Among the highlights were the numbers of common and hooded mergansers congregated at Barton's Cove above Turners Falls an unusual Iceland gull and a great look at a Red-necked Grebe.
At the Turners Falls Rod & Gun Club we saw lots of mergansers out on the open water of the river. The best look, however, was a pair of Common Mergansers standing socially together on the ice right in front of us in beautiful light. We also saw one Common Goldeneye, several ring-billed gulls, Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, and three Mute Swans.
Members of Athol Bird and Nature Club search for signs of spring in Turners Falls
(left to right) David Boeri, Mark Balcom-wolf, Shelley Hight,Sue Cloutier, Larry Duprey, Lynn Harper, Joan Duprey, Ron Cloutier and Earl Baldwin. Rick Magee not in photo
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Moving across the river and around the point we stopped to view the eagle nest. Dave assured us that he had seen one egg in the nest on the internet, (www.nu.com) and that the white bump over the nest was a bird. Once the scope was on it, we confirmed that we were looking at a bird's head and not a pile of snow. On Barton's Cove were numerous mergansers, eleven Mute Swans, More Gulls, Mallards, and Canada geese.
We had a discussion about the seed dispersal of catalpa, maples, and other trees. We had to remind Dave that this is a Bird and Nature Club.
Around the corner of Fort Hill, looking towards the Turners Falls Bridge, we got a good look at an Iceland gull. It was posing on the ice next to a Great Black-back Gull. They have nearly pure white feathers, with a black tip to their yellow bill, and grayish pink legs. Since we are far from Iceland or anywhere else these birds usually live, it is a treat to meet one in our area.
At the canal above the Silvio O. Conte Anadromous Fish Lab in Turners Falls we had a good look at a small flock of Common Goldeneye. Usually we see these on cold, blustery days bobbing in the Atlantic off Cape Ann. Here we had them close on calm water on a cold, blustery day. A little further on were two Scaup. We figure there is a greater chance they were Lesser Scaup than Greater Scaup. Since they were not wearing nametags, and the two kinds of birds look like identical twins at a formal party, we shall just call them Scaup and have a greater chance of being right. Swimming near the Scaup was a Red-necked Grebe.
The Red-neck Grebe is the largest grebe on the Atlantic Coast. It is the size of a large duck, but did not have a red neck because it was not at a formal party. It only wears that attire during the summer breeding season. It did swim close by us, people watching as it went, probably trying to identify us to species by the colors we were wearing.
Other species observed today were ravens and crows, Wild Turkey, American Goldfinch, Blue Jays, Starlings, Mourning and Rock Doves, American Robins, Song Sparrow, English or house sparrow, and gray squirrel. Our first local Turkey Vulture of the season was the final sighting of the day as it soared over the Environmental Center.
Dave Small
Athol, Massachusetts
www.dhsmall.net/
If you wish to volunteer to lead a trip please contact
Dave Small or
Events Coordinator Sue Cloutier 978-544-7500