Our first stop was at the Athol Water Treatment Plant where gray catbird, tufted titmouse and downy woodpecker were seen and the beautiful song of the wood thrush was heard. A short walk down the path produced an American redstart (a colorful warbler) and the loud calls of a northern waterthrush (another warbler). The weezee, weezee, weezee, call of the black and white warbler helped us locate this nuthatch-like bird. A blackpoll warbler, the last warbler to reach Athol, was seen by some of the birders. Many red-winged blackbirds were claiming the newly exposed area that had been flooded due to beaver activity. The masked common yellowthroat and Canada warblers were found next. Many American goldfinches and song sparrows flitted about in the bushes next to some cedar waxwings. As we watched the waxwings they sat on a limb and passed a red berry back and forth. This behavior is typical of these birds and probably cements the groups bonds. Anyway it is fun to watch. An American black duck flew low over us and put down in one of the pools. House finch and the bland warbling vireo came next. Several tree swallows perched on a wire next to the road along with an eastern kingbird. A flock of displaying chimney swifts (many call them flying cigars) passed by over the Millers River and a lone rock dove, also called a pigeon, sailed by. The first shore bird was discovered. It turned out to be a solitary sandpiper. On the way back to the cars a common grackle and a pair of wood ducks were noted. A gray squirrel was our only mammal here.
Next stop was at the Orange Airport where the toy-like horned lark was spotted from the parking lot with the aid of Jeff Johnstone's fine telescope. A drive out Shingle Swamp Road produced a calling red-eyed vireo (called the preacher bird by old time New Englanders) and a northern mockingbird. A short walk through the brush led us to two brown thrashers. This species, like the mockingbird, belong to the mimic thrush family. Thrashers usually mimic the calls of other birds twice before moving on to a new call. A prairie warbler was heard but not seen and with much searching a female eastern bluebird was located sitting on the roof of a bird house. The loud call of a killdeer led us to find this inland plover. Next several displaying male bobolinks put on a show over a meadow and a least sandpiper flew into the airport. The only bird called a swallow in England (our barn swallow) with its dramatic coloration, shape and flying skills, swept over the group. A northern flicker, the state bird of Alabama (called there the yellowhammer) was listed next. After a short walk to check for rare sparrows, we were rewarded with a pair of vesper sparrows. These birds can be identified by their junco-like tail with its white outer tail feather. With the aid of a tape a rare grasshopper sparrow was brought into view for the naturalists. A female hooded merganser and a brown-headed cowbird were noted on the way back to the car. A short stop at the Orange boat ramp of East River Street added a vocal Baltimore Oriole. Jonathan Bridge was our next destination. The hard to see alder flycatcher was brought into view by using its taped call. A good look at this bird was had along with a black-throated blue warbler and a black-capped chickadee. A stop on a dirt road in the outskirts of Orange added the woodpecker-like brown creeper and a calling ovenbird. A magnolia warbler and a white-breasted nuthatch were identified at this stop. A little farther along on this road a pair of wet looking eastern phoebes flew low over a soggy field. The "Pleased to meet you, Miss Beecher!" call of a chestnut-sided warbler came to us from the bushes along the roadside. Our next stop flushed a perched broad-winged hawk from a tree by the side of the road. A yellow-bellied sapsucker answered a tape of its call, but never came into view. Purple finches and goldfinches were seen at a feeder next to the road.
At the last stop at Lake Mattawa two common loons were seen out on the water. This family is the oldest living group of birds found in North America and are a joy to see.
The fifth and final of the Friday morning field trips will be held on May 30th. Jeff will meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street, Athol. Open to any interested person.
Dave Small
Athol, Massachusetts
www.dhsmall.net/
If you wish to volunteer to lead a trip please contact
Sue Cloutier at 978-544-7500
or Dave Small