BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count Follow Up
BBC members birded every county and every corner of the state this year, recording a total of 193 species. (See the eBird trip report.)Essex County led the way over Plymouth, but only by a single species. Suffolk was third, helped by a couple of county Big Day efforts. The first birds of the day were reported from Savery Pond in Plymouth County (Whip-poor-will, Eastern Screech Owl and Great Horned Owl), with an American Woodcock at Marconi Station on Cape Cod the last to be added to our list.
Here is the count by county:
- Essex – 136 Species
- Plymouth – 135 Species
- Suffolk – 126 Species
- Middlesex – 122 Species
- Barnstable – 99 Species
- Bristol – 84 Species
- Berkshire – 84 Species
- Worcester – 74 Species
- Norfolk – 74 Species
- Nantucket – 62 Species
- Hampshire – 57 Species
- Hampden – 30 Species
- Dukes – 9 Species
Highlights include
- Summer Tanager (Mt Auburn Cemetery)
- American Golden-Plover (Scituate)
- Razorbill (Stellwagen whale watch)
- Wilson’s Phalarope (Plum Island)
- White-faced Ibis (Scotland Road, Newbury)
- Little Blue Heron (Nantucket)
- Sandhill Crane (Burrage Pond)
- Prothonatory Warbler (Wompatuck)
Top 10 reported species by number of checklists:
- 1st -American Robin
- 2nd -Song Sparrow
- 3rd – Gray Catbird
- 4th – Red-winged Blackbird
- 5th – Northern Cardinal
- 6th/7th – Blue Jay, American Goldfinch (tie)
- 8th – Common Grackle
- 9th – Baltimore Oriole
- 10th – Mourning Dove
Species appearing on a single checklist or at a single location:
- Black-billed Cuckoo
- Whimbrel
- American Woodcock
- Wilson’s Snipe
- Purple Sandpiper
- Manx Shearwater
- American Bittern
- Least Bittern
- Black Vulture
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Winter Wren
- Pine Siskin
- Lincoln’s Sparrow
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Canada Warbler
- Cerulean Warbler
What did we miss? Not much, but Broad-winged Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Hooded Merganser, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Sora, Horned Lark and Blue-winged Teal would have taken us to 200 for the day. Saltmarsh Sparrow and Eastern Wood-Pewee reached the state in decent numbers just a day or two later.
Show us your SMARTS.
Here are a few questions designed to put your warbler knowledge to the test!
2019 BBC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The BBC is pleased and proud to announce that our two annual Young Birder Scholarships have been awarded to Sam Poleretzky of North Andover, MA and Brynlee Kimball of Auburn, NH. These scholarships, instituted
NEW: BBC CONSERVATION ADVOCACY POLICY
CONSERVATION ADVOCACY The BBC Board has adopted the following policy regarding advocacy on behalf of bird conservation. The BBC is committed to conservation of birds and their habitats, and we encourage our members to
Support Rare and Endangered Species in Massachusetts!
MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program is responsible for the conservation and protection of wildlife species that are not considered game species and the natural communities that make up their habitats. The focus of
Annual Winter Meeting a Success!
BBC members enjoyed a wonderful member's night celebration! Ten folks shared some wonderful photographs and video from around the world with the audience. In addition, several members read poems or short shorts they had written.
NORTHEASTERN EXPANSION AT NAHANT
Many of you are familiar with Northeastern University’s proposed expansion at East Point Nahant. It involves the construction of a 60,000 sq.ft. three story building and a parking lot. This expansion is located
Show us your SMARTS.
Here are a few questions designed to put your warbler knowledge to the test!
2019 BBC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The BBC is pleased and proud to announce that our two annual Young Birder Scholarships have been awarded to Sam Poleretzky of North Andover, MA and Brynlee Kimball of Auburn, NH. These scholarships, instituted
NEW: BBC CONSERVATION ADVOCACY POLICY
CONSERVATION ADVOCACY The BBC Board has adopted the following policy regarding advocacy on behalf of bird conservation. The BBC is committed to conservation of birds and their habitats, and we encourage our members to
Support Rare and Endangered Species in Massachusetts!
MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program is responsible for the conservation and protection of wildlife species that are not considered game species and the natural communities that make up their habitats. The focus of
Annual Winter Meeting a Success!
BBC members enjoyed a wonderful member's night celebration! Ten folks shared some wonderful photographs and video from around the world with the audience. In addition, several members read poems or short shorts they had written.
NORTHEASTERN EXPANSION AT NAHANT
Many of you are familiar with Northeastern University’s proposed expansion at East Point Nahant. It involves the construction of a 60,000 sq.ft. three story building and a parking lot. This expansion is located
Show us your SMARTS.
Here are a few questions designed to put your warbler knowledge to the test!
2019 BBC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The BBC is pleased and proud to announce that our two annual Young Birder Scholarships have been awarded to Sam Poleretzky of North Andover, MA and Brynlee Kimball of Auburn, NH. These scholarships, instituted
NEW: BBC CONSERVATION ADVOCACY POLICY
CONSERVATION ADVOCACY The BBC Board has adopted the following policy regarding advocacy on behalf of bird conservation. The BBC is committed to conservation of birds and their habitats, and we encourage our members to
Support Rare and Endangered Species in Massachusetts!
MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program is responsible for the conservation and protection of wildlife species that are not considered game species and the natural communities that make up their habitats. The focus of
Annual Winter Meeting a Success!
BBC members enjoyed a wonderful member's night celebration! Ten folks shared some wonderful photographs and video from around the world with the audience. In addition, several members read poems or short shorts they had written.
NORTHEASTERN EXPANSION AT NAHANT
Many of you are familiar with Northeastern University’s proposed expansion at East Point Nahant. It involves the construction of a 60,000 sq.ft. three story building and a parking lot. This expansion is located
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Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Mt. Greylock
Mount Greylock Visitors Center 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, MA, United StatesGreylock and October Mountain trips may be swapped for best weather on the Greylock day. If wet weather predicted for the Berkshires, contact the leader in advance for potential change. This will be an exciting trip with the occasional surprise. Mourning Warbler has always been a specialty of this trip. Enjoy the warblers and other
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October Mountain
Lenox - October Mountain 380 New Lenox Rd, Lenox, MA, United StatesGreylock and October Mountain trips may be swapped for best weather on the Greylock day. Contact the leader in advance. Multiple habitats make this trip more diversified than the prior day’s Mount Greylock trip, as we begin along the Housatonic River WMA and make our way over October Mountain. Cosponsored by the South Shore Bird
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Breeding Bird Survey, Plymouth Airport
Plymouth Airport 246 S Meadow Rd, Plymouth, MA, United StatesLimited participation. 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. We will be allowed to survey the entire airport grounds before the airport opens to flights to confirm as many breeding species we can. This special habitat has Upland Sandpiper, American Kestrels, Eastern Meadowlarks, and Grasshopper Sparrows, all species of special concern. Also includes pine barrens specialists like Prairie
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New Member Walk at Fresh Pond, Cambridge
Cambridge - Fresh Pond - TD Bank 235 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA, United StatesThis walk is intended for new members! Get to know your fellow club members. Bring a friend if you like. An easy 2-mile walk through pondside meadows and forest paths at Fresh Pond. We'll see summer residents including breeding birds. We will meet in the parking lot of the TD Bank at Fresh Pond Circle,
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Fruitlands Museum, Harvard
Harvard - Fruitlands Museum 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard, MA, United StatesCosponsored with Boxborough Birders. We will look for resident species including Indigo Bunting, Savannah Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, Veery, Blue-headed Vireo, Wild Turkey, American Kestrel, and a variety of warblers. Expect to walk about two miles on trails through meadows and woods, with some steep sections. Prepare for ticks. We will bird at the