PI Birders,

Thanks to a tip from Bob Dewire, a Connecticut birder from my home town of New
London, Conn, I saw my first SNOWY OWL of the winter season today. It was on the
North Pool dike beside the water control structure, easily seen from both across
North Field and from the Hellcat dike. The bird was a lightly colored owl, just
the way we like 'em. (I had never met Bob before, even though I was in the same
class as his brother David, and David and I and other friends used to go out
bird watching and frog hunting through grammar school. Small world.)

The books are closing on November. We are at 120 species for the island and
likely to remain there. To give you a feel for how this November stacks up with
recent ones, here are the number of species we have recorded from the island
over the past few Novembers ...

2003 - 113
2004 - 105
2005 - 163 <<<--- wow!
2006 - 140
2007 - 142
2008 - 150
2009 - 120 <<<--- 30 less than last year, 43 less than 2005!

And the books are opening on December. I found 46 species today, and the list
may go higher if I hear from other birders. Thus it begins ...

Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Eider
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Snowy Owl <<<--- finally, a long time arriving this season
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
American Tree Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

Birders,

Paula McFarland and I began our Birds of Nelson Island program at the
junction of Stackyard and Patmos Roads in Rowley this afternoon.  As we
gathered, we were greeted by two Red-bellied Woodpeckers ~ one of which
was caching acorns. Bent mentions that the Red-bellied Woodpecker has
"the habit of storing acorns, nuts, insects, and other articles of food
for future use". We walked toward Nelson Island, seeing Tufted Titmouse,
Black-capped Chickadee and heard Northern Cardinal and White-throated
Sparrow.  One of the residents we encountered said he's been seeing
Red-bellied Woodpeckers at his suet.  I thanked him for the report and
said we saw them up the road, storing acorns.

A Northern Harrier was coursing over the marsh.  A plastic owl was
attached to one of the camps out in the marsh ~ another "Asian  Owl"!
We saw the silver wing linings of American Black Ducks.  Migrating
Canada Geese passed left to right in a string.  In the sound, there were
Red-breasted Merganser, Bufflehead, Common Loon.  Along the path, we saw
American Tree Sparrows.

The Common Milkweed along the edges was brown and dry. The views were
bucolic ~ it was peaceful, and the golden hue of the marsh, the rich
mudflats and reflections in the water were stunning on this mild, autumn
afternoon.  The regular gulls were foraging and took flight to drop
their finds in hope of cracking the shells.  Paula came across a small,
molted Horseshoe Crab in a small pool. Before becoming mature around age
9, Horseshoe Crabs shed their shells up to 17 times...

As we walked back up Stackyard Road, we heard an owl calling in the last
of today's splendid light ~ a Great Horned Owl!  Knowing they have
nested there in years past, we waited quietly for it to vocalize again,
and it did for all to hear.

After our group departed, Paula and I were reviewing our outing, and
then we decided to head down Patmos Road to try to get a glimpse of this
owl.  As we approached the manure pile on the left, the owl was perched
at three o'clock in a bare tree.  We got good looks, considering it was
dusk.  The Winter Moths [Operophtera brumata] were out in great numbers
as we departed.

The Winter Moth is an introduced pest now in "outbreak proportions" in
coastal areas of Massachusetts from the North Shore to Chatham.  Often
Eastern Screech Owls feed on the male [as the female doesn't fly] moths
that are attracted to lights including the outside and decorative,
holiday lights.  These moths in their caterpillar stage do serious
damage to apple, blueberry, crabapple, oak, maple, ash and basswood
trees by defoliating them.

As an aside, I got a call early this morning from an 89-year-old,
Newbury naturalist who said a bird hit her storm door about one hour
after dark last night while her porch light was on.  She was curious to
know what could have hit her storm door's glass...  She told me that it
was not harmed by the collision. She often hears screech owls in her
neighborhood. I asked her to look at her shingles this morning to see if
any Winter Moths were resting on the siding in the area of the light.
Sure enough, that's what she found as I waited on hold.  She knows now
that she has an owl feeding station...  Tonight she'll be watching the
front porch from a window, hoping to see that small owl pursuing moths.
I look forward to her morning call and learning of her findings.

Best wishes,
Sue

Sue McGrath
Paula McFarland
Newburyport Birders
Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify
Newburyport, MA 01950 USA
978-462-4785  newburyportbirders@...
www.newburyportbirders.com

PI Birders,

While reading Paul Roberts' account from yesterday I was impressed by the
reports of a Golden Eagle and Glaucous Gull. When I visited the south end of
Plum Island this morning I had no expectation whatsoever in duplicating such a
feat. However ...

From the edge of Stage Island Pool where I had my scope set up, looking for the
shovelers which have now apparently left, I saw an eagle rise up to the south
west. I watched this bird for the next 45 minutes, changing my vantage position
to the Lot Seven platform midway. My instant reaction was that this was not a
Bald Eagle; it had no Bald Eagle giss and full Golden Eagle giss ...

Small head, large tail, smooth wingbeats, rounded secondaries, distinctly
non-plank-like wings, leading edge of wings not straight but rounded as in
buteos and bent slightly forward but not as pronounced as in red-shouldered,
buteo-like hand, golden color from nape through lesser coverts, soaring with
slight dihedral in the outer wing part of time (horizontal also), overall
lighter in color than any bald eagle plumage, no white feathering on head, body
or tail. This was an adult GOLDEN EAGLE.

Nancy Landry joined me about a half hour into the "eagle watch" and got her
scope on the bird. By this time the bird was getting further away, but the
golden color of the middle/forward back and nape, and the overall aspect of the
wings were easily visible. The bird was moving slowly and generally north west,
over and behind the hills behind Great Neck, moving from thermal to thermal,
reaching quite high altitudes before moving off to find the next thermal.

After the bird passed from view, while we were reviewing our impressions, a
large, white gull caught our eyes simultaneously, first flying over Stage Island
Pool and then crossing over to Plum Island Sound to the west. This was a first
winter GLAUCOUS GULL.

A few other noteworthy birds included a Black-legged Kittiwake from the lot one
overlook, and a Brown Thrasher roadside just south of the Goodno crossing.

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

Birders,

I guided a group from Cambridge & Hamilton on the island this afternoon,
and we had good looks at Northern Harriers and waterfowl. I set up at
the blind in the pines, and after that, we then headed south.  We found
comfort from the wind at  Sandy Point.   I could see the group's comfort
level improve out of the wind.  We chatted about the importance of Sandy
Point to the nesting Piping Plovers and threatened Least Terns.  The
view from the southern most portion of  Plum Island's barrier island
beach was stunning in the afternoon light.  I find this 77-acre park so
popular at low tide this time of year.  We explored the tidal pools out
of the wind and watched gulls forage and bathe.  We looped around Bar
Head and up to Emerson Rocks where Common Eider and Purple Sandpiper
were present.

As we headed north, white caps were visible on Eagle Hill River and the
Plum Island Sound. The Northern Harriers were seen just prior to dusk
gathering at a communal roost.  Several were flying low because of the
howling, west-northwest wind.

Double-crested Cormorant, Scaup species, Common Eider, White-winged
Scoter, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Common Loon, Northern Harrier,
Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped
Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, Marsh Wren, American Robin, American Tree
Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch, Northern Gannet,
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, American Wigeon, American Black Duck,
Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Northern Cardinal, Purple Sandpiper,
Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull

Today's program will be warmer as the wind is from the west-southwest,
making our afternoon, Nelson Island program more pleasant for participants.


Good birding,
Sue

Sue McGrath
Newburyport Birders
Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify
Newburyport, MA 01950 USA
978-462-4785  newburyportbirders@...
www.newburyportbirders.com

PI Birders,

Been awhile since I posted to the list. I've been out most days, and though
there are always a few interesting things each day, there hasn't been much
special to report.

All the pages on my website are up to date with all the latest sightings from
the island. Here are the latest additions to the November tally sheet:

November 17 (113)
   112  Lesser Black-backed Gull [heil]
   113  Swamp Sparrow [heil]
November 18 (115)
   114  Brown Creeper [chickering]
   115  Brown Thrasher [sullivan]
November 26 (116)
   116  Common Grackle [vale]
November 28 (119)
   117  Bald Eagle [roberts, sullivan, wetmore]
   118  Golden Eagle [roberts]
   119  Glaucous Gull [roberts]

As I mentioned a week or so ago, this November, like many months this year, is
proving to be one of the poorer Novembers since I've been keeping records. To
give you an idea, in 2005 we recorded 163 species in November, and in 2008, last
year, there were 150 species. These are actually quite striking numbers.

Take a look at the "database" at the following link to see how this year is
stacking up against many previous years;

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/plumislandbirds/database?method=reportRows&tb\
l=6

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

Location: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Observation date: 11/26/09
Number of species: 25

Canada Goose 100
Mute Swan 9
Gadwall X
American Wigeon X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 16
Northern Pintail X
Greater/Lesser Scaup 5
Common Eider X
White-winged Scoter 2
Bufflehead 12
Common Loon 2
Northern Harrier 2
Merlin 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Herring Gull 6
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 4
Black-capped Chickadee 6
Marsh Wren 1
American Robin 2
American Tree Sparrow 11
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 1
American Goldfinch 3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Birders,

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge will be closed on Wednesday,
December 9, 2009 for the annual deer culling.  A
controlled, white-tailed deer hunt is a part of a comprehensive Refuge
Wildlife Management Program.  This annual
program helps maintain the deer population at a level commensurate with
foraging habitat.


Best wishes,
Sue

Sue McGrath
Newburyport Birders
Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify
Newburyport, MA 01950 USA
978-462-4785
newburyportbirders@...
www.newburyportbirders.com

Hilda Dorgan and I led today's edition of Joppa Flats' Wednesday Morning
Birding on a beautiful, beautiful day.  The skies were clear, the winds
little to nothing, and the temps ranged from low 40s to 52 degrees.  There
was very little action at the Newburyport wastewater treatment plant, the
tide being a bit too high.  However, there was a nice flock of about 40
Long-tailed Ducks, but too far out for very satisfying looks.  Only five
Mallards were seen on the Upper Artichoke Reservoir, but there was a nice
gathering of ducks on Cherry Hill Reservoir:  about 15 Common Mergansers
(males and females), a few Buffleheads, lots of Ruddy Ducks (~ 200), about
40 Ring-necked Ducks, and, under the category of "who knows from where," a
single hen, perhaps first winter, Long-tailed Duck.  The latter had
obviously lost its way from the group!

The sea was flat calm off of lot #1 on the refuge where there were Northern
Gannets, Red-throated and Common Loons, and a flock of about 30 Black
Scoters.  At the main pan, it was darned near standing room only for ducks!
It was chock-a-block full of black ducks, Gadwalls, American Wigeons,
Northern Pintails, five Green-winged Teal, and over there on the far side, a
pair of Hooded Mergansers.

Our list for the morning:

Merrimack River from Newburyport wastewater treatment plant:
Long-tailed Ducks (~ 40)
Double-crested Cormorants (3) - juvs.

Upper Artichoke Reservoir:
Mallard (5)

Cherry Hill Reservoir:
Canada Goose (1)
Ring-necked Duck (~ 40) - did not see aberrant bird seen by Rich Stanton.
Long-tailed Duck (1)
Bufflehead (4)
Common Merganser (~ 15)
Ruddy Duck (~ 200)

Plum Island - Parker River NWR:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan (4) - main pan.
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal (~ 15) - 5, main pan; ~ 10, North Pool Overlook.
Black Scoter (~ 30) - lot #1.
Bufflehead (1) - the Wardens, PI Sound.
Hooded Merganser (2) - pair, main pan.
Red-throated Loon (5) - lot #1.
Common Loon (2) - lot #1.
Northern Gannet (~ 15) - lot #1.
Great Blue Heron (2)
Northern Harrier (3)
Red-tailed Hawk (1)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (~ 30) - fly by, main pan.
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Blue Jay (1)
American Crow (4)
European Starling
Snow Bunting (4) - the Wardens

We will meet next Wednesday at Friendly's on the traffic circle, Rt. 128,
Gloucester, at 0930, for our first seasonal monthly trip around Cape Ann.
For
more information about Joppa Flats programs, call Bill Gette or Dave Larson
at 978-462-9998.

Dave Weaver
Manchester, MA 01944
cygnus-dkw@...

PI Birders,

Doug Chickering and I got together this morning for some early birding. We
caught a quick glimpse of the Lark Sparrow. It wasn't at the Wardens grove
proper, rather out in the bushes north east of the grove a hundred yards or so.
There have been differing opinions on how many Lark Sparrows, one or two, have
been on the refuge recently, with people pouring over photographs taken at both
locations (wardens and the road south of Hellcat).

We hustled down the island in order to get to Emerson Rocks before they were
covered by the tide, and I'm very glad we did. We found four species of Calidris
sandpipers on the rocks ...

Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) -- 10 (nice count for Emerson Rocks).
Sanderling (Calidris alba) -- flock of 60.
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) -- 1 mixed in the Sanderling flock.
White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) -- 2 mixed in the Sanderling
flock.

Interestingly, in a bird geeky kind of way, in addition to the single Dunlin
mixed in with the 60 Sanderlings on Emerson Rocks, there was a single Sanderling
mixed in with a flock of 60 Dunlin on the beach at Lot Seven. Nice, neat and
symmetrical.

Stage Island still holds a nice collections of ducks. We had both scaup, Ruddy
Duck, the flock of 20 or so Northern Shovelers, and others.

Full details later on the sightings page.

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

Plum Island Birders,

Today, Wednesday, 11/18, at 12:30 pm the public alert & notification
system will be sounded twice ~ two different siren tones will be heard
in a 3-5 minute period.

Good birding,
Sue

Sue McGrath
Newburyport Birders
Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify
Newburyport, MA 01950 USA
978-462-4785  newburyportbirders@...
www.newburyportbirders.com

PI Birders,

The LARK SPARROW was at the Wardens again this morning. There was also an
immature NORTHERN SHRIKE at the North Pool Overlook and a HAIRY WOODPECKER in
the jack pines north of Hellcat.

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

PI Birders,

Yesterday there was a LARK SPARROW along the road south of Hellcat that was seen
and photographed by many. Later in the day there was a LARK SPARROW seen by many
at the Wardens. Suzanne Sullivan took photos of both birds and believes they are
different birds.

There are two identification challenges on the island right now. First there is
a quite large collection of scaup on Stage Island Pool, upwards of 20 birds. I
personally believe there are representatives of both species in this flock, but
this is a big identification issue. No matter how carefully I read Sibley, and
how carefully I study these birds in my scope, there a number of them that I
just can't say anything positive about.

The other challenge involves Black-bellied Plovers and American Golden-Plovers.
In my opinion there have not been any golden plovers on the refuge since
November 2nd, though there have been recent reports of golden plovers on the
field opposite the Pines field. I have checked these birds every day for the
past two weeks, and they have always been black-bellies. A couple do have ear
spots, more marked eyelines and darker caps than the others, with a very high
cuteness factor thrown in, but these don't make them goldens. Golden plovers are
much darker all over than any of these birds, with very dark caps, very bright
white eyelines and malar stripes. We all know that goldens don't have black wing
pits, but these can't be seen on a standing bird. However, you can almost always
tell the difference by looking at the back, rump and tail. On a golden the back,
rump and tail are uniformly dark brown. On a black-belly the back is grayish,
the rump is white and the tail is gray. Also note that black-bellies have quite
distinct white wing-stripes while the golden's wing is dark brown with barely a
hint of a stripe. The underwings are very different also, white (except for the
pits) on a black-belly and a dark grayish brown on the golden.

The sightings pages are all up to date through yesterday. As always, many thanks
to the many birders who post their sightings and/or send me their sightings!

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

PI Birders,

Before the rain got heavy this morning I managed to find the LARK SPARROW along
the road about one third of the way down toward the Forward Blind parking lot
from the Hellcat parking lot.

There was also the one-legged HUDSONIAN GODWIT with the large flock of Dunlins
at Forward Pool.

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

I forgot to post pictures from the Wednesday trip we took to Parker
River-- I didn't see anything that wasn't reported elsewhere (though
Cyndi did spot an Osprey over the North pool while I was taking a
walk elsewhere).   I did, however, see this bird:

http://juliesmagiclightshow.com/5792.php

It was at the Salt Pannes, mixed in with the wigeons, black ducks and
green-winged teals.  I'm having to do less and less of this when I do
bird photography, but every once in awhile, I come across something
that I just can't figure out.  This is one of those cases.

Any suggestions?

--julie
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
julie@...                    http://juliewaters.com/

	 We've heard that a million monkeys at a million
	 keyboards could produce the Complete Works of
	 Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know
	 this is not true.

			 --Robert Wilensky

PI Birders,

The web pages on my site and on the Plum Island Birds site are all up to date.
Highlights yesterday included ...

Northern Shoveler -- 23 Stage Island Pool
Ring-necked Duck -- 1 male Stage Island Pool
Ruddy Duck -- 3 Stage Island Pool
Greater Shearwater -- 6 to 8 far Lot One horizon
CORY'S Shearwater -- 1 far Lot One horizon
White-rumped Sandpiper -- 6 Stage Island Pool
LARK SPARROW -- 1 first identified by Steve Babbit and Steve Haydock at the
Hellcat circle
Lapland Longspur -- 1 in a flock of Horned Larks on the beach at lot one

Check the sightings page on my web site for all the details.

Here is an update to the November tally. Note that the November tally last year
was 150. We are continuing in the trend of falling numbers most months this
year.

November 4 (95)
    94  Great Cormorant [wetmore]
    95  Hairy Woodpecker [wetmore]
November 5 (98)
    96  Common Goldeneye [wetmore]
    97  Ruddy Duck [wetmore]
    98  Stilt Sandpiper [wetmore]
November 6 (99)
    99  Iceland Gull [wetmore]
November 7 (103)
   100  Lesser Scaup [landry, wetmore]
   101  American Bittern [moore, volkle]
   102  Sharp-shinned Hawk [tatro, wetmore]
   103  Chipping Sparrow [emmons, landry, shore, wetmore]
November 8 (105)
   104  Common Merganser [wetmore]
   105  Greater Shearwater [heil]
November 10 (106)
   106  Black-legged Kittiwake [wetmore]
November 11 (107)
   107  Cory's Shearwater [spahr, wetmore]
November 12 (108)
   108  Lark Sparrow [babbit, chickering, haydock, roberts, wetmore]

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

Hi Birders,

Really another tremendous day on Plum Island.  The shearwaters
stole the show today, and that's fine with me.  Tom
Wetmore and I had large numbers of shearwaters (for
a location away from Cape Ann or Cape Cod, anyway!)  from
both the lot 1 and lot 2 platforms.  Later, just for fun, I tried
them at lots 3 and 5, and Emerson Rocks (7).  Yes, I found shearwaters,
in numbers and at great distance, the ENTIRE way down the
island.  Simply stunning.  Try as I might, I could not tease
a Jaeger out of the masses.  I had probable Sooty Shearwaters
and Northern Fulmars, but the distance kept me from being certain,
and I've not filed these birds in this list.

The Gannet 'plunge-diving' show at lot 1 at dawn is not
to be missed.

Amusingly, while scanning the shearwaters at 60X at lot 2,
I had an Alcid rip through that was probably an Atlantic
Puffin.  Again, too, too far out to be sure.  Amusing but
frustrating at the same time!

With the Greater Scaup at Stage Island Pool there is at least
one female Lesser Scaup.

Full list below.  Great day!

Good birding

Tim Spahr
Marlborough
tspahr@...


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:42:16 -0500 (EST)
From: do-not-reply@...
To: tspahr@...
Subject: eBird Report - Parker River National Wildlife Refuge , 11/11/09



Location:     Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Observation date:     11/11/09
Notes:     Shearwater show stole the day.
Number of species:     55

Canada Goose     75
Mute Swan     7
Gadwall     10
American Wigeon     15
American Black Duck     30
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid)     1
Mallard     4
Northern Pintail     50
Green-winged Teal     1
Greater Scaup     20
Lesser Scaup     1
Common Eider     10
Surf Scoter     35
White-winged Scoter     15
Black Scoter     15
Long-tailed Duck     5
Bufflehead     5
Red-breasted Merganser     20
Red-throated Loon     100
Common Loon     5
Red-necked Grebe     5
Cory's Shearwater     5
Greater Shearwater     100
shearwater sp.     1000
Northern Gannet     3000
Double-crested Cormorant     10
Great Blue Heron     1
Turkey Vulture     1
Northern Harrier     3
Black-bellied Plover     5
Semipalmated Plover     2
Greater Yellowlegs     1
Sanderling     2
Dunlin     7
Black-legged Kittiwake     2
Bonaparte's Gull     4
Ring-billed Gull     75
Herring Gull     100
Great Black-backed Gull     30
Rock Pigeon     10
Mourning Dove     5
Downy Woodpecker     1
American Crow     55
Horned Lark     2
Black-capped Chickadee     3
European Starling     30
American Pipit     1
American Tree Sparrow     6
Savannah Sparrow     1
Savannah Sparrow (Ipswich)     1
Song Sparrow     3
White-throated Sparrow     3
Dark-eyed Junco     1
Lapland Longspur     2
Snow Bunting     1
House Finch     2
American Goldfinch     1

This report was generated automatically by eBird
v2(http://ebird.org/massaudubon/)

On this Veterans Day, Bill Gette and I led a large group of Wednesday
Morning Birders out onto Plum Island and Parker River National Wildlife
Refuge.  It was a cool, blustery, cloudy day, with temps in the mid to upper
40s and winds NNE/10-20 mph.  Standing on both lot #1 and lot #7 overlooks,
there was significant wind chill.  At lot #1, there were 100s of Northern
Gannets and many Red-throated Loons on the move.  I caught a glimpse or two
of what appeared to be shearwaters far out on the horizon, which Tom Wetmore
had alerted me to earlier, only he had significantly more.  There were
Greater Scaup, and perhaps a Lesser or two, on Stage Island Pool, and the
Northern Shovelers were still present.  The juvenile Northern Shrike
continues in the vicinity of Cross Farm Hill, this time seen in pursuit of a
Yellow-rumped Warbler or small sparrow.

Our list for the morning:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan (1) - main pan.
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (~ 25) - Stage Island Pool.
Northern Pintail - main pan, pans s. main pan, & SIP.
Green-winged Teal (~ 30) - 10, main pan; ~20, SIP & North Pool Overlook
(leucistic Green-wing present).
Greater Scaup (15) - SIP; 2 of these possibly Lesser Scaup.
Common Eider
White-winged Scoter (4) - lot #1.
Black Scoter (~ 50) - lot #7, Emerson Rocks.
Long-tailed Duck (1)
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser (~ 15) - lot #7.
Ruddy Duck (3) - SIP.
Red-throated Loon - many, lot #1.
Common Loon (1) - lot #1.
Horned Grebe (2) - lot #1.
shearwater sp. (2) - lot #1, far horizon.
Northern Gannet - "100s" - lot #1.
Great Blue Heron (2)
Turkey Vulture (3)
Northern Harrier (3)
Peregrine Falcon (1)
Greater Yellowlegs (3) - pan s. main pan.
White-rumped Sandpiper (6) - SIP.
Dunlin (9) - SIP.
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull (1)
Rock Pigeon - PI bridge.
Northern Shrike (1) - juv., vicinity of Cross Farm Hill.
American Crow
Horned Lark (5) - lot #1, on beach.
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird (2)
European Starling

As a footnote, I was on the island at dawn's early light in an effort to see
the Cackling Geese, but, as noted by Tom, to no avail.  Going back up the
refuge road, I was told by a gentleman about four American Golden-Plovers in
South Field, of which in the early morning sunshine I had beautiful scope
views from the road in the field's back left -- at one point, all four in a
single scope view.  Then, driving north along North Field, an Osprey flew
across the field and then the road heading east with a fish in tow.

We will meet again next week back at Joppa Flats at 9:30 a.m. for Wednesday
Morning Birding. For more information about Joppa Flats programs, call Bill
Gette or Dave Larson at 978-462-9998.

Dave Weaver
Manchester, MA 01944
cygnus-dkw@...

PI/MA Birders,

There were only about 50 Canada Geese on Stage Island Pool early this morning,
down from the usual 380+. There were no Cackling Geese in the mix. And I was
there early, by 6:20 or so.

However, the horizon at lots one and two was alive with shearwaters. Most of the
shearwaters were near the horizon so it was difficult to find anything except
GREATER SHEARWATERS. There were a couple definite Cory's and possibly a few
Sooties. I was with Tim Spahr and Tim had a couple strong candidates for fulmars
though I could not get onto them.

With so many shearwaters it almost goes without saying that there were also a
few BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES in the mix, but I was so focused (!!) on the
shearwaters that I didn't pay enough attention to them.

(Not writhing so much.)

Good birding,

Tom Wetmore
Newburyport, MA
http://bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/
Think globally, bird locally.

Here is the one-legged Hudsonian godwit.

http://www.allanrube.com/photos/709440623_QQoUT-X3.jpg


Allan
Nashua, New Hampshire
allanrube.com
www.nebirds.com



> From: Thomas Wetmore <ttw4@...>

> I didn't post yesterday, but the one-legged Hudsonian Godwit was at Sandy
> Point yesterday and was reported there by another birder today.