Squantum Marshes, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US

13-Aug-2023 06:27 – 10:01

Protocol: Traveling

0.85 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    BBC & SSBC Squantum walk. It was raining when we started, but after 20 minutes it cleared up, and eventually it became sunny and warm. We primarily birded the pannes but also checked the Marina Bay side, where the spit was covered.

After many weeks with the water level in the pannes being too high for too many peeps to land, we finally had enough exposed mud for the peeps to visit, and most of them were actively foraging.

High tide: 10:15am  Dan O’Brien and Glenn d’Entremont leaders, 9 participants

40 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  17

Mallard  2

American Black Duck  23

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  30

Mourning Dove  4

Chimney Swift  3

American Oystercatcher  3

Semipalmated Plover  3

Killdeer  3

Least Sandpiper  10

Pectoral Sandpiper  1    Good looks at one that flew in to the pannes, preened a bit, and left

Semipalmated Sandpiper  1300    Count by 25s of birds in the pannes

Semipalmated/Western Sandpiper  1    WESA/SESA – bill looked a little long and looked bulkier (while preening however), and after some commotion we couldn’t refind it

peep sp.  0    WESA/SESA – bill looked a little long and looked bulkier (while preening however), and after some commotion we couldn’t refind it

Short-billed Dowitcher (griseus)  1

Spotted Sandpiper  4    Possibly all juveniles

Greater Yellowlegs  10

Willet (Western)  1    Interesting bird, probably a juvenile, and it looked quite pale, especially in the head and neck  Gd’E:  after research it appears this would be a Western Willet with the pale brown/gray head with no streaking.  Images taken in NJ during this same time period are IDd as Western’s.  Unfortunately no images were able to be taken as it was hidden behind vegetation once it landed

Lesser Yellowlegs  15

Laughing Gull  1

Herring Gull  10

Common Tern  2

Double-crested Cormorant  4

Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  1

Great Egret  6

Snowy Egret  8

Osprey  6

Peregrine Falcon  1    Buzzed the pannes right before the official walk start.

As we were getting ready to leave, we witnessed a Peregrine fly into the pannes, and it “punched” a Semipalmated Sandpiper with a clenched foot, incapacitating it. It circled once to pick it up from the water, and then flew west, somewhat harassed by Barn Swallows.

American Crow  2

Tree Swallow  3

Barn Swallow (American)  15

Carolina Wren  1

European Starling  100

Northern Mockingbird  1

Cedar Waxwing  9

House Sparrow  5

American Goldfinch  2

Saltmarsh Sparrow  2

Song Sparrow  4

Red-winged Blackbird  15

Common Grackle  2

Northern Cardinal  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S147742686