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Checklist S69134759

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Main Details

Location Wingaersheek Beach
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Additional Details

People

Owner Marshall Iliff

Effort

Protocol:  Traveling
  • Observers:  1
  • Distance:  1.3 mi

Checklist Comments

When I arrived there was light mist and a bit of drizzle and it was chilly. I was feeling optimistic that this was it, and hearing a Blackburnian and Nashville out the window when I arrived helped my optimism. When I parked there was no obvious morning flight, so I walked back to check on the Blackburnian. That took just five minutes and when I got back to the entrance gate it was immediately obvious that birds were starting to use the flight line I had hoped for: movement W along the vegetation of the beach and then a jump across the gap of the parking lot, or fly along the marsh edge of the causeway on the E side. Both give very quick chances to identify them. Unfortunately the fight quickly went from 5-10 birds per minutes to many dozens, which rapidly became overwhelming. I tried to use a clicker and binoculars, but also had a camera (which I never could swing up in time) and the phone to record numbers. Most birds gave little more than 2-4 seconds to identify them and packets of warblers rapidly increased to groups of 20-40. while many were most or all Myrtles, from what I saw and heard, who knows what I missed. There were three main flight lines: low (across parking lot jumping from one veg patch to the next), high moving W along the beach strand and then high along road or overhead, and distant (taking "normal" cut straight across marsh to south. This latter was most active late as it started to clear. The flight was super hot from 5:40-6:20, with almost 1000 warblers in that period. But then is slowed abruptly and the next hours was just a trickle of a few at a time.

I am not sure why the flight started and ended so abruptly. Perhaps these were all birds grounded on the sandspit itself rather than birds moving across from Cape Ann. This surprised me a bit, since I initially visited this site expecting birds to move in reorientation flight along the north/west side of Cape Ann and across the channel from the Annisquam Yacht Club. I did not see any birds taking this flight line and could not identify a flight line of birds coming from Cape Ann.

WEATHER: Strong migration behind warm front overnight, but frontal boundary with associated thunderstorms swept across region from sw. Massachusetts to Cape Ann overnight, bringing strong wind, thunderstorms, and periods of heavy rain to Dedham around 9:30pm. Radar indicated lots of birds moving within and between squall lines and areas of heavy rain, which is probably the best predictor of spring fallout and maybe fast moving storms like this are a key factor in major offshore transport (e.g., to Cape Cod). Conditions were good when I left, with light drizzle and moderately low ceiling, but improved further n Cape Ann where ground level mist was associated with the coast. This lifted quickly (e.g., by 6:30) and may have been a factor in the change in the flight; by 7:30 winds had picked up and were 10-15 mph from NW.

Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 2.1.5

Totals

98
Species Observed
+2 other taxa, 1,839 individuals

Observations

  1. Canada Goose

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    heard distantly

  2. Mallard

    Number observed:  1

  3. American Black Duck

    Number observed:  5

    Details

    *interesting flock of five that flew towards me from marshes and then continued on to fly N or NNW out over the ocean towards Plum Island; seemed to be migrants, although this seems like a late date for migration in the species; ph

  4. Common Eider (Dresser's)

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    pair on rocks off mouth of Lobster Cove

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    P Pair in Suitable Habitat (Probable)

  5. White-winged Scoter

    Number observed:  2

  6. Long-tailed Duck

    Number observed:  7

    Details

    including 4 high-fliers over the Annisquam heading S

  7. Mourning Dove

    Number observed:  1

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  8. Chimney Swift

    Number observed:  7

    Details

    migrating along strand on same flight line as warblers

  9. Black-bellied Plover

    Number observed:  35

    Details

    large flock in flooded marshes, counted carefully in marshes S of tip of spit

  10. Semipalmated Plover

    Number observed:  6

    Details

    a couple small groups flying around

  11. Short-billed Dowitcher (griseus)

    Number observed:  8

    Details

    one flock flew in with a few Lesser Yellowlegs, landed, and then continued on west; pewsonal FOY and my first here

  12. Solitary Sandpiper

    Number observed:  3

    Details

    two migrants in morning flight heading W and one flushed from marsh panne that later continued W

  13. Lesser Yellowlegs

    Number observed:  9

  14. Willet (Eastern)

    Number observed:  4

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    C Courtship, Display, or Copulation (Probable)

  15. Greater Yellowlegs

    Number observed:  10

    Details

    a few groups flying around as marshes were flooded

  16. Dunlin

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    breeding plumaged bird in with Black-bellied Plovers; my first here

  17. Purple Sandpiper

    Number observed:  5

    Details

    continuing group, this time on rocks to west of river mouth

  18. Least Sandpiper

    Number observed:  12

  19. Ring-billed Gull

    Number observed:  5

  20. American Herring Gull

    Number observed:  47

  21. Great Black-backed Gull

    Number observed:  12

  22. Least Tern

    Number observed:  3

    Details

    confirmed that birds were cutting overland / up the Annisquam today; first a loner and then two birds flying NW over land after presumably moving north up Annisquam; still not fully "in" here so these seemed like clear arriving migrants; ph

  23. Red-throated Loon

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    flying high offshore; basic plumage

  24. Common Loon

    Number observed:  5

    Details

    migrants over land moving NW; much lower numbers than recent visits

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    F Flyover (Observed)

  25. Northern Gannet

    Number observed:  3

    Details

    offshore; did not scan out there much

  26. Double-crested Cormorant

    Number observed:  30

    Details

    low number of birds migrating NW

  27. Yellow-crowned Night Heron

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    *rare; surprising bird seen distantly to south flying over treetops and heading S or SW. I got it in the scope and was able to watch for 20 sec and see a cold brown night-heron with legs tucked but trailing well past tail, neck that looked a bit S-curved(not hunched into shouldered as much as Black-crowned) and bill that looked quite thick on a blocky head. The plumage was a worn SY bird and th contrast between flight feathers and coverts was less than I expected. These are easy to identify in flight based on silhouette though and this bird also did not look as pale brown and tawny as a Black-crowned would. Not sure if this is a local bird or arrival as part of the weather event. Fun to see anyway and my overdue first for the state in May.

  28. Little Blue Heron

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    adult; in marshes just S of tip of spit

  29. Snowy Egret

    Number observed:  4

  30. Great Egret

    Number observed:  1

  31. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Northern)

    Number observed:  1

  32. Red-tailed Hawk

    Number observed:  1

  33. Red-bellied Woodpecker

    Number observed:  1

  34. Downy Woodpecker

    Number observed:  2

  35. Hairy Woodpecker

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    heard giving one loud "peek" call by grassy parking lot; rare here?

  36. Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)

    Number observed:  2

  37. Least Flycatcher

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    heard singing

  38. Eastern Phoebe

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    singing from neighborhood

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  39. Great Crested Flycatcher

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    in low morning flight across parking lot

  40. Eastern Kingbird

    Number observed:  8

    Details

    3 residents, 5 in high morning flight

  41. Blue-headed Vireo

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    both in low morning flight across parking lot

  42. Blue Jay

    Number observed:  9

    Details

    about half in morning flight along parking lot

  43. American Crow

    Number observed:  8

  44. Black-capped Chickadee

    Number observed:  5

  45. Tufted Titmouse

    Number observed:  3

  46. Bank Swallow

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    flew up from south

  47. Tree Swallow

    Number observed:  8

  48. Northern Rough-winged Swallow

    Number observed:  1

  49. Barn Swallow (American)

    Number observed:  15

  50. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    in low morning flight across parking lot

  51. White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern)

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    stream valley; male

  52. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Eastern)

    Number observed:  3

    Details

    all three in morning flight

  53. Carolina Wren

    Number observed:  2

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  54. European Starling

    Number observed:  7

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    CF Carrying Food (Confirmed)

  55. Gray Catbird

    Number observed:  12

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  56. Brown Thrasher

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    including the one bird that mimics an Eastern Whip-poor-will

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  57. Northern Mockingbird

    Number observed:  3

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  58. Wood Thrush

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    calling by entrance gate at first arrival; continuing bird here?

  59. American Robin

    Number observed:  4

  60. Cedar Waxwing

    Number observed:  12

    Details

    surprisingly absent; NW winds pushing them away?

  61. American Pipit

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    *uncommon in spring; widely separated birds heard giving ‘sip’ and ‘sip-pit’ flight calls high overhead as they moved W

  62. House Finch

    Number observed:  1

  63. American Goldfinch

    Number observed:  10

    Details

    no obvious movement

  64. Chipping Sparrow

    Number observed:  3

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  65. Field Sparrow

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    one singing, one likely migrant feeding near White-crowneds

  66. White-crowned Sparrow (Dark-lored)

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    adults made morning flight crossing of parking lot and then fed along brush edges by entrance station

  67. White-throated Sparrow

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    heard; not prevalent today

  68. Saltmarsh Sparrow

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    heard singing in the phragmites at the exact spot I had a Nelson's Sparrow earlier in the month; seen well, showing dark malar, dense dark streaking across breast and down flanks, long bill, and whitish belly; presumably a breeder here, but tis was maybe a migrant?

  69. Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)

    Number observed:  4

    Details

    no obvious migration unlike other visits

  70. Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica)

    Number observed:  9

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  71. Lincoln's/Swamp Sparrow

    Number observed:  3

    Details

    buzzy flight notes from dense brush as they moved along the causeway; likely Lincoln’s

  72. Eastern Towhee

    Number observed:  4

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  73. Bobolink

    Number observed:  32

    Details

    multiple flocks flying overhead heading W, up to about 12 birds

  74. Orchard Oriole

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    heard singing

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  75. Baltimore Oriole

    Number observed:  6

    Details

    two locals and about 4 in morning flight

  76. Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)

    Number observed:  25

    Details

    not as prevalent in movement than recent dates

  77. Brown-headed Cowbird

    Number observed:  8

  78. Common Grackle

    Number observed:  12

  79. Ovenbird

    Number observed:  4

    Details

    thre signing, one made morning flight jump low across parking lot

  80. Northern Waterthrush

    Number observed:  5

    Details

    singing and calling; none noticed in morning flight, surprisingly

  81. Black-and-white Warbler

    Number observed:  9

    Details

    most in morning flight

  82. Nashville Warbler

    Number observed:  5

    Details

    all in morning flight, with two seen well in trees after jump

  83. Common Yellowthroat

    Number observed:  7

    Details

    probably many more in thickets; these were all right around parking lot including one that made what seemed like a low morning flight jump across the parking lot

  84. American Redstart

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    amazingly low; high morning flight

  85. Cape May Warbler

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    lower than expected; identified by flight call in high morning flight

  86. Northern Parula

    Number observed:  41

    Details

    minimum count in morning flight, including both high and low (across parking lot); easily identified by flight call under these conditions, so I don't think I missed many; note that this is very different from the ratios on Cape Cod, where parula outnumbered Myrtle.

  87. Magnolia Warbler

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    stream valley

  88. Bay-breasted Warbler

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    ad male in morning flight; fewer than expected

  89. Blackburnian Warbler

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    one singing in trees when I arrived and another adult male in beauttful high morning flight

  90. Yellow Warbler (Northern)

    Number observed:  7

    Details

    locals

    Breeding & Behavior Code:

    S Singing Bird (Possible)

  91. Blackpoll Warbler

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    adult male in high morning flight

  92. Black-throated Blue Warbler

    Number observed:  4

    Details

    3 males in high morning flight and one female in low morning flight

  93. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)

    Number observed:  775

    Details

    *high; careful count of birds identified visually and by flight calls (checks and seeps) as they established the main morning flight streams, almost evently distributed between the low line and the high line; peak flight 5:35-6:20 slowed 620 to reasonable flow

  94. Prairie Warbler

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    high morning flight

  95. Black-throated Green Warbler

    Number observed:  4

    Details

    low morning flight, with one in high morning flight

  96. Wilson's Warbler

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    high morning flight

  97. new world warbler sp.

    Number observed:  485

    Details

    *high; careful tally using clicker for low numbers and estimating large flocks right in the app; surely more than 90% Myrtles (from the distant high flight line) though this was also used for known non-Myrtles that I could not get to species

  98. Northern Cardinal

    Number observed:  1

  99. Rose-breasted Grosbeak

    Number observed:  2

    Details

    singing near entrance gate

  100. Indigo Bunting

    Number observed:  3

    Details

    all in high morning flight