Parker River NWR, Essex, Massachusetts, US

Oct 18, 2025 7:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Protocol: Traveling

6.0 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    Brookline Bird Club Walk- Hellcat at Parker River NWR. Leader Nick Paulson. Cold start but low wind. Warming as the day went. Dike was closed and duck hunting along dike. So we scanned from the dike and hiked all of the Hellcat trails. After we checked the Pines, Lot 5 and the Main Pannes.

63 species (+2 other taxa)

Canada Goose  25

Gadwall  7

American Wigeon  3

Mallard  4

American Black Duck  50

Northern Pintail  20

Green-winged Teal (American)  125

Greater Scaup  1

Surf Scoter  2

White-winged Scoter  100

Black Scoter  100

scoter sp.  250

Mourning Dove  1

Black-bellied Plover  17

Semipalmated Plover  30

Long-billed Dowitcher  2    Across main pannes

American Woodcock  1    Flushed out from under boardwalk.

Greater Yellowlegs  28

Sanderling  40

Dunlin  100

White-rumped Sandpiper  5

Semipalmated Sandpiper  10

Razorbill  1    Lot 5

Ring-billed Gull  50

American Herring Gull  200

Great Black-backed Gull  5

gull sp.  500

Red-throated Loon  5

Common Loon  2

Northern Gannet  18

Double-crested Cormorant  180

Snowy Egret  2

Great Egret  6

Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  4

Northern Harrier  1

Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)  4

Hairy Woodpecker (Eastern)  1

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1

Eastern Phoebe  1

Blue-headed Vireo  1    Hellcat

Blue Jay  20

American Crow  2

Common Raven  1

Black-capped Chickadee  10

Tree Swallow  8

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1

Golden-crowned Kinglet  5

Red-breasted Nuthatch  16

Northern Mockingbird  1

Hermit Thrush  1

American Robin  75

Cedar Waxwing  4

American Pipit  2

House Finch  10

American Goldfinch  5

White-throated Sparrow  25

Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  1

Song Sparrow  24

Eastern Towhee  1

Eastern Meadowlark  1    Heard from hellcat dike.

Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  4

Nashville Warbler  1    Flew over at hellcat parking lot.

Palm Warbler (Western)  1    Hellcat by tower.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  40

Northern Cardinal  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S280339477

ANNUAL REPORT 1985

STATISTICAL REPORT 1985 by Mary L. Barnett, Statistician “Come in, Barn Owl. We're at the Salt Pans. The Tundra Swan just landed.” BBC CB Radio Patrol 12-7-1985 The Birding Highlight of 1985 was the proliferation [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1984

STATISTICAL REPORT-1984  Our Life List is a storehouse of rich memories to which we added this year the monarch of shorebirds, the Long-billed Curlew, on the 9th of June. Like an echo, to the same [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1983

1983 BROOKLINE BIRD CLUB STATISTICAL REPORT During 1983 the Brookline Bird Club listed 300 Massachusetts species, and identified an additional six hybrids, subspecies, color morphs, or exotics, totaling 306 in all. Trips to Maine added [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1982

1982 STATISTICAL REPORT  In 1982 the Brookline Bird Club enriched its Massachu-setts Life Species List to 376 with the addition of Townsend's Solitaire, viewed at West Tisbury on January 3rd. Dr. Bob Timberlake’s Falmouth trip [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1981

1981 STATISTICAL REPORT “My heart is warm with the friends I make And better friends I'll not be knowing There isn’t a [bird trip] I wouldn’t take No matter where it’s going!” (with apologies to [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1980

1980 STATISTICAL REPORT  During 1980 the Brookline Bird Club observed 313 species of birds as follows: Massachusetts, 299 species; New Hampshire, two additional species; New Jersey to North Carolina, 12 additional species. The 14 species [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1985

STATISTICAL REPORT 1985 by Mary L. Barnett, Statistician “Come in, Barn Owl. We're at the Salt Pans. The Tundra Swan just landed.” BBC CB Radio Patrol 12-7-1985 The Birding Highlight of 1985 was the proliferation [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1984

STATISTICAL REPORT-1984  Our Life List is a storehouse of rich memories to which we added this year the monarch of shorebirds, the Long-billed Curlew, on the 9th of June. Like an echo, to the same [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1983

1983 BROOKLINE BIRD CLUB STATISTICAL REPORT During 1983 the Brookline Bird Club listed 300 Massachusetts species, and identified an additional six hybrids, subspecies, color morphs, or exotics, totaling 306 in all. Trips to Maine added [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1982

1982 STATISTICAL REPORT  In 1982 the Brookline Bird Club enriched its Massachu-setts Life Species List to 376 with the addition of Townsend's Solitaire, viewed at West Tisbury on January 3rd. Dr. Bob Timberlake’s Falmouth trip [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1981

1981 STATISTICAL REPORT “My heart is warm with the friends I make And better friends I'll not be knowing There isn’t a [bird trip] I wouldn’t take No matter where it’s going!” (with apologies to [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1980

1980 STATISTICAL REPORT  During 1980 the Brookline Bird Club observed 313 species of birds as follows: Massachusetts, 299 species; New Hampshire, two additional species; New Jersey to North Carolina, 12 additional species. The 14 species [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1985

STATISTICAL REPORT 1985 by Mary L. Barnett, Statistician “Come in, Barn Owl. We're at the Salt Pans. The Tundra Swan just landed.” BBC CB Radio Patrol 12-7-1985 The Birding Highlight of 1985 was the proliferation [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1984

STATISTICAL REPORT-1984  Our Life List is a storehouse of rich memories to which we added this year the monarch of shorebirds, the Long-billed Curlew, on the 9th of June. Like an echo, to the same [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1983

1983 BROOKLINE BIRD CLUB STATISTICAL REPORT During 1983 the Brookline Bird Club listed 300 Massachusetts species, and identified an additional six hybrids, subspecies, color morphs, or exotics, totaling 306 in all. Trips to Maine added [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1982

1982 STATISTICAL REPORT  In 1982 the Brookline Bird Club enriched its Massachu-setts Life Species List to 376 with the addition of Townsend's Solitaire, viewed at West Tisbury on January 3rd. Dr. Bob Timberlake’s Falmouth trip [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1981

1981 STATISTICAL REPORT “My heart is warm with the friends I make And better friends I'll not be knowing There isn’t a [bird trip] I wouldn’t take No matter where it’s going!” (with apologies to [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1980

1980 STATISTICAL REPORT  During 1980 the Brookline Bird Club observed 313 species of birds as follows: Massachusetts, 299 species; New Hampshire, two additional species; New Jersey to North Carolina, 12 additional species. The 14 species [...]

News Categories

Upcoming Field Trips

  • Plum Island

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

    We will be walking the North Pool dike as well as visiting other spots. Note that an entrance fee or pass is required. Restrooms available.

  • Barretts Mill Farmland

    Concord - Barretts Mill Farmland Barrett's Mill Road, Concord, MA, United States

    This is often a great place for fall sparrows including Savannah, Field, and White-crowned, as well as Pipit and occasional Dickcissel. Loaner binoculars available; please email trip leader to reserve a pair! If the weather doens't look good, contact the leader to check status.

  • Hellcat at Parker River NWR

    Parker River NWR - Lot #4 Newbury, MA, United States

    During the past few years the refuge has opened the dike to hiking during National Wildlife Refuge Week. We will plan to do that hike if the dike is again open this year. Otherwise we hike the boardwalk and normal dike area.

  • Fruitlands Museum, Harvard

    Harvard - Fruitlands Museum 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard, MA, United States

    Cosponsored with Boxborough Birders. We will look for fall migrants and resident birds. Expect to walk about 2 miles on trails through meadow and woods, with some steep sections. Heavy rain cancels the trip.

  • Arlington Reservoir

    Lexington - Arlington Reservoir 210 Lowell Street, Arlington, MA, United States

    In the fall water levels are lowered creating good conditions for ducks and shorebirds. We will also visit the adjacent Lexington community farm. Birds are found feasting on the remains of the crops planted there. We will walk about a mile on wide paths and some uneven ground (possibly muddy). Note that the reservoir area [...]

Go to Top