This week, Dave Weaver and I squired a happy horde of birders on our Wednesday Morning Birding outing. We headed inland first, discovering that the great rains of the day before had so flooded the fields at Scotland Road that the ducks, which we had been enjoying so much, had moved to the way, way back of the fields and were barely discernible through a spotting scope. No matter, we had heard about the Greater White-fronted Goose at Cherry Hill Reservoir, so we scooted over there. Sure enough, the GWFG was grazing contentedly among the small flock of Canada Geese in the field to the left of the horse paddocks.
Greater White-fronted Goose with Wilson’s Snipes! – Susan Balser
Just as exciting, part of our group was drawn to watch the shenanigans of numerous Wilson’s Snipes around the small pond on the “farmette,” who were dashing back and forth across the pond to our delight. Among the Tree Swallows migrating through was at least one Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and a Common Loon sat alone on the reservoir.
Wilson’s Snipe – Mike Densmore
The ducks we had hoped for were down at the south end of the reservoir. We found a nice raft of Ruddy Ducks, joined by one Lesser Scaup, who held his small crest just right for a positive identification. Common Mergansers paraded around in sets of two: a mated pair and a couple of females. One of our group snuck off to find a distant Pied-billed Grebe, so far away as to make herding our horde to see it rather impractical. A randy Wild Turkey clucked unseen in the forest. We decided to head back toward the coast, spotting one female Wood Duck in one of the many pools in the forest along Moulton Road.
Ruddy Ducks and Lesser Scaup – David Moon
As we passed the airfield across from Joppa Flats, the lead van made a rapid stop to check on the small flock of Northern Flickers, five in all, foraging at the west end of the strip. There had been Eastern Meadowlarks there, just the day before…. Approaching Plum Island, it was very noticeable that Great Egrets were scattered everywhere on the marsh. At the dunes platform at parking lot #1, three American Kestrels flashed over us over the course of our visit . There was a raft of White-winged Scoters on the sea, and Dave Adrien kindly told us about a flock of Purple Sandpipers we could see on the groin of Dartmouth Way. At some point, we began finding the first of an estimated seven Northern Harriers, most moving north. Even a Great Blue Heron migrated north, using the updrafts created by the dunes in the stiff offshore breeze.
Northern Shovelers – Patti Wood
Hearing that the flock of Northern Shovelers we have been seeing for the past few weeks was down at the south end of Bill Forward Pool, we headed for the Pines Trail parking lot. We found almost nothing there, but could make out the shovelers at the very northern end of the pool. After a fairly disgusting performance by a big crow with a gooey and indeterminate dead animal, we turned and scampered back up to Hellcat. The shovelers were leading us on a merry chase; they had moved to the area off of the blind, but we could enjoy them from a distance, along with a lovely Osprey, kiting in the breeze.
Osprey – Patti Wood
On our way home, three small dinosaurs known as Wild Turkeys patrolled the road. We are glad that they aren’t the size of elephants. Much better to be in the position of protecting them than escaping them! Woe to the small creatures that cross their paths. At Joppa Flats, a Ring-necked Pheasant hiccuped from across the road as Dave Weaver made his way into the building. We decided that we could finally count that bird, who has been calling intermittently through the spring, just never when we are embarking on our Wednesday excursion.
Our list:
Cherry Hill Reservoir & environs
Greater White-fronted Goose (1) – adult
Canada Goose (~ 20)
Wood Duck (1) – hen, Moulton Rd.
Lesser Scaup (1) – drake.
Bufflehead (~ 8)
Common Merganser (6)
Ruddy Duck (~ 20)
Wild Turkey (1)
Common Loon (1)
Pied-billed Grebe (1)
Double-crested Cormorant (2)
Red-tailed Hawk (1)
Killdeer (2)
Wilson’s Snipe (~ 12)
Mourning Dove (2)
Eastern Phoebe (1) – junction Rt. 1 + Middle St.
American Crow
Tree Swallow (7)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1)
Black-capped Chickadee (1) – Highfield Rd.
Eastern Bluebird (1)
American Robin (7)
European Starling
Song Sparrow (2)
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch (2)
Plum Island
Canada Goose – many.
Mute Swan (3) – Bill Forward Pool.
Gadwall (2) – pannes.
American Black Duck – many.
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (18) – Bill Forward Pool (thanks, Dave Adrien!).
White-winged Scoter (~ 12) – parking lot #1, ocean.
Black Scoter (2) – parking lot #1, ocean.
Red-breasted Merganser (2) – pannes.
[Ring-necked Pheasant (1) – Parker River NWR HQ.]
Wild Turkey (3) – roadside, near North Pool Overlook.
Great Blue Heron (1) – migrating over one dunes.
Great Egret – common [+ ~ 30 in marsh w. PI Bridge].
Turkey Vulture (1)
Osprey (3) – Pines platform 2 + one other at Hellcat.
Northern Harrier (7) – migrating, various.
Red-tailed Hawk (1)
Greater Yellowlegs (1) – pannes.
Purple Sandpipers (~ 15) – on #2 groin near parking lot #1 platform.
Ring-billed Gull (1) – parking lot #1, beach.
Herring Gull – many; parking lot #1, beach.
Great Black-backed Gull – a few; parking lot #1, beach.
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
[Northern Flicker (5) – north end PI Airport.
Northern Flicker (2) – Bill Forward Pool dike flyby.
American Kestrel (3) – migrating; parking lot #1.
American Crow
Tree Swallow (2)
European Starling
Savannah Sparrow (5) – roadside, north end S-curves.
Song Sparrow (1)
Red-winged Blackbird – many.
American Goldfinch (1) – parking lot #1, fly over.
Enjoyed the awesome photos: Mike Densmore’s Wilson’s Snipe and Patti Wood’s Osprey. Keep it up!