Crossbill.
The Newburyport area was the most visited birding spot with 46 reported trips. Mount Auburn was second with 30 trips, all in late April and May. Ipswich was visited seven times, followed by Quabbin six times, and five trips to Great Meadows.
Sixty-two leaders guided our members around the state. Bill Drummond was the recorded leader for ten trips, followed by John and Josh Nove, who led nine trips, and David and Dennis Oliver, Dot Davis, and Bob Stymeist each led seven trips. Bill Drummond again wins the honors for recording the most species on a single day trip. On May 16, he and 32 members listed 126 species.
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Upcoming Field Trips
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery 536 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA, United StatesHorn Pond, Woburn (Rescheduled from 4/12)
Woburn - Horn Pond - Sturgis St 98 Sturgis St, Woburn, MA, United StatesCo-sponsored with Menotomy Bird Club. Join us as we explore the varied habitat of the Horn Pond Conservation area. We will be searching for early spring migrants such as Tree Swallow, Eastern Phoebes, Pine, as well as Palm and Yellow-rumped warblers, and lingering ducks such as Northern Shoveler and Green-winged teal, and early warblers. Meet [...]
Belle Isle Marsh and Vicinity
East Boston - Belle Isle Parking Lot 1399 Bennington Street, Boston, MA, United StatesLed by DCR staff. We will search on foot up to one mile on flat, easy terrain, for migrating or resident songbirds, raptors, shorebirds, and marsh birds at this birding hotspot and state park. This is a traveling program by car or bike. Prepare for ticks and mosquitoes. Ages: Adults and kids 8 years+ with [...]
Millennium Park
Boston - Millennium Park Canoe Launch 300 Gardner Street, Boston, MA, United StatesJoin us to observe resident birds and spring migrants in a unique urban habitat that is a favorite for many bird species, including uncommon and rare birds. Birders of all levels will enjoy this walk The trails are flat and easy to walk. We may do an optional 30 minute trip extension to an adjacent [...]
Milton Landing & Neponset River Greenway
Enjoy an approximately 2-mile walk along the Neponset River Greenway bike path from Milton to Dorchester. We will start at Milton's Landing and stay for at least 20 minutes to see waterfowl and gulls. Then we will walk along the Neponset River Greenway--let's see if we can find any black-crowned night herons and other species. [...]