Parker NWR, Plum Island - Fun in the Sun

Beautiful day on Plum Island today. Target birds were the Tricolored Heron and the Black-necked Stilt.   We had great looks at the Stilt and not so great looks at the Tricolored but we got both. Other highlights were what seemed like hundreds of Bobolinks, various and assorted Flycatchers(many of which we struggled to ID on the fly), and a Brown Thrasher. Great to be out at the beach and the marsh. Watch out for the Mosquitos!!

Black-necked Stilt

Piping Plover chick

Bobolink

Sandy Point Beach

Belle Isle Marsh - Winthrop

I headed to Revere this morning in hopes of tracking down the Manx Shearwater. No luck there. Then over to Belle Isle where there were reports of hundreds of shorebirds on Thursday. I dont know if it was the nasty/cold weather but there wasn't one wading bird in the entire marsh (from my vantage). Highlights were terns feeding in the pools and a female Bobolink.

Checklist Here

GWNWR 5/19

Checklist Here

Magnolia from Mt. Auburn 5/18(just love the photo)

Sora

Yellow Warbler (F) building nest

Life Birds and Life Changes

Since my last post I saw life birds 259: Red-shouldered Hawk, 260: Yellow-throated Warbler, 261: Nothern Rough-winged Swallow, 262: Ovenbird, 263: Orchard Oriole, and 264: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. That said, its been a bit of a slow Spring for me. As it turns out, having a new baby is hard work and doesn't leave a whole lot of time for chasing birds.
Orlagh and I had our first birding trip together last Saturday and while I loved the bonding time it was difficult to stare into the tree tops with 15lbs strapped to my chest. We didn't see the Kentucky Warbler we were hunting but the weather was gorgeous and Spring has arrived in New England.

BINGO!

With a little help from our fellow birders I was able to relocate the Fieldfare this morning on Maple Street in Carlisle. As reported it was associating with some Robins and feeding on Barberries on private property. A really cool bird to see!! Here a few of my poor photos:
CHECKLIST HERE

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

After the Fieldfare hunt in Carlisle I stopped over at Great Meadows NWR. Finally got a good look at a Red-shouldered Hawk. Other highlights were Tree Swallows, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Coot, Northern Shoveler, and Common Goldeneye. I was on the lookout for Eastern Phoebe and Rusty Blackbirds but I didn't see any.

CHECKLIST HERE

Red-shouldered Hawk

Northern Shoveler

Common Goldeneye (M-right, F-left)

Fieldfare and Birding BINGO

Today I tried to locate the Fieldfare that was seen in Carlisle, MA over the last couple of days. Unfortunately, I didn't have any luck. It was the first day of Spring but you wouldn't know it from the snow. Tons of people out there at the Greenough Land. I saw cars with plates from MA, CT, VT, WI, UT, and PA.  It really is a beautiful spot with all the freshly fallen snow.

Fieldfare Searchers in Action 

I did however have a few observations I wanted to share: Like with all "Mega Rare" sightings the Fieldfare stake-out location was filled with hopeful birders. This made it a prime spot for what I like to call "Birding BINGO." Now you're asking yourself, "What's birding BINGO?" Well my fellow ornithologists here is what you're looking for:

1. "Bird of the Hour" - The bird we're all here for
2. "Oh Look a Red Bird, Guy" - That guy or gal who is tagging along with their spouse or significant other, looks through the scope and says "Oh look a red bird."
3. "You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, Guy"- This one speaks for itself and this guy needs a karate chop to the neck. 
4. "That Bird is Long Gone, Guy" - The perpetual pessimist. Why are you even here buddy?
5. "Hi I'm So and So, Guy" - I'm all for being friendly but this guy wants everyone to know who he is. Must be some kind of birding celebrity?
6. "Check Out My Gear, Guy" - This guy wants to show off his gear. He's got the pack, the x1million lens on his $20K camera, two spotting scopes for different distances, and the most expensive bins money can buy. 
7. "The Leader of the Group" - Self appointed leader who feels it necessary to speak loudly to the group explaining details of the bird, the location, and or etiquette(see below also)
8. The "You Aren't Following the Rules, Guy" - Often the same guy as #7. I am all for following the rules, but this guy takes it too far. 

Today I would have had BINGO if that Fieldfare had decided to make an appearance.

American Woodcock and Fatherhood

This bird is Life Bird #258 but its so much more than that. I can say unequivocally that it was my strangest and most memorable birding experiences. Since I've never seen one of these little guys I didn't quite know what I was looking for. I imagined a land-locked Wilson's Snipe that for some reason comes out at night.
I arrived at Rock Meadow in Belmont about 80 minutes too early. If I had just looked around the inter-nets a little more I would have found a very explicit set of instructions from Bob Stymeist from yesterday. I froze my butt off for 90 minutes and just as Bob had predicted I heard a one "peent" around 7:07pm. Then another. Then another. Within five minutes, lots of "peents." More than five, less than twenty. Coming from all around me. I soon found that I was practically standing on Woodcocks. Periodically they would burst, straight up into the almost dark sky. Their flight reminded me of those little flying toys we got as kids from the dollar store. You know the ones that look like a helicopter blade: You wind them up then push the button and the climb straight up into the air.  I stood in the middle of a field, with birds bursting into the air, twittering away. It was dark but still a sensory overload.

Today I saw my first American Woodcock. Tomorrow I become a father.

American Woodcock (I apologize to this guy for the flash. I didn't mean for it to be on)