ABNC Field trip to Cape Ann 

January 15, 2000

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Veteran Trip leader Mark Taylor from Northfield led the Club's first field trip of the century to the Massachusetts Coast at Cape Ann. Frigid temperatures with a low of the day recorded at -9 degrees F in Templeton on the way down and not rising above 18 degrees F at any point in the day. "Sea Smoke" rising off the ocean water and a brisk sea breeze kept the eleven hearty birders close to the warm vehicles. In spite of the severe weather a good collection of birds were observed by the group. Here is the list as reported by Mark before he and club members Butch Labrie, James Mallet and Mike Plotkin dashed off  for a weeks birding in Texas.

Gloucester and the Rockport area produced the following list:
Niles Beach:
1 Horned Grebe
2 Gadwalls
4 Buffleheads
Eastern Point:
4 Common Goldeneyes
1 Horned Grebe
4 Gadwalls
1 Black Guillemot

Niles Pond:
1 HERMIT THRUSH ( just off the road at the edge of the Pond)
1 Ruddy Duck

Rocky Neck:
9 Common Goldeneyes
1 BARROW'S GOLDENEYE ( eastern side of Ten Pound Island)
30 Common Eiders
3 Scaup ( species)
2 Red-Breasted Mergansers

Pebble Beach:
3 Common Loons
6 Red-Breasted Mergansers
1 Black Scoter
3 White-winged Scoters
10 Buffleheads

Cathedral Ledge:
2 Common Loons
2 Red-Breasted Mergansers
35 Harlequin Ducks
8 Oldsquaw
2 Black Guillemots

Andrews Point:
1 Red-Throated Loon
1 Great Cormorant
3 Horned Grebe
2 Black Guillemots
6 Common Eiders
10 Harlequin Ducks

Halibut Point:
2 Horned Grebes
1 Great Cormorant
4 Red-Breasted Mergansers
6 Harlequin Ducks
1 Gray Catbird
1 American Robin
1 Brown Thrasher
2 Northern Cardinals
1 Carolina Wren
1 Tufted Titmouse

Folly Cove:
8 Harlequin Ducks
6 Common Eiders
6 Black Ducks

Rowley Shore:
1 KING EIDER
250 White-winged Scoters

The three common Gulls were seen at all sites but I didn't list them due
to the extreme cold today.

Mark Taylor
Northfield, Ma

e-mail Mark 

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