Parker River NWR, Essex, Massachusetts, US
Aug 31, 2025 9:15 AM – 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Brookline Bird Club Walk – Plum Island – Leader Nick Paulson. 9 participants. Warm, sunny, slight breeze. A little bit of a slow day for the refuge, tons of Tree Swallows.
54 species (+2 other taxa)
Gadwall 4
Green-winged Teal (American) 4
Common Eider (Dresser’s) 10
White-winged Scoter 2
Mourning Dove 1
Semipalmated Plover 25
Short-billed Dowitcher 8
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher 1 Possibly Long-billed
Lesser Yellowlegs 12
Greater Yellowlegs 10
Stilt Sandpiper 1
Sanderling 5
White-rumped Sandpiper 10
Least Sandpiper 40
Semipalmated Sandpiper 30
Laughing Gull 1
Ring-billed Gull 5
American Herring Gull 30
Great Black-backed Gull 5
Common Tern 25
Sterna sp. 10 One possible Forster’s
Double-crested Cormorant 80
Snowy Egret 4
Great Egret 20
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 5
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey (American) 8
Northern Harrier 1
Bald Eagle 1
Downy Woodpecker (Eastern) 1
Merlin (Taiga) 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 2
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Tree Swallow 3000
Barn Swallow (American) 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
European Starling 200
Gray Catbird 4
Cedar Waxwing 12
American Pipit 1 Flyover at the salt pannes heading S. Slender bodied, tawny below, white outer tail feathers.
Purple Finch 1
American Goldfinch 8
Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica) 4
Eastern Towhee 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 3
Common Grackle (Bronzed) 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
American Redstart 1
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Yellow Warbler (Northern) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Northern Cardinal 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S270937836
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Cold Spring Park, Newton
Newton - Cold Spring Park 1200 Beacon St, Newton, MA, United StatesThis large multi-use city park offers an easy 1.4-mile loop through mixed forest, open green areas, and red maple swamplands, attracting a surprising array of resident and migratory birds. Porta Potties available.
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Birding Sketch Crawl – Fall Series
Leader's ChoiceCome and bird/sketch favorite patches around Essex and Middlesex Counties.
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Plum Island
Parker River NWR - Lot #1 Refuge Rd., Newbury, MA, MA, United StatesWe will be walking the North Pool dike as well as visiting other spots. Note that an entrance fee or pass is required. Restrooms available.
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Barretts Mill Farmland
Concord - Barretts Mill Farmland Barrett's Mill Road, Concord, MA, United StatesThis 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.
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Hellcat at Parker River NWR
Parker River NWR - Lot #4 Newbury, MA, United StatesDuring 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.





