Wompatuck SP, Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
Apr 23, 2017 7:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Brookline Bird Club walk led by Eddie Giles.  Nice sunny day following a couple of raw, rainy days.  Temps started out in the 40s but soon climbed to near 60.  We walked Gate 16 to Holly Pond, Gate 9 and the trail to Picture Pond.  Overall kind of quiet, but there were some nice pockets of activity.
25 species

Wood Duck  1     Fly-over.
Ruffed Grouse  1     G9.  Drummed once for us around 9:00 AM.
Broad-winged Hawk  1     Fly-over at G9.
Mourning Dove  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2     close looks at a gorgeous male in full sun sitting at the entrance of a newly excavated nest cavity.
Hairy Woodpecker  4     At one point we had (3) birds, (2) males apparently vying for the attention of a female.
Eastern Phoebe  7     One pair at nest with a single egg in it, G16.
One bird on nest in roots of toppled tree, G16.
One pair carrying nesting material at Picture Pond.
Blue Jay  8     including a flock of (5) migrants.
American Crow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  10     some were obviously paired up
Tufted Titmouse  10
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  1     G16
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  7     G9, G16, Picture Pond
American Robin  X
Louisiana Waterthrush  1     First heard singing across the street from G16 in the presence of a singing Northern Waterthrush.  Nice opportunity to compare songs of the two species.  About 10-15 minutes later and about 100 yards up G16, the bird flew in and started singing up in the canopy above the Aaron River (stream).  It took a while to find it, but I managed to locate its perch and got most everyone on it before it flew off upstream towards Holly Pond.  Later on, we could hear it singing along the stream right below the dam.
Northern Waterthrush  1     across from G16
Palm Warbler  5     G9, G16, Holly Pond.  Very nice looks at a preening/singing bird perched above a brook along the ‘railroad trail’.
Pine Warbler  6
Yellow-rumped Warbler  6
Chipping Sparrow  X
Song Sparrow  1     Picture Pond.
Eastern Towhee  3     G9
Northern Cardinal  4
American Goldfinch  3

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36519338

  • Mt Auburn Cemetery has announced changes to birder access starting this spring. In short the gates will open every day starting at 6:00 AM but the key program has been discontinued. Here is a portion of the announcement:

    As the […]

  • eBird logo

    Thanks to Bob Ross for the following article, which started out as a MassBird listserv post:

    The eBird Alerts are an indispensable […]

  • On Friday, March 14 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM the National Wildlife Refuge Association will host the webinar “Capitol Conversations: Swift Changes Happening To The Refuge System— What Does It Mean?.” Join us on the 122nd birthday of […]

  • Avian influenza is an increasing public health concern and is spreading across Massachusetts. In the past few days we have heard reports of waterfowl die offs in Cambridge, Amherst, Plymouth and Brockton. If you see birds affected by this disease protect yourself and […]

  • Embark on an evening of discovery as marine geochemist Scott Wieman recounts a recent month-long research expedition aboard the R/V Falkor(too) from Valparaíso to Puerto Montt, Chile. Scott’s talk blends his experiences birding the highly productive Humboldt current with the broader expedition’s exploration […]

  • How have corvids mastered city life, learned human faces and learned to use tools? What settings and experiments help humans understand some parallels between human and crow cognition? Corvids—the ubiquitous crows, ravens, magpies, jays, nutcrackers, and relatives—are familiar backyard birds with extraordinary behaviors […]

  • Please join us on April 25 for our Annual Members Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30 with the BBC’s annual business meeting and the election of new officers and board members. […]

  • Young Adult Birding series specifically for birders in their 20’s and 30’s! Our first meeting will be held at Millennium Park on Sunday, March 2nd at 8:00 AM. We will walk about 2 miles around the park to observe wintering species and early […]

  • The BBC is pleased to announce that we will again offer two Bill Drummond Young Birder’s Scholarships to nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders. The 2025 scholarships will cover the full cost ($1725) of the Coastal Maine Bird Studies […]

News Categories

Upcoming Field Trips

Woodcocks at Alewife

Cambridge - Alewife Alewife MBTA Red Line Station, Cambridge, MA, United States

We will search the northwest corner of Cambridge in hopes of seeing, or at least hearing, the American Woodcock's mating display, a traditional New England rite of spring. Walk of less than a mile mostly or entirely on flat, paved walkways. No restrooms. Easily accessible from the Alewife MBTA station.

Vernal Equinox Walk. Leader’s Choice

Leader's Choice

The trip leader will monitor recent sightings prior to meeting and select the birdiest spots. Contact leader for details. Call or e-mail no later than 7 PM on March 20.

Parker River NWR

Parker River NWR - Lot #1 Refuge Rd., Newbury, MA, MA, United States

We will explore various hot-spots on the refuge. Note that an entrance fee or pass is required to visit Parker River NWR.