Parker River NWR–Hellcat Dike, Essex, Massachusetts, US
07-Oct-2023 06:57 – 16:57
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:    Brookline Bird Club- Big Sit Hellcat Tower, Plum Island. Leader Nick Paulson. Windy and overcast with occasional showers. Generally dryer than forecast as the post tropical storm and the front to the west kept each other away from this slice of area.
84 species (+5 other taxa)
Canada Goose  15
Blue-winged Teal  4
Northern Shoveler  1
Gadwall  30
American Wigeon  8
Mallard  40
American Black Duck  120
Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)  1
Northern Pintail  75
Green-winged Teal (American)  150
Red-breasted Merganser  4
duck sp.  100
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Mourning Dove  1
Virginia Rail (Virginia)  2
Sora  1
Common Gallinule  1    Continuing, present and in view from tower most of the day.
Black-bellied Plover  18
American Golden-Plover  1
Semipalmated Plover  80
Hudsonian Godwit  1
Sanderling  8
Dunlin  140
White-rumped Sandpiper  8
Pectoral Sandpiper  3
Semipalmated Sandpiper  6
Short-billed Dowitcher  3
Long-billed Dowitcher  1
Greater Yellowlegs  150
Willet (Western)  1    Continuing. Was initially close with a group of yellowlegs, but quickly flew off.
Lesser Yellowlegs  40
Bonaparte’s Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  25
Herring Gull (American)  75
Lesser Black-backed Gull  1
Great Black-backed Gull  3
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  3
Double-crested Cormorant  250
American Bittern  1
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  5
Great Egret  30
Snowy Egret  3
Black-crowned Night-Heron  2
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  1    Juvenile flew from other side of dike into North Pool. Dark gray outer wings, less bulky than BCNH.
Turkey Vulture  11
Osprey (carolinensis)  1
Northern Harrier  3
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Northern)  1
Red-tailed Hawk  7
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  3
Peregrine Falcon (North American)  2
Peregrine Falcon (Tundra)  1
Eastern Phoebe  2
Blue Jay  16
American Crow  1
Common Raven  3
Tree Swallow  11
Barn Swallow (American)  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  1
House Wren  1
Marsh Wren  2
Gray Catbird  2
Eastern Bluebird  1
Hermit Thrush (faxoni/crymophilus)  1
American Robin  12
American Pipit  5
House Finch  2
Purple Finch (Eastern)  3
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  1
White-throated Sparrow  2
Nelson’s/Saltmarsh Sparrow (Sharp-tailed Sparrow)  2
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  16
Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica)  24
Swamp Sparrow  4
Eastern Towhee  3
Bobolink  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  3
Common Grackle (Bronzed)  1
Tennessee Warbler  1
Nashville Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  6
Cape May Warbler  1
Palm Warbler  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  35
new world warbler sp.  20
Dickcissel  1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S151847096

News Categories

Upcoming Field Trips

Maine – Rangeley Lakes

Maine - Rangeley Lakes 2459 Main St, Rangeley, ME, United States

Join us for a seven-day exploration of mountains and lakes of western Maine! As always, this trip will concentrate on Maine’s boreal specialties including Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied flycatchers, Philadelphia Vireo, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Bicknell’s Thrush and 20+ species of warbler. We also observe and enjoy flora and fauna along way. [...]

Slow Birding at Revere Beach

Revere Beach 21 Revere Beach Blvd, Revere, MA, United States

Led by DCR Park Staff. Come observe the beautiful details of birds and their behaviors and share observations with others in the group. Pose questions and memories that observations elicit. Birds we may see include Piping Plover, Manx Shearwater, resident gulls, with Common Tern arriving by May. Suitable for adults and children 8 years+. Children [...]

Maine – Machias Region

Maine - Machias Region Machias, ME, United States

Join us on our annual trip to Machias area in Downeast Maine. The highlight of the trip is a boat trip to Machias Seal Island for Atlantic Puffins and other alcids, weather permitting. We also tour beautiful coastlands and boreal forests in search of nesting warblers and other species. We explore the blueberry barrens, and [...]

Pine Hill Road Grassland

Lancaster - Pine Hill Road Grasslands Pine Hill Road, Lancaster, MA, United States

In June, this wonderfully preserved grassland is alive with the songs of breeding Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrow, which are state listed as endangered species. Prairie Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and American Kestrels nest regularly here as well. A mile walk on level grade; can be dry so bring water.

Go to Top