1996 STATISTICAL REPORT

by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician

During 1996, the Brookline Bird Club listed 293 species of birds on 207 reported trips. A total of 248 trips were scheduled, 73 all-day, 144 morning, 28 afternoon or evening, and three weekends. Forty-one trips were not reported. In Massachusetts the Club reported a total of 290 species on 169 trips.

On six trips to New Hampshire, a total of 142 species was tallied. Highlights included a Bicknell’s Thrush and twenty-one Yellow-bellied Flycatchers in the White Mountains. On a trip to the Connecticut Lakes region near Pittsburg, NH, twelve members saw seven Olive-sided Flycatchers, two Black-backed Woodpeckers and a Gray Jay. Ida Giriunas on her annual trip to Machias Seal Island and surroundings led 12 members through many different habitats and recorded 100 species including two species not recorded on any Massachusetts trip: Red-shouldered Hawk and 5,000 Atlantic Puffins. The trip to Machias was delayed due to fog and therefore no landing could be made.

The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS)

Checklist were reported by the Club in 1996:

Eared Grebe                Rockport                     January 13

Tundra Swan               Gloucester                   January 27

Golden Eagle              Plum Island                 January 28

Common Murre          Weymouth                  February 4

Great Gray Owl          Rowley                        February 2, 11, 18

Mew Gull                    Newbury                     March 31

Whooper Swan           Ipswich                       April 20

Cerulean Warbler       Mount Auburn            May 11

Bullock’s Oriole         Mount Auburn            May 15

Common Raven          Mount Greylock         June 22

Tufted Duck                Sterling                       October 13

White-fronted Goose Ipswich                       December 1

Missing from the Club list in 1996 were Cory’s Shearwater, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Eurasian Wigeon, Redhead, King Rail, Red Phalarope, Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Barn Owl, Chucks-wills-widow, Acadian Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, White-eyed Vireo, Connecticut Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissel, Lark Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Red Crossbill and White-winged Crossbill.

Essex County was visited by the Club most often, with a total of 111 trips (97 to Newburyport and Plum Island and 14 to Cape Ann). Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge was second with 35 trips. Other trips were led in over 25 different locations, including 7 pelagics although only 4 were reported.

A special thank-you to the sixty-five leaders who guided our members throughout the year. Several leaders deserve special mention. Steve Grinley led an impressive 27 trips, Bill Drummond led 17. Glenn d’Entremont and Bob Petersen each led 11 trips, and John Nove , Dennis Oliver and Bob Stymeist each led 10 trips.

The biggest trip list was as always Bill Drummond’s spring trip on May 18 with 130 species. Fifty-one members all got excellent looks at two Clapper Rails on Plum Island and a Golden-winged Warbler in Groveland. Other century trips included a Glenn d’Entremont Blue Hills-Squantum trip on May 11 with 102 species, a Bob Stymeist trip from Eastham to Truro on September 7 with 101 species, and a Bill Drummond trip to Newburyport on September 8 with 103 species.