Parker River NWR, Essex, Massachusetts, US
Aug 28, 2017 4:50 PM – 7:35 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Comments: Sunny and 67 degrees. We stayed until dusk. My sister Margaret and I joined the Brookline Bird Club walk at 5:30 PM led by Dave Williams. Stops at main salt pans, North Pool Overlook and Hellcat dike.
40 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose 7
Gadwall 7
Mallard 4
American Black Duck 16
Green-winged Teal 1
Double-crested Cormorant 101
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 180 Mostly at Hellcat staging for the evening. Probably many more than this.
Snowy Egret 200 Staging at Hellcat- still coming in for the evening. Conservative count. Probably many more than this.
Glossy Ibis 16 North Pool Overlook and small groups flying into Bill Forward Pool at dusk. Distinctive long curved bill.
Osprey 3 Seen from Hellcat looking toward Pines platform.
Black-bellied Plover 19
Semipalmated Plover 36
Least Sandpiper 38
White-rumped Sandpiper 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper 120
peep sp. 200 Seen from lot one flying over the dunes but too far to ID
Short-billed Dowitcher 11
Spotted Sandpiper 1 Hellcat- on edge of Bill Forward Pool
Greater Yellowlegs 52
Lesser Yellowlegs 16
Ring-billed Gull 1
Herring Gull 2
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Mourning Dove 4
Belted Kingfisher 1 Sitting in tree at North Pool Overlook
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 2 One flew over Bill Forward Pool and chased many of the shorebirds away.
Eastern Kingbird 2
American Crow 1
Tree Swallow 1000000 Amazing spectacle at dusk at Hellcat dike. Tree Swallows as thick as I have ever seen over North Pool. As far wide, deep and high as the eye could see. Photos cannot capture the full effect of the staging swarm.
Marsh Wren 1 Hellcat
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 5
European Starling 40
Northern Waterthrush 1 Seen by a few of the group from Hellcat dike on the mudflats of North Pool.
Common Yellowthroat 1
Saltmarsh Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 3
American Goldfinch 3
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38927696
Successful Pelagic Trip to Nantucket Shoals
Successful Pelagic Trip to Nantucket Shoals On December 6 over 70 BBC birders and guides departed from Hyannis and headed out to Nantucket Shoals about the Helen H. The plan was to go as far [...]
2026 Young Birders Scholarship Application
2026 Young Birders Scholarship Application Available The Brookline Bird Club will again offer two Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarships to nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders. The scholarship covers the full [...]
Kestrel Adventures Book Fund Donation
School Book Fund Donation to Kestrel Educational Adventures The BBC School Book Fund Committee is pleased to announce that we have donated just under $750 for optical equipment to support bird and nature education at [...]
Renew membership now for 2026!
Calling all BBC members - annual memberships expire December 31st 2025. Renew today for the 2026 calendar year to continue uninterrupted access to member benefits including our blue book mailings, member webinars, and more! Membership [...]
2025 Annual Christmas Bird Counts
2025 Annual Christmas Bird Counts The 126th (2025-26) Christmas bird count season begins December 14. We encourage you to participate in this citizen science effort. Please note that the count week for each Xmas count [...]
BBC Winter Meeting February 7 – Social Hour, Book Sale & Norman Smith!
BBC Winter Meeting February 7 - Social Hour, Used Book Sale & Norman Smith! Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 7 at 2PM for the BBC's annual in-person Winter Meeting featuring a social hour with [...]
Successful Pelagic Trip to Nantucket Shoals
Successful Pelagic Trip to Nantucket Shoals On December 6 over 70 BBC birders and guides departed from Hyannis and headed out to Nantucket Shoals about the Helen H. The plan was to go as far [...]
2026 Young Birders Scholarship Application
2026 Young Birders Scholarship Application Available The Brookline Bird Club will again offer two Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarships to nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders. The scholarship covers the full [...]
Kestrel Adventures Book Fund Donation
School Book Fund Donation to Kestrel Educational Adventures The BBC School Book Fund Committee is pleased to announce that we have donated just under $750 for optical equipment to support bird and nature education at [...]
Renew membership now for 2026!
Calling all BBC members - annual memberships expire December 31st 2025. Renew today for the 2026 calendar year to continue uninterrupted access to member benefits including our blue book mailings, member webinars, and more! Membership [...]
2025 Annual Christmas Bird Counts
2025 Annual Christmas Bird Counts The 126th (2025-26) Christmas bird count season begins December 14. We encourage you to participate in this citizen science effort. Please note that the count week for each Xmas count [...]
BBC Winter Meeting February 7 – Social Hour, Book Sale & Norman Smith!
BBC Winter Meeting February 7 - Social Hour, Used Book Sale & Norman Smith! Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 7 at 2PM for the BBC's annual in-person Winter Meeting featuring a social hour with [...]
Successful Pelagic Trip to Nantucket Shoals
Successful Pelagic Trip to Nantucket Shoals On December 6 over 70 BBC birders and guides departed from Hyannis and headed out to Nantucket Shoals about the Helen H. The plan was to go as far [...]
2026 Young Birders Scholarship Application
2026 Young Birders Scholarship Application Available The Brookline Bird Club will again offer two Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarships to nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders. The scholarship covers the full [...]
Kestrel Adventures Book Fund Donation
School Book Fund Donation to Kestrel Educational Adventures The BBC School Book Fund Committee is pleased to announce that we have donated just under $750 for optical equipment to support bird and nature education at [...]
Renew membership now for 2026!
Calling all BBC members - annual memberships expire December 31st 2025. Renew today for the 2026 calendar year to continue uninterrupted access to member benefits including our blue book mailings, member webinars, and more! Membership [...]
2025 Annual Christmas Bird Counts
2025 Annual Christmas Bird Counts The 126th (2025-26) Christmas bird count season begins December 14. We encourage you to participate in this citizen science effort. Please note that the count week for each Xmas count [...]
BBC Winter Meeting February 7 – Social Hour, Book Sale & Norman Smith!
BBC Winter Meeting February 7 - Social Hour, Used Book Sale & Norman Smith! Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 7 at 2PM for the BBC's annual in-person Winter Meeting featuring a social hour with [...]
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
-
-
Belle Isle Marsh and Vicinity
East Boston - Belle Isle Parking Lot 1399 Bennington Street, Boston, MA, United StatesLed by DCR staff. We will search on foot up to one mile, on flat, easy terrain for snowy owls and other raptors, native sparrows, finches, waterfowl, and other birds. This is a traveling program by car or bike. Prepare for ticks. Ages: Adults and kids 8 years+ with adult chaperone. Binoculars recommended. ADA/Reasonable Accommodations [...]
-
CANCELLED – Early Birders @ Chestnut Hill Reservoir, Boston
Chestnut Hill Reservoir 2420 Beacon Street, Boston, MA, United StatesThis walk is CANCELLED due to a schedule conflict.
-
-
Race Point Beach
Provincetown - Race Point BeachLet’s start the year with some awesome birds! We will bird from the beach close to the parking lot. We may walk the beach depending on participants interest. Several species of alcids are possible as well as gannets, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls and three loon species. Dress for cold windy weather. We may try other [...]
-
New Year’s Day Birding — Newburyport and Vicinity
Newburyport - Cashman Park 68 Sally Snyder Way, Newburyport, MA, United StatesJoin us on our annual New Year’s Day birding trip! We may also venture on to Cape Ann. In case of inclement weather check with leader night before trip. Note that an entrance fee or pass is required to visit Parker River NWR.
-
Belle Isle Marsh and Vicinity
East Boston - Belle Isle Parking Lot 1399 Bennington Street, Boston, MA, United StatesLed by DCR staff. We will search on foot up to one mile, on flat, easy terrain for snowy owls and other raptors, native sparrows, finches, waterfowl, and other birds. This is a traveling program by car or bike. Prepare for ticks. Ages: Adults and kids 8 years+ with adult chaperone. Binoculars recommended. ADA/Reasonable Accommodations [...]