[BIRD NOTES] November 26, 2006

Bird Notes

Cape Ann birds

Robyn and I visited Cape Ann last weekend. We had great numbers, but not your trip’s variety. But, thanks to Robyn's great spotting, we did manage to get the "King"(Eider).

--Paul Miksis and Robyn Flatley,

Brattleboro, VT

Boston Area Birds

I spent Thanksgiving with my sister who lives on the Winthrop end of Revere Beach. During the heavy rain and wind storm that day, we were able to bird from her living room windows and saw many eider, white winged scoter, common merganser, various gulls, and the treat of the day - a small flock of RED PHALAROPES dancing on the waves near the seawall. On the way home, I stopped at Great Meadows NWR in Concord for the first time and saw many ducks, including ring-billed, American coot, red head, northern shoveler, green-winged teal, common goldeneye swimming with mallards, Canada geese, and 6 mute swans. And speaking of swans, there were 15 at the dam in Turners Falls on Saturday.

---Marilyn Tillinghast, Putney,VT

The “Reds” Have It

This morning (11/25) at Barton Cove, Turners Falls, MA:

Red-necked grebe 1

Redhead 2

Greater Scaup 1

Ring-necked duck 1

---Hector Galbraith, Dummerston, VT

Odiorne Bird

The latest “big bird” on the RBA was the Fork-tailed Flycatcher that was being seen at Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire. It was located in an area not too far from where the famous Western Reef Heron was hanging out. It is a striking bird with (what else) a llloonnng forked tail.

FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER Odiorne SP, NH 11.19.06

Retreat Meadow/West River (11/25)

Mallards 20

Black Ducks 4

Hooded Merganser (M&F)

Ring-billed Gull 18

Canada Goose 100+

Mockingbird 1

Our first Tree Sparrow of the season appeared at our feeder on Saturday.

Al Merritt

W. Brattleboro, VT