I will be leading a Harris Center hike along the new loop on August 19, 2023. Gail Coffey shall be joining us to help with the birds. This area is home to many moose, deer and bobcat. At least they have left us sign to confirm. Check with the Harris Center if you would like to join us. I shall also be adding the additional trail loop shortly.
My first birding outing. How many birds I have been missing, not for lack of seeing, but for lack of knowledge. It was so enlightening to see how many different birds we are blessed to have here in our little neighborhood. Sadly, some of our feathered friends are on the caution list. Gratefully, groups like the Piscataqua Land Conservancy and the Harris Center are working hard to protect them when they come to our neck of the woods.
This piece of land was conserved by a partnership with the Mason Conservation Commission and Piscataquog Land Conservancy. Gayle Coffey did the bird survey on the property as a research project for her Mass Audubon Birding Certificate program. She worked with PLC stewardship staff to identify sensitive bird areas to avoid when designing a trail for the property. More information about how this wonderful area was saved may be found here.
We were so lucky to have her as our leader on this, my first foray into birding. Following is a list she provided of what we saw and heard:
Birds-May 21, 2022 -7:30-10:00 am
More information may be found at the Cornell Lab.
Magnolia Warbler – 2
Common Yellowthroat – 3 (1 seen at pond and 2 vocalizing elsewhere on the property)Eastern Kingbird- 2
Eastern Towhee-6 (1 seen and 5 others calling or singing in different areas of property)
Cardinal -2
Great Blue Heron -1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker- 3 (2 seen and 1 drumming)
Red-bellied Woodpecker -2 (none seen only vocalizing)
Hairy Woodpecker-1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler-6 (all seen)
Black-and-White Warblers-3 (1 seen and 2 heard)
Prairie Warbler-2
Northern Parula-2
Gray Catbird-3
Blue Jays-6
Red-winged Blackbird_2
Common Grackle-1
American Goldfinches-3
American Robin -2
Ovenbirds-2 (heard only)
Veeries-5 (heard only-2 singing back and forth and 3 others in different areas)
Northern Waterthrush-2 (vernal pool area)
Scarlet Tanager -3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak-2
Indigo Bunting-1
Black-throated Blue Warblers-3 (2 seen and 1 heard)
Black-throated Green Warbler-1
Pine Warbler-1 (verified by Gerry’s photo-in oak)
Wood Thrush-1 (calling only)
Great-crested Flycatchers-3 (heard)
Eastern Wood-pewee-1 (heard )
Black-capped Chickadees-2
Tufted Titmice-1
Baltimore Oriole-1 (in tree across from trail entrance)
White-breasted Nuthatch -1 (heard )
Unidentified Falcon-probably Merlin-small falcon-like wings-very fast.
Mourning Doves-3
Tree Swallows-2
House Wren-1 (across street in neighbor’s yard-heard)
American Crows-2
And here are some of the pictures I was able to get with my lovely, hard working, elderly, Canon EOS with a 300mm lens.
Wood ducks at the end were taken at Beaver Brook, in Hollis, NH.
Some are blurry. My 300mm lens can only do so much.
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