New England Trip Report - |
Saturday morning we drove through snow squalls in Massachusetts, and by the time we reached Flax Pond we were in a Blizzard! We gave the pond a good going over without any luck. Someone at the pond had the Mew Gull a ˝ hour before we got there at 11:30AM, but other than the usual Ring-bills and Herrings, all we had was a male Wood Duck and some Common Merganser’s. The search for the Snowy Owl in wicked winds on the Nahant causeway was futile. Plum Island wasn’t any better though, yet somehow several Snow Buntings and Horned Larks managed to stay grounded! That was some of the most brutal birding conditions any of us had ever been in! Over a few drinks, and with the forecast calling for poor conditions on Sunday, we decided to leave the Maine coast for another year and head inland for the Hawk Owl the next day.What a difference a day makes. The White Mountains were simply stunning. The Hawk Owl was simply mind-blowing. Perched atop a Spruce in the middle of a bog, it soon became inquisitive and worked its way to within 80’ of us. If only a pet store had been open early on Sunday morning! The surrounding area produced great looks at Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Evening Grosbeak, and masses of White-winged Crossbills. A Northern Shrike was also seen briefly before flying out of sight. Memories, what memories we all had of an outstanding day. The Hawk Owl was a lifer for 21 out of 24 of us. Incidentally, that was the last day it was seen, having been in the same area for close to 3 months. Monday morning we began in Newburyport, first at the sewage plant, where there was a 1st winter Glaucous and Iceland Gull, as well as 2 adult Iceland’s. At Little’s Lane, a mixed flock of about 300 Horned Larks, Lapland Longspur and Snow Buntings. What a sight it was when Bill flushed a hunkered down Merlin, which made a bee-line low over the field causing the flock to panic. A flyby juvenile female Rough-legged Hawk capped a wonderful ˝ hr of birding. We searched the Ipswich area with no luck for the introduced Whooper Swans. The ponds were frozen and there was not anything in the sheltered bays. On Cape Ann we began at Ten Pound Island, but no Barrow Goldeneye (Gerry did have a Lesser Black-backed and Glaucous Gull there earlier in the morning). At Niles Beach the Black-headed Gull put on a wonderful show…. profile and in flight. We had great looks at Black Guillemot, Red-necked Grebe and a Razorbill at Eastern Point Lighthouse (Gerry had the Barrows here, by the red marker earlier in the morning). Onto Penzance Road, Emerson Point and then Lobolly Cove without anything of note. At Gap Cove between Gap Head and Straitsmouth Island in the calm of the cove, 2 Thick-billed Murre’s and a Razorbill, close and in great light, while a Hermit Thrush decided to wander about at our feet. Due to time constraints we skipped Halibut and Andrews Point, though I understand Gerry had Guillemot, both Murre’s and Razorbill there (a four alcid day). The King Eider was top priority, but alas it was to elude us, though we checked, Plum Cove, Rowley Shore Road, Folly Cove and Lane’s Cove. It had been seen earlier at Plum Cove. One can never complain, as always we never know what to expect, but a fantastic trip is almost always guaranteed. We (Bucks County Audubon) have been running this trip for 25 years, and though there was no new “trip bird” this trip, it might interest you to know that 187 species have been seen over the years. Adrian Binns ~ |