Tag Archives: birds

Last Month in Birding: February 2015

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Rosemary

We’re excited to announce a new blog feature that highlights some of the previous month’s most interesting bird sightings as suggested by our experts. Here are five discoveries from February.

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) x Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) Hybrid

A hybrid of these two species appeared in the Annisquam River in Gloucester. Bearing a mix of characteristics, it is an intriguing and very unusual duck; not only do its parents belong to different species, but they also belong to two different scientific genera. Previously suspected hybrids of these birds have occasionally appeared in other parts of the country, including New York and Minnesota.

Common goldeneye x hooded merganser hybrid © Richard S. Heil

Common goldeneye x hooded merganser hybrid © Richard S. Heil

Male common goldeneye (left) and male hooded merganser (right). Credits NPS and R Mosco

Male common goldeneye (left) and male hooded merganser (right). Credits NPS and R Mosco

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)

This pale gull with white wingtips breeds in the high Arctic and typically winters in small numbers along the Atlantic Coast of the United States as far south as the mid-Atlantic states. Birdwatchers noted a major influx of these birds following the severe cold spell in February. Frostier temperatures further north may have pushed somewhat greater numbers than usual into southern New England. For example, over 130 were tallied in one day in East Gloucester alone.

Iceland gull © Ryan Schain

Iceland gull in Winthrop © Ryan Schain

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)

This medium-sized waterbird has a sharp, slender, yellowish beak and a white chin. It is seldom spotted inland during this season; recently, however, one was seen at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord. Cold temperatures are likely to blame for its presence here: the hapless bird was likely frozen out of a large inland water body such as one of the Great Lakes or Lake Champlain.

Red-necked grebe CC BY 2.0 by Fyn Kynd

Red-necked grebe (photo taken in Maine) CC BY 2.0 by Fyn Kynd

Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)

This bird is smaller than our more familiar common loon, and in winter often displays a dark chinstrap, a more rounded head, and a sharper contrast between the dark sides of its neck and the white of its throat. This species breeds in the Arctic, and, true to its name, it is mostly seen on the Pacific Ocean. It is an unusual but not unheard-of visitor to the Massachusetts coast. This winter, one was spotted and photographed at Cathedral Ledge in Rockport.

Pacific loon in Rockport © Got Birds?

Pacific loon in Rockport © Flickr user Got Birds?

Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulous)

Two waxwing species can be seen in the northeast: the smaller and more common cedar waxwing, which breeds in Massachusetts, and the larger Bohemian waxwing, which breeds in Canada and the northwestern US. The Bohemian waxwing is an erratic winter visitor that only rarely appears in the Commonwealth. A small influx of Bohemian waxwings began taking place early in the month. Keep an eye out for a larger and grayer waxwing with rusty feathers under the tail amid flocks of the more common cedar waxwings.

Bohemian waxwing in Quincy © Steven Whitebread

Bohemian waxwing in Quincy © Steven Whitebread

Know Your Hawks

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Rosemary

Hawk watch season is just around the corner! Every fall, birders gather at ridge tops, sand dunes, and other open spaces to take in the spectacle of hawks flying south, sometimes in huge numbers. In a previous post we gave you a primer on this phenomenon. Here we’ll share a few tips for distinguishing some of the species you may see.

Sharp-shinned Hawk vs Cooper’s Hawk

Eugene Beckes/Flickr user corvidaceous (left), Maggie Smith/Flickr user slomaggie (right)

Eugene Beckes/Flickr corvidaceous (left), Maggie Smith/Flickr slomaggie (right)

Both of these hawks belong to a reclusive group called the accipiters. They use their short, rounded wings and long tails to weave through trees while chasing small birds. Watch for them flying in their flap-flap-flap-glide pattern in September and October.

The sharp-shinned hawk (affectionately known as a “sharpie”) and the Cooper’s hawk are fairly similar in color. Adults are slate-gray above and red-brown below, and young are brown above with brown streaks below. A few distinguishing characteristics:

  • Size. The sharpie is generally smaller (10”-14”), whereas the Cooper’s is larger (14”-20’). Be careful, though, because females of both species are noticeably larger than males.
  • Tail. The sharpie’s tail is square-ended, whereas the Cooper’s is rounded (think C for Cooper’s).
  • Habitat. The sharpie prefers to nest in forests, and the Cooper’s will also breed in suburbs.

Broad-winged Hawk vs Red-tailed Hawk

Bob LaPlant (left), Ronald Ciejka (right)

Bob LaPlant (left), Ronald Ciejka (right)

Both birds belong to a group called buteos that have broad wings and fan-shaped tails and often soar high overhead. Some strategies for telling them apart:

  • Size. The broad-winged hawk is crow-sized (about 15”), whereas the red-tailed hawk is much larger (18”-26”).
  • Tail. The broad-wing has a white band across the tail (not present in young birds), and the red-tail has a reddish tail (brown in juveniles) and a white chest with a dark band.
  • Habitat. The broad-wing prefers deep forests. The red-tail will breed in urban areas.
  • Time of year. The peak period for the broad-wing migration is approaching: look for huge flocks in mid-September. The red-tail migrates later, with numbers peaking in mid-October to early November, and some birds sticking around all winter.

American Kestrel vs Peregrine Falcon

Flickr user nebirdsplus (left), Richard Johnson (right)

Flickr nebirdsplus (left), Richard Johnson (right)

These are both falcons, with pointy wings and relatively long, slender tails. They both have dark markings on their faces. Sadly, the American kestrel is declining as a breeding species in Massachusetts, and you can help by reporting your kestrel sightings. The peregrine is doing much better: a program to reestablish this species in Massachusetts has been highly successful. Tips for telling them apart:

  • Size. The American kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America, at about 7”-8” long, while the peregrine ranges from 13”-23”.
  • Color. The kestrel has a rusty tail. Males have blue-gray wings, while the females’ wings are more reddish. The adult peregrine is blue-grey on top, and the juvenile is brown.
  • Habitat. Kestrels prefer fields and farmlands. Peregrines nest on cliffs and even on tall buildings in urban areas.
  • Time of year. Most American kestrels migrate in September. Peregrines tend to be especially numerous in early October.

Don’t miss this year’s migration: join one of our upcoming hawk watch programs.