1997 STATISTICAL REPORT.

by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician

During 1997, the Brookline Bird Club listed 313 species of birds on 206 reported trips. A total of 242 trips were scheduled, 68 all-day, 148 morning, 24 afternoon or evening, and two weekends. Forty trips were not reported; in addition four unscheduled trips were arranged (two additions to Mt. Auburn, a special trip to see the Mississippi Kite in Orleans, and a trip to coastal Maine to find both sharp-tailed sparrows) In Massachusetts the Club reported a total of 303 species on 196 trips. On six trips to New Hampshire, highlights included a Bicknell’s Thrush and Gray Jay in the White Mountains. On a trip to the Dead Creek area and Island Pond in Vermont seven members enjoyed a great performance of a obliging Northern Hawk-Owl and the Club added Gray Partridge to the list; the report also included Boreal Chickadee and Evening Grosbeak.

The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) Checklist were reported by the Club in 1997:

Eared Grebe                            Gloucester                              January 1

Boreal Owl                              Boston                                     January 11

Townsend’s Solitaire               Barnstable                               January 12

Black Vulture                           Westport                                 January 26

Harris’ Sparrow                       Salisbury                                  February 8

Arctic-Pacific Loon                  Rockport                                 February 8

Whooper Swan                       Plum Island                             February 23

White-fronted Goose              West Newbury                        March 30

Rock Wren                              Gloucester                              April 6

Common Raven                      Bolton Flats                             April 12

Kentucky Warbler                   Mount Auburn                        May 9

Gull-billed Tern                       East Boston                             May 10

Summer Tanager                    Byfield                                     May 11

Mississippi Kite                       Orleans                                    June 4

White Pelican                          Plum Island                             July 21

Swainson’s Hawk                    Provincetown                          September 6

Audubon’s Shearwater           Hydrographers Canyon           September 6

Sabine’s Gull                           Stellwagen Bank                     September 7

Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow           Bolton Flats                 September 28

Tufted Duck                            Sterling                                    November 2

Missing from the Club list in 1997 were, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Upland Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Parasitic Jaeger, Lesser-Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, Royal Tern, Thick-billed Murre, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Chucks-wills-widow, Acadian Flycatcher, Boreal Chickadee, Loggerhead Shrike, Orange-crowned Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lark Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill and Evening Grosbeak.

Essex County was visited by the Club most often, with a total of 111 trips (67 to Newburyport and Plum Island and 17 to Cape Ann and 27 other county locations). Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge was second with 39 trips. Other trips were led in over 30 different locations, including 8 pelagics.

A special thank-you to the sixty-nine leaders who guided our members throughout the year. Several leaders deserve special mention. Steve Grinley led an impressive 21 trips, Bill Drummond led 18., Bob Petersen 17, Glenn d’Entremont 12, Dennis Oliver 11 and Linda Ferraresso 10 trips.

The biggest trip list was as always Bill Drummond’s spring trip on May 17 with 124 species. Thirty-five members all got excellent looks at a Clapper Rails on Plum Island and a Little Gull in Newburyport Harbor.