THE 1991 STATISTICAL REPORT

by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician



During 1991, the Brookline Bird Club listed 291 species on 154 recorded field trips. A total of 192 trips were scheduled: 76 all day, 94 morning, 17 afternoon or evening and 5 weekend trips. Five trips were cancelled due to bad weather, and 23 trips went unreported.


The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) Checklist were reported by the Club in 1991:

 

Sandhill Crane                     Belchertown                February 3

Sandhill Crane                     Newburyport                July 15 & Sept.29

"Lawrence's Warbler"               Mount Auburn               May 9

"Brewster's Warbler"               Groveland                  May 11

Cerulean Warbler                   Quabbin                    May 11

Yellow-throated Warbler            Martha's Vineyard          May 19

Curlew Sandpiper                   Monomoy                    May 26

Curlew Sandpiper                   Plymouth                   June 1

Prothonotary Warbler               Great Meadows              July 13

American Avocet                    Plum Island                Aug.24, Sept.1,22,28

Gull-billed Tern                   Plum Island                August 24

Sandwich Tern                      Plum Island                August 24

Sandwich Tern                      Monomoy                    August 24

Clay-colored Sparrow               Nantucket                  September 28

"Ipswich Sparrow"                  Plum Island                October 20

Greater White-fronted Goose        Concord                    November 2

Sprague's Pipit                    Clinton                    November 2

Gyrfalcon                          Plum Island                November 17



The Sprague's Pipit at Wachusett Reservoir was only the second record for the species in Massachusetts and a new species for the Club's overall list.

At Island Pond, Vermont, John Kennedy led 12 members around and found 88 species, including Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, and Boreal Chickadee - four species not found on any Massachusetts field trip.

At Machias, Ida Giriunas and 23 members recorded 126 species on the July 4th weekend. They found Sooty Shearwater, Common Murre, Atlantic Puffin, and Red Crossbills - four additional species to the overall list. They also saw Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Boreal Chickadee. They did not find a single House Sparrow!
 
The missing birds are the most interesting. Those not recorded in 1991 include Northern Fulmar, both Wilson's and Leach's storm-petrels, Wild Turkey, Golden Eagle, Clapper Rail, King Rail, Western Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer,

Dovekie, Thick-billed Murre, Chuck-will's-widow, Acadian Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, and Common Redpoll.

Essex County field trips topped the locations most visited with 74 trips (49 to Plum Island and Newburyport, seven to Ipswich, and additional trips to Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield, Crooked Pond in Boxford, and Lynnfield marshes). The Greater Boston area was birded by the Club on 61 trips (34 to Mount Auburn Cemetery and 16 to nearby Fresh Pond). Twelve trips to Cape Cod and the islands, seven to Great Meadows and four to Quabbin made these locales the next most visited areas. Rounding out the locations that BBC members visited were Plymouth, Lakeville, Lincoln, Natick, Mount Tom, Tyngsboro, Newton and, of course, Brookline.

Sixty-five leaders guided our members around the state and eight leaders did it nine or more times. Jim Barton was listed 26 times, followed by David and Dennis Oliver, who led ten trips. John and Josh Nove, Bill Drummond, and Bob Stymeist each led nine trips. The May 18 trip to Newburyport led by Bill Drummond and 49 members recorded the Club's 1991 highest day total of 126 species. That trip recorded the "Lawrence's" Warbler and a Little Gull that was a life bird for many of the participants.
 
On the disaster side, Bill Drummond wins again. The Club trip to Stellwagen Bank with 79 participants recorded just seven species on September 8.

THE 1990 STATISTICAL REPORT

by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician

In 1990, the Brookline Bird Club listed 286 species on 161 recorded field trips. A total of 196 trips were scheduled: 75 all-day, 94 morning, 24 afternoon or evening, and 3 weekend trips. Five trips were cancelled due to bad weather and 30 trips went unreported.   

      ‘

The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) checklist were reported by the Club in 1990:

Sandhill Crane	Newburyport	May 27
Clay-colored Sparrow	Plymouth	June 2
Cerulean Warbler	Quabbin	June 3
Gull-billed Tern	Plum Island	June 30
Curlew Sandpiper	Plum Island	July 7
Spotted Redshank	Wellfleet	August 11
Purple Gallinule	Fresh Pond	September 26
American Avocet	Newburyport	October 7
MacGillivray’s Warbler	Peabody	October 13
Le Conte’s Sparrow	Peabody	October 13
Lark Bunting	Plum Island	October 28.

The Spotted Redshank found at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on August 11 was just the second record for this species inMassachusetts and a new species for the Club’s overall list. The MacGillivray’s Warbler found at the hot Peabody Lime Pits wasalso a first for the Club’s list.

On a weekend trip to Baxter State Park in Maine, two additional species were recorded: Spruce Grouse and Black­ backed Woodpecker.

Missing from the Club checklist during 1990 were Northern Fulmar, all the shearwaters, Redhead, Clapper and King rails,Common Moorhen, Baird’s and Buff-breasted sandpipers, Red Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger; Caspian, Royal and Black terns; Thick-billed Murre, Long-eared Owl, Chuck-will’s-widow (despite the cooperative one at Marblehead Neck), Boreal Chickadee,Loggerhead Shrike, Connecticut Warbler, Yellow­ breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissel, Lark Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak, and Common Redpoll.

Essex County field trips topped the location most visited list with seventy-three trips (fifty-three to Plum Island andNewburyport, eight to Cape Ann, and eight to Ipswich with additional trips to Boxford and Manchester­ by-the-sea).

Mount Auburn, Fresh Pond, Belmont Hill, and the nearby Mystic Lakes were visited fifty-nine times by the Club, with MountAuburn being listed thirty-seven times in April and May alone.

Ten trips to Cape Cod, seven to Great Meadows, and six to Quabbin made these spots the next most visited areas. Rounding out the locations that BBC members visited were the Blue Hills, Bolton Flats, Lynnfield, Reading, Tygnsboro, Newton, Natick,Lincoln, Weston, Wayland, Westport, Mount Tom, Mount Greylock, and, of course, Brookline.

Sixty-eight leaders guided our members around the state, and six leaders did it six or more times. Jim Barton was listed twenty-three times, followed by Bill Drummond who led ten trips and John Nove who led nine trips. Bob Stymeist, Mark Lynch and Sheila Carroll led eight trips, and Dennis and David Oliver led six trips.

The May 19 trip to Newburyport led by Bill Drummond recorded the Club’s 1990 highest day total of 133 species.

THE 1989 STATISTICAL REPORT

by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician

In 1989, the Brookline Bird Club listed 284 species, two ad­ditional races, and a Black Swan on 163 recorded field trips. A total of 188 trips were scheduled: 76 all-day, 88 morning, 19 afternoon or evening, and 5 weekend trips. There was also one unscheduled trip to Deerfield in early January that successful­ly tallied Harris’ and Clay-colored sparrows. Nine trips were cancelled due to bad weather, and 16 trips went unreported.

The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon So­ciety (MAS) checklist were reported by the Club in 1989:

Sprague’s Pipit                        Provincetown              January 1

Harris’ Sparrow                       Deerfield                     January 8

Clay-colored Sparrow              Hadley                         January 8

Golden Eagle                           Quabbin                      January 15

Le Conte’s Sparrow                 Newbury                     February 5

White Ibis                                Middleboro                 March 25

Cerulean Warbler                    Mt Auburn                   May 7

Little Egret                               Plum Island                  August 12

Sandhill Crane                         Ipswich                        October 1

Curlew Sandpiper                    Plum Island                  October 7

The Little Egret found in the salt pannes of Plum Island on August 12 was the first United States record for this spe­cies and a new species for the Club’s overall list.

On a weekend trip to Island Pond in Vermont in early May, five additional species were recorded: Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, and White-winged Crossbill. Unfortunately, no report was received from the Maine weekend in July.

Missing from the Club checklist during 1989 were Cory’s Shearwater, both storm-petrels, Least Bittern, Eurasian Wigeon, King Eider, Clapper and King rails, Marbled Godwit, Baird’s Sandpiper, Red-necked and Red phalaropes, Lit­tle Gull, Royal Tern, Dovekie, Thick-billed Murre, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Short-eared Owl, Common Nighthawk, Chuck-will’s­ widow, Red-headed Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Boreal Chickadee, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Connec­ticut Warbler, Lark and Fox sparrows, White-winged Crossbill, and Common Redpoll.

Essex County field trips comprised 38 percent of all trips. Seventy-one visits to the area included 49 trips to Plum Is­land and Newburyport, 10 trips to Cape Ann, with addition­al trips to Ipswich, West Newbury, Topsfield, Manchester, and a leader’s choice trip to Marblehead Neck.

Mount Auburn, Fresh Pond, Belmont Hill, and the near­by Mystic Lakes were visited 51 times by the Club, with Mount Auburn being listed 38 times in April and May alone.

Tied for third place were Great Meadows National Wild­life Refuge in Concord, the Quabbin area, and Monomoy Is­land, each with seven trips scheduled. The archipelago of Monomoy was extremely difficult to get to this past summer; of the seven trips scheduled, only one trip was able to land on the island. Rounding out the areas that BBC members visited were Brookline, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Falmouth, the Blue Hills, Newton, Lincoln, Sudbury, Weston, Mt. Tom, Wachusett Mountain, Mt. Greylock, Westport, Bolton Flats, and two pelagic trips.

Sixty-nine leaders guided our members around the state, and eight leaders did it six or more times. Jim Barton was listed eleven times. Bob Stymeist led ten trips, and Mark Lynch, Bill Drummond, and John Nove each led eight trips for the Club.

The May 20 trip to Newburyport led by Bill Drummond recorded the high of 122 species, followed by the 109 species recorded by Kent Griffis in the Newburyport area on May 14.

THE 1988 STATISTICAL REPORT

by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician

In 1988, the Brookline Bird Club scheduled 202 field trips: eighty-three all-day, ninety-one morning, and twenty-five afternoon or evening trips. In addition there were three BBC weekends: April 30-May 1 in the Adirondack Mountains, July 1-4 in Machias, Maine, and September 30-October 2 on Nantucket Island. There were also two special excursions organized through the BBC hotline: one to Boxford in June to locate the Cerulean Warbler and one to Middleboro/Halifax in October to see the Swainson’s Hawk.

The Club recorded 307 species, three additional subspecies, and one escapee on 173 reported field trips. Twenty-nine trips went unreported. Two were cancelled due to bad weather. In Massachusetts, a total of 298 species (plus the three subspecies and the Blue Parakeet) was tallied.

The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) Checklist were reported in 1988:

Golden Eagle                                        Quabbin                 1-17

Common Raven                                   Quabbin                 1-17

Bohemian Waxwing                             Hardwick               1-17

Tundra Swan                                        Quabbin                 1-24

European Goldfinch                             Montague              2-7

Painted Bunting                                   Nahant                   5-14

Summer Tanager                                 Quincy                   5-15

                                                             Mt. Auburn            5-15

Yellow-throated Warbler                     Mt. Auburn            5-15

Sandhill Crane                                      Newbury                5-29

Cerulean Warbler                                Boxford                  6-4

Lark Bunting                                         Plum Island            7-23

Bar-tailed Godwit                                Monomoy              8-7

Sandhill Crane (again)                          Newbury                9-3

Clay-colored Sparrow                          Plum Island            9-17

Sabine’s Gull                                        Stellwagen             9-18

Eurasian Jackdaw                                 Nantucket              9-30

Northern Wheatear                             Harwich                 10-2

Swainson’s Hawk                                 Middleboro           10-15

Greater White-fronted Goose             West Newbury      10-29

And these additional birds were reported from outside Massachusetts:

Boreal Chickadee           Adirondack            4-30

Three-toed Woodpecker      Adirondack            4-30

Black-backed Woodpecker    Adirondack            4-30

Gray Jay                   Adirondack            4-30

Red-bellied Woodpecker*    Connecticut           5-28

Spruce Grouse              Maine                 7-4

Common Murre               Maine                 7-4

Atlantic Puffin            Maine                 7-4

Whip-poor-will*            Maine                 7-4

* These two species on the Massachusetts checklist were not seen in the state.
 

Missing from the BBC reports during 1988 were Northern Fulmar, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Least Bittern, Clapper Rail, Common Moorhen, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Royal Tern, Common Barn-Owl, Chuck-will's-widow, Red-headed Woodpecker, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Blue Grosbeak, Fox Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, Pine Grosbeak, White-winged Crossbill, and Common Redpoll.

Essex County field trips comprised forty-four percent of the trips; there were seventy-four reports in this area that includes Plum Island and Cape Ann. Mount Auburn Cemetery and near-by Fresh Pond in Cambridge were visited fifty times. Cape Cod and south shore trips numbered twenty. Western Massachusetts and the Quabbin Reservoir trips totaled eleven, and Boston Harbor was visited eight times by the Club.

Seventy-eight leaders led our members around the state, and twelve leaders did it five or more times. Jim Barton was listed nineteen times, Bill and Barbara Drummond logged in ten trips, while David and Dennis Oliver and Bob Stymeist led nine times.

The Club's birding experiences are best described by our leaders as 1988 marched on.

January 10. Ipswich area. Ten inches of new snow greeted ten members, who had excellent looks at thirty to forty harbor seals.

January 17. The Quabbin Sweep. The trip started in Petersham where Wild Turkeys were seen. At Hardwick, everyone had excellent views of two Bohemian Waxwings as an immature Northern Goshawk soared over the group. At Shaft 12, three coyotes and an adult Golden Eagle were seen. As the sunshine waned, an adult Bald Eagle flew overhead - a perfect reward for a long, cold, ten-mile hike.

February 15. Ipswich. The group thoroughly searched the shopping center marsh on snowshoes but found no rails and no snipe.

February 21. Newburyport area. Six Bald Eagles were seen along the Merrimack, and our old friend the "Ipswich" Sparrow was noted at Salisbury.

February 28. Middleboro area. Owling before breakfast produced three Eastern Screech, three Great Horned, two Barred, and six Short-eared owls for the early risers.

March 12. Newburyport. Bitter and blustery winds greeted the BBCers at 8:00 A.M. The bright sun tamed the weather into a beautiful and enjoyable afternoon. Sixty crows were harassing a Great Horned Owl at the pumping station, passerines were missing. The group loved every bird we were lucky enough to find.

March 20. Winthrop and vicinity. Very squally weather. The wind shifted from east to west and threw a short-lived blizzard at us as soon as we set foot on Belle Isle Marsh! The afternoon was lovely, sunny but cold, and we finally got to see all the good sea ducks.

April 9. Boxford to Newburyport. Louisiana Waterthrush sang at a drizzly start. An east wind became northwest in the afternoon. A Red-tailed Hawk was spotted carrying a snake.

April 10. Dunback Meadows, Lexington. There were several good courtship flights of the American Woodcock for the group of twenty-four.

April 20. Mt. Auburn Cemetery. An early spring day recorded only two Palm Warblers. A Red-tailed Hawk was being harassed by crows as we walked in. As we walked out, we found the hawk eating a crow!

April 28. Mt. Auburn. Dark, cold, and rainy. No people, no sun, no birds, no fun.

May 8. Mt. Auburn. Tough day for warblers, just two warbler species. Forty-five eager observers were begging for more.

May 14. Mt. Auburn to Nahant. A good May day with twenty-two species of warblers, including a Worm-eating and Yellow-breasted Chat. A beautiful male Painted Bunting in a dandelion field was the reward for those who joined this extended trip to Nahant.

May 14. Bolton Flats and Oxbow NWR. Twenty-five members had incredible views of Golden-winged Warbler. Rails, both Sora and Virginia, put on a show-not to be outdone by a river otter and a black racer.

May 15. Mt. Auburn. A Summer Tanager was found as well as a Gray-cheeked Thrush, and a single Red Crossbill was seen overhead. Fifty participants enjoyed the flowering trees as well.

May 21. Newburyport and vicinity. On Bill Drummond's annual "go for gold," a total of 116 species was logged in. The highlights included a late snipe and two Wilson's Phalaropes. Twenty-one species of warblers, including an early Mourning, were tallied, and a late Pine Siskin was noted in West Newbury.

May 28. The Connecticut Hunt. This was a trip sponsored jointly with the Forbush Bird Club to search out the specialties of the area. All the target birds, including a Cerulean, two Hooded, and three Worm-eating warblers, were located.

May 29. Newburyport area. A Sandhill Crane at hunting area B in Newbury was the highlight of the day and a life bird for many on the trip.

May 29. Quabbin Sweep. Disastrously buggy! Myriads of mosquitoes and black flies had their Memorial Day picnic on the BBC. Later in the day, things debugged a bit, and we had excellent views of Acadian Flycatchers on territory, a soaring and diving Raven, and three male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds on territory. The trip ended with two Barred owls dueting and more bugs.

June 4. Boxford. A special trip arranged through the hotline for the Cerulean Warbler that had been found on May 29. Also noted were a pair of Yellow-throated Vireos and a Winter Wren.

June 4. Tyngsboro. Fifteen members got close looks at two nesting Eastern Bluebirds and visited a Bank Swallow colony at a new construction site.

June 6. Plum Island. A nice sunny evening but very strong winds made finding birds and standing up very hard for the thirty members.

June 11. The Berkshires. Clear blue skies and a few clouds allowed the sun to warm us up. Between 5 and 7 A.M., we were wearing hats, gloves, and down parkas. It was wonderful to find Mourning Warbler again.

June 13. Crane Beach, Ipswich. Beautiful weather, mediocre birds with the usual exception of the Least Terns and Piping Plovers. A total of 175 nests of Least Terns was staked out, and eight pairs of Piping Plovers were found.

June 19. Sudbury River Valley. Fourteen members were treated to a wide selection of nesting birds, including Yellow-throated Vireos, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and three pairs of Northern Orioles.

July 1-4. Down East, Machias, Maine. This was a great trip with 123 species reported, including excellent views of Spruce Grouse, Boreal Chickadees, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay and 1600 Atlantic Puffins, 5 Common Murres, and 600 Razorbills. The food was superb. Great job, Ida!

July 11. Plum Island. Ninety-nine degrees and at least ten greenhead flies, two mosquitoes, and a gnat for every square inch of body surface. But for the pain, a just reward of three Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and a Caspian Tern.

July 16. Great Meadows. Great views of five adult and two downy Virginia Rails. Thirty-two observers had a great time as the rails fed in front of us. Very few land birds were found.

July 25. Plum Island. Rain kept down the greenheads but not the birders' spirits as the Club had excellent looks at an adult Lark Bunting.

August 7. Monomoy. Good shorebirds, including a Bar-tailed Godwit that had been present during the week. A ferry service to the now many islands of Monomoy provided almost a whole day at sea.

September 18. Mt. Tom. The weather was lousy but at Arcadia the group found an American Bittern and had good looks at a Connecticut Warbler. In the Northampton Meadows, all six swallow species were seen, including late Roughwings and a Purple Martin. Not many hawks at Goats Peak.

September 18. Pelagic trip. A wonderful day at sea for ninety-four birders. We had excellent views of Sabine's Gull as well as good numbers of shearwaters and Wilson's Storm-Petrels.

September 25. Wachusett Meadows. Fifty-five species on a beautiful fall day. Over fifty Eastern Bluebirds were counted at the sanctuary.

October 2. Cape Cod. A beautiful day to be out walking and discovering birds. A vacationer had noticed an interesting bird walking along the stones at Red River Beach in Harwich and reported the bird at the Birdwatcher's General Store. The Club made a detour to check it out and after a bit of searching the beach wound up with a Northern Wheatear. A great ending to a great day.

October 15. Middleboro/Halifax. A special hotline trip for forty-one birders to see the Swainson's Hawk. Everyone had an excellent look.

October 22. Plum Island. Stormy day, winds blowing from the northeast. The marshes were flooded, and the shorebirds were being blown off their feet right onto the road. The fog rolled in so we were unable to get a good ocean list. A Blue Parakeet was found in the middle of the campground.

November 13. Three BBC 75th Anniversary Celebration field trips:

Pelagic trip cosponsored with the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the New England Aquarium. A full boat of BBC anniversary celebrants left the dock but had to turn back five miles off Minot Light. Participants did get looks a Little and Common Black-headed gulls and found two Razorbills.

Cape Ann. There was an unexpected but fine show of alcids at Halibut Point where forty-five members saw three Thick-billed Murres, two Razorbills, and four Black Guillemots.

Brookline and vicinity. The group started at Putterham Meadows Golf Course, formerly the first Brookline Bird Club sanctuary (1926). Members had excellent looks at a Great Horned Owl through telescopes from the parking lot. Two more Great Horns turned up during the day along with calling Barred and Eastern Screech owls and an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Red-necked Grebe, an unusual bird for Brookline.

November 26. Essex area. A beautiful day for New England. Bright sun, brisk winds, wonderful companions, great scenery, and even a few birds. A Northern Saw-whet Owl highlighted the day. To quote Ida, it was the typical magic that happens on a BBC trip.

THE 1987 STATISTICAL REPORT

by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician

During 1987, the Brookline Bird Club listed 290 species and one additional race on 198 recorded field trips. A total of 220 trips were scheduled; eleven were cancelled due to bad weather, and twelve trips went unreported. One additional special trip was organized, and twenty-eight members got to see the Cox’s Sandpiper on Duxbury Beach on September 20, 1987.

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

Common Raven                      Quabbin                      1-18

“Ipswich” Sparrow                  Newburyport              3-14

Pacific/Arctic Loon                  Sandy Neck               3-21

Western Grebe                        Sandy Neck                 3-21

Eared Grebe                            Sandy Neck                 3-21

Prothonotary Warbler            Blue Hills                     5-23

Atlantic Puffin                         Machias, ME               7-4

Common Murre                      Machias, ME               7-4

Black-backed Woodpecker     Machias, ME               7-4

American Avocet                    Plum Island                 9-5

Black-throated Gray Warbler Chatham                     9-13

Yellow-headed Blackbird        Chatham                     9-13

Cox’s Sandpiper                      Duxbury                      9-20

Missing from the BBC reports during 1987 were Northern Fulmar, Cory’s Shearwater, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, Wild Turkey, Clapper Rail, King Rail, Ruff, Red-necked Phalarope, Red Phalarope, Parasitic Jaeger, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Dovekie, Common Barn-Owl, Chuck-will’s-widow, Western Kingbird, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Connecticut Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Lark Sparrow, and Pine Grosbeak.

Essex County field trips comprised forty percent of the trips; eighty-nine visits to the area produced 258 species. Mount Auburn Cemetery and nearby Fresh Pond were visited fifty-seven times. The third most-visited location was Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord, where a total of seven trips were held. Two trips were scheduled to Maine. The Machias Seal Island trip recorded 106 species and was fully described in the winter bulletin 1987-88.

The Club’s birding experiences are best described by our leaders as the year turns.

January 1. Newburyport area. Forty-seven birders began the year at Newburyport and recorded fifty species, with six Snowy Owls and one Short-eared Owl as highlights.

January 3. Cape Ann area. The leader summed up the day as follows, “The best birding was the first five minutes when two Glaucous Gulls were found at the Fisherman’s Monument, and the last five minutes when the Barred Owls were located at the Grass Rides in Hamilton.”

January 10. Newburyport. The group was able to watch a Long-eared Owl at a distance of forty feet, and a Cooper’s Hawk was observed at a feeding station.

January 18. Quabbin. The trip was cut short by a snowstorm and loss of visibility, but not before locating a Pileated Woodpecker and twenty-five Common Redpolls, not to mention two Coyotes and a Bobcat.

January 18. Cape Ann to Hamilton. A good winter birding day included ten Red-necked Grebes, three species of scoter, a Glaucous Gull, a Thick-billed Murre, and seven Black Guillemots.

January 24. Salisbury-Newburyport. It was cold (5-15 degrees), blustery (15-30 mph NW winds), a brutal day, not fit for birds or people. Only birders were out. The Plum Island road was a river of ice.

February 16. Ipswich-Hamilton. The sun shone on this trip, literally and figuratively. After the coldest weekend of the winter, the weather retreated to the comfortable zone, making conditions perfect for a jaunt in the marsh at the Ipswich Shopping Center to look for rails and snipe. Success on Virginia Rail. At the next stop at a feeder to look for a Red-bellied Woodpecker, our timing was perfect. The bird came in to the suet as soon as the group arrived. The day ended with two Barred and a Northern Saw-whet Owl.

February 28. Cape Ann. Harlequins at Andrews Point as well as a Little Gull pleased twelve happy and cold birders.

March 1. Newburyport. Miserable, heavy rain and sleet (35 degrees with NE wind at 20 mph) greeted the group. It was so bad that the entire team (five crazy birders) did not see a single bird for forty-five minutes in the New Pines. The trip did record three nice birds: Northern Shrike, and both White-winged and Red crossbills. (Not so crazy birders after all.)

March 15. Middleboro area. Owling at 4 A.M. for fourteen early risers produced two Screech, six Horned, one Barred, and one Northern Saw-whet Owl. The trip also recorded two woodcocks in courtship flight and thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds.

March 21. Sandy Neck. It was a good day for seabirds, a Pacific Loon, twenty-nine Common Loons, thirty-five Horned Grebes, one Eared Grebe, and one Western Grebe. Mark your calendars for 1989!

March 22. Winthrop. A dozen stalwarts braved a cold ΝΕ wind and intermittent rain for a Harlequin Hunt, but no Harlequins were to be found. Only the last three diehards saw the King Eider, when they checked the beach for the third time.

March 28. Newburyport. Twenty observers recorded a high count of sixty-one species for the month. Among the highlights were thirty Northern Gannets, four Barrow’s Goldeneyes, a Northern Goshawk, a Red-shouldered Hawk, eight snipe, two Eastern Phoebes, four Fox Sparrows, and eleven Red Crossbills.

April 11. Boxford. The group found Louisiana Waterthrushes singing, Eastern Phoebes building a nest, and Northern Goshawks warning not to get too close to their nest, plus a little red newt, three Painted Turtles, and a Garter Snake.

April 14. Ipswich River Sanctuary, Topsfield. Twenty-nine birders watched the sky dance of the Timberdoodle at dusk.

April 18. Ipswich. A misty rain fell on seven observers who trekked through the muddy cornfields on Northgate Road to flush ninety Common Snipe.

April 19. Lincoln. The day’s finds included a Great Horned Owl, ten Eastern Phoebes, and three nests containing approximately 250 jelly beans!

May 6. Mt. Auburn. Not many warblers were around but a big white rabbit and a skunk walked by the group.

May 10. Mt. Auburn. Two trips, including one for beginners, were held. A total of sixty members recorded sixty species, one for each participant. A total of eighteen species of warblers was tallied.

May 10. Bolton Flats and Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge. A good day in May. The group had outstanding views of a pair of American Bitterns in full courtship display a hundred feet away in perfect light. Continuous pumping and display of the white back feathers took place in virtually the open for fifteen minutes. The group also got perfect views of Yellow-throated Vireos and a pair of Blue-winged Warblers.

May 16. Newburyport area. On this big trip of the year, 116 species were recorded with the leader modestly saying, “We did all right in spite of a generally poor birding day.” Six species of hawks, thirteen species of shorebirds, seventeen species of warblers, and six species of sparrow helped get the day’s species total to well over a hundred.

May 20. Newburyport. An adult male King Eider at Emerson Rocks was a surprise for the ten lucky birders on the trip.

May 23. Mt. Auburn. The winds shifted to the northeast, and the temperature dropped. Many squirrels, one raccoon, one muskrat, and very few birds were the day’s net. The leader bemoaned that this was probably the worst day in Mt. Auburn since 1857!

May 23. Blue Hills. The group had good views of a pair of Prothonotary Warblers as one bird called and visited a hole two or three times. Ten Prairie Warblers, three Louisiana Waterthrushes and a single Pine Siskin rounded out a good morning.

May 30. Plymouth Beach. Twenty-nine birders hiked down to the end of the beach to check off Roseate, Common, Arctic, and Least terns-all on their breeding grounds. Also noted were three Piping Plovers and fifty Ruddy Turnstones.

June 6. Tynsboro Bluebird Walk. At Lillian Files’ house, nineteen people watched two adult Eastern Bluebirds feed two juveniles. The trip also found nesting chickadees, Bank Swallows, and a kingfisher.

June 8. Crane’s Beach, Ipswich. This evening walk looked at the new Least Tern colony in front of the parking lot, with twenty-five tern nests and two pairs of nesting Piping Plovers. At dusk, five Common Nighthawks were seen. On Castle Hill, a pair of red-phased Eastern Screech-Owls called, one with a whinny call and one with a monotone. Two almost fully-grown Great Horned Owls joined an adult bird at last light.

June 13. Western Massachusetts. This Western Massachusetts trip seems to be jinxed. Back in 1983 the leader totaled her car and in 1987 two birders had a rear-end collision with each other, putting one car out of commission for the weekend. The day started off foggy but rapidly warmed up and burnt off the fog. The group was very congenial, and all were delighted to see a few good birds in a leisurely fashion.

June 20. Quabbin. Clear weather with a light wind and temperatures in the low eighties made it a great day for seeing forty-one species of breeding birds and six species of butterflies.

June 21. Sudbury River Valley. Six members enjoyed watching a Great Horned Owl while it was being mobbed by crows at Weir Hill Center.

June 29. Plum Island. Birds were way down in numbers compared with last year, but the weather was beautiful. Twenty cars and over fifty participants made birding as a group difficult.

July 6. Plum Island. Warm and windy weather with no insects created good conditions for seeing two Least Bitterns together at Hellcat, plus a beautiful sunset, ten deer (two in velvet) and not a single bunny.

July 18. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The group had good views of eight Virginia Rails, three Soras, fourteen Great Blue Herons, eight Green-backed Herons, seven Black-crowned Night-Herons, and over three hundred Wood Ducks.

July 18. Blueberry Plains, Maine. Three observers had excellent repeated views of six Grasshopper Sparrows and ten Vesper Sparrows, as well as four Upland Sandpipers.

July 25. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Four Sora rails were well seen on the edge of the marsh; no tape-recorded calls were needed. Butterflies were active; a Monarch and a

Viceroy (its mimic) were perched near each other, enabling observers to see the differences between the species.

July 27. Plum Island. Between 6:30 and 7:30 P.M., the group observed a birding spectacular, a total of 263 Snowy Egrets came in to the evening heron roost. The egrets were landing every five seconds, making it look like the runways at Logan the afternoon before Thanksgiving. Don’t miss this late summer show at Plum Island in 1989.

August 8. Plum Island. Seventy-seven species, the high species count for August, were tallied. The group analyzed and agonized over the distinguishing features of Long-billed versus Short-billed dowitchers, had twenty-three Stilt Sandpipers, a Little Blue Heron, and Tricolored Heron.

September 5. Plum Island. This was a very good day for shorebirds with seventeen species, including a winter-plumaged American Avocet in the salt pannes. The other notable shore-birds included three Lesser-Golden Plovers, one Baird’s and one Buff-breasted sandpiper.

September 7. Ipswich. Viewing was good on the Neck. Highlights were a Black Tern at Eagle Hill tidal flats and swarm of Purple Martins on the top of the water tank and sitting with Tree Swallows on the wires.

September 13. Boston to Chatham. Leader Bill Drummond, undaunted by the cancellation of the scheduled pelagic trip due to high winds, led the fifteen folks who did not get word of the

cancellation to Morris Island in Chatham. Probably more birders wish that they had come because on the run through Chatham Bill logged in three very good write-ins: a Black-throated Gray Warbler, a Prothonotary Warbler, and a Yellow-headed Blackbird.

September 19. Plum Island. A dreary, drizzly dull day with northeast winds kept the landbirds out of sight. But it was a great Merlin day. Merlins were seen several times, and one caught a shorebird while the group watched.

September 20. Duxbury Beach. This was an impromptu trip scheduled through the Hot Line to get birders down Duxbury Beach to see the controversial shorebird. Twenty-eight birders shuttled down the beach in three four-wheel drive vehicles in the rain to see the first North American record of Cox’s Sandpiper.

September 26. Plum Island. It was a good raptor day with two Ospreys, five Northern Harriers, two Sharp-shinned Hawks, two kestrels, a Merlin, and two Peregrine Falcons.

Mammal observations included four White-tailed Deer, one Red Fox, and three River Otters.

October 3. Nantucket Weekend. A total of 117 species were seen on this extended weekend. Winds with a gale of 85 mph forced the cancellation of the ferry until Monday afternoon.

Highlights included two Bald Eagles, four Merlins, two Peregrine Falcons, one Short-eared Owl, 150 Palm Warblers, one Yellow-breasted Chat, two Blue Grosbeaks, a Clay-colored Sparrow, and a Rusty Blackbird.

October 11. Quabbin. Rain and cold; miserable conditions for a hike. But there was an amazing concentration of birds at Dana Commons. It was too bad that the weather prevented leisurely looks at sixty-four Pine Warblers and forty-six Eastern Bluebirds!

October 24. Fresh Pond. Duck numbers were increasing, but landbird numbers were way down. Probably too many dogs and too many joggers.

October 25. Stellwagen Bank Pelagic Trip. A total of 101 members cruised out for a great day at sea, including a hundred Greater Shearwaters, one Manx Shearwater, the only Pomarine Jaeger of the year, and both Iceland and Glaucous gulls.

October 31. Halloween at Plum Island-Newburyport area. It was an unexpectedly splendid day with a sharp northeast wind. The wind was blustery enough to kick up white caps in the Bill Forward Pool. The bird of the day was probably a male Redhead at Cherry Hill, but three American Bitterns on the island were a close second choice. The heavy winds kept the passerines down for the most part, but there was a late Yellow Warbler at Parking Lot #1 and a Magnolia Warbler at Hellcat.

November 1. Ipswich. A good trip on a beautiful day. Fifteen Water Pipits were seen, including one which perched for several minutes in a bare tree. Over 550 Snow Buntings were counted at the Crane’s Beach parking lot. Luckily a couple of Lapland Longspurs were with them.

December 13. Winthrop and Revere. Only three participants turned up for the last trip of the year, but they found better birds than the leader expected. Ducks included 500 Brant, 1000 Common Eiders, one drake King Eider, and an immature Peregrine Falcon turned up at Belle Isle. Mammals seen included one Harbor Seal and two brown rats.

And so ended another BBC birding year complete with high points and low moments, northerly winds that chilled birders in May and rewarded them in November, sunny days that brought folks out in flocks and miserable penetrating rains that fogged the glasses and souped up scopes, expected treats and rare surprises but filled with the joy and fellowship that BBC trip participants experience so often.

THE 1986 STATISTICAL REPORT

by Mary Lou Barnett, Statistician

During 1986 the Brookline Bird Club listed 307 birds including 21 write-ins. These unusual sightings included the following:

Yellow-throated Warbler            Brewster           1-5

Hoary Redpoll                           Newburyport    3-15

Jackdaw                                    Nantucket         3-16

Eared Grebe                              North Scituate  3-22

Bohemian Waxwing                  Quincy              3-22

Common Raven                        Quabbin           3-23

Western Grebe                         Winthrop          3-29

Common Teal                            Plum Island       3-29

Fieldfare                                   Concord            5-13

Townsend’s Warbler                  Mt. Auburn       5-14

Summer Tanger                         Mt. Auburn       5-16

Lawrence’s Warbler                   Newburyport    5-17

Golden Eagle                             Plum Island       5-21

Kentucky Warbler                      Mt. Auburn       5-28

Gull-billed Tern                         Plum Island       6-16

Yellow-headed Blackbird            Newburyport    8-24

Prothonotary Warbler               Chatham           8-31

Clay-colored Sparrow                Fowl Meadow   8-31

Sandwich Tern                          Morris Island    9-31

Burrowing Owl                          Katama             9-20

Red-billed Tropic Bird                Gayhead           9-20

Missing from the field reports sent to me were the following:

Northern Fulmar, Cory’s, Greater, and Sooty Shearwaters, Leach’s Storm Petrel, Clapper Rail, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Dovekie, Chuck-Will’s-Widow, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Connecticut Warbler, Dickcissel, Henslow’s Sparrow

Birds must be seen by the BBC group to be counted. Some newer members do confuse the annual check lists of members (personal lists) and the annual club trip list. If you believe that you saw any of the missing species on a 1986 BBC trip, please tell me and I’ll correct the records. Sometimes leaders check the wrong box in the field card. One leader forgot to write anything on the front of the card and his/her name remains a mystery.

Of special mention this season were the excellent owl reports. (9 species in fine numbers, showing much pre-planning and some good luck.) The number of Bluebirds is also noteworthy, 55 sightings in all. These were from several areas, the 32 birds reported from Quabbin on October 12 most remarkable of all. Scant reporting of pelagics is unfortunate. The reports have not been received, although I believe some of the missed species were actually viewed on at least one occasion.

As the year turned, the annual birding experience was described by our leaders in these memorable notes:

1-1 Sixteen members at Newburyport gained 51 species and renewed friendships.

1-5 Five days into January old Boreas conjured up “basic end of the world conditions with heavy and light snow, sleet; heavy and light rain, drizzle; mist, fog, and clouds”…and a solitary leader made the gallant run around Newburyport. Dick McHale listed 42 species and found a Bald Eagle, Glaucous Gull, Horned Larks, a Robin, and 8 Evening Grosbeaks not seen by the group on the 1st.

1-5 A Yellow-throated Warbler was gained at a Brewster bird feeder after a half-hour wait.

1-11 Boston Harbor birders listed an Eurasian Widgeon, 4 C. Black-headed Gulls, and a Short-eared Owl.

1-18 Quabbin weather was beautiful but too much of a good thing raised a heat haze off the ice and obscured visibility. During the eleven mile hike appeared 7 Wild Turkeys, 42 Redpolls, 5 Bald Eagles, a Goshawk, 5 Ruffed Grouse, 5 Pileated Woodpeckers, 19 Pine Grosbeaks, and an Iceland Gull.

1-19 The Hamilton-Topsfield run logged Long-eared, Barred, Saw Whet, and Screech Owls.

1-25 Newburyport was snowy and chilling with cold. Birds were difficult to see, and were seen only by a few people at each sighting, leaving most members exasperated and frustrated. On the list were Bald Eagle, Goshawk, C. Snipe, Northern Shrike, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Snowbuntings, and 5 White-winged Crossbills.

1-26 The Quabbin trip was abbreviated due to the foul weather. A lone Coyote stalked the icy shore.

2-2 February at Cape Ann treated us with a Thick-billed Murre, C. Black-headed Gull, 2 Glaucous Gulls, 2 Black Guillemonts, and a Pileated Woodpecker in nearby Manchester.

2-16 The Newburyport trip noted 9 Harbor Seals and 17 White-tailed Deer, Brant, 3 Barrows Goldeneyes, Snowy, Long and Short-eared Owls, Northern Shrike, and 15 Red and 3 White-winged Crossbills were seen.

2-17 On the Ipswich trip, members saw a Wood Duck, Sharp-shinned, Red-shouldered, 2 Red-tailed, and a Rough-legged Hawk, Carolina Wren, White-crowned Sparrow, Pine Grosbeaks, and a Barred Owl in Hamilton.

3-1 Mystic Lake-Horn Pond trippers marked a pair of Hooded Mergansers.

3-2 Newburyport birders listed 6 species of Owls, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, and 2 Little Gulls.

3-9 In the Bridgewater area BBC gained 14 Wood Ducks, 8 Canvasbacks, 4 Field Sparrows, 92 Evening Grosbeaks, and 5187 Starlings!

Nantucket Weekenders were excited over the flight of 525 Red-throated and 50 Common Loons which passed in a five minute period. For good measure they added a Barn Owl, 4 Pine Warblers, 5 Razorbills, 4 Woodcock, and 2 American Oystercatchers.

3-15 A Harlequin Duck was observed up the Merrimac River 14 mile beyond the Shawmut-Gould Factory. fide Ida Giriunas.

3-22 This Newburyport trip went to Quincy Center for a Bohemian Waxwing and to North Scituate for Eared Grebe. April produced the Fieldfare and a Common Teal, but footnotes were scanty.

4-19 Jim Berry spend most of this Ipswich venture deep in the woods. Despite winds playing in the trees, a Ruffed Grouse was heard. A Goshawk and 3-4 Pine Warblers appeared at Willowdale and a Barred Owl at the Grassrides. The same day a Goshawk was seen at Crooked Pond, plus one Rusty Blackbird.

3-20 Mt. Auburn squirrels outnumbered birds, 3 to 1.

5-3 A pair of Wood Ducks sat on a chimney in Beverly Farms.

5-4 Mt. Auburn was wet and miserable and many persons reported driving through snow on their way to the walk. A Northern Waterthrush put on a fine show at Spectacle Pond.

5-13 Pleasure Island birders watched a pumping American Bittern and listed Green-backed Herons, 4 Virginia and 2 Sora Rails.

5-14 Mt. Auburn continue its fickle moods as the Empidonax Flycatchers were silent and a possible Townsend’s Warbler appeared after the BBC left. Of course 21 warbler species were seen, including a male Hooded. This did not make the AM footnote but was starred in the evening report.

5-17 produced 113 species in the greater Newburyport area. Best were a Summer Tanager at Plum Island and Lawrence’s Warbler on Turkey Hill Road. Gray-cheeked Thrush and Orchard Oriole were also recorded.

5-21 Mt. Auburn featured a weird Grackle which was wearing a black and white tail, white wing patches, and a white belly.

5-25 Plymouth Beach displayed an adult Glaucous Gull and a summer Kittiwake. Piping Plover and Roseate and Arctic Terns were nice too.

6-2 Monomoy joys included breeding plumaged Red Phalarope, 3 Black Terns and 2 Black Skimmers, and a Grasshopper Sparrow in North Falmouth.

6-9 Ipswich Beach walkers noted 85 Little Terns at the colony. A pair of Ospreys flew northward along the coastline. 4 Piping Plovers, Woodcock, Nighthawk, and the Bank Swal- low Colony were appreciated.

6-14 The Berkshire Trip enriched the list with a Cooper’s Hawk, 5 Common Ravens, and 6 Bluebirds. Missed were the old stand-bys like Mourning Warbler, Winter Wren, Olive-sided Flycatcher, and Gray-cheeked Thrush. The evening thrush chorus used to be the annual highlight of this trip. (Have newer members heard of Bicknell’s Thrush and the mission of this trip to find it?)

6-16 A Gull-billed Tern found Bill Drummond’s Plum Island evening trip on this date again this year.

7-4 Broadmoor Sanctuary treated members to Cooper’s and Broad-winged Hawks at their nests. The leader also did a little teaching for newer birders… helping them distinguish the songs of Pine Warblers, Purple and House Finches, and the Warbling Vireo.

7-5 Plum Islanders saw 2 adult Little Blue Herons at the Old pines, observed a Black-headed Gull at Stage Island, and counted 2 Piping Plovers eggs by telescope.

7-7 Virginia Rails were enjoyed on the Plum Island Hellcat Marsh Trail as the air zoomed with dragonflies. The sunset flight of 50 plus herons and 25 Glossy Ibis was enchanting.

7-14 Birders were at the Salt Pans, Plum Island when an evening storm began. Gusty winds, black clouds, and pouring rains flooded the world with darkness. Then all was over and a gorgeous rainbow arched the blue sky. Two Yellow-crowned Night Herons and 2 Stilt Sandpipers were seen.

7-19 Great Meadows drizzled in mist as members observed 2 recently deceased Star-nosed Moles. Birdnotes included 11 Virginia and 4 Sora Rails and a Moorhen.

8-2 22 Hudsonian Godwits were harbored at Newburyport as birders compared two Black Terns at Hellcat. One was in breeding plumage and one was not.

8-4 Least Bittern, 15 Great Egrets, a Laughing Gull, and a female Black Scoter added variety to Plum Island.

8-9 Monomy offered a Pomarine Jaeger, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, 42 American Oystercatchers, and 9 Piping Plovers. Birders in Maine saw a Royal Tern.

8-16 Heard Farm danced with uncut fields of Boblinks as members watched a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak feeding young and an Indigo Bunting chasing a Robin.

8-31 Monomy trippers dashed to Chatham to see a Prothonotary Warbler in Wallace Bailey’s birdbath.

9-1 T’was a nice day but the great-looking large accipiter remained unidentified. 19 Cattle Egrets ranged at Appleton Farms, Golden Plover joined the Black-bellied at Maplecroft, and 2 Blue-winged Warblers were seen at Don Bosco. Broadmoor birders also noted a large accipiter and listed it as Coopers.

9-7 The sea trip located a lone Manx Shearwater, 3 Right Whales, a Silver-haired Bat, and a Hummingbird.

9-13 Bolton Flats-Oxbow hikers enjoyed tasty wild grapes as gunfire from Fort Devens surrounded in the distance. Seen were Tennessee Warblers, Philadelphia Vireos, and the Yellow-throated Vireo… an area regular.

9-20 Martha’s Vineyard gave two exotic write-ins plus Clay-colored Sparrow.

9-27 A glistening, sparkling early fall atmosphere cheered all. A mink was seen crawling in the rocks at Cherry Hill Reservoir.

10-12 Quabbin leaders listed Gray, Red, and N. Flying Squirrels, Porcupine, White-tailed Deer, and a Short-tailed Weasel. They also counted 32 Bluebirds.

10-25 Somebody thought he heard a Gyrfalcon!

11-1 Gannets soared off Ipswich Beach and members added Eurasian Widgeon at Rantoul Pond, Golden Plover, Barred Owl, and Snow Buntings.

11-2 A Horned Grebe was seen at Horn Pond!

11-5 2 female Redheads joined the 287 Canvasbacks at Fresh Pond.

11-8 Report of a Snowy Owl at Plum Island came over the CB Radio and Ipswich birders dashed over after lunch. Imagine looking at a Snowy Owl in shirt sleeves!

11-29 Stellwagen Boat Trippers logged a Short-eared Owl at Lynn Harbor, 6 Razorbills, 1 Minke Whale, and a Pomarine Jaeger.

12-7 A drake King Eider, very close on a calm sea day, sat on a rock beside a drake Common Eider for a textbook comparison as Nahant to Boston birders had a superb day. 8 Black-headed Gulls, a Great Horned Owl mobbed by crows in a dead tree, one of the Logan Airport Snowy Owls, and a Yellow-breasted Chat in Nahant earned attention. Also seen were Winter Wren, Orange-crowned Warbler and a Fox Sparrow.

12-7 Our last hurrah came in Windsor as BBC gained a Boreal Chickadee for the annual list.

I should like to thank the many leaders who have assisted with the statistical work since I began it in 1964. It has been an enriching experience birdwise and peoplewise. One gets to know a lot about you just by pouring over your field cards… who finds snakes, notices butterflies, who holds the walk no matter how few show up…and finds something great anyway… who goes home when it rains… who makes neat, concise, scientific remarks, and who decorated each field card on all sides with exuberance and poetry… who is witty, who is so prepared that every bird is tied down and ready to sing on cue, who hates mosquitoes, who notices wild flowers, the turtles, the weather, clouds and sky. Who doesn’t mind the bitter cold and icy roads. Who always misses the biggies in the area and is so apologetic. I’ll miss you all on paper but hope to see more of you in the field. I know Bob will do a great job in my stead and look forward to his updated concepts. Now I’ll have more time for birding and hope to see you all along the way.

STATISTICAL REPORT 1985

by Mary L. Barnett, Statistician

“Come in, Barn Owl. We’re at the Salt Pans. The Tundra Swan just landed.” BBC CB Radio Patrol 12-7-1985

The Birding Highlight of 1985 was the proliferation of radio-equipped cars for the sharing of “hot bird” tips. The air crackled with curious calls as information was relayed — “It’s over the Plum Island Bridge. It’s flying South over the marsh. It’s Down.”

Such cooperative measures helped us to list 298 of the 302 check-listed birds on the Massachusetts Audubon Society List, plus 14 write-in species, 2 subspecies, 1 hybrid, 1 escapee, and 4 Maine and 2 New Hampshire entrys, or a total of 316 birds for the year. More persons saw the good birds, as noted by leaders on their field cards.

Check list birds not reported to me were Leach’s Storm Petrel, Red Phalarope, Dovekie, Chuck Will’s Widow, Sedge Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, Connecticut Warbler, and Dickcissel. Boreal Chickadee was seen in New Hampshire only. Please let me know if you can verify any oversights.

Write-ins included the following:

Kumlien’s Gull (s.sp.)                                   Cape Ann                             1-5

Mew Gull                                                      Boston Harbor                 1-11

Arctic Loon                                                   Nahant                                  1-11

Common Raven                                            Quabbin                                1-27

Jackdaw                                                         Nantucket                            3-16

Eurasian Green-winged Teal (s.sp.)  Plum Island                         4-20

Cerulean Warbler                                           Mt. Auburn                          5-4

Clay-colored Sparow                                     Marblehead                         5-13

Brewster’s Warbler (h.)                                 Mt. Auburn                          5-13

Prothonotary Warbler                                    Mt. Auburn                          5-15

Summer Tanager                                           Mt. Auburn                          5-17

Garganey Teal                                               Plum Island                          6-3

Chilean Flamingo (e.)                                   Monomoy                             8-9

Long-tailed Jaeger                                         at Sea                                    9-8

Sabine’s Gull                                                 at Sea                                    9-8

Curlew Sandpiper                                          Ipswich                                 9-21

Common Puffin                                             at Sea                                    11-30

Tundra Swan                                                 Plum Island                         12-7

Boreal Chickadee                                          New Hampshire             7-13/14

Spruce Grouse                                               Maine                                    5-24/27

Thin-billed Murre                                          Maine                                    5-24/27

Gray Jay                                                         Maine                                    5-24/27

Seen in 1984, but missed in 1985 were:

American Avocet                            Boreal Chickadee (MA)

Leach’s Storm Petrel                     Eurasian Curlew

Audubon’s Shearwater               Sandwich Tern

Yellow-headed Blackbird          Bohemian Waxwing

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher         Kentucky Warbler

Red Phalarope                                 Loggerhead Shrike

Skua                                                Dickcissel

Golden Eagle                                  Ipswich Sparrow

Varied Thrush                                 Long-billed Curlew

Western Tanager

Gains over 1985 were:

Thin-billed Murre (Maine)         Long-eared Owl

Gray Jay (Maine)                          Western Kingbird

Spruce Grouse                               Arctic Loon

(Maine and New Hampshire) 

Eurasian Green-winged Teal

Cattle Egret                                   Curlew Sandpiper

Eurasian Widgeon                         Clay-colored Sparrow

Redhead                                        Garganey Teal

Wild Turkey                                 Chilean Flamingo

We scheduled 2382 trips including 95 All Day, 101 Morning, 11 Afternoon, 21 Evening, and 4 Weekend. 202 trips reported, 1 was cancelled, and 31 failed to file a report with the statistician.

The Newburyport area tallied 250 species, plus 1 sub-species, in 55 reported visits. Our 5 morning Plum Island trips totaled 117 species and the 8 summer evening walks listed 97 species, including 18 varieties not seen in the morning. Morning walks, especially those in October and December identified 38 species missed on evening trips. High Count for the Newburyport area was 117 on May 1ith. Some area misses for the BBC were Short-eared Owl, Saw-Whet Owl, Common Nighthawk, Loggerhead Shrike, Orange-crowned Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird, Red Crossbill, and Evening Grosbeak.

Two Nantucket trips listed 145 species in 1985, to achieve second place. The March Weekend listed 72 of these. “The flight of 50,000 Oldsquaws was mind boggling! A Gannet feeding frenzy (300 birds) was fantastic to watch” Jackdaw, Adult King Eider Drake, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneyes in the harbor, and 2 American Oystercatchers on the jetty, set a joyful mood.

Seventeen Razorbills were seen from the boat. The October Weekend was damp, wet, and foggy for two days but cleared on Sunday. Best birds were Eurasian Widgeon, Peregrine, Marbled Godwit, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, and Jackdaw.

Ipswich trips continued to be reported with excellence. 129 species were acquired in 8 scheduled visits and one side-stepping Newburyport trip. Highlights were Curlew and Buff- breasted Sandpiper, Cattle Egrets, Nighthawks, Great Horned Owl, Piping Plover, Least Terns, and Pine Warbler.

Machias, Maine enticed 17 members to find 128 species with the Down East difference. There were 12 Ospreys, 3 Bald Eagles, Northern Goshawk, 1400 Arctic Terns, 120 Razorbills, 15 Black Guillemots, 20 Common Ravens, 5 Boreal Chickadees, 12 Winter Wrens, 2 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 Thin-billed Murres, 1600 Common Puffins, 6 Black-backed Three-toed Woodpeckers, 3 Gray Jays, and a Spruce Grouse. (The August trip to Wells, Maine offered gratifying views of 18 Vesper Sparrows.)

Our Martha’s Vineyard Weekend treated members with 126 species. Seen were Tri-colored Heron, 110 Roseate Terns, 2 Common Barn Owls, 2 Red-headed and 4 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and an Orange-crowned Warbler.

Mt. Auburn’s 121+1 hybrid, from 47 completed trips, was a slight improvement over last year. Summer Tanager, Prothonotary, Brewster’s, Mourning, Worm-eating, and Cerulean Warblers were nice rewards. Missed were Hooded Warbler, Whippoorwill, Hairy Woodpecker, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. A Peregrine was present on May 24th. The Big Warbler Day for the BBC was May 12th with 22 species.

Manchester’s 4 trips combined pleasurable relaxation with birding in an attractive area. 117 Species were seen including Little Blue Heron, Osprey, Cooper’s, Broad-winged, Red-tailed, and Rough-legged Hawks, Goshawk, Kestrel, Merlin, Solitary Sandpiper, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, Winter Wren, Water Pipit, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-winged and Pine Warblers, and Swamp Sparrow.

Cape Ann’s walks totaled 113 species in 7 reported trips. There were cold looks at 2 Thick-billed Murres, 1 Harlequin Duck, a dozen Black Guillemots, and occasional Kittiwakes and Purple Sandpipers. A favorite trip was John Nove’s May 12th ramble which logged 70 species and featured a White-eyed Vireo, Cliff Swallows hawking over Niles Pond, and a Cattle Egret hunting insects on a lush green lawn.

Two out of three Bolton visits were rained upon. The third trip was defeated by crow hunters who rained bird shot on the participants! All trips struggled along through 106 species, and found a Least and American Bittern, Alder Flycatcher, and 21 Hooded Mergansers…one female with 20 newly hatched ducklings.

Six Quabbin trips were among our best. 103 species included the big birds like Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Raven, Pileated Woodpecker, Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and Long-eared Owls. And there were some small ones like Bluebirds, Redpolls, Pine Grosbeaks, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Acadian and Alder Flycatcher, Red and White-winged Crossbills, and a Saw Whet Owl.

Our 5 Great Meadows visits gained 84 species. Other totals were 81 for the Mt. Greylock weekend, 77 Marblehead, 76 Essex, 74 Boat trips combined, 72 Millis, 67 Bridgewater, 64 Marshfield, 74 Winthrop-Revere, 63 Wayland, 62 Westport, 60 Falmouth, 57 Plymouth, 53 Mystic Lakes, 46 Natick, 45 Lincoln, 43 West Roxbury, 42 Belle Isle, 41 Saugus, 39 Tyngsboro, 39 New Hampshire, 39 Newton, 36 Belmont, 35 Fresh Pond, 29 Lynnfield, 25 Hawks, 18 Boston Harbor, 18 Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, and 2 Lexington.

Trips to Canton, South Shore, Outer Cape Cod, and Squantum were not reported. (8 trips in all). We miss having records from these areas, once so productive of interesting birds.

Our Pelagic Trips proved to be a source of intense discussion: March 10, Isles of Shoals, 23 species. “West winds and mild weather wiped out the alcids. We saw sea ducks, loons, gannets, purple sandpipers, and the usual gulls and kittiwakes.” 

March 23, Lynn Harbor to Stellwagen Bank, 21 species.

9 Razorbills                      1 Common Murre

1 Black Guillemot          60 Gannets

5 Minke Whales               1 Harbor Seal

30 Harbor Porpoises  2 White-sided Dolphins

May 5, Lynn Harbor to Stellwagen Bank, 20 species.

1 Laughing Gull                               1 Dolphin

1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird        3 Fin Whales

5 Humpback Whales

June 2, Plymouth to Stellwagen Bank, 22 species.

6 Sooty Shearwaters                   400 Wilson’s Storm Petrels

1 Artic Tern                                  1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

September 8, Boston to Stellwagen Bank, 22 species.

1 Cory’s Shearwater              5000 Wilson’s Storm Petrels _

300 Greater Shearwaters         12 Red-necked Phalaropes

50 Sooty Shearwaters             10 Parasitic Jaegers

200 Manx Shearwaters            1 Long-tailed Jaeger

1 Sabine’s Gull

October 27, Plymouth to Stellwagen Bank, 36 species.

4 Northern Fulmars                   6 Sooty Shearwaters

5 Cory’s Shearwaters                 1 Manx Shearwater

150 Greater Shearwaters          2 Pomarine Jaegers

1 Royal Tern

November 30, Stellwagen Bank, 27 species.

42 Northern Fulmars                  2 Pomarine Jaegers

5 Greater Shearwaters               1 Glaucous Gull

1 Sooty Shearwater                    36 Razorbills

2 Manx Shearwaters                  3 Common Puffins

New species were gained during each month of 1985, as follows:

January                106         April      47             July                   6             October            6

February             4                May       91             August              4             November         3

March                    25            June      8               September        15            December         1

Top trips during 1985, limited to one full day afield were:

January               60            Falmouth                        Timberlake

February             48            Newburyport                  Nielsen

March                 62            Newburyport                  Nielsen

April                   70            Newburyport                  Bolton

May                   117         Newburyport                  d’Entremont

June                    84            Newburyport                   Blaisdell

July                     67            Plymouth Boat Trip       d’Entremont

August                71            Newburyport                   Blaisdell

September        106          Newburyport                   Giriunas

October               75            Newburyport                   McHale

November          60            Bridgewater                     Gove

December          50             Newburyport                    d’Entremont

The morning walk with the highest total was 83, Hotz, Manchester, May 16th. The afternoon trip of November 16th to Belle Island led with 42; leader Desmond. Top evening walk was led by Drummond to Plum Island on June 8rd, 63 species. Of special interest this year is the Piping Plover. We had 43 sightings, at Monomoy (10, 7, 6, 3), Plymouth Beach (5, 3), Ipswich (8), Martha’s Vineyard (4), and Plum Island (1, 1).

Highlights of 1985

Wind and rain and a Happy New Year greeted members at Newburyport. The annual check list gained Bald Eagle, 2 Screech Owls, 24 Snow Geese, a Lapland Longspur, and 50 Snowbuntings. (48 species found; 268 to go).

Light snow cleared to a sparkle of cold sun at Cape Ann on the 5th as 9 birders located 3 Great Blue Herons, Glaucous, Iceland and Kumlien’s Gulls, Kittiwakes, 12 Purple Sandpipers, and a Screech Owl (Locust Grove Cemetery).

In Falmouth, the waterfowl count was cheering. Eurasian Widgeon, Redheads, Canvasbacks, both scaup, both goldeneyes, King Eider, and many others were listed. Red-headed Woodpecker and Carolina Wren were gained.

Boston Harbor had “a very poor January 11th,” according to the leader. They did see a Mew Gull, Arctic Loon, Barrows’s Goldeneye, and one Black Guillemot!

A white-out with hazardous driving kept some members home, but trip leaders hiked several miles into gate 48 at Quabbin, gaining a frozen beard and a wet neck. No eagles. One could hardly see trees. Best birds were the steadfast Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Brown Creepers, both Nuthatches, Golden-crowned Kinglets, and Pine Siskins. (January 19th) The trip on the 27th fared better with 7 Bald Eagles, 7 Turkeys, Saw Whet Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Ravens, and 20 White-winged Crossbills.

February birders motored about Essex County from Cape Ann to Plum Island to Salisbury, trying to capture a glimpse of reported Ivory and Ross’s Gulls, to no avail. Ruddy Turnstone and Black-headed Gull joined the list. Then the Newburyport trip of February 23rd scurried to Cape Ann for a Thick-billed Murre and 6 Black Guillemots.

Twenty-four Red-necked Grebes were counted on March 2^nd at Cape Ann. Next day a Mew Gull found Newburyport; there were C. Black-headed Gulls there too. Pintails and Green-winged Teal signaled Spring.

Beautiful weather invited 6 cars of birders to Lakeville for ducks on the 10th while 12 members were seeing 3 Long-eared Owls at Bemont Hills.

A handsome male Bluebird greeted the March 17th Quabbin Trip, a stroke of luck to be sure! 6 Turkey Vultures, 4 Bald Eagles, and 16 Hooded Mergansers in elegant plumage, were gained.

April migrants kept members hopping or hoping as the days advanced. We searched Plum Island for Piping Plover on Easter, but finally found one on the 21st. Purple Finch, not as easy to locate in the House Finch mobs, continued to sing on the island.

A Wood Duck visited Fresh Pond on the 18th of April.

Crooked Pond trips (3) were very successful, finding Louisiana Waterthrushes, Red-shouldered Hawks, Ruffed Grouse, Barred Owls, and on the 20th, a Bluebird. A drake Eurasian Green-winged Teal was seen at the Plum Island Salt Pans on this trip. This duck was last recorded by us in 1972.

Dampness and wind hampered the Hamilton grassrides search for Ruffed Grouse and only 1-2 were heard. Better were the 4-5 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1-2 Broadwings, and 2 Pine Warblers at La Salette.

Crooked Pond was a fizzle on the 27th. The day was cold and rainy. A good day to find a Caspian Tern off Plum Island, so we did.

Mt. Wachusett hawk watchers gained 4 Turkey Vultures, 2 Ospreys, 21 Sharp-shinned Hawks, Goshawk, 170 Broadwings, 2 Red-tails, and 8 Kestrels. Also 2 Pileated Woodpeckers.

The trip to Lincoln on April 28 also offered an assortment of raptors, and spring warblers.

May trips were troubled with rain showers. Many gave up and went home. Best birds were 2 Least Bitterns, 6 Willets, Whippoorwill, 6 Blue-winged and 1 Golden-winged Warbler, and Orchard Oriole.

Bill Drummond’s Newburyport trip on May 18th logged 105 in the rain. Best birds were 2 Least Bitterns, 6 Willets, Whippoorwill, 6 Blue-winged and 1 Golden-winged Warbler, and Orchard Oriole.

The Hales also braved the “dew, mist, and deluge” in Essex to encounter 4 Cattle Egrets, Prairie Warbler, and a gorgeous Scarlet Tanager.

Bolton Flats rained “no Yellow-throated Vireo, no cuckoo. Yuck!”

Catbirds must have rained on Mt. Auburn on May 22. After a stormy night they were calling and displaying everywhere.

As the month ended, Millis birders found nesting Goshawk, Barred Owls, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

June 1st offered a black Ruff at Plymouth Beach, where it chased everything that came near it, performing for 30 minutes.

The June 3rd Plum Island evening trip was a winner. Garganey Teal, 2 Yellow-crowned Night Herons behind the Old Pines, 2 Virginia Rails with 6 chicks, and to close the walk, a Whippoorwill serenade.

At Monomoy, leaders worried about Western Sandpipers and Black Skimmers seen on Friday. They settled for a Parasitic Jaeger, Short Eared Owl, and 100 Sharp-tailed Sparrows.

A wilderness experience for 10 members came at Ipswich Beach on June 10th. This inspiring sunset walk is Jim Berry’s favorite of each year. Three Piping Plovers maintained a toe-hold on the beach. 50 Bank Swallows were viewed at the nest colonies, coming and going from their nesting holes. Concern with deer ticks and Lyme Disease has changed this trip considerably. Members should know that Jim confined the walk to the safety of the outer beach. No longer do we explore the dunes and pitch pines, and regretably must miss warblers, nuthatches, and Brown Creepers nesting there. Jim says the Whippoorwills seem to have deserted the area. Lacking that, he put his telescope on Saturn and everyone gazed at the rings, then spun for home.

Great Meadows was splendid on July 14th, with excellent views of 11 Virginia Rails—2 walked right across the road. Least Bittern appeared, 5 Solitary Sandpipers, 12 Long-billed Marsh Wrens, 15 Swamp Sparrows, and a colorful variety of summer residents were seen amid the wildflowers and marsh creatures,

On July 20th, Monomoy trippers saw a Tri-colored Heron, 4 Foster’s Terns, and 7 Black Skimmers.

A Black Tern was featured on the Plum Island evening trip of July 22. As this trip ended a Red Fox sat beside the road watching us, a nice ending.

On the 27th, Plum Islanders had Yellow-crowned Night Heron once again, 3 Little Blue Herons, Peregrine (perched for 15 minutes at Hellcat) and most entertaining, a Spade-footed Toad in the Old Pines.

August birders checked through the flocks of migrating shore-birds at Monomoy (82 A. Oystercatcher, 6 Whimbrels, 40 H. Godwits, Red-necked Phalarope, plus a Royal Tern). Meeting the Chilean Flamingo on the sands of Massachusetts was indeed a rare experience.

The Revere to Marblehead Neck trip of August 17th found 18 H. Godwits, a Red Knot and a Duniin.

The next day 2 Baird’s Sandpipers were gained on Plum Island. Some members studied boats off the Yacht Club and thereby spotted 2 Foster’s Terns, 1 Roseate Tern, 2 Laughing and a C. Black-headed Gull.

September Leaders at Monomoy learn to deal with big counts. On the 1st for example: 1500 B.B.Plovers, 800 Semipal P, 10 Piping P, 12 A. Oystercatchers, 600 G. and 50 L. Yellowlegs, 15 Willets, Spotted Sandpiper, 6 Whimbrels, 19 H. Godwits, 1 Marbled Godwit, 100 R. Turnstones, 650 Red Knots, 300 Sanderlings, 1900 Semipal. S., 2000 Least S., 250 S.B. Dowitchers. . .to say nothing of 500 Laughing, 600 Ring-billed, 2500 Herring, and 1600 B.B. Gulls; and 190 Roseate, 600 Common, 2 Arctic, 12 Foster’s, and 100 Least, and 2 Black Terns.

On the 2nd of September, 175 juvenile Cowbirds were seen at Maplecroft Farm, Ipswich.

A beautiful trip at Plum Island on September 7 discovered Western Kingbird, Philadelphia Vireo, Hooded Warbler, and Yellow-breasted Chat. They missed the Avocet (seen on the 5^th and 8th) and failed to find the Orange-crowned and Connecticut Warblers seen by others.

At Oxbow on the 14th members saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk catch a Robin and land with it. . .right in front of the party. Sight of the BBC so startled the hawk that it loosed its grip. Both the Sharpie and the Robin flew off, in different directions!

A Cooper’s Hawk was mobbed by Crows and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird darted in and out of Jewelweed blossoms that same day, well remembered.

September Hawk watchers logged: Mt. Wachusett (9-15) 10 TV., 20 Ospreys, 1 B.Eagle, 4 N. Harriers, 64 Sharp-shinned, 448 Broad-winged, and 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 15 Kestrels, and 2 Ravens. Mt. Tom (9-22) 11 TV., 21 Ospreys, 6 N. Harriers, 34 Sharp-shinned, 2 Cooper’s, 13 Broad-winged, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 13 Kestrels, and a Merlin. “A Gray Tree Frog called from the mountain and 117 Monarch Butterflies were migrating.”

October Peregrines (at least 3 seen together on the 5th) kept Plum Island in an uproar. Dick McHale busily sorted reports of these, plus 7 Merlins and the island Kestrels. Birds and birders were equally restive!

On the 6th, an immature Tri-colored Heron was seen at Plum Island, plus 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

On October 22nd there were 9 Canvasbacks, Greater and Lesser Scaup, and 21 Ring-necked Ducks in Fresh Pond. By November 6th these had increased to 280 Canvasbacks, 45 Ring-necks, 41 Greater and 17 Lesser Scaup, 6 A. Widgeons, 73 Canada Geese, 16 Black Ducks, 87 Mallard, a Goldeneye, a Bufflehead, and 2 A. Coots.

A Vesper Sparrow was spied at Great Meadows as the year trailed toward its end. White-eyed Vireos appeared at Ipswich Dump (11-10) and Hellcat (11-24).

Just when we thought the list might be complete, a Tundra Swan flew to Plum Island. Wintry sightings appeared with King Eider and Barrow’s Goldeneye at Fort Heath and Pine Grosbeak and 26 Snow Buntings at Belle Isle.

Our final trip of 1985 returned to the glories of Quabbin. 9 Ravens appeared, plus Pine Grosbeak and Redpolls. The leader called in 2 Long-eared Owls which offered wild vocalizations, many had never before heard. By squeaking mouselike, the leader coaxed one to fly close overhead. A magnificent ending to a year of great birding adventures.

Mary L. Barnett

Statistician

STATISTICAL REPORT-1984 

Our Life List is a storehouse of rich memories to which we added this year the monarch of shorebirds, the Long-billed Curlew, on the 9th of June. Like an echo, to the same magnetic sands of Monomoy, came the Eurasian Curlew on September 22nd; two wonderful celebrations for the Brookline Bird Club in 1984! If you missed them you probably encountered some of the 66 beautiful Whimbrels which came whistling through our trips to Plum Island, Dartmouth, and Cape Cod. 

Despite surprising misses, we listed 291 of the 302 species printed on the Massachusetts Audubon Society check list (CR4.83-5M). Birds not reported were Cattle Egret, Eurasian Wigeon, Wild Turkey, Dovekie, Long-eared Owl, Chuck-Will’s-Widow, Western Kingbird, Sedge Wren, Connecticut Warbler, and Lark Sparrow. Write-ins numbered 23 species, one hybrid, one subspecies, and one New Hampshire entry. . . giving us a total of 317 birds for the season. (Please note that the check list I used included Lesser Black-backed Gull, Royal Tern, and Blue Grosbeak—all seen by us in 1984.) Write-ins included the following: 

Ipswich Sparrow                                     Plum Island                                          1/1

Tundra Swan                                           Plymouth                                              1/8

Western Tanager                                      Plymouth                                              1/8

Varied Thrush                                          Quabbin                                                1/22

Golden Eagle                                           Quabbin                                                1/22

Bohemian Waxwing                                 Ware                                                     3/18

Mew Gull                                                 Falmouth                                               3/25

Kentucky Warbler                                    Mt. Auburn                                            5/9

Prothonotary Warbler                               Plum Island                                          5/12

Cerulean Warbler                                      Mt. Auburn                                          5/12

Summer Tanager                                       Mt. Auburn                                          5/12

Brewster’s Warbler                                    Ipswich                                                 5/27

Common Raven                                        Martha’s Vineyard                            5/27

Long-billed Curlew                                  Monomoy                                              6/9

Sandwich Tern                                          Monomoy                                              6/9

Audubon’s Shearwater                              At Sea                                                   6/10-12

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher                          Plum Island                                           7/7

Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker  New Hampshire                               7/15

Yellow-headed Blackbird                          Plum Island                                          8/19

American Avocet                                       Plum Island                                          8/26

Sabine’s Gull                                             At Sea                                                    9/9

Long-tailed Jaeger                                     At Sea                                                    9/9

Eurasian Curlew                                        Monomoy                                              9/22

Jackdaw                                                     Nantucket                                             10/7

Common Puffin                                         At Sea                                                   10/28

Skua                                                           At Sea                                                   10/28

Seen in 1983, but missed in 1984 were: Arctic Loon, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Goose, Cattle Egret, Clay-colored Sparrow, Egyptian Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Golden Sparrow, Gray Jay, Gyrfalcon, Lark Sparrow, Long-eared Owl, Redhead, Spruce Grouse (New Hampshire), Thin-billed Murre (Maine), and White-faced Storm Petrel (At Sea). 

Gains over 1983 were: Common Redpoll, Dickcissel, Eurasian Curlew, Long-billed Curlew, Long-tailed Jaeger, Mew Gull, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Royal Tern, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Skua, Tundra Swan, Varied Thrush, Western Tanager, White-winged Crossbill, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Bohemian Waxwing. 

We scheduled 235 trips divided among 99 All Day, 94 Morning, 14 Afternoon, 21 Evening, and seven extended ventures. Of these, 22 were not reported and nine were canceled. 

Trips to the Newburyport area tallied 252 birds in 62 reported visits. Sixteen Plum Island walks discovered 134 of these, the seven Morning walks listing 115 and the nine Evening events 95. High count was 124 on May 19th. Low count was seven, in pouring rain, on June 2nd. Some area misses were the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Roseate and Royal Terns, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Saw Whet Owl, Philadelphia Vireo, Orange-crowned, Connecticut, Mourning, and Hooded Warblers, Pine Grosbeak, Redpoll, both Crossbills, and Vesper and Lark Sparrows. Pleasing area gains included Cooper’s Hawk, Barred Owl, Pine Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Indigo Bunting, all missed there in 1983. Noteworthy were Tri-colored Heron, Black Skimmer, Red-headed Woodpecker, Gray-cheeked Thrush, both Shrikes, Yellow-throated Vireo, Kentucky Warbler, Summer Tanager, and the aforementioned write-ins. 

Excellent leadership and good fortune brought our Ipswich trips into second place this year with 146 sightings. Highlights included Tri-colored Heron, Piping Plover, Upland Sandpiper, Forster’s Tern, Caspian Tern, and Screech and Great Horned Owls. 

Two Nantucket trips, March with 50 species and October with 131 species, totaled 145 species and assumed third position. Western Tanager was an exciting gain. Other finds were Clapper Rail, Razorbills, and Orange-crowned Warbler. There was also one Vesper Sparrow, a bird listed by us on but three other occasions (one in Manchester on May 5th, 13 in Maine on September 8th, and two in South Wellfleet on September 30th). The Vesper was an abundant summer resident when our fields bloomed with agriculture and was expected on Plum Island when much of the refuge was ploughed and seeded. It has become a challenge for us. Note the travel time for our 1984 sightings. Vespers love to take dust baths and frequent areas which offer this delight. They are numerous in agricultural areas, enjoy the sides of dirt roads and old gravel pits, and sometimes frequent beach grass. (And I missed one in 1984, which accounts for all this meandering!) 

Our four South Shore trips logged 141 species this year, an excellent record. Highlights were Lesser Black-backed Gull and Ipswich Sparrow on October 20th, and an amazing number of Bobolinks at Dwyer’s Farm, estimated at over 300, on the 20th of May. 

The trip to Martha’s Vineyard included a Common Raven in its tally of 130 species. Two Red-shouldered Hawks, a Barn Owl, two Red-bellied and one Red-headed Woodpecker, Hooded Warbler, and 10 Grasshopper Sparrows were seen. 

Ten Monomoy visits gained 120 species with exceptional views of the rare curlews, Sandwich Tern, and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (a different bird from the Plum Island one) seen at Morris Island. And of course there were throngs of shorebirds like 44 American Oystercatchers on August 11th, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Royal and Black Terns, and Black Skimmers. 

Mt. Auburn reported 117 species from 46 completed trips. Highest warbler count was 22 on May 13th. Worm-eating, Hooded, Kentucky, and Cerulean Warblers were spotted this year. Some misses were Whip-poor-will, Nighthawk, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hairy Woodpecker, House and Winter Wrens, Prairie and Mourning Warblers, and Louisiana Water-thrush. 

Cape Ann’s eight reported trips listed 114 species. Highlights were two Black-headed Gulls and two Barrow’s Goldeneyes, six Harlequin Ducks, Kittiwakes, Thick-billed Murre, six Black Guillemots, six Razorbills, and two Common Puffins. A Red Phalarope at Halibut Point on December 1st was icing on the cake! 

Two Westport trips tallied 106 species. Twenty Ospreys were counted. Special gains were Carolina Wren, White-eyed Vireo, Worm-eating Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Sharp-tailed and Seaside Sparrows, and two Bluebirds at Plymouth. Our visits to Outer Cape Cod found 101 species including Razorbill, Thick-billed Murre, six Manx Shearwaters, and two Cooper’s Hawks. 

Bridgewater totaled 99 on three visits. Ring-necked Ducks (1500), and 50 Ruddy Ducks were impressive on November 11th. 

Manchester listed 99 species in four visits, with Pileated Woodpecker and Pine Warblers. 

Great Meadows’ six trips listed 91 species, gaining Pied-billed Grebe, Least and American Bittern, Great Egret, Virginia, Sora, and King Rails, Solitary Sandpiper, both Cuckoos, and Common Nighthawk. 

Other totals were Bolton 83, Millis 72, Falmouth 71, Granville 70, Mt. Greylock 76, West Roxbury 66, Quabbin 57, Boston Harbor 56, Essex 56, Saugus 53, Maine 48, Andover 46, Wayland 40, Mystic Lakes 39, Tyngsboro 37, Fresh Pond 35, Lincoln 35, New Hampshire 32, Natick 32, Belmont 29, Lynnfield Marsh 19, Plymouth Beach 18, IRWS 11, Mt. Wachusett 11, Owl Prowl 8. No reports were received from Squantum, Canton, or BBC Belle Isle visits. 

Five sea trips reported as follows: 

June 3rd, Harwichport Trip, 31 species: six Greater, 16 Sooty, and one Manx Shearwater; 39 Wilson’s Storm Petrels; 23 Gannets, and one Red-necked Phalarope. 

June 10th, Deep Sea Trip, 20 species: four Northern Fulmar and one Black Tern; 55 Leach’s and 525 Wilson’s Storm Petrels; 27 Cory’s, 2850 Greater and 2525 Sooty Shearwaters; one Audubon’s and nine Manx Shearwaters; five Pomarine and one Parasitic Jaeger; 38 Fin, six Sei, five Sperm and four Minke Whales; 27 Humpback Whales, two Ocean Sunfish; 275 Common and 90 Bottlenose Dolphins; 200 White-sided Dolphins; three Blue and one Basking Shark. 

July 29th, Harwichport Trip, 37 species: three Cory’s, seven Greater, ten Sooty, and two Manx Shearwaters; 750 Wilson’s Storm Petrels, and one Gannet. 

September 9th, Pelagic Trip to Stellwagen, 17 species: 45 Greater, five Sooty, and 16 Manx Shearwaters; 500 Wilson’s Storm Petrels; one Gannet, four Sabine’s Gulls; 14 Parasitic and one Long-tailed Jaeger. 

October 28th, Plymouth Trip, 35 species: 35 Northern Fulmar, 400 Gannets; two Cory’s, 2000 Greater, two Sooty, and 12 Manx Shearwaters; 10 Pomarine Jaegers, one Skua; 400 Gannets, 11 Common Puffins; one Lesser Black-backed Gull. 

Monthly entries to the check list were: 

January 102                       May 91                                  September 9

February 11                       June 22                                  October 5 

March 23                           July 8                                     November 0 

April 38                             August 4                                December 4 

Top trips during 1984, limited to one full day afield follow: 

January 56                     Falmouth                             Timberlake

February 58                    Newburyport                     Nielsen

March 54                     Falmouth                             Bryant

Newburyport                     Bouchard

April 72                     Crooked Pond to P.I.  Nielsen 

May 124                    Newburyport                    Drummond 

June 78                     Newburyport                    Blaisdell 

July 66                     Newburyport                    d’Entremont 

August 77                    Newburyport                     Resnick 

September 95                 Newburyport                    Blaisdell 

October 91                    Nantucket (Sunday)    Davis 

November 67                  Outer Cape Cod             Drummond 

December 41                   Cape Ann                          Smith 

Savoy-Windsor                Lynch, Carroll 

The Morning walk with the highest total was 93 at Ipswich, Giriunas, on May 27th. The Afternoon walk of July 8th, Newburyport, led by Drummond had 60, and the top Evening count was Drummond, July 16th at Plum Island with 61.

To the Leaders and participants of our trips this year, a warm thank you for excellent field work, hospitality, and superb reporting. The final section of this report reflects the jottings, footnotes, and memories of a very good year. 

REVIEW OF 1984 

• Twenty-seven members rose before dawn and traveled empty roads to Newburyport, carrying binoculars, scopes, and empty check lists. “A great way to start the New Year,” cheered leader Ann Blaisdell. Prizes were Bald Eagle, Ruffed Grouse, Snowy Owl, Northern Shrike, Pine Siskin, and the Ipswich Savannah Sparrow. Fifty-three was the tally, with 264 birds to go! 
• January 7th was a “right lively day of eager anticipation” at Cape Ann. The Hales cast an optimistic eye on the rain and wet snow flurries. Two Black-headed Gulls and two Barrow’s Goldeneyes were seen from the Fishermen’s Monument, and an unexpected Killdeer ran on the grass at Eastern Point Coast Guard Station. 
• Falmouth trippers, yet to find deep winter’s cold, were listing six Ring-necked Ducks, 12 Canvasbacks, 22 Hooded Mergansers, 12 Coot, Catbird, Meadowlarks, Redwings, Towhees, and at Plymouth the Tundra Swan and Western Tanager on the 8th. 
• On January 14th, the Newburyport trip spent the whole morning going to and from Durham, New Hampshire, “where we did NOT see a Great Gray Owl.” 
• Bill Drummond worked diligently to find Harlequin Ducks on the 21st at Gloucester, including a “miserable walk into Rafe’s Chasm;’ all to no avail. That evening he learned that they were in Rockport behind the Emerson Inn, where he did not look. 
• On January 22nd the temperature at the start of the Quabbin hike was 25 below zero! It was so cold that nobody’s binoculars worked and Mark and Sheila and 11 other members were in real danger of frostbite. “Yipes!” was the cry, but four Bald Eagles, one Golden Eagle, Varied Thrush, Ruffed Grouse, Redpoll and Pine Siskins made things bearable. 
• January ended as Bill Foley saw one Lapland Longspur at the Salisbury boat ramp. 
• February 4th was a white on white day. . .white fog and white fields. Visibility at Plum Island was 30 feet Boreal Chickadee was best bird. Rain terminated the trip early. 
• February 18 gave Jim Berry hard luck at Castle Hill. The snowfall was pleasant but the driving was treacherous and only one companion arrived. “When a Brown Creeper is the highlight of your walk.. . !’ 
• A spectacular assembly of northbound Red-necked Grebes off Bass Rocks, Cape Ann, made the day on February 26th. 
• March 4th was disappointing. The refuge at Plum Island was closed. Six Barrow’s Goldeneyes lined up off the coal yard, in perfect light. A trip to Boxford was put into action, gaining Fox Sparrow at the Thomas’s feeder. 
• Owl Prowling, from 2:30 to 6:30 a.m. on March 11th, located two Screech and two Great Horned in Weston, three Screech and two Great Horned ins Wayland, and one Great Horned in Sudbury. 
• The Nantucket boat ride on St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t for landlubbers. The weather was awful. Northeast winds blew all weekend, with intermittent rain. Twenty-nine Razorbills were seen. Most interesting was a very white gull with adult Herring Gull bill, presumed to be an albino (close observation). 
• Quabbin lured two members over icy roads on the 18th of March, to see a Bohemian Waxwing at Ware airport and a Raven at Enfield lookout. Dave Bigwood provided lobster rolls for all participants! 
• March 25th Falmouth birders easily identified a Mew and a Little Gull at Salt Pond, but were startled to discover a Yellow-throated Vireo along the Coonamesset River at an area called Dutchman’s Ditch. 
• Plum Island roads were open again on March 28th but many blow-downs were evident in the pines, to say nothing of the road into Crooked Pond, which looked like a giant-sized game of pick-up-sticks. 
• April arrived, with Plum Island watchers viewing the pair of Great Horned Owls and nest through the rain. 
• On April 21st a subadult Golden Eagle was seen across from the new pines on Plum Island. One April trip card bears the legend, “No one attended this trip. I saw one Broad-winged Hawk on Route 1. Am writing this report from Wilmington, North Carolina where there are lots of birds.” 
• April 28th found over 50 birders slogging the salt marshes in Essex, looking for a White-faced Glossy Ibis. We did not find it. We did surprise two Ruffed Grouse in Willowdale State Forest, spot a Willet on the isthmus between Great and Little Necks, Ipswich, and hold a discourse about the huge Snapping Turtles at Norman’s Pond. 
• Not a single warbler could be found in Lincoln at the end of the month. Mt. Auburn walkers found the warbler of the day to be a Yellow-rumped. Luckily we had good looks at Hermit Thrushes and Rough-winged Swallows. 
• May bounded onto the calendar and spirits began to shine. A skunk was sauntering through Mt. Auburn on the 3rd, and three Juncos were seen on the 5th. 
• And the bright-ones of Spring returned, to set everyone dashing to and fro. On May 15th we found a Summer Tanager at Newburyport’s Oak Hill Cemetery, and two Least Bitterns at Plum Island. Orchard Orioles at Rowley and the Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers at Pikes Bridge Road were favorites. 
• On the 20th, Mark and Sheila led a BBC walk to Oxbow and Bolton Flats in the midst of an all-day Bird-a-Thon for the Worcester Science Center. By the time they met our group at 6 a.m. they had already been birding for three hours. Eighty-three species were found, featuring a fantastic close look at a Black-billed Cuckoo, two male Indigo Buntings in a territorial dispute, and an array of Bobolinks displaying in a vast field with golden dandelions. Goshawk, Screech Owl, and Yellow-throated Vireos were nice too. 
• May 20th birders found a nesting pair of Orchard Orioles at West Roxbury, and the Acadian Flycatcher was seen and heard at Mt. Auburn on the 21st 
• June was a busy month. Patience on a King Rail search at Plum Island gave a brief glimpse of one as the bird flew over the road on the 4th. The Least Bitterns were nesting near the Hellcat dike and seen during most trips. 
• June 10th was a hot, dry day and Plum Island was crowded with beach people. A Caspian Tern at the salt pannes was the find of importance. 
• June 17 brought to Jim Berry one of the finest BBC evening trips in years. Over a hundred Little Terns were counted, from three active colonies on Ipswich Beach, the most since 1977. Great Egret, Bonaparte’s Gull, Piping Plovers, Tri-colored Herons, and three red Red Knots appeared. A Foster’s Tern in basic winter plumage sat on the beach, to be joined by a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage complete with black cap. Walking back into a fiery sunset, with Black-crowned Night Herons flapping over, Least Terns calling, and a misplaced Canada Goose strolling down the beach, Jim recalled his dad’s expression, “every blind pig finds an acorn once in a while:’ (Not many find the whole oak tree or can write so eloquently about the experience.) 
• June 17 also featured the trip to the Tyngsboro Bluebirds, which were seen, but no count was given. The trip was quite productive of beautiful summer residents—Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Blue-winged and Black-throated Green Warblers, Northern Oriole, Kingbird, and the Solitary Vireo. At the waterfall many enjoyed watching the Bank Swallow colony holed up in a sandbank. 
• The June 24th Granville trip succeeded despite rain and fog. Breeding Bluebirds, Grasshopper Sparrows, Acadian and Olive-sided Flycatchers, and a fantastic display by three Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are cited. The trip ended by looking at a pair of Yellow-breasted Chats and being invited for herb tea and cake by the property owner. 
• July was Scissor-tailed Flycatcher month, with one at Plum Island on the 7th and a differently plumaged bird at Chatham on the 14th. 
• We heard, but never saw, a King Rail at Great Meadows on the 1st, a very tantalizing experience. The bird moved under a canopy of grasses in response to a tape recorder, while thirteen pairs of eyes peered in vain. 
• A walk down Barker Road, North Andover, found an orange-plumed Scarlet Tanager (the young male bird with such startling coloration) on July 8th. 
• Three Least Bitterns, seen simultaneously at Plum Island, included one with downy feathers still evident. Willow Flycatchers were calling, making their identification official. Stilt Sandpipers, Hudsonian Godwits, and continual discussions over dowitcher plumages marked August at Plum Island. The immature male Yellow-headed Blackbird was discovered as someone on the walk asked, “what is that bird with all the color on it?” The bird posed for photographs on the Hellcat Dike, left of the tower, and was absurdly tame.
• September at Plum Island acquired 58 species including Cooper’s Hawk, Merlin, Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Solitary Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Black Tern, and Loggerhead Shrike. 
• On September 15th, seven sturdy members braved a north-east rain stormy day, but the Marbled Godwit seen by others at Plum Bush was missed by us. The Avocet was seen, however, and the Black Tern, the Great Horned Owl, Baird’s Sandpiper, and 17 Red Knots. Best was “the peace of having Plum Is-land all to ourselves again.” 
• The Essex County Greenbelt Safari located yet another Cooper’s Hawk, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and an Orange-crowned Warbler. Helen Rocca, Botanist, pointed out Closed (Bottle) Gentians, and White Turtlehead, as well as other autumnal wildflowers.
• Newburyport trippers officially welcomed Fall on the 23rd with 95 species, hosts of migrating shorebirds and their attendant Peregrines, and a flock of 38 Water Pipits.
• Gradually the flocks of summer drained away toward the south. October found South Shore birders examining another Lesser Black-backed Gull and counting Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Warren Harrington was reminded of his own boyish enthusiasm as he noted, “Best was having three fourteen-year-old boys sharing their excitement at getting 25 life birds each and all reaching 100 lifers!” 
• My favorite footnote of October reads like a mystery: Missed BB3TW at Topsfield. Found WCS, BBC, 5GCK, 4 RCK. Cred- it YBC to NS. (They saw a Chat, but left the cuckoos both blank. non. sec. ed.) 
• November 3rd found the Ipswich Beach parking lot populated by Snow Buntings, a happy change. 
• On the 4th, two Hooded Mergansers, four Ruddy Ducks, and four Pied-billed Grebes made Natalie King’s afternoon walk a real treat at Mystic Lakes. 
• The long trip to the outer Cape Cod was well worth the effort on November 24th as five Manx Shearwaters, Razorbills, Thick- billed Murre, two more Cooper’s Hawks, and Black-headed Gull were logged. 
• Remembering the winter joys of the Quabbin area, December birders turned their hopes inland. How right they were. Delighted with a personal conversation with a Saw Whet Owl (many had never heard one before) the group was even more thrilled with a flock of 49 White-winged Crossbills, life birds for many on the trip. A Pileated Woodpecker, Common Raven, Northern Shrike, and two Red Crossbills were added before the day and another busy year ended. 
• Again a warm thanks to all of our superb leaders. What you write on your cards makes the year come alive in retrospect. These jottings are just a few of the many. Hope to hear your glad tidings in the New Year now upon us. Good luck and great birding. 

Mary L. Barnett, Statistician

1983 BROOKLINE BIRD CLUB STATISTICAL REPORT

During 1983 the Brookline Bird Club listed 300 Massachusetts species, and identified an additional six hybrids, subspecies, color morphs, or exotics, totaling 306 in all. Trips to Maine added two, New Hampshire two, and a deep sea voyage to Hydrographer Canyon added six, giving a grand summation of 316 birds for the year. Jackdaw, Nantucket 3-19/21 was added to our life list of exotic birds, its origin being questioned.

We scheduled 220 trips afield. Of these, 186 were reported, 12 were cancelled, and 22 failed to respond. Of the reported trips there were 78 all day, 76 morning, eight afternoon, 17 evening, and seven weekend events.

Written in on the Massachusetts Check List were the following:

Golden Eagle                                    Quabbin                                1-9

Egyptian Goose                                Quabbin                                1-9

Arctic Loon                                      Quincy                                    1-16

Ipswich Sparrow                              Newburyport                    1-29

Gray Jay                                           Becket                                    2-6

Lesser Black-backed Gull       Nantucket                           3-19/20

Jackdaw                                            Nantucket                           3-19/20

Summer Tanager                             Mt. Auburn                          5-3          

Cerulean Warbler                            Plum Island                         5-7

Prothonotary Warbler                  Mt. Auburn                          5-8

Blue Grosbeak                                  Mt. Auburn                          5-14

Brewster’s Warbler                        West Newbury                 5-15

Black-headed Grosbeak           Uxbridge                               5-22

Kentucky Warbler                            Westport                               5-22

Northern Raven                                Mt. Greylock                      6-10

Acadian Flycatcher                        Granville                               6-12

American Avocet                             Plum Island                         8-13

Golden Sparrow                              Plum Island                         8-27

Sandwich Tern                                 Monomoy                             9-4

Sabine’s Gull                                    At Sea                                   9-11

Clay-colored Sparrow                 Plum Island                         10-1

Blue Goose                                      Newburyport                     10-29

Gyrfalcon                                         Plum Island                         12-3

Seen in 1982, but missed in 1983 were 15 birds:

Western Grebe                                 Dickcissel

White-fronted Goose                   Golden-crowned Sparrow

Wild Turkey                                     Pine Grosbeak

Royal Tern                                        Red Crossbill

Chuck-wills-widow                        White-winged Crossbill

Townsend’s Solitaire                    Common Redpoll

Sutton’s Warbler                             Hoary Redpoll

Connecticut Warbler

Please notify me if you can recall any of these from an unreported 1983 Massachusetts field trip.

Gains over 1982 were 14, namely:

Egyptian Goose                         Clapper Rail

Gray Jay                                     American Avocet

Jackdaw                                      Golden Sparrow

Cerulean Warbler                       Sandwich Tern

Brewster’s Warbler                     Sabine’s Gull

Black-headed Grosbeak           Loggerhead Shrike

Acadian Flycatcher                     Gyrfalcon

In 1983 we scheduled 63 trips to the Newburyport area. Fifty-seven trips reported a total of 259 varieties. High counts of 100 (10-1), 106 (5-15), 115 (5-15), 120 (5-21), were outstanding. Eight Plum Island evening walks listed 90 species plus Whip-Poor-Will near the Hay Street ice pond in Newbury. Among area misses were Cooper’s Hawk, Arctic Tern, Royal

Tern, Barred Owl, Western Kingbird, Pine-Connecticut-Mourning- and Hooded Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Pine Grosbeak, and the Crossbills.

Pleasing gains included Marbled Godwit, Kittiwake, Razorbill, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and the aforementioned write-ins.

From Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 41 trips listed 137, as compared with 15 last year. Notable birds were Little Blue Heron, Canada Goose, Cooper’s Hawk, Black Tern, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, and 31 warbler species.

Nantucket trips in March and October failed to cross paths with the celebrated Western Reef Heron (present from April into September). We did number 131 species there: Greater, Sooty, and Manx Shearwaters, 17 Razorbills, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and the Jackdaw among them.

Six Ipswich trips, three plagued by bad weather, gave us 129 species. . .missing Pintail, Ruddy Duck, Hooded Merganser, Brown Creeper, 12 common warblers, and Field and White-throated Sparrows. When the weather cooperated, gains included Red-throated Loon, Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, Ring-necked Duck, Piping Plover, American Woodcock, Rusty Blackbird, and Snow Bunting.

The trip to Martha’s Vineyard listed 125 species and presented American Oystercatchers, Black ‘Tern, Black Skimmer, Barn Owl, and Gray-cheeked Thrush.

The trip to Machias, Maine listed 118; two visits to Westport gained 110, (with six and eight Ospreys, two Arctic Terns, White-eyed Vireo, and Pine and Kentucky Warblers). Man-chester, in five visits, totaled 110, with Vesper and Fox Sparrows. Two Bolton trips found 104 species, our New Hampshire hikes gained 100 White Mountain specialties, eight Great Meadows visits gained 94 species. . .with excellent views of Virginia and Sora Rails, Willow Flycatchers, and Marsh Wrens. Only nine Cape Ann trips responded, with 98 species. Razorbill, Thick-billed Murre, and Black Guillemot were gained. Harlequin Ducks were seen on four visits, generally a flock of five. The Southern Berkshire sweep sighted 93 species, three Bridgewater trips 87, five Monomoy trips 82, Outer Cape Cod 69, Mt. Greylock 69, Squantum 68, Wayland 59, Millis 58, Sharon 58, Marshfield 54, West Roxbury 52, Breakheart Reservation 50, North Andover 50, Wells, Maine 47, Falmouth 47, Plymouth Beach 45, Owl Prowl 45, Boston harbor 44, Mystic Lake 42, Boston Boat 42, Harwichport Boat 42, Quabbin 40, Natick 38, Belmont 37, Deep Sea 32, Lynnfield 30, Fresh Pond 30, Boxford, 30, IRWS 16.

Sea trips became the year’s sensation. In June, 63 people sailed from Harwichport. Rewards were eight Northern Fulmar, Greater Shearwater, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Red-necked Phalarope, and eight Arctic Terns. In August came the Deep Sea overnight to Hydrographer Canyon. Despite engine noise and seasickness, the leaders logged four Cory’s, 20 Greater, seven Sooty, nine Manx, and three Audubon’s Shearwaters; two White-faced, 12 Leach’s, and 1000 Wilson’s Storm Petrels, 20 Red-necked and 75 Red Phalaropes, four Pomarine and eight Parasitic Jaegers, and 500 Roseate and eight Black Terns, The September Boston Boat trip listed 17 species, with two Manx Shearwaters, two Red-necked Phalarope, four Parasitic Jaegers, and two Sabine’s Gulls.

Monthly entries to the Massachusetts check list were:

January                111        May                         80            September       13

February             7               June                        9               October               4

March                    15            July                          5               November         0

April                        57            August                  4               December         1

Honorable Mention is noted for Massachusetts high totals for one full day afield.

January                58          Newburyport                    Blaisdell

February             49            Newburyport                    Grinley

March                 50            Newburyport                  Bouchard

April                    82            Boxford to PI                Van Cor

May                    120         Newburport                    Weissburg and Drummond

June                     93            Berkshires                      Lynch and Carroll

July                      75            Newburyport                   d’Entremont

August                 85            Newburyport                  Smith

September         93            Newburyport                  Bouchard

October               100        Newburyport                    McHale

November          64            Bridgewater                       Gove

December          61            Newburyport                    d’Entremont

The morning walk with the highest total was 82, Mt. Auburn, Stymeist on May 18th. The afternoon walk of August 18 at Great Meadows, led by Ron Clayton had 48, and the top evening count was the Barnett’s 4th of July Plum Island trip with 65.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 1983

January dawned with snowdust whitening the land. Ice skins covered the ponds until they stretched and melted in the sunshine. Twenty members chatted at Newburyport, while plump gulls sauntered across Joppa flats with that wings-clasped-behind-their-backs attitude more suggestive of a Spring morning. Among the 58 species gained (13 above 1982) were Pintails, Rough-legged Hawk, Bald Eagle, Common Snipe, Boreal Chickadee, Savannah Sparrow, Field Sparoow, Lapland Longspur, and Snow Bunting. Preying owls, one Short-eared and one Snowy, investigated the marshes.

Next day a King Eider swam at the Sagamore end of the Cape Cod Canal. With the mild weather, land birds were well dispersed. Six Redheads, 35 Canvasbacks, and a Barrow’s Goldeneye were recorded.

The Hales’s Cape Ann trip (1-8) spotted five Harlequin Ducks following the shoreline at Halibut Point, a drake Canvasback in the Riverdale Mill Pond, and two King Eiders sitting on seaweedy Bass Rocks. In a Manchester pine tree sat a red Screech Owl, artistically arranged in a pine-pink cavity. Many cameras clicked before it snuggled down below its ear tufts.

Quabbin adventurers (1-9) found the day “quite balmy.’ Six Bald Eagles, one Golden Eagle, and a Northern Shrike appeared. Then three Egyptian Geese flew over at Enfield. Eventually BBC caught up with them, skulking in the marsh at gate 52, a strange encounter.

On 1-15 the weather reports threatened the ultimate snow. . .which decreased hour by hour from several feet to six inches with each successive broadcast. A coastal Nor’easter, pouring slushy rain, cancelled major trips. Next day two members took census at Quincy Bay. Bird of the day was an Arctic Loon followed by Barrow’s Goldeneye, King Eider, Screech, Great-horned, Snowy, Long-, and Short-eared Owls, Fish Crow, Catbird, Hermit Thrush, and Towhee.

After a few days of winter, another thaw ensued and on 1-22 Cape Ann birders spied a Pintail, 60 Purple Sandpipers, three Glaucous Gulls, nine black Guillemots, and two Black-legged Kittiwakes.

Bridgewater was damp and drizzly on 1-23. Pied- billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Hooded Merganser, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Common Snipe, and Meadowlark made it seem like April.

A sleepy Long-eared Owl sat on a beaver stump along the Hell Cat marsh trail as birders considered Plum Island on 1-29. Meadowlarks were singing, four Double-crested and four Great Cormorants were compared, and an Ipswich Sparrow was studied.

At month’s end, a fine Cape Ann day featured King Eiders, Thick-billed Murre on the water at Brace’s Cove, Gannet, Harlequin Ducks, and all the scoters.

The month of February snow arrived. Trips added a Little Gull on 2-5 at Newburyport, and Pileated Woodpecker en route to the Gray Jay at Becket on 2-6. A strong blizzard (2-12) cancelled Cape Ann and closed Plum Island under two feet of snow. Surf ran high. Finding anything in the bounding ocean was terribly difficult but stalwart members listed 18 Iceland Gulls at Newburyport and saw five Robins in the marsh across the Merrimack from Gould-Shawmut. Another Ipswich Sparrow gleaned the wastelands at Plum Island North End.

Jim Berry was set to explore Ipswich Beach on 2-19. Mild Temperatures were overcome by brutal, bone-chilling NE winds. Leaving the bare-swept beach, members turned to the shelter of the dunes, where deep snow drifts barred the way. Jim quipped, “When you don’t see even a Red-breasted Merganser, you know youre in trouble” Best birds were 90 Snowbuntings maintaining their solitude.

Next week (2-26), Quabbin’s disappointed turkey hunters turned out three Ruffed Grouse, “but nothing to cheer about.” Newburyport birders echoed the winter blues. Plum Island was still closed. A Goshawk was some reward.

March evoked little enthusiasm. Eleven Bald Eagles were gathered at Quabbin (3-6), and a cheery chorus of Redwings and Grackles called at Newburyport (3-12). The Owl Prowl turned out one Screech, one Great Horned, and one Barred Owl…and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.

Nantucket featured a Jackdaw of unknown origins, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 17 Razorbills. And a SE rainstorm.

On the 26th, spirits rose slightly as waterfowl] displayed Green-winged Teal iridescence, Widgeon crowns, Ring-necked sleekness, and Canvasback aplomb at Plum Island. 65 Brant were especially handsome.

Turning the calendar to April was a pleasure. A few Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers appeared. Ann Blaisdell’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary evening trip viewed 10-12 Woodcock.

Bob Stymeist began to list 11 Mallards and one Black Duck at Mt. Auburn (4-12). Mourning Cloak Butterflies sailed the breeze at Crooked Pond, Boxford, where BBC saw a Goshawk, three Phoebes, two Tree Swallows, Winter Wren, three Hermit Thrushes, three Louisiana Waterthrushes, and a Rusty Blackbird. Coltsfoot budded purple and bloomed golden in a colony along the roadside.

One Woodcock made six flights and satisfied viewers at Belmont (4-17). Early morning walkers heard and saw a Carolina Wren at Hamilton Grass Rides, then toured Ipswich for Cattle Egret, Black-crowned Night Herons, Wood Duck, Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock, Rough-winged Swallows, Palm Warblers, and Rusty Blackbirds, on 4-23. Meanwhile an all-day trip logged 71 species (Red-shouldered Hawk and the expected fare at Crooked Pond, and an Osprey eating a fish at West Newbury. Quite amazing were 70+ Common Snipe in the field off Scotland Road. Phil Parsons was telescoping the discovery as members drove up, and shared his delight.

From these preliminary moments, Spring rushed in headlong. John Nove felt its joy at Plum Island as he transposed page three of his field card with all the notations one space up, giving me a wild encounter with 35 Brown Thrashers and 60 Loggerhead Shrikes!

Mt. Auburn early risers began to fill in their lists with Solitary Vireo, three Pine and 18 Palm Warblers, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4-25) and two Canada Geese (4-27) not flying over this time, but on the ground. And Winter Wrens and White-eyed Vireos were singing there A Little Blue Heron was spied in flight, and crows chased a Cooper’s Hawk at the tower (4-28). At month’s end the Golden-winged Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Yellow-throated Vireo were all seen and heard in the morning chorus.

Along the causeway the Plum Island members identified a Ruff together with Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Phalarope, and Pectoral Sandpipers. A visitor from Cambridge, England remarked that Ruffs breed 10 miles from his home. This trip also found Whimbrel, Upland Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

And then it was May. Using his tape recorder, Craig Jackson coaxed a Virginia Rail at Breakheart Reservation out across the flattened Cattail reeds (5-1) and found Blue Azure Butterflies everywhere.

Twenty people arrived to search Plum Island in 80 degree sunshine. On the platform at Hellcat Swamp, instead of a hawkwatcher, birders found a wedding party, complete with bride, groom, witnesses, and preacher.

Mt. Auburn offered a Summer Tanager (5-3), a lingering 1/2 Black Duck, House Wren, 21 warbler species (including Worm-Eating), and a large Caprimulgiforme suggestive of a Chuck-wills-widow.

On 5-7 a Cerulean Warbler appeared at Hell Cat Dike near the rest area. Craig Jackson, birding in Saugus (5-8), observed a Brown Creeper assembling its nest under the bark of a long dead Hemlock tree. The same day a small but jovial expedition rounded Eastern Point with John Nove and found a brilliant adult Red-bellied Woodpecker. Mt. Auburn was busy with Prothonotary and Orange-crowned Warblers (5-8), Whip-poor-will, Hooded and two Orange-crowned Warblers (5-11), three Blue Grosbeaks (5-15), Mourning and Hooded Warblers (5-25), and crowds of birders. High counts of 21 warbler species were made on May 4 and 15, despite a cool rain.

Other May highlights were Caspian Tern and five Wilson’s Phalaropes at Plum Island plus Brewster’s and 20 other warbler varieties in the Newburyport area (5-15); Yellow-billed

Cuckoo seen and heard at West Roxbury (5-15); Bluebird at Pikes Bridge Road and Turkey Hill (5-18); all six vireos and 23 warbler species including Cerulean at Plum Island (5-21); and four Yellow-throated Vireos at Oxbow, plus a female Black-headed Grosbeak on nest at Uxbridge (5-22).

The Martha’s Vineyard weekend (5-27/30) listed ten American Oystercatchers, Black Tern, Black Skimmer, two adult and two young Barn Owls, two adult and two young Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and four Grasshopper Sparrows.

June 19th enticed members to New Hampshire’s Nancy Pond Trail. Findings were 20 Winter Wrens, 15 Swainson’s and a Gray-cheeked Thrush, a Raven, and a nesting pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers.

No-see-ems were thick at Plum Island on 6-20, as 18 Willets flushed and called in spectacular flight against a pastel sunset.

At Millis (6-25) were many European Skipper Butterflies, five Wood Ducks, five Red-tailed Hawks, and five Bobwhite.

July 2nd drowsed in quietude as members listed reptiles as well as birds. Bolton Flats and Oxbow offered Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Willow and Alder Flycatchers, and an enormous Water snake, Common Musk, Painted, and Blandings Turtles. While members swatted mosquitoes, a Snapping Turtle ate two ducklings.

The trip to Machias Seal Island (7-1/4) was described as glorius, despite thick coastal fog. “Fortunately,” says Ida Giriunas, Capt. Norton’s boat knows its own way to the island.” Common Puffins (600 pairs), 200 pairs of Razorbills and 1200 pairs of Arctic Terns were massed there. One Thin-billed Murre was spotted also. Ida, unable to lead through the forests for Spruce Grouse due to previous accident, hobbled up and down the pavement on crutches and found several Black-backed Woodpeckers. Norm Famous, local birder, took the group to view a typical Maine Bog with Pitcher Plants and blooming orchids. Ida extends special gratitude to Sandy Thomas and Sherm Dennison for their assistance on this memorable trip.

On July 4th the annual trek to Broadmoor Sanctuary, Natick, endured 95 degree heat. An Olive-sided Flycatcher and female Black and White Warbler, carrying food, were seen. One of the famous Broadmoor blonde Woodchucks, with the coloring of a golden retriever, provoked much interest.

That evening’s Plum Island walkers welcomed a cooling sea breeze, one of the joys of tower birding. Two Least Bitterns flew back and forth over Hellcat Dike. Following Piping Plovers along the beach seemed a relaxed way to end the evening.

Spruce Grouse were finally seen – in New Hampshire (7-9/10) along with 25 Swainson’s and ten Gray-cheeked Thrushes, two Black-backed Woodpeckers, two Gray Jays, a Raven, and a Snowshoe Hare.

At Monomoy vast flocks of dowitchers and peeps made for needle-in-the-haystack birding. Birds included American Oystercatchers, and for terns we saw Arctic, two Roseate, six Least, and 1000 Common.

Great Meadows birding parties toured the summer residents of that unique environment. As aircraft flew noisily, a summer drowse covered the watery refuge and offered a solitude at ground level. Dragonflies and butterflies passed quietly over the blossoming wild flowers, Marsh Wrens called, and frogs and turtles came and went on their appointed rounds. Excellent views of Sora and Virginia Rails gave special pleasure.

An Orchard Oriole frequented Pikes Bridge Road on 7-30, as birders began reeling through those endless summer days.

August 13th brought us face to face with an Avocet at Plum Island. An extremely high tide forced 14 Sharp-tailed Sparrows into one dry hump at Plum Bush, and six Whimbrel, 18

Stilt Sandpipers, and two Little Gulls were seen. Another special Plum Island trip (8-27) found a Yellow-crowned Night Heron near parking lot 6, five Wilson’s Phalarope, 34 Hudsonian Godwits at the salt pans, and two Buff-breasted Sandpipers and two Red-necked Phalarope at Stage Island Pool. And there were six Whimbrels, four Laughing Gulls, and a Forster’s Tern. Most colorful was a Golden Sparrow, an escaped African species, at Hellcat’s feeder.

September 4th was outstanding. A Sandwich Tern, 1000 Roseate Terns, and two Buff-breased Sandpipers were seen by all at Monomoy. . .along with 20 oystercatchers, Golden Plover, 16 Black Terns, and a Black Skimmer.

At Ipswich’s Appleton Farm (9-5), members viewed adult and juvenile Turkey Vultures, the young with the gray head.

The Boston Boat Trip reveled in its two Sabine’s Gulls, one in winter and one in summer plumage. They were watched for 25 minutes, sitting in the water and flying. The yellow-tipped bill was noted.

On 9-9 there were 120 Brant and 58 Snow Geese at Plum Island. A Goshawk was encountered, briefly. Swallows by the countless thousands swarmed over the refuge during the month. On 9-17, 250 Common Terns rested on Emerson’s Rocks, and a cormorant walked the dusty road by the old pines. Peregrine and Lark Sparrow were afforded top honors.

At the Truro chicken farm, two Peregrines were seen, and two Chats and a Hooded Warbler were listed, That same day (9-24) Plum Island featured a Baird’s Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper and a Lincoln’s Sparrow. Seaside Goldenrod fringed the marshes.

And then it was October 1st with a trio of Little Gulls, one adult, one first year, and one juvenile … at Plum Island.

The Nantucket Weekend (10-8/9) held few surprises; the Reef Heron had departed and most interesting were seven Greater, four Sooty, and one Manx Shearwater.

The general flow of migration drained southward. A Marbled Godwit (10-22) was beautiful at Newburyport Harbor, its wing-linings warmly cinnamon against an ebbing tide.

Fresh Pond, Cambridge (10-29) held a Pied-billed Grebe, 42 Ring-necked Ducks, 94 Canvasbacks, 12 Lesser Scaup, and ten Ruddy Ducks.

Orange and gold foliage welcomed members to Newburyport on 10-27 as a Blue Goose appeared among 17 Snows. A dark-phased Rough-legged Hawk was observed and a Red Fox surprised members at Cherry Hill Reservoir.

Come November, with Autumn’s frosts greeting the mornings, birders took a trip to Bridgewater and Lakeville (11-6) for the waterfow] census. Ring-necks (576), 25 Canvasbacks, 11 Greater and 45 Lesser Scaup, 58 Ruddy Ducks, and 12 Hooded Mergansers were seen. Also ten Pectoral Sandpipers, a Screech Owl, and a lone Chimney Swift.

The seasonal grays of November offered a Razorbill and 30 Snow Buntings at Plum Island (11-20), along with a Short-billed Dowitcher and Black-headed Gull.

At windy Cape Ann (11-6) were two Red-necked Grebes and a Harlequin Duck at Bass Rocks, and two Snowy Owls—one badgered by Crows at Andrew’s Point and another lumped in the salt marsh behind Long Beach.

Two gloomy Little Blue Herons (immatures) stood motionless beside a salt pond on Plum Island (11-27). The year was fleeting; one wished them well.

December, usually restricted news-wise to Christmas Count enterprise, was favored with the appearance of a gray phased Gyrfalcon, sitting on the Plum Island dike south of the wardens (12-3). Two Boreal Chickadees called at the pumping station and Great Horned Owl and Northern Shrike received much notice at Plum Island.

Cape Ann came through (12-10) with 28 Red-necked Grebes, 45 Common and 12 Red-throated Loons at Bass Rocks, six Horned Grebes, three Razorbills, Black Guillemot, and a Thick-billed Murre at Halibut Point.

The feast or famine trip to Quabbin heard a Raven, spied two Bald Eagles, and saw a Goshawk (perched) and a Northern Shrike (12-11).

At Belle Isle, the final entry was another Ipswich Sparrow, and birders took respite to celebrate the holidays, greet the winter solstice, and await the happenings of 1984.

Mary Lou Barnett, Statistician

1982 STATISTICAL REPORT 

In 1982 the Brookline Bird Club enriched its Massachu-setts Life Species List to 376 with the addition of Townsend’s Solitaire, viewed at West Tisbury on January 3rd. Dr. Bob Timberlake’s Falmouth trip made the profitable visit to Martha’s Vineyard. We actually have two life lists; the longer one includes hybrids, subspecies, color morphs, geographical races, and escaped birds. To this list we have now added the rare Sutton’s Warbler, discovered at Mt. Auburn Cemetery on May 8th, bringing the grand total to 398 identifiable birds. 

During the past twelve months, BBC scheduled 229 field trips. Of these, 199 were reported, ten were weather cancelled, and 20 failed to reply. Of the reported trips, 83 were all day, 83 were morning, nine afternoon, 18 were evening, and six were weekend events. 

Our Massachusetts Check List totaled 306, including Ipswich Sparrow and Sutton’s Warbler. There were 17 write-ins on the Massachusetts Audubon Society Check List as follows: 

Townsend’s Solitaire                          West Tisbury                                           1/3

Golden-crowned Sparrow               Holyoke                                                   1/30

Golden Eagle                                      Quabbin                                                   2/14

Northern Raven                                  Quabbin                                                   2/14

White-fronted Goose                         Newburyport                                           2/20

Hoary Redpoll                                    Nantucket                                                3/20

Western Grebe                                    Scituate                                                    3/28

Sutton’s Warbler                                 Mt. Auburn                                              5/8

Summer Tanager                                Mt. Auburn                                              5/20

Chuck-will’s Widow                           Martha’s Vineyard                                 5/28-30

Kentucky Warbler                              Westport                                                   5/30

Prothonotary Warbler                        Sharon                                                       6/12

Royal Tern                                         Plum Island                                              7/12

Lesser Black-backed Gull                Harwichport Boat Trip                        9/21 

Blue Grosbeak                                   Nantucket                                                10/1

Arctic Loon                                       Plum Island                                              11/28

Ipswich Sparrow                               Plum Island                                              12/12

Seen in 1981, but missed in 1982 were 11 species, namely: 

Black Vulture                        Dovekie                                    Varied Thrush 

Brewer’s Blackbird             Egyptian Goose                    Western Kingbird 

Brewster’s Warbler             Red Phalarope                      White Pelican 

Clay-colored Sparrow      Ruddy Shelduck 

Please notify me if you can document any of these on a 1982 Massachusetts BBC field trip. 

Interesting gains over 1981 included the following: 

Northern Shrike                                     Newburyport                         1/1 

Townsend’s Solitaire                           West Tisbury                         1/3 

Lark Sparrow                                         Whately                                    1/17 

Golden-crowned Sparrow               Holyoke                                    1/30 

Golden Eagle                                          Quabbin                                   2/14 

Thick-billed Murre                                Scituate                                   3/28 

Western Grebe                                       Scituate                                   3/28 

Sutton’s Warbler                                    Mt. Auburn                             5/8 

Hooded Warbler                                    Plum Island                            5/15 

King Rail                                                Lynnfield                                5/16 

Gray-cheeked Thrush                         Mt. Auburn                             5/28 

Caspian Tern                                          Plymouth Beach                  6/5 

Royal Tern                                             Plum Island                            7/12 

Black Skimmer                                      Monomoy                                8/21 

Orange-crowned Warbler               Plum Island                            9/18 

Arctic Loon                                            Plum Island                            11/28 

Ipswich Sparrow                                    Plum Island                            12/12 

During the past year, 62 trips were scheduled in the Newburyport area, 15 being limited to Plum Island. The 57 reporting trips listed 257 species, plus Ipswich Sparrow. Missed were the Marbled Godwit, Parasitic Jaeger, Kittiwake, all alcids, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Pine, Connecticut and Mourning Warblers, Chat, White-winged Crossbill, and Clay-colored and Lincoln’s Sparrows. To offset these misses were excellent views of all the listed owls except Barn Owl, all the listed Falconiformes, and all the listed terns including Royal, Caspian, and Black Terns. 

The Century Run was held on May 16th. The tally reached 84 by 7:30 a.m. in Boxford. At 11 a.m. there were 109, and at West Newbury’s check point the list reached 136 at 4:30 p.m. When the point of exhaustion came at 9:30 p.m., the grand total was an enviable 156! (And they missed four herons, both bitterns, snipe, Least Tern, Screech Owl, Nighthawk, Horned Lark, Cedar Waxwing, and Vesper, Field, and Lincoln’s Sparrows.) 

Our two Nantucket trips netted 138 species including 85 Razorbills, gained from the ferryboat. The Maryland weekend tallied 132 southern species. Eight Acadian Flycatchers were heard and seen. Four Black Rails were heard, not seen.

Our Martha’s Vineyard trips gave us 120 species, with Barn Owl the favorite. 

The wonderful excursion to Machias Seal Island added 117 species and “no House Sparrows”, to quote the leader. Forty-three Mt. Auburn walks responded. Six April visits were weather cancelled and we failed to list Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Tree, or Fox Sparrow there this year. The annual total was 115. 

Six reporting Ipswich trips listed 135 species. Specialty of this area was a nesting Red-tailed Hawk, quite visible from Argilla Road. Ten Cape Ann trips reported 110 species, with Harlequin Ducks, Glaucous Gull, Purple Sandpipers, Kittiwakes, Black Guillemots, and Screech Owl being reliable favorites, and Red-bellied and Red-headed Woodpeckers, special gains. 

One Cape Cod and four Monomoy trips responded, with a total of 109 species. Marshfield and the South Shore gave us 108, Manchester and Westport areas each tallied 102, New Hampshire and seven Concord, Massachusetts trips equalled 87 species. Other lists were Bridgewater 77, Bolton 76 (with Yellow-throated Vireo, Goshawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Willow, Alder, and Least Flycatchers), Berkshires 71, Wayland 70 (with Eurasian Widgeon, Turkey Vulture, and Broad-winged Hawk), Marblehead 65 (with Olive-sided Flycatcher and Chat), all boat trips together 65, Winthrop 63, Middlesex Fells 59, Quabbin 58, Millis 58, Natick 55, Falmouth 55 (with a Razorbill in the Cape Cod Canal), Saugus 51, Sharon 50, Owl Prowl 47 (with Great Horned Owl in Milton and Long-eared Owl in West Roxbury), Squantum 43, Mystic Lakes 42 (with Red-headed Woodpecker and Redpolls), Newton 41, Mt. Wachusett 37, Wells, Maine, Mt. Tom, Salem Boat Trip, and Plymouth Boat Trip each 35, Plymouth Beach 34, Belmont and Western Massachusetts trip 33, Harwichport Boat Trip 32, Lynnfield and Fresh Pond tied at 29, Boston 24, Weymouth 19, IRWS 17, Lexington 16, and our visits to Wellesley, Canton, and North Andover cancelled or unreported. 

Our sea trips are very popular and each was contributory. The Salem trip in August found Sooty (one) and five Manx Shearwaters, Parasitic Jaeger, Forster’s and Black Tern, and even a Cattle Egret (flying over Salem Harbor). The Harwichport trip in September studied two Cory’s and 50 Greater Shearwaters, two Pomarine Jaegers, Parasitic Jaeger, Kittiwakes, and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The trip out of Plymouth on Halloween Day featured three Cory’s, 1500 Greater, and five Sooty Shearwaters, eight Manx Shearwaters, 500 Gannets, six Pomarine Jaegers, four Iceland Gulls, 300 Kittiwakes, and a Northern Fulmar. 

Each month something new was added to the checklist: 

January                   106                           May                           89                            September           10 

February                14                               June                          5                              October                  4 

March                      27                            July                            3                             November             1 

April                        37                           August                   9                                 December            1 

Honorable mention is given for Massachusetts high totals for one day afield: 

January                  54             Timberlake                            Falmouth 

February                53             Nielsen                                  Newburyport 

March                    59             Giriunas                                Newburyport 

April                      62             Altman                                  Newburyport

Davis                                          Bridgewater

May                       127          Drummond                            Newburyport 

June                        83             Prybis                                  New Hampshire 

July                        63             King                                     Newburyport 

August                   78             d’Entremont                         Newburyport

September            95             Giriunas                               Newburyport 

October                  86             Blaisdell                               Newburyport 

November              65             Giriunas                               Newburyport 

December             29             VanCor, Henderson           Newburyport 

The morning walk with the highest total was 103 species on May 16, Ipswich, led by Ida Giriunas. The afternoon walk of July 19 at Plum Island, led by Chris Corley led with 62, and the top evening walk was the Hale’s Plum Island trip on July 26. The Maryland weekend trip was tops with 132. 

“Through drifting snow and cutting sleet 

I’ve trudged and toiled, my friends to greet; 

And tug’d beneath my lumb’ring gear, 

To wish you all a Happy New Year.” 

In January, birders are confident and anticipatory as we set out to log 300! Those who started at Newburyport on New Year’s Day earned 45 species toward that goal including Snowy Owl, Glaucous Gull, Boreal Chickadee, Northern Shrike, and Lapland Longspur. 

Next morning, Cape Ann’s northwest winds blew fiercely and the zero wind chill was brutal. Never mind the cracking winds and tear-filled eyes. There were 11 Red-necked Grebes, Harlequin Ducks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Purple Sandpipers, Black Guillemots, Snow Buntings, and the Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers at Lanesville Cemetery to keep us eager and rewarded.) 

Birders who attended the Falmouth trip found themselves whisked to Martha’s Vineyard on January 3rd. For the Townsend’s Solitaire! Their peregrinations also gained 12 Redheads, Carolina Wren, and Fox Sparrow on the mainland. 

Hamilton’s Barred Ow! was visited by Cape Ann birders on the 16th. 

Three well-bundled members met Ida Giriunas on the 17th as sub-Arctic cold surged over Newburyport. It was a wonderful blue and white day; the sting of the air was exhilarating. Plum Island, closed in snow drifts, was left to the Snowy Owls. Discovery came elsewhere: Barrows’ Goldeneye, Goshawk, Short-eared Owls, ten Pine Grosbeaks, 12 Pine Siskins, and at Ipswich, Virginia Rail, Snipe, and Swamp Sparrow. 

The Quabbin trip was horribly and dangerously colder that day. Getting out of the car was an adventure. One member was treated for frostbite (temperature, —5; windchill, —30). Gains were six Bald Eagles, Boreal Chickadees, Snow Buntings, Redpolls, Pine Siskins, Pine Grosbeaks, and 30 White-winged Crossbills. Plus a Lark Sparrow at Whately. 

On the 23rd, Steve Grinley and the Hales shared 1 1/2 hours of birding at Newburyport before the big storm hit. Plum Island gates were closed again, anticipating the storm, so a drive up the Merrimack ensued. Twelve Common Mergansers were off the Gould-Shawmut, and the Bald Eagle coursed past. As the snow started whirling down, a Brown Creeper was left behind and all decided to scoot for home. 

As the month concluded, Boston Harbor birders found 3000 Greater Scaup at Winthrop, Barrow’s Goldeneye at Hough’s Neck, 635 Bufflehead, 8000 Common Eider, 100 White-winged Scoters, and 270 Red-breasted Mergansers. A Hooded Merganser, 290 Purple Sandpipers, Redpolls, and Snow Buntings were seen too. 

On February 7th, Bill Drummond was pleased to report two Saw Whet Owls and two Long-eared Owls; one Saw Whet was at Plum Island, all others at Salisbury. How we relish wild weather! The 13th was snowy and blowing, and the visibility was nil. Even the seals were ashore, huddled along Magnolia’s sea ledges. Undaunted, our leaders exuded joy as they introduced new members to six Harlequin Ducks which had scrambled onto a surf washed rock at Bass Rocks, East Gloucester. 

A Golden Eagle, nine Bald Eagles, Turkey, and Golden- crowned and Lark Sparrows were BBC valentines from Quabbin and points west. 

Half of the February 20th trip departed with Bill Drummond to see a Hawk Owl in Lebanon, Maine. Those who didn’t go enjoyed a brief snowfall and listed two Screech, Great-horned, two Long-eared, and two Short- eared Owls, four Red Crossbills, and five White-fronted Geese. An immature Bald Eagle and a Black Duck floated on an ice floe in the Merrimack River, off Cashman’s Park. 

Ipswich Beach was barren on the 27th. Jim Berry trekked through a mile of the interior dunes and saw absolutely nothing. Best birds of his day were two Rough-legged Hawks over Nelson’s Island and two Redwings at Ipswich Shopping Plaza. 

The scheduled leader for our March 7th Cape Ann trip was stranded in New Hampshire with car trouble. The Hales agreed to substitute and met the only other participant at the Fisherman’s Statue. Visibility was poor, birds scarce, and the wind was icy cold. In Dora’s words, “9 a.m., let’s go. 11 a.m., enough. End of walk.” 

Nine Owl Prowlers started at 5 a.m. on the 14th, which turned out to be too late to hear owls. One Great Horned and one Long-eared were found. Two drake King Eiders at Nut Island received much attention as they fed with several Commons at close distance. Grackles, Redwings, and Robins were everywhere. 

Newburyport trippers on the 14th saw five Ring-necked Ducks at the pumping station, and then listed raptors: four Red-tails, three Red-shouldered, 20 Rough-legs, Bald Eagle, four Harriers, and ten Kestrels. 

A singing Field Sparrow started off the morning of the 20th. Members toured Plum Island, Rowley, and Salisbury, gaining two Little Gulls, Merlin, and six Canvasbacks. 

Two Wood Ducks flew in and perched in a tree at Hardwick Center on the 21st. Five Turkey Vultures, Goshawk, seven Red-tails, Red-shouldered Hawk, six Bald Eagles, nine Turkeys, Pileated Woodpecker and two male BLUEBIRDS made this a very special trip. 

Dave Brown led a splendid run from Squantum to Scituate on the 28th. Wind chill was again a problem, and birders were not allowed to explore the Squantum Airport due to tightened security. All experienced the drama of a male Great Horned Owl sitting in the open, drawing crows to him to lure them away from the female, sitting at the nest with a ball of fluff at her side. The Western Grebe was seen between Third Cliff and one-quarter mile north, close enough to note its red eye. In Milton, fun was made of the crow that flashed — white inner primaries, like that Skua some of us keep missing. 

Suddenly it was Spring. On April 4th there were Snowy Egrets, Black-crowned Night Herons, Phoebes and Tree Swallows, and Fox Sparrows everywhere on Plum Island. It was warm and lovely. Then came a blizzard, and disaster. A week later the Robins were just standing on exposed bits of fields and in the roads at Byfield. As the melting progressed, 100 Snow Geese were seen on Plum Island. 

An April rain stopped just in time on the 13th. The peepers started calling and the Woodcocks tuned up at IRWS in Topsfield. Dr. Al Scott was pleased to hear three to four sky dancers at one time; he feared they had succumbed to the snow. The season’s first Savannah Sparrows were also gained here. 

The Wayland trip to Wash Brook Marsh on the 19th of April was a fine one. Eurasian Widgeon and an array of waterfowl in spring plumages, two Turkey Vultures, the season’s first Broad-winged Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, our first Rough-winged and Barn Swallows, Palm Warblers, and Rusty Blackbirds were gained. 

Mt. Auburn’s April 23 walk found our first Swainson’s Thrush. Black and White Warbler, gnatcatcher, Pine and Palm Warblers, and Chipping Sparrow were also listed. 

On the 24th, Ida Giriunas found a Dickcissel at Mt. Auburn while the Mt. Wachusett trip counted five Turkey Vultures, Goshawk, nine Sharp-shinned, five Red-tailed, seven Broad-winged, and Marsh Hawk, Osprey, three Kestrels, and two sapsuckers. 

Twenty-three members in 15 cars turned out on the first of May to prowl the quiet depths of Crooked Pond’s forest trails. Steve Grinley and Peter Alden wisely divided the group and each submitted a report. In addition to the three Louisiana Waterthrushes found, they saw Upland and Solitary Sandpipers, two Ruffs, Gnatcatchers, and Solitary Vireo.

About 130 birders came to Mt. Auburn on May 8th, to view the Sutton’s Warbler. Worm-eating Warbler, for once, took second place. 

The Maryland trip was well attended. Write-ins included two Gull-billed Terns, two Summer Tanagers, 20 Carolina Wrens, 50 Boat-tailed Grackles, five Kentucky Warblers, three Yellow-throated Warblers, Brown-headed Nuthatch, 20 Prothonotary Warblers, and four Black Rails. Also seen were 30 Royal Terns, 15 White-eyed Vireos, eight Yellow-throated Vireos, three Worm-eating Warblers, and many herons and shorebirds. 

Seven Cape May Warblers delighted John Nove at Eastern Point, Gloucester, on May 9th, as Craig Jackson explored Breakheart Reservation, Saugus all alone. Despite the rain, all the breeding birds were evident. Craig also listed a raccoon in a tree, a lunching woodchuck, and an unfriendly northern water snake that struck at him every time he tried to pass it. 

A Peregrine Falcon at the wardens was the star of the May 15th Plum Island trip. An adult male Hooded Warbler was found. One hundred twenty-seven species later, the group went to Eagle Head, Manchester to spy out the nesting Pileated Woodpeckers. 

The morning walk on May 16th toured the varied habitats of Ipswich. The 103 species ranged from Nighthawk to singing Wood Pewee and Golden-winged Warbler, to Orchard Oriole. Twenty-three Warbler species were gained in total. 

The 18th at Mt. Auburn found 50 birders “straying their gladsome way to view the charms of nature”—but the advanced growth of leaves made it a song birder’s mecca only. 

At Plum Island the Canada Goose goslings were little yellow balls of fuzz, and 100 species were gained: Louisiana Heron, Gallinule, Wilson’s Phalarope, Black-billed Cuckoo, and at Pikes’ Bridge Road, the Golden and Blue-winged Warblers. 

John Andrews found the Mt. Auburn songshop to be a great success. “Twenty-two participants listed 43 species and sharpened their skills in that leafy domain.” 

On May 22 there were a Willet at Plum Bush, Ruffed Grouse at Pikes’ Bridge Road, and excellent looks at both bitterns at Plum Island’s South Pool. A gorgeous Golden Plover ran amid the dandelions in the pasture at Green Street, Newbury. 

Rod Sommers led 40 persons through Mt. Auburn on the 22nd. Most were beginners and the walk was a relaxed, happy occasion — with time to enjoy the Great Horned Owl in the dell and to study the Swainson’s Thrush and the jeweled colors of the Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Indigo Bunting. 

It rained as May drew to its conclusion. Some trips were poorly attended but birds were available, like a Mourning Warbler at Mt. Auburn. Nesting Least Terns were observed at Dartmouth, plus 16 Ospreys, Whimbrel and Willet, four Carolina Wrens, three White-eyed Vireos, and a Kentucky Warbler. 

On the 31st, with a light drizzle evaporating as it fell, Eliot Taylor told the 10 persons on his Natick walk that 80% of birdwatching was bird-hearing. To prove his point he sought out a singing House Finch only to prove it was a first year male Orchard Oriole. He followed another singing oriole only to find it was a Warbling Vireo; a second Warbling Vireo turned into another Orchard Oriole. A memorable exercise. A phoebe, perched in the open, wasn’t tail-wagging. Some thought it was a Pewee. Not in an open field, decided Eliot. The scope revealed an Olive-sided Flycatcher. Finally someone heard a cuckoo calling. Looking up, all saw two elongated ducks coming over the trees. What were Common Loons doing in Natick on the 31st of May? Eliot still wonders about that. His Natick walks are a grand way to learn birding, and his reports are always interesting. 

On June 5th, BBC explored Monomoy. The results: Oystercatchers, Willets, 100 Red Knots, Marbled Godwit and a study of terns. In all, ten Arctic, one Roseate, two Least, and 2000 Common Terns were compared. The Portlandica terns were isolated: four Arctic, four Common, and one Roseate. 

Twelve members hiked Plymouth Beach for two Oystercatchers, 300 Common, six Arctic, six Roseate, 20 Least, and a Caspian Tern on the same day; and two members walked Ipswich Beach on the evening of June 7th. Binoculars were useless in the teeth of a gale, but they were dressed for the rain and said they enjoyed it thoroughly. The dunes were flooded, but out of the wind they managed to hear two Catbirds and a Towhee singing, giving a grand total of nine species. There were 12 Least Terns on the beach. 

A male Prothonotary Warbler was seen feeding the nesting female at Moose Hill, Sharon on June 12th. 

Mt. Greylock was sunny for a change and Ravens were seen and heard three days in a row near the Sperry Camp Ground. Five were in view at one time. The trip was profitable with eight Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, four Winter Wrens, and a variety of nesting warblers and thrushes. Most interesting was a subadult Pine Grosbeak. 

Our New Hampshire trips were fun, with a moose almost as enjoyed as the Black-backed Three-toed Woodpeckers and singing Gray-cheeked Thrush. Dick and Dora Hale had yet another trip with 3 1/2 hours of birding and 1 1/2 hours sitting in the car due to pouring rain. June 21st, during the supper hour at Plum Island, everyone listened to the news that a son had been born to Lady Diana and Prince Charles. The thunder and lightning storm came over like a 41-gun salute. In addition to Cattle Egret, adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron, and a family of Virginia Rails, there were seven rabbits, a muskrat, and a deer. The Whippoorwill song at Newbury closed the evening. 

Overcast weather on the Millis Bird and Butterfly walk kept most of the butterflies out of view. There were Common Sulphur, European Cabbage, Indian and Peck’s Skippers, and Mourning Cloak caterpillars, and for birds, Bobwhite, 200 Bank Swallows, and three Grasshopper Sparrows. 

July 4th birders went to Pine Hill, Sharon, to hear the Hermit Thrush at Evensong. 

The trip to Machias thrilled members with 800 Razorbills, eight Thin-billed Murres, 1600 Puffins, 15 Black Guillemots, Pomarine Jaeger, and Gray Jays, Northern and Black- backed Three-toed Woodpeckers, and many other joys. 

Jim Foley’s Plum Island evening walk was looking for Royal Terns. Finding three of them on the beach near Emerson’s Rocks was a great thrill. July 12th seemed a good time to debate the field marks of Long-billed Dowitchers, from the top of the tower, for much of the evening. 

Great Meadows was hot and muggy with excellent views of 16 Virginia Rails, three Sora, four Gallinules, and two Willow Flycatchers, punctuated with the calls of the Long- billed Marsh Wrens. 

Two “kangaroo” mice hopped across the Plum Island road on the eve of the 26th. 

A gorgeous sunset and cool breeze at the tower top finished the trip as an overhead flight of swallows, terns, ibis, egrets, and herons drew their separate patterns against the orange sky. A superb evening. A heavenly glory with us humans in the glow. 

On August 7th, Wayland birders saw a red fox walking through a corn field and discovered a Solitary Sandpiper. 

The Least Bittern pleased members on the 14th as Plum Island offered life birds to several newcomers. Whimbrel grazed in the field, Little Gull winged darkly over the harbor and 12 Hudsonian Godwits were identified. 

The glamorous birds were at Monomoy; all the large shore birds, and terns, and Black Skimmers. 

The Salem boat left the dock with every seat taken. It was a grand day with congenial people and a proverbial banquet of portable food was enjoyed all day. There were whales to watch and good birds, aforementioned. Highlights were the Bay-breasted and Cape May Warblers which flew aboard at sea and perched on the people. Some life pictures were taken to prove how difficult it is to identify a bird in the hand. 

September 4th dawned and three good birds were reported on Plum Island. The trip stopped at each spot and saw all three: Baird’s Sandpiper, Peregrine Falcon (perched), and Raven. 

The family of Mute Swans at Clark’s Pond, Ipswich included three grown young. A raptor, eating a bird on a tree in the open at Miles River, was finally identified as a Merlin. 

Wally Van Cor’s trip to Plum Island saw a Merlin on the 11th, wearing an orange leg band. 

Our Hawk watch at Mt. Wachusett drew a hot and miserable day on the 12th. Paul Roberts was less than excited by the sketchy showing. The list was 13 Turkey Vultures, Goshawk, 18 Sharp-shinned, two Red-shouldered and 11 Broad-winged Hawks, Osprey, and a Kestrel. Mt. Tom on the 19th had a good flight of Broad-wings with 480, but only four Turkey Vultures, 20 Sharp-shinned, Coopers, two Red-tailed and Marsh Hawk, and two Kestrels. 

George Gove experienced a first for the Newburyport area, waiting for the Salisbury drawbridge! Good birds on the 25th were four Merlins, two Western Sandpipers, 13 Water Pipits, and ten Sharp-tailed and a Seaside Sparrow. 

A Yellow-breasted Chat lurked in Marblehead Neck Sanctuary on the 28th. 

October featured the Nantucket Weekend. It was cold and windy and Edith Andrews was saying she had not banded many birds at all, in fact it was her worst migration in some years. BBC worked for 108 species. Best birds were Northern Shrike, Connecticut Warbler, Blue Grosbeak, and Vesper and Lark Sparrows. 

On October 10 Plum Island birders flushed a Great Horned Owl in the New Pines, viewed another Merlin (perched), saw the Peregrine flying, and encountered both kinglet species everywhere. Winter Wren turned up at Salisbury when sparrows were being counted: 20 Savannah, 25 Juncos, eight Chipping, Field, eight White-crowned, 35 White-throated, Fox, four Swamp, and 20 Song Sparrows were tallied. 

A Great Meadows trip welcomed newcomers on the 16th. A Questar scope was examined. The foliage was magnificent as the usual bird residents were pointed-out. Four Pied- billed Grebes and three Ospreys were featured. 

The new reservoir behind Cherry Hill Nursery drew members on October 30th. The reason: 450 Ring-necked Ducks were there. Thirty Red-throated Loons were together off Emerson’s Rocks, Plum Island. A Tree Sparrow and 90 Snow Buntings reminded all on this Indian summer day that the cold season was lurking not far away. 

In November, “a few prosaic days this side of snow”, members wondered over nine Cattle Egrets at Maplecroft Farm in Ipswich. Reverse migration intoned a knowledgeable voice. 

Off Winthrop the ducks were rafting in Boston Harbor again. One thousand Buffleheads, 100 Common Eider, and hundreds of scoters were there on the 7th, along with 30 Purple Sandpipers and 15 Laughing Gulls taking a last look around. 

The marshes turned to gold, the sky was blue with puffs of white clouds, and members felt sad—because there were flocks and flocks of interesting-looking shore birds on the interior fields at Maplecroft Farm, Ipswich and they were too distant to identify the birds. And out of bounds. 

On the 27th there were five Harlequin Ducks seen at Cape Ann, plus a Cooper’s Hawk, perched and flying with crows. 

December called at Plum Island but birds were scarce due to the presence of many hunters off Plum Island and Salisbury. The red berries of the black alder glowed in the swamps and holiday season was in the air. A late Ruddy Turnstone was seen on the 5th as birders recounted Boston Harbor waterfowl, 725 White-winged Scoters, 8000 Common Eiders, and not a King Eider to be seen. 

A Red-phased Screech Owl snuggled in a pine tree in Manchester, saving the monotony of the month. December was rather flat, after a humdrum fall. 

When it gets this way I turn to a good book. After watching three Ipswich Sparrows at Plum Island on December 12, I remembered the comments of Charles Wendell Townsend in his Birds of Essex County, published by the Nuttall Ornithological Society in 1905. He had a particular interest in the Ipswich Sparrow and suggested looking for it between late October and the end of December, when he found 25 to 30 in one day! First discovered by Mr. C. J. Maynard and collected on December 4, 1868 in the Ipswich dunes, it was thought to be a Baird’s Sparrow until October 1870, when it was determined to be something new. In 1872 it was named the Large Barren-ground Sparrow, but the name Ipswich Sparrow clung as interest in the bird grew. In May 1894, the nesting sites on Sable Island off Nova Scotia were discovered by Dr. Jonathan Dwight, Jr. He published his findings in August of 1895 and remarked that island natives knew it as the Gray Bird. The bird books and official check lists now teil us the Ipswich Sparrow is a race of the Savannah Sparrow. By any name, the BBC greeted it most affectionately as the month of December also became history. 

Mary Lou Barnett, Statistician