Allen's Pond--Quansett Trail, Bristol, MA, USA, 29-Sep-2012

12:35 PM - 1:55 PM

Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: After Gooseberry I made a quick visit to Allens Pond & walked part of the trail to the first viewpoint on the Quansett Trail.
Weather: cold, overcast, drizzle on & off.
19 species

American Black Duck 8 in total; 2 initially then a group of 6 later.
Mallard 3
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant X

AMERICAN BITTERN 2 in total, but one seen at first as it flew up above the reeds. Then two rose up from the same area the first went down & flapped around for a several seconds before disappearing again in the reeds; they then did it again. Very distinctive flight & appearance, very similar to bitterns in the UK I had seen, & it really couldn't have been anything else. Life-tick.

Great Egret 6 minimum on the pond.
Snowy Egret 2 on the pond amongst the great egrets.
Osprey 1 over, from carpark.
Northern Harrier 1 ringtail, perched then flew off, on the far-side of the pond, near to the sea.
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Herring Gull X
Northern Flicker 2 flew off towards the house that adjoins the path; the first one had a white rump.

Merlin 1 flew across rapidly across the side of the pond on which I was standing. Small size & falcon-like flight identified it even though, as usual, I only saw it for a few seconds.

Carolina Wren 1 seen briefly near the swamp sparrows.
American Robin X - several into the tree behind where I was observing the swamp sparrows.
Grey Catbird 4 + including a noisy few that scolded me as I stood on the boardwalk.
Northern Mockingbird X
Song Sparrow X

SWAMP SPARROW 3 to 6; dark brown, double crown, grey back neck/mantle, pale bib, light-streaked chest, scatty tail, dark eye stripe, two malar stripes/mustache. All these field marks allowed me to identify this species of sparrow from song sparrow. They moved around low to the ground & at one point one came very close allowing excellent view of its markings. Also plumper & greyer in general than song sparrow. A life-tick.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13380635

Allen's Pond--Quansett Trail, Bristol, MA, USA, 10-Jun-2012

1:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Second part of a thorough walkabout at Allens Pond, first part was the beach loop followed by the Quansett Trail all the way out to Reuben's Point, taking in Zylee Brook and the Western Overlook Trail.
Weather: hot & sunny; spectacular!
26 species

Mute Swan 2 adults plus chicks on Zylee Brook.
Gadwall 2 males, with white wing blocks on Zylee Brook.
Mallard 3 males on Allens Pond.
Green-winged Teal 2 , a pair on fresh Pond.
Willet 2 mating!
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 female.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 heard.
Willow Flycatcher 1 in the small meadow just before Reuben's Point. It had two neat white wingbars & a V on its chest. Gave a 2-tone call note not far off but not quite 'peewee'. I checked the call & was able to identify - a life-tick.
Great Crested Flycatcher 1 in & out to a nest box on Zylee Brook.
Red-eyed Vireo X - heard first but a brief glimpse later on. Later still, I couldn't miss a vireo sp. on a low branch along the trail with clean underparts, buff uppers, darker crown, ear coverts, eye stripe not beyond its eye, notched tail, dark eye with 'wheedh' call note. Field marks all identifying a juvenile red-eyed which was being fed by its parent.
Blue Jay 1 juvenile on the way back down the trail. It was being mobbed by a red-eyed vireo & a yellow warbler.
Barn Swallow 2
Black-capped Chickadee X - at Fresh Pond.
Tufted Titmouse X - heard.
White-breasted Nuthatch X
Veery 1 heard first, coming towards where I was standing on the path, then it flew through the clearing. My first (very brief) view of one.
Wood Thrush 2 just after the ovenbird, one showed itself then another. Small, raised crown.
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 4 atop the tall shrubs as I came to the end of the trail near the carpark, i.e., the last species seen.
Ovenbird X - a few heard at first, then at one point along the trail, thick in the woods, one popped up onto a fairly high branch, looked at me & flew off. It confused me at first because it wasn't on the ground but I soon clicked & realised what it was. A first sighting although I had already heard them many times before.
Common Yellowthroat 1 heard giving its distinctive repeating call.
American Redstart 1 male quickly moved through the canopy.
Yellow Warbler X - including one male that came very close as I stood taking photos of it.
Saltmarsh Sparrow 2 seen on separate occasions, one on way out, the other on the way back. Both low in the short marsh-grass on Allens Pond. I had the best look at the first one: good size, longish bill, small tail, yellowish lores(?). The second one looked smaller & greyer but I think it was more to do with the light & distance. Photos helped to identify them later on - life-tick.
Northern Cardinal 1 heard.
American Goldfinch 1 male.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13231033

Allen's Pond--Beach Loop, Bristol, MA, USA, 10-Jun-2012

10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out almost all day roving around the Allen's pond reserve, mainly hoping to see seaside sparrows. I walked the beach loop then the Quansett trail out to Zylee Brook - to be covered in a separate submission.
A long walk with camera, no 'scope.
Weather: hot & sunny; spectacular!
25 species

Canada Goose 5 including a chick.
American Black Duck 1 female.
Common Eider X - at sea, all females.
Double-crested Cormorant X - on sea rocks.
Green Heron 1 in small reedbed next to carpark. Rusty head, steely body/wings, bright orange feet.
Turkey Vulture X - outside reserve boundaries.
Osprey 1 over marshes outside reserve boundaries.
Piping Plover X - a chick seen on the beach first, later, adults as well.
Killdeer X - the first of a few seen was doing its broken wing distraction display.
Willet X - first seen over the pond with distinctive white wing patches; later very noisy disputes were heard & I had better views as I walked along the path next to the pond. An easy life-tick.
Herring Gull X - over.
Least Tern X - several overhead making their way along the shore to a nesting colony, easy to identify due to their size. Life-tick.
Common Tern X - over.
Mourning Dove X
Tree Swallow X
American Robin X
Grey Catbird X - first seen next to thrasher.
Northern Mockingbird X - heard distantly first then a later flyby in the carpark.
Brown Thrasher 1 singing in bushes alongside the pond-side path. Very distinctive bird, it sang from atop a bush before heading into the undergrowth where it continued to sing. A mockingbird also started to sing followed by a catbird, all in a row, allowing a nice comparison of all their similar but different song styles!
Yellow Warbler 4 seen in total; first one was on bushes next to the beach, later I saw 3 flitting about the grass in the meadow next to the carpark. Easily identified, through distinctive, jewel-like all-yellow colour; a life-tick.
Song Sparrow X
Bobolink 1 male, flying from a wall along the meadow. Very distinctive plumage and song. I listened to its great voice for a wall, trying to get photos as it sallied back & forth over the meadow. Life-tick.
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
House Sparrow X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13221583

Allen's Pond--Beach Loop, Bristol, MA, USA, 7-Apr-2012

2:40 PM - 5:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out hoping for early migrants.
Weather: bright, cold, windy (S).
22 species

Canada Goose X
American Black Duck 2 , a pair mating on the Pond, just after the northern harrier had attempted to snatch one!
Common Eider 5 at sea.
Surf Scoter 3 initially at sea, then more flying further out.
Bufflehead 7
Red-breasted Merganser X
Northern Gannet 4 at sea, near a boat. I followed one through the scope as it got more distant.
Double-crested Cormorant 8 approx.
Great Cormorant 1 with the double-crested cormorants, White cheek patch but no white thigh patch.
Great Egret 4 total. 1 seen initially as I walked the beach & looked over at the pond. 3 more added to the total when I walked along the pond; all foraging in the reedbeds & often quite close together.
Osprey 4 on distant nesting (Lloyd Centre) platforms. FOY for me, later I saw one fly up from Allens pond with a large fish in its claws.
Northern Harrier 1 ringtail, distant over marshes off the reserve on private property.
Peregrine Falcon 1 possible; on distant rocks near the osprey platforms. Seemed to have the size, colour & profile but it sat without moving & the heat-haze didn't allow a good view, & I didn't see it take flight which would have helped. It was semi-mobbed by the killdeer but didn't seem disturbed in the slightest.
Piping Plover 4 total. As I walked the beach I could heard faint 'peeping' but couldn't see anything. After looking at the cormorants I looked down & finally saw what was making the noise - a couple of piping plovers. I watched them walk away from me up the shore where they were met by another two plovers. They all then proceeded to strut around & face off against each other, walking low & fanning out their tails, all the time making their piping calls. Eventually the two pairs split & went about their business like nothing had happened. A great bit of behaviour to observe & I even managed to video-scope a few clips of it.
Killdeer 2 just off the beach as I headed to the pond-side trail.
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
American Robin X
European Starling X - in a large-ish mixed flock of RW blackbirds on private fields adjacent to the reserve.
Savannah Sparrow 1 singing from beach-side bush with yellow lores.
Red-winged Blackbird X - a few around the car-park, more later in a large-ish mixed flock of starlings on private fields adjacent to the reserve.
House Sparrow X

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

Allen's Pond--Quansett Trail, Bristol, MA, USA, 10-Mar-2012

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Out with my father-in-law around Allens Pond. We walked the Quansett trail hoping to make the beach loop later, but it was a longer walk than expected so we contented ourselves with our walk around the pond & through the woods.
Weather: bright, sunny, cold, breezy (E).
15 species

American Black Duck X
Green-winged Teal 2 , a pair on Allens Pond & then side-marshes of Fresh Pond.
Bufflehead 1 male.
Hooded Merganser 3 females on Allens pond.
Common Merganser 9 approx.
Great Blue Heron X
Northern Harrier 1 ringtail between Allens Pond & the beach.
Killdeer 3 with the teal.
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 3 individuals over from the sea/beach.
Carolina Wren X - one distant then one close-by on way back to the car.
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 flew close amongst the low bushes at one of the the viewpoints.
American Robin X
Northern Cardinal 1 male.
Red-winged Blackbird X - heard first on distant side of Allens Pond, then 3 around the car-park including close-by on fenceposts.

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

Mass Audubon Allen's Pond, Westport, MA, USA, 18/09/2009

3:40pm. Weather: bright, sunny, cool, stiff breeze.

An afternoon visit to a local reserve with Dinha. A brisk walk on a windy beach though not too many species about a nice place with potential.

Beach:
Eider, Double-Crested Cormorant.
Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover - flying along the waves in a small group & one or two plovers on the tide line.

Inland:
Northern Harrier - ringtail, quatering above the marshy vegetation inland between the beach & the pond.

Pond:
Great Back-Backed Gull, Herring Gull.
Great Egret - on the distant far shore within the estuary.
Mute Swan, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, American Crow.

12 species.