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WORDS ON BIRDS
Spring Brings Birds into Transition
March 29, 2008
Steve Grinley
This is a transitional time. The bitter cold days of
winter are, hopefully, behind us, as each storm that goes through is
now mostly rain. Once in a while we get teased with a warmer day when
temperatures "soar" into the fifties. Pussy willows are budding and
crocus are showing in warmer corners of yards, yet clumps of snow can
still be found in the shaded woods. Hints of spring are around us, but
reminders of winter linger as well.
Late March to early April is an "in between time" in
the bird world as well. Many wintering species are still lingering in
the area, while some early spring migrants are just showing up. The
eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks and wintering loons are still
feeding along the coast. The Wednesday morning birding group out of
the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Center found two Iceland gulls still in
Newburyport Harbor along with long-tailed ducks, common goldeneye,
red-breasted mergansers and bufflehead. These wintering birds were
contrasted by the 3 great blue herons that were migrating overhead,
arriving from the south.
In addition to more herons arriving, there were two
common egrets seen in the marsh behind the New Pines Trail on the
Parker River Refuge this week. We saw three Eastern meadowlarks in the
field next to the Pines and meadowlarks have been heard singing from
the North Pool Overlook as well. A few piping plovers have already
been spotted near Sandy Point at the southern end of Plum Island. Only
a few ospreys have been reported in this area thus far, though I did
see more than a dozen in the Westport area this past Sunday - some of
them already taking possession of their nests. The West Newbury bald
eagles are already sitting on eggs.
Woodcock have been doing their spring display at dusk
on Plum Island and in surrounding communities. We had a dozen or more
woodcock calling and displaying in the Newburyport Industrial Park a
couple of weeks ago. The closely-related Wilson's snipe are just
starting to arrive. A dozen birds were counted on Wednesday, but soon,
hundreds of snipe will collect and feed in the muddy fields off
Scotland Road in Newbury, especially in the newly acquired Greenbelt
property. Most of these snipe will continue further north. Killdeer
are calling from the dry fields along Scotland Road and many of them
will stay and nest in the area. We are still awaiting the arrival of
blue-winged teal in the Scotland Road wet areas. Now, green-winged
teal, pintail, mallards and a few wigeon are the only ducks present so
far.
I took a walk down Pike's Bridge Road in West Newbury
the other evening, hoping that there might be a blue-winged teal
there. The road was quite muddy, but passable without special boots. I
was surprised to see the water completely open at that end since the
majority of the Artichoke Reservoir from Turkey Hill Road is still
frozen. As I approached the bridge, I flushed a small flock of
ring-necked ducks. I counted about eighteen. Then four wood duck took
flight, squealing as they went overhead. The wood ducks are early
spring migrants and will nest in the area. The ring-necks are moving
through and will head further north in the weeks ahead. Alas, no
blue-winged teal yet.
I did see a great blue heron fly up from the end of the
marsh, and then it passed overhead. From the bridge, I heard the
whinny of a Wilson's snipe, but I was unable to see it. Mixed flocks
of red-winged blackbirds, cowbirds and grackles also passed overhead,
heading for their evening roost. Those of you that have feeders may
have started to experience these "harbingers of spring" as these
blackbirds descend on your yard and clean out your feeders in no time.
A few of the redwings were trying to establish territories in the
marsh, but most of these birds will continue their flights to other
areas to breed.
I have seen more bluebirds these past couple of weeks
and, despite the cold and threat of snow, customers from West Newbury,
Salisbury, Newbury and Rowley have reported bluebirds back at their
nest boxes. And though high temperatures are supposed to only be in
the low forties this weekend, it is warming to know that the arrival
of the first hummingbirds can now be counted in weeks, rather than in
months. Steve Grinley
Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift and Nature Shop at Joppa Flats
Newburyport, MA
BirdWSG@Verizon.net
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