Brookline Bird Club – America’s most active bird club!

Happy New Year MassBirders!
Mark Burns and I led our 24th Annual New Year’s Day Birding Trip for the Brookline Bird Club (BBC) today! At 9:00AM, 39 BBCers joined us at the Newburyport T Station parking lot where we toasted in the New Year with sparkling apple cider. During the toast, introductions were made and folks told us where they traveled from and what their first bird of the New Year was. (Mine was Blue Jay and Mark’s was American Goldfinch.)
We birded Salisbury Beach State Reservation, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, and Cape Ann [Andrews Point, Cathedral Ledge, Old Granite Pier, Bass Rocks/Elks Club, Niles Pond, and Jodrey Fish Pier] and called it a day at 4:30PM. The temperature ranged from 34df to 40df with wind gusts up to 25mph. We tallied 52 species for the Club list. Following is a complete list of the birds we saw:
Canada Goose  560
Mute Swan  2
Gadwall  10
American Black Duck  375
Mallard  205
Greater Scaup  16 (Niles Pond)
Lessor Scaup  2 (Niles Pond)
King Eider  1 (Bass Rocks/Elks Club. Thank you to Linda Ferraresso for finding this gem!)
Common Eider  493
Harlequin Duck  30 (Andrews Point/Old Granite Pier)
Surf Scoter  18
White-winged Scoter  38
Black Scoter  55
Long-tailed Duck  216
Bufflehead  73
Common Goldeneye  21
Red-breasted Merganser  68
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  15
Horned Grebe  5
Red-necked Grebe  9
Northern Gannet  12
Great Cormorant  8
Turkey Vulture  1
Bald Eagle  3
Northern Harrier  3
Accipiter sp. – 1
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Wild Turkey  4
Purple Sandpiper  9
Ring-billed Gull  109
Herring Gull  398
Great Black-backed Gull  46
Black-legged Kittiwake – 5
Razorbill  19
Black Guillemot  3
Rock Pigeon  1240
Mourning Dove  35
Snowy Owl  2 (PRNWR)
Downy Woodpecker  3
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  13
Common Raven  2 (Fly-over at Jodrey Fish Pier)
Black-capped Chickadee  6
Northern Mockingbird  5
European Starling  95
American Tree Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  4
Dark-eyed Junco  8
Northern Cardinal  16
American Goldfinch  7
House Sparrow  51
Many thanks to those who spent all or part of your day birding with us and for your help in finding birds. What makes this trip so much fun to lead each New Year’s Day is spending time with you and kicking off a new year of birding!
Wishing you a very Happy, Healthy, and Birdy 2020!
Laura H. de la Flor

Roberts on Raptors

Roberts on Raptors Many of you know Paul Roberts and have benefited from his wisdom and advice about raptors. For many years Paul has published his thoughts and stories about hawks in general and the

Bring Back Bobolinks!

Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we

Roberts on Raptors

Roberts on Raptors Many of you know Paul Roberts and have benefited from his wisdom and advice about raptors. For many years Paul has published his thoughts and stories about hawks in general and the

Bring Back Bobolinks!

Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we

Roberts on Raptors

Roberts on Raptors Many of you know Paul Roberts and have benefited from his wisdom and advice about raptors. For many years Paul has published his thoughts and stories about hawks in general and the

Bring Back Bobolinks!

Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we

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Today

  • Plum Island

    Parker River NWR - Lot #1 Refuge Rd., Newbury, MA, MA, United States

    We will be looking for Shorebirds and Fall migrants. We will drive and walk to various places on the Refuge. Note that an entrance fee or pass is required. Restrooms available.

  • Charles River Esplanade

    Boston - Charles River Esplanade MA, United States

    We will walk along the Charles River Esplanade from the Longfellow Bridge upriver looking for birds on both land and water. We hope to see a range of fall migrants as well as year round residents. Cosponsored with the Charles River Esplanade Association. Loaner binoculars available (request in advance). Preregister on the Esplanade Association’s website:

  • Delaney WMA, Stow NEW DATE and TIME

    Stow - Delaney WMA Boat Launch 353 Harvard Road, Stow, MA, United States

    We will spend the morning walking 3-4 miles through fields, forests and wetlands looking for post-nesting birds and early migrants. No restrooms are available. Bring sunscreen and insect repellent. Be prepared for poison ivy. Rain cancels.

  • Family Bird Walk, Condon Shell, Medford

    Medford - Condon Shell Parking 2501 Mystic Valley Pkwy, Medford, MA, United States

    Sponsored by the Medford Public Library. Join local birder Leslie Kramer of Brookline Bird Club for a family-friendly bird watching walk along the river! Our group will meet at the Condon Shell parking lot and follow the path along the river, which is ADA-accessible and stroller friendly. Note: Attendance is free but registration is required

  • Mystic River Reservation (Early Birders Series)

    Medford - Mystic River State Reservation 4253 Mystic Valley Pkwy, Medford, MA, United States

    Join fellow birders in their 20s-30s as we visit Mystic River State Reservation! Located just north of Boston in Medford, Mystic River Reservation is a state nature reserve home to over 300 acres of space in a riverfront setting. As we navigate our way around the 2.3 mile park loop trail, expect to see all

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