Parker River NWR, Essex, Massachusetts, US

Sep 10, 2024 6:48 AM – 10:30 AM

Protocol: Traveling

7.5 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    I joined the Brookline Bird Club walk led by Dave Williams. 

Mostly sunny 57-69 degrees with winds varying West 7 to NW 8 mph and gusts up to 15 mph.  Tide outgoing with low tide at 10:57 am. 

We stopped at the pans, North Pool Overlook, Hellcat dike twice, Sandy Point State Reservation, Lot 7 Emerson Rocks and Stage Island trail along the dike.  Distance estimated to  adjust for return trip.

37 species

Canada Goose  50    Rough estimate in Stage Island Pool

Mallard  5

Green-winged Teal  3    Hellcat Bill Forward Pool

Common Eider  10    Emerson Rocks

Sora  1    Continuing in corner of Bill Forward from Hellcat dike

Killdeer  1

Semipalmated Plover  25    Pans, Bill Forward Pool, Sandy Point and Lot 7 beach

Short-billed Dowitcher  16

Long-billed Dowitcher  11    Hellcat dike North Pool. One group of 3 and another group of 8 flew in. Long bills, hunch back shape stood out from other Short billed Dowitchers nearby

Greater Yellowlegs  18

Sanderling  5    Sandy Point State Reservation and Lot 7 beach

Dunlin  2    Main pans

White-rumped Sandpiper  10    Main pans

Least Sandpiper  2    On far shore main pans. Smaller shorebirds with yellowish green legs . Needed scope to see enough color.

Semipalmated Sandpiper  125    Rough estimate at pans, Hellcat, Sandy Point and Lot 7

Ring-billed Gull  10

American Herring Gull  15

Great Black-backed Gull  4    Sandy Point and Lot 7 Emerson Rocks

Common Tern  2    Sandy Point

Double-crested Cormorant  5

Black-crowned Night Heron  4    Immatures near the concrete water control at Hellcat dike North Pool

Snowy Egret  26    Main pans and Lot 3 pans

Great Egret  5

Great Blue Heron  3

Turkey Vulture  1

Osprey  2

Cooper’s Hawk  1    Seen flying near Cross Farm Hill with a Northern Harrier. Long tail and shape of Accipiter

Northern Harrier  3

Belted Kingfisher  1    Hovering and chattering calls near Lot 1 boat ramp

American Crow  2

Black-capped Chickadee  3

Barn Swallow  12    Beach Sandy Point and Lot 7 brach

European Starling  3

Gray Catbird  7

American Goldfinch  4

Song Sparrow  1

Eastern Towhee  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S206121028

ANNUAL REPORT 1991

THE 1991 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, StatisticianDuring 1991, the Brookline Bird Club listed 291 species on 154 recorded field trips. A total of 192 trips were scheduled: 76 all day, 94 morning, 17 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1990

THE 1990 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1990, the Brookline Bird Club listed 286 species on 161 recorded field trips. A total of 196 trips were scheduled: 75 all-day, 94 morning, 24 afternoon or evening, and 3 weekend trips. Five trips were cancelled due to bad weather and 30 trips went unreported.          ' The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) checklist were reported by the Club in 1990: Sandhill CraneNewburyportMay 27Clay-colored SparrowPlymouthJune 2Cerulean WarblerQuabbinJune 3Gull-billed TernPlum IslandJune 30Curlew SandpiperPlum IslandJuly 7Spotted RedshankWellfleetAugust 11Purple GallinuleFresh PondSeptember 26American AvocetNewburyportOctober 7MacGillivray's WarblerPeabodyOctober 13Le Conte's SparrowPeabodyOctober 13Lark BuntingPlum IslandOctober 28. The Spotted Redshank found at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on August 11 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1989

THE 1989 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1989, the Brookline Bird Club listed 284 species, two ad­ditional races, and a Black Swan on 163 recorded field trips. A total of 188 trips were scheduled: [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1988

THE 1988 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1988, the Brookline Bird Club scheduled 202 field trips: eighty-three all-day, ninety-one morning, and twenty-five afternoon or evening trips. In addition there were three BBC [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1987

THE 1987 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician During 1987, the Brookline Bird Club listed 290 species and one additional race on 198 recorded field trips. A total of 220 trips were scheduled; eleven [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1986

THE 1986 STATISTICAL REPORT by Mary Lou Barnett, Statistician During 1986 the Brookline Bird Club listed 307 birds including 21 write-ins. These unusual sightings included the following: Yellow-throated Warbler            Brewster           1-5 Hoary Redpoll                           Newburyport    3-15 Jackdaw                                    Nantucket         3-16 Eared Grebe                              North Scituate  3-22 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1991

THE 1991 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, StatisticianDuring 1991, the Brookline Bird Club listed 291 species on 154 recorded field trips. A total of 192 trips were scheduled: 76 all day, 94 morning, 17 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1990

THE 1990 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1990, the Brookline Bird Club listed 286 species on 161 recorded field trips. A total of 196 trips were scheduled: 75 all-day, 94 morning, 24 afternoon or evening, and 3 weekend trips. Five trips were cancelled due to bad weather and 30 trips went unreported.          ' The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) checklist were reported by the Club in 1990: Sandhill CraneNewburyportMay 27Clay-colored SparrowPlymouthJune 2Cerulean WarblerQuabbinJune 3Gull-billed TernPlum IslandJune 30Curlew SandpiperPlum IslandJuly 7Spotted RedshankWellfleetAugust 11Purple GallinuleFresh PondSeptember 26American AvocetNewburyportOctober 7MacGillivray's WarblerPeabodyOctober 13Le Conte's SparrowPeabodyOctober 13Lark BuntingPlum IslandOctober 28. The Spotted Redshank found at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on August 11 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1989

THE 1989 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1989, the Brookline Bird Club listed 284 species, two ad­ditional races, and a Black Swan on 163 recorded field trips. A total of 188 trips were scheduled: [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1988

THE 1988 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1988, the Brookline Bird Club scheduled 202 field trips: eighty-three all-day, ninety-one morning, and twenty-five afternoon or evening trips. In addition there were three BBC [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1987

THE 1987 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician During 1987, the Brookline Bird Club listed 290 species and one additional race on 198 recorded field trips. A total of 220 trips were scheduled; eleven [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1986

THE 1986 STATISTICAL REPORT by Mary Lou Barnett, Statistician During 1986 the Brookline Bird Club listed 307 birds including 21 write-ins. These unusual sightings included the following: Yellow-throated Warbler            Brewster           1-5 Hoary Redpoll                           Newburyport    3-15 Jackdaw                                    Nantucket         3-16 Eared Grebe                              North Scituate  3-22 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1991

THE 1991 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, StatisticianDuring 1991, the Brookline Bird Club listed 291 species on 154 recorded field trips. A total of 192 trips were scheduled: 76 all day, 94 morning, 17 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1990

THE 1990 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1990, the Brookline Bird Club listed 286 species on 161 recorded field trips. A total of 196 trips were scheduled: 75 all-day, 94 morning, 24 afternoon or evening, and 3 weekend trips. Five trips were cancelled due to bad weather and 30 trips went unreported.          ' The following write-ins to the Massachusetts Audubon Society (MAS) checklist were reported by the Club in 1990: Sandhill CraneNewburyportMay 27Clay-colored SparrowPlymouthJune 2Cerulean WarblerQuabbinJune 3Gull-billed TernPlum IslandJune 30Curlew SandpiperPlum IslandJuly 7Spotted RedshankWellfleetAugust 11Purple GallinuleFresh PondSeptember 26American AvocetNewburyportOctober 7MacGillivray's WarblerPeabodyOctober 13Le Conte's SparrowPeabodyOctober 13Lark BuntingPlum IslandOctober 28. The Spotted Redshank found at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on August 11 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1989

THE 1989 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1989, the Brookline Bird Club listed 284 species, two ad­ditional races, and a Black Swan on 163 recorded field trips. A total of 188 trips were scheduled: [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1988

THE 1988 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician In 1988, the Brookline Bird Club scheduled 202 field trips: eighty-three all-day, ninety-one morning, and twenty-five afternoon or evening trips. In addition there were three BBC [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1987

THE 1987 STATISTICAL REPORT by Robert H. Stymeist, Statistician During 1987, the Brookline Bird Club listed 290 species and one additional race on 198 recorded field trips. A total of 220 trips were scheduled; eleven [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 1986

THE 1986 STATISTICAL REPORT by Mary Lou Barnett, Statistician During 1986 the Brookline Bird Club listed 307 birds including 21 write-ins. These unusual sightings included the following: Yellow-throated Warbler            Brewster           1-5 Hoary Redpoll                           Newburyport    3-15 Jackdaw                                    Nantucket         3-16 Eared Grebe                              North Scituate  3-22 [...]

News Categories

Upcoming Field Trips

  • Cold Spring Park, Newton

    Newton - Cold Spring Park 1200 Beacon St, Newton, MA, United States

    This 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.

  • 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.

Go to Top