Halibut Point SP, Rockport
Aug 18, 2019 7:40 AM – 11:30 AM
Comments: I took Peter Van Demark’s monthly HP trip for him and we (8 of us) walked a loop through the quarry area, to the grout pile, down to the rocks, and back up the Trustees trail. Spent most of the time at the grout pile and on the rocks looking for seabirds since the land birding was slow. I hoped the fog would bring some pelagics close in, but it didn’t in the absence of wind. Just a few gannets after the fog lifted. I stayed on the rocks an hour after the others left (i.e., 0945-1045) and added several species as the fog gradually burned off.
31 speciesMallard 10 in the main quarry
American Black Duck 1 in ocean with eiders
Common Eider 49
Ring-necked Pheasant 0 One of our party had seen one a week or two ago near the stone statues, but we didn’t find it today.
Mourning Dove 1
Ruddy Turnstone 7 groups of 3 and 4
Laughing Gull 6 5 juvs, 1 adult
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 220 many juvs
Great Black-backed Gull 60
Common Tern 1 The only tern!
Northern Gannet 30 Most were in a minor feeding frenzy with gulls about half a mile off the point. Many of them flew by and were easily visible. Majority were juvs and sub-adults.
Double-crested Cormorant 65
Downy Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 3
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 12
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
Tree Swallow 450 Probably a lot more than that.
Bank Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 11
Carolina Wren 4
Gray Catbird 6
American Robin 5
Cedar Waxwing 2
American Goldfinch 9
Song Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 6
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59079989
Federal Bird Banding Lab Needs Support Now
Federal Bird Banding Lab Needs Support Now Find contact information for your senators and representative. The following is from a letter from author Scott Weidensaul received on May 22: As some of you may be [...]
Threats to Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act
Responding to Threats to Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act John Nelson, chair of the BBC's Conservation Committee, recently sent an eloquent letter to Representative Seth Moulton and Massachusetts Senators Edward Markey and [...]
BBC Global Big Day Count – Follow Up
BBC Global Big Day Count Follow Up On May 10 the BBC sponsored a club-wide Global Big Day Count. While the weather was tough that day with off and on rain, raw wind, and cool [...]
BBC Programming Committee Seeks Volunteers
BBC Programming Committee Seeks Volunteers Do you have ideas for BBC webinar speakers? Would you like to be involved in planning club events such as our annual meeting, fall speaker, and winter member's meeting? Interested [...]
Migration Madness Membership Drive
Migration Madness Membership Drive To celebrate the excitement of spring migration, the Brookline Bird Club has a special offer for any new member joining the club from April 17 to May 31, 2025! All new [...]
Member Webinar August 13: The Art and Craft of Shorebird Identification with Lisa Schibley
Member Webinar August 13: The Art and Craft of Shorebird Identification with Lisa Schibley Shorebirds are among the most fascinating and diverse groups of birds, but identifying them can sometimes feel overwhelming. What key field [...]
Federal Bird Banding Lab Needs Support Now
Federal Bird Banding Lab Needs Support Now Find contact information for your senators and representative. The following is from a letter from author Scott Weidensaul received on May 22: As some of you may be [...]
Threats to Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act
Responding to Threats to Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act John Nelson, chair of the BBC's Conservation Committee, recently sent an eloquent letter to Representative Seth Moulton and Massachusetts Senators Edward Markey and [...]
BBC Global Big Day Count – Follow Up
BBC Global Big Day Count Follow Up On May 10 the BBC sponsored a club-wide Global Big Day Count. While the weather was tough that day with off and on rain, raw wind, and cool [...]
BBC Programming Committee Seeks Volunteers
BBC Programming Committee Seeks Volunteers Do you have ideas for BBC webinar speakers? Would you like to be involved in planning club events such as our annual meeting, fall speaker, and winter member's meeting? Interested [...]
Migration Madness Membership Drive
Migration Madness Membership Drive To celebrate the excitement of spring migration, the Brookline Bird Club has a special offer for any new member joining the club from April 17 to May 31, 2025! All new [...]
Member Webinar August 13: The Art and Craft of Shorebird Identification with Lisa Schibley
Member Webinar August 13: The Art and Craft of Shorebird Identification with Lisa Schibley Shorebirds are among the most fascinating and diverse groups of birds, but identifying them can sometimes feel overwhelming. What key field [...]
Federal Bird Banding Lab Needs Support Now
Federal Bird Banding Lab Needs Support Now Find contact information for your senators and representative. The following is from a letter from author Scott Weidensaul received on May 22: As some of you may be [...]
Threats to Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act
Responding to Threats to Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Act John Nelson, chair of the BBC's Conservation Committee, recently sent an eloquent letter to Representative Seth Moulton and Massachusetts Senators Edward Markey and [...]
BBC Global Big Day Count – Follow Up
BBC Global Big Day Count Follow Up On May 10 the BBC sponsored a club-wide Global Big Day Count. While the weather was tough that day with off and on rain, raw wind, and cool [...]
BBC Programming Committee Seeks Volunteers
BBC Programming Committee Seeks Volunteers Do you have ideas for BBC webinar speakers? Would you like to be involved in planning club events such as our annual meeting, fall speaker, and winter member's meeting? Interested [...]
Migration Madness Membership Drive
Migration Madness Membership Drive To celebrate the excitement of spring migration, the Brookline Bird Club has a special offer for any new member joining the club from April 17 to May 31, 2025! All new [...]
Member Webinar August 13: The Art and Craft of Shorebird Identification with Lisa Schibley
Member Webinar August 13: The Art and Craft of Shorebird Identification with Lisa Schibley Shorebirds are among the most fascinating and diverse groups of birds, but identifying them can sometimes feel overwhelming. What key field [...]
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Dunback Meadow, Lexington
Our target birds will be late migrants including Mourning Warbler and flycatchers. Be prepared to walk three to five miles. Conspoonsored with Menotomy Bird Club.
Fenway Victor Gardens (CANCELED)
Boston - Fenway Victory Gardens 11 Park Drive, Boston, MA, United StatesSorry, this walk is canceled due to scheduling conflicts.
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery 536 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA, United StatesErwin S. Wilder WMA
Norton - Erwin S. Wilder WMA Todd Island Rd, Norton, MA, United StatesWe will walk a 2 mile loop through fallow fields and some wooded areas. Trails are gravel, fairly level and usually dry. This is a great spring migration spot for warblers.
Plymouth Airport for grassland sparrows
Plymouth Airport 246 S Meadow Rd, Plymouth, MA, United StatesWith permission from the airport manager, we will be allowed to go inside the second fence line onto the airport, closed to the general public, in search of the grassland birds which nest at the airport. Note: This trip can be cancelled at any time, without notice, for homeland security reasons! Target endangered breeding species: [...]