New England Trip Report - |
The early AM journey through Connecticut to Massachusetts, was not in the best of road conditions, but once we were through the terrible weather, it turned out to be wonderful weekend. 24 of us covered 1185 miles over the 3-day weekend.There is nothing like starting the trip off with a great spectacle. 3 Sandhill Cranes fully cooperated in a farm field full of Eastern Meadowlarks in Fairhaven. This was followed by an unbelievable raptor show at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield that included several of both phases of Rough-legged Hawk, Short-eared Owls and Long-eared Owls including a very close look at one perched in a birch tree and a Clay-colored Sparrow at the feeders. We began Sunday in Maine unable to come across any Bohemian Waxwings or Pine Grosbeaks but we did locate the Red-headed Woodpecker (that seems to have headed north for some reason) perched at the top of a dead snag. The light snow gave way to a gorgeous afternoon and Monday, with little wind and calm seas. This probably affected a number of seabirds allowing them to venture further away from the coast, as we only turned up a single Black Guillemot. Perkins Cove produced Harlequin’s, Long-tailed Ducks, Purple Sandpipers, 3 Scoters and Common Eiders. We finished the day searching for a Saw-whet Owl at Salisbury Beach but had to settle for a Short-eared Owl quartering at very close range. Tough, isn’t it! Our final day began along the Merrimac River in Newburyport, where we saw a Eurasian Wigeon, a couple of Icelands, Glaucous, Black-headed and Lesser-black Backed Gull. We couldn't locate the Snowy Owl on Plum Island, but did find 4-5 Northern Shrike's and a group of 4 Rough-legged Hawks riding a thermal with a Bald Eagle. Onto Cape Ann. I've never known the water this calm; beautiful day but where were the birds? 1 Horned Grebe, a couple of Goldeneyes, and at Halibut Point 5 Razorbills and 1 Black Guillemot. Talk about luck, we stopped at a feeder in Rockport just as a Merlin showed up to scare the living daylights out of numerous birds. Luckily for us, a single Common Redpoll thought better of leaving and was frozen to a branch with the Merlin barely 50' away (chicken). It was a lifer for a number of people and the standoff was still going on when we left 15 minutes later. The biggest surprise was the lack of birds all along the coast, especially Loons (2 Common Loons) and Grebes (2 Horned Grebes)! In some years alcids can be tough, but we got good looks at those we saw! New England and all its winter beauty always produces’ some surprises (Sandhill Cranes and Red-headed Woodpecker), and this year was no exception. The trip recorded 85 species, which is a very good number. If we were able to see all the birds one could expect…… well, maybe you wouldn’t return next year!
Adrian Binns ~ |