A combined BBC/SSBC trip to Plymouth Beach occurred yesterday. The weather, although hot, was not as humid as the past days or past trips. The lack of birds is deafening. Only 2 Common Terns and a total of only 117 (!!!) individual shorebirds of which 29 are nesting there (true-the young birders group saw a flock of 300 Semipalmated Sandpipers which we did not see). This trip should have 2-3 THOUSAND terns and several hundred to few thousand shorebirds. The terns were scared off early, in May, due to a raccoon and fox in the colony.

That said we enjoyed the day and seeing recently fledged Piping Plover and Least Tern is encouraging. We saw a few Least Terns courting at this late date; must have been failed breeders/lost young. I doubt such a late nesting would be successful as the safety in numbers issue would make them rather easy targets. If they do manage to get young to fledging the late date would make the young so inexperienced at a time when they need to migrate while learning to feed on their own would be problematic.

A southbound Whimbrel flying by on the long trip back was enjoyable.

Glenn

Plymouth Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
Jul 23, 2016 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Comments: BBC/SSBC trip
41 species

Canada Goose 8
Mallard (Northern) 1
Double-crested Cormorant 7
Great Blue Heron (Blue form) 11
Great Egret 3
Osprey (carolinensis) 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1 1S
Semipalmated Plover 25
Piping Plover 23
Greater Yellowlegs 3
Willet (Eastern) 6
Whimbrel 1
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Sanderling 2
Least Sandpiper 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 50
Short-billed Dowitcher (griseus) 5
Laughing Gull 150
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull (American) X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Least Tern 75
Common Tern 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) X
Mourning Dove 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
American Crow 2
Horned Lark 1
Tree Swallow 3
Bank Swallow 10
Barn Swallow (American) 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Carolina Wren 1
Northern Mockingbird 7
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow Warbler (Northern) 2
Song Sparrow 16
Common Grackle 4
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30826208

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 275 species for 2023, based upon 200 trips reported from Massachusetts, and those from out of state.  We recorded 267 species in Massachusetts, three more than 2022, with 8 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2022

The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 276 species for 2022, based upon 204 reported trips. Of those, 264 species were recorded in Massachusetts, with 12 additional species reported from the out-of-state trips to New Hampshire [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

Brookline Bird Club 2021 Statistical and Year-End Report By David Scott, Club Statistician The Brookline Bird Club recorded 270 species for 2021, based upon 206 reported trips. Two-hundred and sixty-five species were recorded in Massachusetts, [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 275 species for 2023, based upon 200 trips reported from Massachusetts, and those from out of state.  We recorded 267 species in Massachusetts, three more than 2022, with 8 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2022

The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 276 species for 2022, based upon 204 reported trips. Of those, 264 species were recorded in Massachusetts, with 12 additional species reported from the out-of-state trips to New Hampshire [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

Brookline Bird Club 2021 Statistical and Year-End Report By David Scott, Club Statistician The Brookline Bird Club recorded 270 species for 2021, based upon 206 reported trips. Two-hundred and sixty-five species were recorded in Massachusetts, [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 275 species for 2023, based upon 200 trips reported from Massachusetts, and those from out of state.  We recorded 267 species in Massachusetts, three more than 2022, with 8 [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2022

The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 276 species for 2022, based upon 204 reported trips. Of those, 264 species were recorded in Massachusetts, with 12 additional species reported from the out-of-state trips to New Hampshire [...]

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

Brookline Bird Club 2021 Statistical and Year-End Report By David Scott, Club Statistician The Brookline Bird Club recorded 270 species for 2021, based upon 206 reported trips. Two-hundred and sixty-five species were recorded in Massachusetts, [...]

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