Little Chauncy: Northboro, MA (11/26)

On Sunday I took a short morning hike at the conservation are near Little Chauncy Pond. Unfortunately there wasn't too much active. The best area was the large evergreens in the middle of the main cornfield. The bushes were packed with sparrows (Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, etc.) And, the common winter birds like Cardinals and Downy Woodpeckers could be heard along the trail. But other than that, it was pretty quiet.

Gloucester/Rockport (11/25)

OK, I'm back to being behind in my posts again. But I'm not going to skip posts just to get back on track. Especially since I've been to some nice places since my last post.

On Saturday, November 25th I took a drive up to Rockport, MA. Its not a short trip but it went relatively quickly. The first place I stopped was at one of the local boat launches where I was able to find a few Bufflehead amongst the Mallards and gulls. I also heard what I thought may have been a Yellow-breasted Chat. This isn't too far fetched since a Chat had been reported in the area. But, it was probably just wishfull thinking.

From there I continued towards Halibut Point stopping at the sites along the way. One of the small bodies of water along the road had a large flock of Gulls. As I sped by, I thought that they looked weird... thin black bills, black spot behind the eye, and strange flight. Looking thru the guidebook, I think that they may have been Bonaparte's Gulls. Unfortunately there wasn't a good place to pull over so I only got the quickest glimpse.

Next I stopped at one of the local cemetries. Following a trail from the back of the property led to a great overlook. The day was still really cloudy and the waves were fiercely crashing on the rocks. But there were still birds. I spotted a group of Harlequin Ducks just outside the breakline. A Common Loon was diving further out to sea.

Next, it was on to the main attraction: Halibut Point. During the short hike to the overlook the clouds cleared and it ended up being a nice day. There weren't scores of birds but this was a case of quality over quantity. There were more Harlequin Ducks and Common Eiders. But there were Red-throated Loons and Double-crested Cormorants. I even spotted what I'm guessing was a Great Cormorant. It flew like the more common Double-crested but it had distinctively long wings. But the best bird for the sight were the Gannets. We spotted several dozen of them, mostly flying around relatively close to shore. The only downside is that they weren't feeding which is something memorable to see. When diving for fish, these birds tuck their wings to their sides and do a barrel roll dive into the water. Its so cool to watch.

After a quick lunch at one of the local places, I continued to another boat launch. There were more Harlequin Ducks here but there was also a small flock of Purple Sandpipers on the rocks. As the tide came in, the birds were finally forced to higher ground.

My final stop was at the Coast Guard station. A guard was posted there to keep people from walking on the breakwater due to the high surf. But, you could see great birds from the parking lot. I spotted some Red-breasted Mergansers and Horned Grebes. I even found one Red-necked Grebe. The best part was that they were all close to shore and easy to see. Which was a good thing since I was losing the light as the sun set.

Birds: Mallard, Rock Pigeon, Bufflehead, American Crow, Blackcapped Chickadee, Blue Jay, Black Duck, Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Northern Cardinal, Northern Mockingbird, Herring Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Loon, Tufted Titmouse, Cooper's Hawk, Mute Swan, Boneparte's Gull (?), White-brested Nuthatch, White-wing Scoter, Song Sparrow, Northern Gannet, Downy Woodpecker, Red-throated Loon, Tree Sparrow, Ring-bill Gull, Greater Black Back Gull, Purple Sandpiper, Canada Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Great Cormorant (?)

Update to Plum Island (11/18) Post

I finally found the scrap of paper that I wrote my bird sightings from 11/18 on. So, I've updated the post. Forty-two species... not too shabby. Scroll down to see the list.

Another "Green" Company

After reading my post on DuPont, my friend pointed me towards another company with a "green" philosophy. Chris King Precision Components makes parts for bicycles and they have a great attitude towards running their company with as little impact on the environment as possible. Conservationists should reward companies like this with their business.

Hodges Village Dam; Oxford, MA (11/24)

My employer graciously gives me the day after Thanksgiving as a holiday. So, after wasting the morning unsuccessfully trying to secure some Black Friday specials, I planned on spending the afternoon hiking at Westboro WMA. But, when I got there I remembered that it was still hunting season. And seeing the number of pick-up trucks in the parking lot, I decided that I'd better try somewhere else.

My next choice was Hodges Village Dam in Oxford. This is usually a good property for common winter birds and Friday was no different. I started by walking down from the dike, thru the woods, to the river's edge. Then it was over the bridge to the old train tracks. There were Dark-eyed Juncos and Chickadees along both sides of the path but that was about it.

I hiked to the end of the path and then looped back thru the woods. This is where most of the birds were. For some reason the area was packed with dozens of Mourning Doves who all spooked and flew to higher perches as I passed by.

About halfway back thru the woods, I came across a nice mixed flock of birds. It was mostly Tufted Titmice and Golden-crowned Kinglets but I did find at least one Hairy Woodpecker. It was fun to watch the flock pick thru the trees looking for insects. Even though the individual birds were competing for the same food, they still stayed together as they moved thru the woods. Very cool.

Finally, as I got back to the bridge I got one last good bird. A Kingfisher flew over chattering away as it traveled.

The only downside of the day was the prescence of dirt bikes along the path. I came across five bikers during the hike. Four were riding along the area which is designated for these vehicles. They were curteous and slowed down to when they saw me. But, the last bike was riding on the opposite side of the river (where they are prohibited). The Corps. of Engineers used to have a gate on the bridge to prevent dirt bikes from getting onto this side of the property. But, for some reason its gone now.

This is pretty typical of the Corps' management of this area. They have no enforcement of the rules in the dam area. But they can devote resources to have four "rangers" on fourwheelers patroling Greenbriar Park on a Sunday.

Even worse, while walking thru the woods I noticed several trees spray painted blue. My only guess is that these are trees that will be cut down. If that's true, it will totally disrupt the area and wreck the hiking trail. They did a massive cut along the railroad bed last spring for no apparent reason. The area is still recovering.

Its such a waste too. Since this land is already set aside for the dam they could really make a difference by planting native species and attracting wildlife. Instead they mow the grass to the ground and install frisbee golf courses.

Birds: Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Belted Kingfisher, Blue Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch, Mouring Dove, Dark-eyed Junco, Hairy Woodpecker

All Faiths Cemetery, Worcester (11/22)

In the afternoon on Wednesday I made a short census of the birds at All Faiths Cemetery. Most of the Duckweed was gone so the waterfowl was as well. All that remained was a couple of Mallards, four Hooded Mergansers, and a huge flock of Canada Geese. I also saw a Muskrat that was still active. But, in general, it looks like the long (depressing) Winter has hit New England.

Sylvester St. Leicester (11/22)

I took Wednesday off to get an early start on Thanksgiving. Having the morning free, my Mom and I went over to the reservoir in Leicester for a morning walk. It was a brisk morning and the bird activity was relatively low. The only birds that we could find on the water were a pair of Canada Geese so we started up the road. The woods were quiet except for a few Chickadees and Titmice. Every once in a while we heard the calls of Golden-crowned Kinglets on both sides of the road. We walked on until we got to a small stream near the airport. The area was packed with Robins who were all feeding on the ground.

At this point we turned back and headed for the car. On the return trip we did come across a small flock of tiny birds. While we could hear them pretty well, we couldn't get a good enough look to identify them. If guessing that they might have been Ruby-crowned Kinglets but I certainly could be wrong.

The best part of the trip was that one of our fellow hikers pointed out a tree that houses a family of Flying Squirrels in it. The tree is clearly marked by the scat at its base. I tried to coax the little guys out of their nest by scraping the tree with a stick but it didn't work. I'll have to try back again at dusk.

Birds: Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Tufted Titmouse, Blue Jay, Canada Goose, Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker

Plum Island (11/18)

I woke up on Saturday to what was an absolutely beautiful Autumn day and tried to decide where to go. I considered a few places but the lure of a rare Green Tailed Towhee at Plum Island was enough to convince me that should be my destination.

After making the hour and a half drive to Newburyport, I was anxious to get out of the car. The first stop was at the town boat launch which was absolutely barren of bird activity (other than a few gulls). So, I proceded onward towards Joppa Flats MAS. On the way there I stopped along the road to look over the bay. There was better birding here and I was able to find Bufflehead and Scaup amongst the more comon birds. But, the best sighting at this location was a large raft of Long-tailed Duck. They were floating clear across the bay so I didn't get a great look at them, but it was nice anyhow.

After enjoying the bay for a few minutes, I headed out to Parker River. I started at the Salt Pannes where there were a lot of ducks. Pintails and Green-winged Teal mingled with Mallards and Black Ducks. Across the pannes I spotted a Snowy Owl perched on a sign. He seemed to be surveying the water but none of the ducks paid him too much attention.

The next stop was parking lot #2. I haven't birded this area much since its closed during the summer to perserve Piping Plover nesting habitat. But, I'm glad I stopped here this time since it was a fantastic spot. I had good looks at Red-throated Loons, White-winged Scoters, and Common Eider. I may have even seen a Red-necked Grebe but it was a ways off so I can't be absolutely sure.

Next I continued to the North Pool to see if I could find the Green-tailed Towhee. There had been reports of this bird sticking around the island so I was hopeful. I checked the hedgerow and immediately heard a bird rustling about in the leaf litter. The brush was dense so when I got a quick glimpse of a reddish cap, I thought I may have located the Towhee. But, it turned out to be a sparrow. I continued searching the hedgerow for about 20-30 minutes before finally giving up.

I drove all the way to the end of the island and took a walk along the water. I was surprised at how different the shoreline looked. A large amount of sand had been taken from one part of the beach and deposited at a large ridge a bit downstream. This left many of the large rocks exposed. The tide was on its way out and I enjoyed the "rivers" of seawater as they leeched up thru the sand.

Then it was time to start for home. I made one quick stop at the bird blind overlooking Hellcat and got some tough looks at the birds with the descending sun straight in my eyes. They were mostly Pintails, Mallards, and Green-winged Teal. But I did see one Great Blue Heron on the opposite shore. Finally, I turned my scope towards the Osprey platform and was surprised to see a Peregrine Falcon perched there.

By this time it was almost sundown so I headed for home. I stopped at a few choice spots along the road hoping to see a Short-eared Owl. And, back a parking lot #2 I finally got lucky. I was able to spot two Short-ears gliding back and forth over the river. They are absolutely amazing birds to watch as the swoop back and forth effortlessly. I watched them until the sun set and it was too dark to see.

To me, this day just cemented Plum Island as one of my favorite places for birding in Massachusetts. For anyone traveling to the commonwealth, I would put this at the top of your list of places to see.

Birds: House Sparrow, Rock Pigeon, Ring-billed Gull, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Greater Black Back Gull, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Northern Harrier, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Horned Grebe, White-wing Scoter, Black Scoter, Common Eider, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Mute Swan, Snowy Owl, Black Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose, Tree Sparrow, Ruddy Duck, Peregrine Falcon, Blue Jay, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Green-winged Teal, Herring Gull, Horned Lark, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Mouring Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, American Robin, Double-crested Cormorant, Gadwall, Wilson's Snipe, Scaup (species)

Mammals: White-tailed Deer

On the Upswing

Can't wait for election day
Witness the occupation
Corporations rule the day
Well you know the pendulum throws
Farther out to the one side, swinging
Has to sweep back the other way

"Undone" Pearl Jam

Don't you just love those weeks when everything seems to go right. When the good news comes in bunches day after day. Well, that was what last week was like for me. The political pendulum has swung back the other way... finally.

Whatever your political leanings one thing is for sure, the Democrats retaking of both Congress and the House of Representatives is a major victory for anyone who considers himself/herself an environmentalist. While the Democrat's slight majority in both houses doesn't ensure that everything that they bring to a vote will pass (especially with President Bush holding veto power) it does something very important. It puts Democrats back in charge of many powerful committees.

Environment and Public Works Committee chairman James Inhofe (R-OK), who refers to the widely accepted scientific theory of global warming as the "greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people" will be replaced by Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Good riddance.

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA), head of the House Resources Committee was defeated by challenger Jerry McNerney. Since 1995 Pombo has made it a top priority to weaken/eliminate the Endangered Species Act. Good riddance.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is expected to become chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Jon Tester (D-MT) , organic farmer and friend of Pearl Jam, won his race. Even in my adopted state of CT where the Democrat (Ned Lamont) lost his race with Joe Lieberman, its not bad news. Every election should give you a choice between a Democrat and a slightly different Democrat.

But this win means nothing if our elected officials can't do the most with the time that they have in power. The next election is in two short years... and the pendulum only swings each way for so long.

DuPont Goes Green

US News & World Report has an interview with Linda Fisher, head of DuPont. [NOTE: To get to the interview, click on my first link and then click again on the link at the top of the advertisement page.] Ms. Fisher details how this company, once infamous for being the major manufacturer of CFC's, has changed its ways and become a leader in the corporate "green" revolution. The best part is that the company is actually saving money through their new practices. Hopefully this will prompt other CEO's to follow.

WWF: Bad News... Good News

While reading through one of the latest newsletters from the World Wildlife Fund I was struck by two major stories. First, the bad news. The organization faced the biggest tragedy in its history when a helicopter carrying 24 crashed in Nepal. My condolences go out to the family and friends of all those who lost their lives.

But, there is good news for the efforts that these people devoted their lives to. The WWF announced the details of an outstanding season for the Javan Rhino. This species is critically endangered with an estimated wild population of only 60 individuals. WWF has gathered evidence of 4 newborn rhino calves this year, which is a substantial increase for such a small population. Hopefully the trend continues in the future.

Fort Meadow Reservoir: Marlboro, MA

On Saturday afternoon we stopped at Fort Hill Reservoir. The water was just packed with waterfowl. Most of the species were the same as we had seen on 10/15 but a nice flock of Hooded Mergansers had migrated in. The flock was mostly Ruddy Ducks and Mallards but I did count 5 Coot and 13 Ring-neck Ducks.

Birds: Mute Swan, Ruddy Duck, Canada Goose, Mallard, Coot, Ring-neck Duck, Hooded Merganser, Ring-billed Gull, Double Crested Cormorant, Belted Kingfisher

Oxbow NWR (11/11)

On Saturday morning we headed out to Bolton to see what was at the flats. Unfortunately, with all the rain, it was pretty flooded. So, we decided to go our to Oxbow instead. It was nice and sunny when we got there around noon. It really is an uncommon November day around here when you can walk around without a jacket. And that was a good sign that the animals might be out enjoying the weather as well.

We started out and hiked down the main path. Not far from the first pond, I spooked up an anglewing that was sunning itself on the road. We tried to find it but it blended in so well with the brownish orange oak leaves. We guessed that it was probably a Question Mark.

A little bit further down the road, I stopped to see if there was any water in the vernal pools next to the train tracks. The largest pool was still about 25% full but I didn't see anything in it. So, we proceded to the first left turn and headed down to the water. There weren't too many birds, but there were some nice ones. A bunch of Golden-crowned Kinglets called incessently from the trees and a number of Downy Woodpeckers worked on the dead trees. Along the water we heard the call of a lone Gray Tree Frog but, not surprisingly, we couldn't find it.

As we walked, I almost stepped on a Garter Snake who was basking in the sun. He had obvioussly just emerged form the water since his body was covered with Duckweed. I couldn't resist taking a few photos. I know that I have plenty of Garter Snake photos on my site but I never get tired of them. They are just beautiful. We found a total of three of these guys during our walk and I think that this may be the latest that I've seen them in MA.

We continued down the path until it turned back towards the parking lot. In this little sunny area near the water were found a nice mixed flock of birds. Goldfinch, Chickadees, Titmice, and Juncos all jumped around near the leaf litter. Best of all, we spotted 2 or 3 Brown Creepers but from the sound of it, there were even more. Its so cool to watch Creepers as the hop up the tree and then dive down to the bottom of the next one.

We walked the remainder of the hike avoiding the large puddles of water. We even had to make our own bridge at one spot. About halfway "home" we were alerted to a Cooper's Hawk by the alarm calls of several Blue Jays. He soared in view for a couple seconds before disappearing.

As we approached the parking lot, we had one last nice sighting. It was a Belted Kingfisher perched on a wire. Overall it was a great day.

Birds: Golden-crowned Kinglet, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Belted Kingfisher, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern, Cardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Brown Creeper, Cooper's Hawk, Mouring Dove, Mallard

Herps: Garter Snake, Green Frog, Gray Tree Frog

Butterflies: Question Mark

Broad Meadow Brook (11/5)

I got up early on Saturday morning and headed over to BMB. I parked on Dunkirk and started my walk down the stretch. It was a cold morning and the vegetation along the path was all covered with frost. I headed back and crossed the bridge to the wet meadow. Lots of sparrows were flittering about in the bushes and a small flock of Cedar Waxwings flew overhead.

Just off the wet meadow I stumbled upon a pair of Hermit Thrushes. Its getting really late in the year for these guys but they looked to be in good health. I watched them for a minute or so until they flew deeper into the woods. I continued into cleared area and took some pictures of the bare trees.

Then, I doubled back and headed down Cardinal Trail. The greeen moss that bordered the trail was a welcome sight. I even found some new mushrooms poking up thru the carpet. Bunches of red sumac berries also stood out from the rest of the gray landscape.

I hiked to the top of the hill and then started down the powerlines. I'm astonished how well the meadow had recovered from last fall's cut. Most of the area had filled in with natives: wood lillies, milkweed, asters. Now most of it has gone to seed. But, I was convinced that I could still find something in bloom. And, after a few minutes of searching I did find one small bloom of Goldenrod.

Anyhow, all of the seed was good for the animals who live in the habitat. I heard a small group of Eastern Bluebirds as the flew over my head en route to the brook. I also found another pair of Hermit Thrushes and, surprisingly, what I'm pretty sure was a female Common Yellowthroat.

After hiking the powerlines, I made my way back down to Trioano Brookside Trail. At the start of the trail I heard a Brown Creeper in the woods by I couldn't locate it. Along the brook I heard a Red-bellied Woodpecker in the trees and saw a Downy Woodpecker searching for food on the dead trees along the water. I even found another wildflower which I think is Common Yarrow.

I got back to Dunkirk Ave. just as my family drove up. So, we decided to retrace my route in reverse. And, it was a good idea since we found a lot of birds that I originally missed. We had a Hairy Woodpecker along the brook and were treat to a great show by some Golden-crowned Kinglets on Cardinal Trail. As we headed out, we spotted a couple of Turkey Vultures rocking back and forth as they soared southward. Just a great end to the day.

Birds: American Crow, Tufted Titmouse, White-throated Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, American Robin, Eastern Bluebird, Blue Jay, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Mallard, Northern Cardinal, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, American Goldfinch, Cedar Waxwing, Hermit Thrush, Common Yellowthroat.

Massachusetts Butterfly Club Annual Meeting (11/4)

Saturday night was the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club. After a nice potluck dinner with some great people, we heard a presentation by UMass-Boston Professor Robert Stevenson.

Professor Stevenson split his talk on two subjects. The first half was on his research of the butterflies of Costa Rica. The second was on his efforts to create software for creating field guides. The idea was pretty cool. It would allow anyone to make a quick field guide to their specialty, whether its the butterflies of MA or restaurantes in Las Vegas. You can learn more about the effort on the Electronic Field Guide web site.

The best part was that after the talk was over the club members got to show their best pictures from the past year. I presented a few of mine and I got a lot of positive comments.

Worcester Cemeteries (11/4)

We finished the day at the Worcester cemeteries. We started at All Faiths Cemetery where most of the birds from last week were still around. The main pond at the cemetery enterance had Mallards, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, two Northern Pintail, and a bunch of Mallards. Further into the cemetery we had a big flock of Canada Geese and a smaller group (8-12) of Hooded Mergansers.

Birds: Mallard, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail (2), Canada Goose, Hooded Merganser (8), Double-crested Cormorant, Blue Heron, Mute Swan

Then it was over to Notre Dame Cemetery where we found a gigantic mixed flock of waterfowl. Most of them were Mallards but there were also Black Ducks, Pintails, and Teal. In the reeds we spotted a few Wood Ducks and one female Hooded Merganser.

Birds: Mallard, American Black Duck, Green-winged Teal, Wood Duck, Northern Pintail, Canada Goose, Hooded Merganser

Northbridge Ponds (11/4)

Saturday afternoon we went out to check on some of the local ponds. Some of our favorites are out in Northbridge where my parents and I used to do a biennial waterfowl census. We started at Meadow Pond. As we drove up to the pond, I thought that I saw a flock of gulls. They were actually Mute Swans... 17 in all. With the swans were a few Mallards and two Ruddy Ducks. But the highlight were two Common Mergansers, my first of the year.

At nearby Arcade Pond we found a flock of Canada Geese and 5-8 Hooded Mergansers. The rest of the ponds were pretty bare.

Birds: Mute Swan, Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Mallard, Hooded Merganser

Millbury Bike Path (11/4)

After a morning of shopping, we stopped at the bike path in Millbury for a short walk. Right off the parking lot, I spied a Bluebird amongst the English Sparrows in the woods. The path was relatively quiet but you could still find pockets of activity in the sunny spots. Just across the first bridge was a particularly good spot. It was a small body of water not much larger than a puddle but there were birds all around it. Juncos hopped along the water's edge and Blue Jays, Chickadees, and Song Sparrows perched in the bushes. We even found two or three Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Back along the main path we found a group of Golden-crowned Kinglets and what we think may have been a Lincoln's Sparrow.

Surprisingly, there weren't many birds on the water other than Mallards but we did have one Great Blue Heron and one Kingfisher.

Birds: Eastern Bluebird, Song Sparrow, House Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Lincoln's Sparrow (?), Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Crow, Dark-eyed Junco

Off Topic... But Worth It

At the gym the other day I happened across an old edition of Sports Illustrated. While flipping thru it looking for anything about my NE Patriots, I got hooked on the article by Gary Smith on Pat Tillman. For those of you who may not recognize the name, Pat was a defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals who gave up his million dollar contract to sign up for the Army Rangers. Pat was killed in a friendly fire incident in Afganistan in April of 2004.

Smith's article tells the story of Tillman's life, service to his country, and tragic death primarily with first hand details provided by a squadmate of Tillman. But, it goes further... into the coverup by the Army and the dedication of Tillman's mother to uncovering the truth.

This is really an incredible story and well worth the time to read it. I was especially impressed with the courage of the man and the complete lack of it shown by his superiors. Pat lived his life in such a special way, but he died largely through incompetence of those around him. Its heroic and utterly tragic all at the same time.