Plum Island–Parker River NWR & Sandy Pt. State Reservation, Essex, Massachusetts, US
Jul 28, 2026 7:20 AM – 11:42 AM
Protocol: Traveling
6.5 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Foggy to start, slowly clearing, humid. Low tide at 7:30am. Led BBC walk.
54 species
Canada Goose 20
Gadwall 4
Mallard 20
American Black Duck 2
Mourning Dove 3
Black-bellied Plover 1
Killdeer 2
Semipalmated Plover 75
Piping Plover 2
Hudsonian Whimbrel 1 main salt panne, great find by Rich.
Short-billed Dowitcher 48 16NP, 32 SIP
Long-billed Dowitcher 4 NP
Lesser Yellowlegs 60
Willet 1
Greater Yellowlegs 40
White-rumped Sandpiper 3
Least Sandpiper 6
Semipalmated Sandpiper 650
Ring-billed Gull 4
American Herring Gull 9
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Least Tern 40
Common Tern 75
Roseate Tern 18
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel 9 From parking lot 1 platform
Double-crested Cormorant 30
Least Bittern 1 SIP. Thanks, Dave!
Black-crowned Night Heron 3 1 BFP, 2 SIP
Snowy Egret 32
Great Egret 5
Great Blue Heron 4
Osprey 2
Northern Harrier 4 From NPO
Peregrine Falcon 1
Willow Flycatcher 2
Eastern Kingbird 5
Tree Swallow 350
Purple Martin 14
Barn Swallow 2
Marsh Wren 9
European Starling 25
Gray Catbird 11
Northern Mockingbird 3
American Robin 4
Cedar Waxwing 2
House Sparrow 4
American Goldfinch 4
Saltmarsh Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 3
Eastern Towhee 12
Red-winged Blackbird 6
Common Grackle 3
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Yellow Warbler 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S378760577
April 24 Annual Members Meeting & Lecture – All Welcome
April 24 Annual Members Meeting & Lecture - All Welcome Please join us on April 24 for our Annual Members Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30
4/19 Tawny-Throated Dotterel Webinar & Donation
4/19 Tawny-Throated Dotterel Webinar & Donation Upcoming Webinar Please join the BBC on April 19 at 7PM for a webinar open to all with Manomet Conservation Sciences staff and collaborators - Actions to Promote the
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Donation to Preserve Cliff Swallow Colony in Rowe
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We Need Your Help – Open Board & Volunteer Positions
We Need Your Help - Open Board & Volunteer Positions The BBC holds its annual board elections at the Annual meeting of the club planned for April 24. in April. We are looking for members
March 24 Webinar with Tiffany Kersten – Birdie Big Year: Elevating Women Birders
March 24 Webinar with Tiffany Kersten - Birdie Big Year: Elevating Women Birders Please join the BBC on the evening of March 24 from 7PM to 8:30PM for a members only webinar with Tiffany Kersten,
April 24 Annual Members Meeting & Lecture – All Welcome
April 24 Annual Members Meeting & Lecture - All Welcome Please join us on April 24 for our Annual Members Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30
4/19 Tawny-Throated Dotterel Webinar & Donation
4/19 Tawny-Throated Dotterel Webinar & Donation Upcoming Webinar Please join the BBC on April 19 at 7PM for a webinar open to all with Manomet Conservation Sciences staff and collaborators - Actions to Promote the
Conservation Alert – 2026 Horseshoe Crab Quotas
Conservation Alert - 2026 Horseshoe Crab Quotas - UPDATE Red knots feeding amongst spawning horseshoe crabs. The public comment period has been extended to March 6 and a second public hearing will take place on
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Donation to Preserve Cliff Swallow Colony in Rowe The BBC is pleased to announce our donation of $500 to Swallow Conservation, led by Mara Silver, to help fund the installation of a free-standing Cliff Swallow
We Need Your Help – Open Board & Volunteer Positions
We Need Your Help - Open Board & Volunteer Positions The BBC holds its annual board elections at the Annual meeting of the club planned for April 24. in April. We are looking for members
March 24 Webinar with Tiffany Kersten – Birdie Big Year: Elevating Women Birders
March 24 Webinar with Tiffany Kersten - Birdie Big Year: Elevating Women Birders Please join the BBC on the evening of March 24 from 7PM to 8:30PM for a members only webinar with Tiffany Kersten,
April 24 Annual Members Meeting & Lecture – All Welcome
April 24 Annual Members Meeting & Lecture - All Welcome Please join us on April 24 for our Annual Members Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30
4/19 Tawny-Throated Dotterel Webinar & Donation
4/19 Tawny-Throated Dotterel Webinar & Donation Upcoming Webinar Please join the BBC on April 19 at 7PM for a webinar open to all with Manomet Conservation Sciences staff and collaborators - Actions to Promote the
Conservation Alert – 2026 Horseshoe Crab Quotas
Conservation Alert - 2026 Horseshoe Crab Quotas - UPDATE Red knots feeding amongst spawning horseshoe crabs. The public comment period has been extended to March 6 and a second public hearing will take place on
Donation to Preserve Cliff Swallow Colony in Rowe
Donation to Preserve Cliff Swallow Colony in Rowe The BBC is pleased to announce our donation of $500 to Swallow Conservation, led by Mara Silver, to help fund the installation of a free-standing Cliff Swallow
We Need Your Help – Open Board & Volunteer Positions
We Need Your Help - Open Board & Volunteer Positions The BBC holds its annual board elections at the Annual meeting of the club planned for April 24. in April. We are looking for members
March 24 Webinar with Tiffany Kersten – Birdie Big Year: Elevating Women Birders
March 24 Webinar with Tiffany Kersten - Birdie Big Year: Elevating Women Birders Please join the BBC on the evening of March 24 from 7PM to 8:30PM for a members only webinar with Tiffany Kersten,
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Squantum – Quincy
Quincy - Squantum - Moswetuset Hummock Quincy, MA, United StatesWe'll check the marshes and the mudflats in Squantum for shorebirds, starting at Moswetuset Hummock and visiting other spots nearby. We'll try checking the high tide roosts for shorebirds as well. Be prepared for the possibility of biting insects. Cosponsored with South Shore Bird Club.
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Parker River Marsh Cruise
Newburyport - Yankee Clipper Tours Waterfront Promenade Park, 36 Merrimac Street, Newburyport, MA, United StatesExplore Parker River National Wildlife Refuge from a new perspective on a cruise through the Parker River marshes! Join us on the Yankee Clipper docked in Newburyport Harbor for a leisurely cruise through the Refuge. Enjoy close views of shorebirds, gulls, terns, and Saltmarsh Sparrows on this tour. Group discount tickets are available by registering
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Millennium Park
Boston - Millennium Park Canoe Launch 300 Gardner Street, Boston, MA, United StatesJoint with Mass Audubon BNC. Join us to observe resident birds and fall migrants in a unique urban habitat that is a favorite for many bird species, including uncommon and rare birds. Birders of all levels will enjoy this walk. The trails are (generally) flat though there are some hills. A water bottle, water proof
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Shorebirds at Winthrop Beach with Soheil Zendeh
Winthrop - DCR Winthrop Beach Reservation - Sturgis St 59 Winthrop Shore Drive, Winthrop, MA, United StatesWe are happy to offer this shorebirding field trip at Winthrop Beach led by Soheil Zendeh. Shorebirding beginners welcome. We meet at the corner of Winthrop Shore Drive and Sturgis St in Winthrop. A scope will probably be useful if you have one. Definitely bring binoculars. Meeting at 9 am, timed with the tide. Soheil
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Essex River Marsh Cruise
Essex - Essex River Marsh Cruise 35 Dodge St, Essex, MA, United StatesThis narrated cruise is scenic, relaxing, and educational. Join us for a cruise along the Essex River as we glide past islands, historic mansions, wildlife, and stunning scenery. The marsh itself is part of the Essex River estuary, which serves as the feeding ground for many species of beautiful birds and abundant wildlife. Group discount