Happy Easter...and BIRDS!

I woke up at 6am with the intention to hit up Dexter Drumlin for the Snow and Greater White-fronted Goose. I figured if I got there at sunrise I would have the best chance before flocks of geese depart. Well that didn't happen. I didn't have enough time to do that before the kids would wake up and then I would miss the Easter Basket and Egg Hunt! So I thought I'd just stick around Millbury and find a Fox Sparrow. I headed to Cross St Powerlines. An eBird hotspot.  I was quickly approached by a National Grid Security Guard who said I couldn't be where I was. Long story short I said I'll do whatever I want on this public property. I told him to call the police and wait for them while I continued on birding. Short time later the Police showed up. I said I am birding...on public land and I am sorry these security guards wasted your time. He said I had a right to be there and wished me Happy Easter as I left. What's even better is I was able to get a Fox Sparrow. This is a new town bird for me! While photographing the Fox a Field started singing and I was able to get that out of the way as well.

I went home for some early morning Easter activities till it was time to pick up Bagels. I made a detour to Dexter Drumlin. I was able to finally get a Snow Goose. The Greater White-fronted Goose must have moved on.

In Charlton, at my parents house I wandered into the backyard down to the swamp. I haven't birded to much at the house and on the property (except if you remember my 1st Common Redpoll of the year and a photographed Pileated Woodpecker). The Pileated was calling quite a bit. I was unable to find the nest cavity but I know its there. While enjoying some peace and quite in the woods away from the house full of about 30-40 people I heard a Fox Sparrow start singing! There ended up being 2. What a great day for them! Later in the day Bart Kamp called me and left a message stating that he had found 4 Glossy Ibis at Bolton Flats. It was tough sitting on this all day. Realized as we were driving home I could make it before sunset. 40 min later....Boom 4 Glossy Ibis...and the Snow Goose again. My feet and legs are still in pain. I had to walk in almost knee deep called river water that flooded the area to get to the Ibis. But, as a birder....its worth it....So many birds to be had this week. Then its my birthday weekend!

Fox Sparrow- Millbury #81

Field Sparrow- Millbury  #82

Snow Goose- Lancaster #83

Glossy Ibis- Bolton #84

Decent Day..A Tough Miss. and a "new"county bird

I started my day with one thing on my mind...finding a rare goose. this day last year a Greater White-fronted Goose was found. i also wanted to try and find a fox sparrow, tree swallow and a rare damn goose. I checked some local spots first   still no Field Sparrow down the road. i then headed to Westborough WMA. Last year I had a handful of Fox Sparrows at this location. This year is not last year! They blocked off little Chauncey and I had the baby so I couldn't bring him in. I was able to photo two Common Ravens abd a crow up the same picture for size comparison. I did add Tree Swallow to the year list. No photo yet. 

Alan Marble then called be and told me about a Greater White-fronted Goose in Lancaster. Called it!! However the bird was gone. Off to Bolton Flats... I was able to get a Eurasian Green-winged Teal. A first for this county. 3 Wilson's Snipe were also hanging around. 

Common Ravens w/crow comparison- Westborough #79

Wilson's Snipe- Bolton #80

Green-winged Teal (Eurasian)- Bolton doesn't count as a new species however!

Photo Upgrades

Mallard

 Canada Goose

Few Additions

Yesterday I went back to the Osprey nest site and had two Ospreys hanging around.  Still later than I usually get them. No Eastern Phoebes at that same location. Again I usually have those as well. Not like these are rare or anything. In a month they will be daily birds everywhere. I just like to beat my previous old records. This year on most birds they are late.

At work one of the Peregrine Falcons was hanging in downtown Worcester on the Bank building. Always cheers me up at work. I had a break from my shift for a bit so my mom picked me up and we headed to Wachusett Reservoir to listen for Barred Owls. We have been going every week for the past month and they just weren't calling. We had put in about an hour at multiple locations with nothing. I suggested we go back to the original location and sure enough one started calling. We then heard the begging of an owlet. The moon was bright so we could see the Barred Owl sitting in a tree and I was able to get an awful shot! I won't complain because any owl shot is just awesome. 

Today I went back to the local Osprey spot and was joined by Alan Marble. One Osprey came through and this time an Eastern Phoebe made a loud appearance. Check.

Osprey-Grafton #76

Barred Owl- West Boylston #77

Eastern Phoebe- Grafton #78

Upgrades

Beyond Massachusetts and Back!

So yesterday my regional birding gears kicked back in. I had to go and chase the mega-rare Surfbird that had been present for a week as of yesterday. I started planning the trip out on Wednesday. I asked my buddy Ryan if he wanted to do a real bird chase.  He obliged. The whole family was coming for this one. When we arrived to Biddeford Pool, Maine we immediately were greeted by a very white (as opposed to the darker birds we are used to do down here) Snowy Owl on a roof. After letting Ryan and myself snap a picture or two we continued down to the mega area.  While approaching Hatties Restaurant we could see about 20 birders out in the marsh with scopes out. The best sign one could hope for while chasing a lone rarity. We hustled through the wet marsh (tide just receded) towards the birders now waving their hands frantically for us to hurry and look through their scopes before it flies. Great people. Then, there it was. A bit distant but, great through the scope. I probably got my worst record shot ever of it. Lifer! Sometimes a bird is too easy and sometimes a bird is impossible. After leaving there we decided to head down to Wells, Maine for a Gyrfalcon. My grandparents and my parents all own condos there so I'm very familiar with the area. We arrived and within minutes I called out Peregrine Falcon. Then all the other birders screamed Gyrfalcon. My photos ended up proving Peregrine Falcon. Bird just seemed small from the jump as it chased some pigeons.  We weren't gonna invest much time waiting for the bird. But now a few of us birding were questioning how many people thought they saw a Gyrfalcon over the weeks when it was a Peregrine Falcon. After our sighting yesterday the listservs started saying Gyrfalcon YES. Another reason I am pro camera! Last week Liam Waters was able to get photos of the bird. So it's still around!  Lunch was our next stop. Then I saw a crow on a wire. I thought it's gotta be a Fish Crow. Those still flag as rare there. Sure enough it started calling! Another state bird! For whatever reason I have a minimum goal to try and see at least 100 species in each state. I needed 5 for Maine and 3 for New Hampshire as of yesterday. Next we headed down to Adam's Point WMA in Durham to try for the Red-headed Woodpecker. Rook about 5 minutes for him to pop up. On to the next! Headed west to Manchester, New Hampshire for Bohemian Waxwings and Barrow's Goldeneye. The Waxwings were easy to add to the state list. The Barrow's on the Merrimack River took some work I was able to see a female. 

Of course since I left the county birds had to show up. Osprey, Snow Geese, Tree Swallows and an Iceland Gull (near my house although I already have) showed up. Today I will try for a couple things after work. 

So after work I got a call from Kim that there was a Snowy Owl at Worcester Airport. It ended up being a male Northern Harrier. Still a bird that was needed for the county!

New County Year Bird

Northern Harrier-Worcester #75

County Upgrade

Common Merganser

Yesterday's Out-of-state Chase

Surfbird...I promise!! lol

Peregrine Falcon

Red-headed Woodpecker

Bohemian Waxwings

New Town Bird and Year Bird

I didn't plan on doing any birding today before work at 2pm. I was maybe thinking of checking out Lake Quinsigamond again and possible Institute Park (good spot for Northern Shovelor). I received a text from Alan Marble that he had found some Common Redpolls in Central Cemetery in some birch trees along the Blackstone River. I arrived within 10 min or so....gone. Now these aren't needed this year however Alan had made me very conscious of Millbury birding (and got me started on county birding as opposed to birding everywhere and anywhere else in the region). I left Alan at the original location and I drove around the cemetery looking at other birch trees. Took about 10 min and I found them on the other side. They posed for about 12 seconds and we never relocated them. We chatted for a bit and I headed home. Then I had an inkling to check another spot along the Blackstone. I was rewarded with a pair of Green-winged Teal that I was able to photograph for the year!

Green-winged Teal- Sutton #74

New Town Bird- Common Redpoll

Sunday Birding

This morning I headed back to a few spots from yesterday. This time I had my best bud Ryan in tow. He isn't a birder but he manned up and decided to play along. I continue to check Lake Quinsigamond in hopes of Grebes and/or a Canvasback. I also wanted to check on the Gull situation. I arrived and immediately spotted a Pied-billed Grebe for a new bird for the year photographed. No rare gulls present during my time but I saw after Ed Kittredge had them and the Grebe. I checked on the Redpoll situation and that was a negative.

Tonight Owen and I went for American Woodcocks at Riverbend Farm in Uxbridge. My yearly date for them is March 11. A little late this year. The ground was completely snow-covered and I was worried....but as soon as the light faded we had 4. I was able to get possibly the worst photo ever of a documentation shot. Maybe second only to a lifer Summer Tanager that I failed miserably at. C'mon spring!!

Pied-billed Grebe-Shrewsbury #72

American Woodcock- Uxbridge #73 (I will redeem this photo this year!)

After Work Birding

When I got home from work my goal was to grab the family and make a few stops. I wanted to try for Eastern Meadowlark at Tufts University. No luck. I did photograph finally a Red-tailed Hawk. This is the first time out of 65 Red-tailed Hawks this year that I actually was not at work, on a highway, and had my camera.  Just a record shot but none the less it counts. After leaving Tufts I wanted to try Westboro A-1 Site on Arch St for some ducks. This location is usually a mecca for Mute Swans. Today, there was 1 :).  I was able to update that species for the year.  There was still ice over 98 percent of the water. Only 6 Mallards were present with it. Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds were all over.  I was able to photograph a female Brown-headed Cowbird. A new species for the year! 4 species of Woodpeckers were also present and I was able to update my Hairy Woodpecker species picture. My next stop was going to be Lake Quinsigamond to check on the Iceland Gulls to try and get a late record date for my personal record for Worcester County. While driving I noticed a flock of small birds out of the corner of my eye and immediately it felt like finches. Then it clicked that there were all birch trees right there. I stopped and sure enough there were Common Redpolls EVERYWHERE. There were 103 birds in the trees and on the ground. The largest in the county this year and so close to home.

Red-tailed Hawk-Westborough  #70

Brown-headed Cowbird- Westborough #71

Upgrades

Mute Swan

Hairy Woodpecker

Common Redpoll Shots