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Eleven members of the Athol Bird and Nature Club, led by club officers Dave Small and Rick Magee, traveled to Southeastern Massachusetts for a day of birding. The group met in Middleboro and traveled to Plymouth Harbor, Manomet Point, Scussett Beach State Reservation and ended the day at the Cumberland Farms agricultural fields in Middleboro. A nice day in the field - warm start, cold and blustery finish. So goes March.
Members of the Athol Bird and Nature Club brace against a cool ocean breeze at the Cape Cod Canal. Photo by Dave Small
Highlights of the day included wonderful looks at three species of small gull in Plymouth Harbor: The Laughing Gull (a very early record), Common Black Headed Gull (uncommon winter vagrant), and the more common Bonaparte' s Gull. Sea ducks, Great Cormorants, and Harbor seals entertained at Manomet Point and Northern Harriers and Rough-legged hawks stole the show as the group ended the day in Middleboro.
Mute Swans, not often seen in the North Quabbin Region, were one of the species observed on the ABNC trip to Southeastern Massachusetts. Photo by Dave Small
Species noted by the group through the day included: American robin, common red poll, northern cardinal, red-winged blackbird, blue jay, tufted titmouse, black-headed gull, laughing gull, ring-billed gull, Bonaparte's gull, herring gull, great black-backed gull, brant, common eider, red-breasted merganser, Canada goose, ring-necked duck, bufflehead, American black duck, wood duck, mallard, common goldeneye, American coot, mourning dove, rock dove, great blue heron, house sparrow, tree swallow, downy woodpecker, song sparrow, American goldfinch, tree sparrow, common grackle, European starling, wild turkey, American crow, black-capped chickadee, black scoter, surf scoter, white-winged scoter, horned grebe, oldsquaw, great cormorant, purple sandpiper, common loon, pied-billed grebe, belted kingfisher, Carolina wren, mute swan, red-shouldered hawk, common flicker, killdeer, red-tailed hawk, northern harrier, kestrel, rough-legged hawk. Painted Turtles and calling Spring Peepers were also noted.
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