Monday 16 January 2012

Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area--IBA, Suffolk, MA, USA, 16-Jan-2012

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
10.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out on a boat with Kim for a Boston Harbor Winter Wildlife Cruise with up to 200 other people who braved the chilly conditions. A good selection of seabirds but unfortunately no snowy owls. Some in group did spot a king eider however by the time I reached that side of the boat it had disappeared.
19 species

Mute Swan 4
American Black Duck X
Mallard X - Long Wharf.
Common Eider X
Surf Scoter X - the commonest bird of the day.
White-winged Scoter X - most seen off Hull.
Long-tailed Duck X - most off Hull.
Bufflehead X - off Hull.
Red-breasted Merganser X - a female initially, then lots more throughout the cruise.
Red-throated Diver X
Great Northern Diver X - off Hull.
Red-necked Grebe 2 with 1 near Long Island allowing good views when it took flight, & another later in the trip.
Great Cormorant X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 in the water of Long Wharf, observed before the boat set off.
Great Black-backed Gull X
Razorbill 2 seen, 1 near to the wharf, then 1 coming back by the airport.
Black Guillemot 1 by Long Island.

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Monday 2 January 2012

Bass Rocks, Essex, MA, USA, 2-Jan-2012


1:30 PM - 1:50 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments: At the Elk's Club on Atlantic Avenue with Kim looking for the new sea duck. We couldn't find it at first but then another birder arrived & pinned it down.
Weather: bright, cold, breezy
8 species

King Eider 1 on the sea quite far out. Luckily another birder had managed to pick it out with his scope allowing Kim & I to get on it. An amazing bird to see even though far away. A life-tick.
Common Eider 3
White-winged Scoter 12 +
Bufflehead 20
Red-throated Diver 2
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 3
American Crow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Cherry Hill Reservoir, Essex, MA, USA, 2-Jan-2012

10:10 AM - 12:10 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments: With Kim looking for a couple of reported rarities in the same location.
Weather: bright, sunny spells but with some cloud & minor light snow flurries - the cold & breezy.
8 species

Canada Goose 12
Canvasback 1 lone male on the reservoir. Had been in residence a few weeks, an easy to spot when we pulled up. A life-tick.
Ring-necked Duck 1 with the canvasback. Another life-tick.
Common Merganser 20 at the far end of the reservoir, quite a good size flock.
Ruddy Duck 30 approx.
Cassin's Kingbird 1 in residence on a reservoir-side property, well reported over a few weeks. It took a while to show but when it did it stayed around for a while. Distinctive-looking & feeding actively offering some good photo opportunities, & attracting a steady stream of admirers. A life-tick.
Eastern Bluebird 1
European Starling 12

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)