Forbush Bird Club 2008 Trip Reports


The following are highlights of selected field trips of the Forbush Bird Club, listed in reverse chronological order:

7/6/08 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Gate 35 and Clinton Landfill
    Trip leader was Fran McMenemy. There were eleven participants, and 55 species recorded. The weather was Hazy, Hot, and Humid. This yearly trip usually counts on seeing newly hatch Loon chicks. This year the only two attempted nestings by loons were destroyed by the water level of the reservoir, which was raised significantly in June. Therefore there was no chance to see loon chicks this year. Surprisingly, the loon pair at Crescent Island re-nested on the new loon raft that the DCR had provided. We were able to see and hear this pair at the end of our walk-in at Gate 35.
    Species seen or heard:
    
    Common Loon
    Double-crested Cormorant
    Great Blue Heron
    Turkey Vulture
    Bald Eagle
    Red-tailed Hawk
    American Kestrel
    Wild Turkey
    Killdeer
    Spotted Sandpiper
    Ring-billed Gull
    Mourning Dove
    Chimney Swift
    Red=bellied Woodpecker
    Northern Flicker
    Eastern Wood-Pewee
    Eastern Phoebe
    Eastern Kingbird
    Yellow-throated Vireo
    Warbling Vireo
    Red-eyed Vireo
    Blue Jay
    American Crow
    Tree Swallow
    Barn Swallow
    Black-capped Chickadee
    Tufted Titmouse
    White-breasted Nuthatch
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
    Veery
    American Robin
    Gray Catbird
    Brown Thrasher
    Cedar Waxwing
    Yellow Warbler
    Chestnut-sided Warbler
    Pine Warbler
    Prairie Warbler
    Ovenbird
    Common Yellowthroat
    Scarlet Tanager
    Chipping Sparrow
    Field Sparrow
    Savannah Sparrow
    Song Sparrow
    Northern Cardinal
    Rose-breasted Grosbeak
    Indigo Bunting
    Red-winged Blackbird
    Eastern Meadowlark
    Common Grackle
    Brown-headed Cowbird
    Baltimore Oriole
    House Finch
    American Goldfinch
    
    (trip report from Fran McMenemy)

6/7/08 -- South Quabbin Park
On 6/7/08 I led 7 Forbush Club members on a trip to South Quabbin Park. It was 56 degrees when I left my house and 90 when I got back. At Quabbin it was very foggy. We saw or mostly heard 74 bird species.
Complete list:

Canada Goose
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Solitary Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow -throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Blue-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
(trip report from John Shea)

6/1/08 -- Barre Falls/Rutland State Park
(trip report from Dick Knowlton).

5/31/08 -- Oxbow National Refuge
(trip report from Jeffrey Roth)

5/24/08 -- Millbury Area
(trip report from Alan Marble)

5/22/08 -- Bolton Flats and Lancaster: Goatsucker and Woodcock Walk
(trip report from Barton Kamp)

5/18/08 -- Buck Hill, Spencer
     Leader:  Susan LaBree
     Weather:  Sunny, cool, little windy
     Participants:  10
     Species:  60

     Mallard 2
     Ruffed Grouse 1
     Great Blue Heron 1
     Broad-winged Hawk 1
     Mourning Dove 5
     Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
     Belted Kingfisher 1
     Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
     Downy Woodpecker 3
     Hairy Woodpecker 1
     Northern Flicker 1
     Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
     Least Flycatcher 1
     Eastern Phoebe 4
     Great Crested Flycatcher 2
     Eastern Kingbird 2
     Yellow-throated Vireo 1
     Blue-headed Vireo 3
     Warbling Vireo 1
     Red-eyed Vireo 8
     Blue Jay 5
     American Crow 4
     Tree Swallow 8
     Black-capped Chickadee 12
     Tufted Titmouse 4
     White-breasted Nuthatch 3
     Winter Wren 3
     Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
     Veery 2
     Hermit Thrush 2
     Wood Thrush 3
     American Robin 6
     Gray Catbird 3
     European Starling 2
     Blue-winged Warbler 4
     Yellow Warbler 1
     Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
     Magnolia Warbler 2
     Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
     Yellow-rumped Warbler 8
     Black-throated Green Warbler 9
     Pine Warbler 4
     Black-and-White Warbler 1
     American Redstart 2
     Ovenbird 12
     Northern Waterthrush 2
     Common Yellowthroat 6
     Scarlet Tanager 4
     Eastern Towhee 1
     Chipping Sparrow 3
     Song Sparrow 2
     Northern Cardinal 4
     Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5
     Bobolink Many
     Red-winged Blackbird 6
     Common Grackle 4
     Brown-headed Cowbird 8
     Baltimore Oriole 5
     American Goldfinch 6
     House sparrow 2
(trip report from Susan LaBree)

5/17/08 -- Mt. Wachusett State Reservation, Princeton
(trip report from Joan Zumpfe fide Joan Gallagher)

5/11/08 -- Mt Auburn Cemetery

Here is a link to a gallery of photos that were taken by Bruce deGraaf on the Mt Auburn trip.

(trip report from Dan Berard).

5/4/08 -- East Quabbin "auto tour"
(trip report from Tom Pirro).

5/3/08 Sylvester Street, Worcester Airport
(trip report from Susan LaBree)

4/27/08 -- Oxford and Dudley
(report from Paul Meleski).

4/11/08 -- Spring evening walk - Mass. Wildlife Headquarters, Westborough
(trip report from Laura Lane).

4/6/08 -- Bolton Flats/Wachusett Reservoir
(trip report from Alan Marble)

3/30/08 -- Forbush Bird Club trip: Brookfields
(trip report from Joan Zumpfe)

For previous sightings, see Trip Reports 2007