Nahant–Heritage Trail & Lowlands Park, Essex, Massachusetts, US
22-Apr-2023 07:03 – 08:25
Protocol: Traveling
0.85 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: A Brookline Bird Club bird walk led by Shilo McDonald. ~40 ºF. Invasive plant species pointed out along the way: 1. Japanese Knotweed 2. Garlic Mustard 3. Oriental Bittersweet 4. Multiflora Rose 5. Common Buckthorn
28 species
Mallard 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2
Mourning Dove 7
Killdeer 2 Flying in the air above the parking lot and baseball field. Vocalizing.
Wilson’s Snipe 1 In the Stump Dump. Spotted by Mary Margaret.
Herring Gull 9 Flybys.
Double-crested Cormorant 2 Flying by.
Great Egret 1 Flying by.
Osprey 1 Flying by.
Red-tailed Hawk 2 One was seen carrying a young Common Grackle.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
American Crow 1
Common Raven 1 Seen and heard. Croaking.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Adult male. Spotted by Michelle.
Carolina Wren 4
European Starling 20
Northern Mockingbird 1 Singing.
American Robin 8
American Goldfinch 4
White-throated Sparrow 4
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 1 Possibly two. Heard only. A reedy trill coming from within the reeds.
Red-winged Blackbird 16
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Common Grackle 12
Northern Cardinal 6
Nahant Thicket Wildlife Sanctuary (Mass Audubon), Essex, Massachusetts, US
Checklist Comments: A Brookline Bird Walk led by Shilo McDonald. ~40 ºF. Native species pointed out: 1. Serviceberry / Shadbush 2. Black Oak. Non-native species pointed out: 1. English Ivy 2. European Chestnut.
24 species (+1 other taxa)
Mallard 4
Mourning Dove 2
Herring Gull 2 Flying by,
Double-crested Cormorant 1 Flying by.
Accipiter sp. 1 Small accipiter flying just beyond the northern edge of the thicket. Possible Sharp-shinned Hawk. The view was fleeting.
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1 Heard only. Keek series.
American Crow 2
Black-capped Chickadee 2 Singing. “Feed me.”
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Carolina Wren 2
Brown Thrasher 1 Found by Mary Margaret. Photos attached.
Northern Mockingbird 1 Providing a performance of a life time. Song bits included Belted Kingfisher, Killdeer, White Breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Phoebe and Greater Yellowlegs.
American Robin 3
House Sparrow 4 Chirping from a nearby yard with feeders.
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 4
White-throated Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 1 Seen alongside the muddy ravine on the personal property area allowed for birding.
Eastern Towhee 2 Male female pair foraging on the ground alongside the boardwalk.
Red-winged Blackbird 3
Brown-headed Cowbird 6 Males displaying for the females.
Common Grackle 6
Northern Cardinal 2
Nahant–East Point Headland, Essex, Massachusetts, US
22-Apr-2023 09:39 – 10:26
Protocol: Traveling
0.883 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: A Brookline Bird Club bird walk led by Shilo McDonald. ~40 ºF, but extra chilly in the wind. Highlights include Common Raven, Fish Crow, a raft of scoters and Common Loons in breeding plumage!
27 species
Common Eider 25 Estimate.
Surf Scoter 18
White-winged Scoter 5
Black Scoter 100 Estimate.
Long-tailed Duck 8 Flying together.
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Purple Sandpiper 16 Flying all together.
Herring Gull 75 Estimate. Most of these were out on Egg Rock.
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Common Loon 3 In breeding plumage.
Northern Gannet 3 Flying and diving along the horizon.
Double-crested Cormorant 50 Conservative estimate. Most of these were out on Egg Rock.
American Crow 4
Fish Crow 1 Nasally sounding “uh oh.”
Common Raven 1 Gliding over the grass field of Lodge Park.
Tree Swallow 1 Heard only. While standing near one of the nesting boxes. Could not locate the bird.
Carolina Wren 1 Singing.
European Starling 1
American Robin 4
House Sparrow 6 Chirping.
American Goldfinch 2
White-throated Sparrow 2 Singing.
Song Sparrow 2 Singing.
Red-winged Blackbird 4
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Common Grackle 4
Northern Cardinal 1