October 2020

Birding Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in the Connecticut River Valley

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 00:15:00 GMT

The rich diversity of habitats provides an oasis for birds on the sanctuary, tucked between urban Northampton and Easthampton. The predominant feature of Arcadia, not readily apparent to most visitors, is an older Connecticut River oxbow that was cut off from the main stem some 800 years ago. The basin of the old oxbow is well vegetated with swamp forest, buttonbush marsh, open mats of sparganium and smartweed, and scattered ponds with spatterdock and coontail. A section of this oxbow is known as Ned's Ditch. Another section has been impounded by beavers and is mainly an open buttonbush marsh. The slow and meandering, sandy-bottomed Mill River, with its exemplary floodplain forest of silver maple, pin oak, and green ash canopy above a dense fern ground cover, flows through half of the old oxbow before reaching the 1840 Oxbow. The channel of a historic Mill River diversion and its floodplain forest are adjacent to Ned's Ditch. Within the arc of the old oxbow is Arcadia Meadows, with a suite of early successional habitat and organic agricultural fields, parts of which are owned by the city of Northampton and managed by Arcadia.

The remainder of the sanctuary comprises oak, maple, pine, and hemlock forest; forested wetlands perched on an impervious bed of glacial Lake Hitchcock clay—a rare community in Massachusetts called Black Gum-Pin Oak-Swamp White Oak Perched Swamp— a beaver pond that was formerly a sphagnum bog until, well, beavers; 31 vernal pools; two small woodland streams; and the disturbed habitat around the buildings and orchard area. The eastern boundary abuts the oxbow of the Connecticut River and a stream-capture remnant known as Danks Pond. One of the woodland streams, Hemlock Brook, has been diverted several times in its history and now flows into the Manhan River, rather than the Mill River, making Arcadia part of two watersheds. One of the relic beds of Hemlock Brook forms the vernal pool and dug-out Fire Pond behind the Visitor Center.

M - migrant nonbreeder	76
N - nonbreeder (winter resident, or summer visitor)	62
B - breeding on the sanctuary	95
V - vagrant, out of range stray, coastal migrant	36
	269

Table 1. Status of 269 bird species recorded at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary.

No fewer than 269 bird species have made an appearance at Arcadia, 95 of which have bred there (Table 1). The rest are either migrants passing through to breeding grounds farther north and wintering grounds farther south, such as Snow Goose, Swainson's Thrush, and Cape May Warbler; fall and winter visitors returning from their northerly breeding grounds, such as Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting, and Golden-crowned Kinglet; postbreeding southern species dispersing northward, such as Great Egret; or to birders' delight, rare vagrants straying from their normal migration routes (Table 2). Still others are local breeders that use Arcadia's habitats within their territories but nest elsewhere, including Peregrine Falcon and Belted Kingfisher.

Rarities are what draw birders like bees on honey. Arcadia boasts a list of 36 vagrants (Table 2), mainly strays from coastal flyways, western migrants off course, or southern overshoots. Most have been one-time wonders but Cackling Goose, Clay-colored Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, and Dickcissel have become almost regular attractions. More species will surely be added in the future. Arcadia Meadows, Arcadia Marsh, Ned's Ditch, the Orchard, and the Oxbow have been the best spots for rarities. Spring and fall are the best times, but good birding can be had year-round.

Greater White-fronted Goose	Glaucous Gull	Le Conte's Sparrow
Ross's Goose	Common Tern	Nelson's Sparrow
Cackling Goose	American White Pelican	Harris's Sparrow
Tundra Swan	Great Cormorant	Yellow-breasted Chat
Ruddy Turnstone	Glossy Ibis	Yellow-headed Blackbird
Sanderling	Say's Phoebe	Yellow-throated Warbler
Wilson's Phalarope	Western Kingbird	Prothonotary Warbler
Red-necked Phalarope	White-eyed Vireo	Hooded Warbler
Laughing Gull	Northern Wheatear	Summer Tanager
Black-headed Gull	Bohemian Waxwing	Western Tanager
Iceland Gull	Clay-colored Sparrow	Blue Grosbeak
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Lark Sparrow	Dickcissel

Table 2. Vagrant species recorded at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary.

The discovery of a rarity often creates the "Patagonian picnic table effect," when word spreads and many birders, bird photographers, and field ornithologists arrive on scene. Some birds take time to find, giving birders plenty of time to find other birds. A great example was October 1993 when a Harris's Sparrow was found near the Ibis Pool. It often took two hours to catch a glimpse of it, but in the meantime, Nelson's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Dickcissel, Dunlin, and American Golden-Plover were added. Arcadia is frequently cited on the Western Mass Birders Facebook page, which brings in more eyes and lenses after rarity sightings.

Blue-winged Warbler	Black-throated Green Warbler	Worm-eating Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler	Blackburnian Warbler	Ovenbird
Tennessee Warbler	Yellow-throated Warbler	Northern Waterthrush
Orange-crowned Warbler	Pine Warbler	Louisiana Waterthrush
Nashville Warbler	Prairie Warbler	Connecticut Warbler
Northern Parula	Palm Warbler	Mourning Warbler
Yellow Warbler	Bay-breasted Warbler	Common Yellowthroat
Chestnut-sided Warbler	Blackpoll Warbler	Hooded Warbler
Magnolia Warbler	Cerulean Warbler	Wilson's Warbler
Cape May Warbler	Black-and-white Warbler	Canada Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler	American Redstart
Black-throated Blue Warbler	Prothonotary Warbler

Table 3. Warblers recorded at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary.

Although relatively few breed there, Arcadia is a hotspot for warblers, especially in spring when trees are flowering and leafing out. To date, 34 species of wood warblers have been recorded on the sanctuary (Table 3), three of which are also in Table 2. Fall migration (i.e. late summer) can be rewarding when Orange-crowned in weedy fields and Connecticut in buttonbush stands in floodplain and hedgerows are more likely to be found.

Waterfowl and wetland-dependent birds are another highlight for Arcadia, whose sanctuary bird is the Wood Duck. Nearly every type of duck and wader has been reported, as well as several shorebirds and gulls, reflecting the mosaic of aquatic habitats.

Meadows Management

A long history of inventory, research, and habitat management on the sanctuary and a growing popularity of birding by digital photographers, as well as having me as a resident naturalist for 28 years, has contributed to an impressive list of birds. Arcadia manages approximately 150 acres of grassland, 30 acres of shrubland, 10 acres of old-field habitat, and 10 acres of weedland, and leases approximately 50 acres to agriculture. As a naturalist who also mowed the grasslands, I had my finger on the pulse of the fields and the birds, adapting management practices to suit a suite of target species.

Male Bobolink surveying his grassland domain. All photographs by the author unless otherwise indicated.

The grasslands are managed with a priority on grassland birds, a group that has been in decline. Bobolinks are the most common nesting species, with lower numbers of Savannah Sparrows and sporadic breeding by Eastern Meadowlark and Grasshopper Sparrow, the latter having nested successfully for the first time in 2019. Several opportunities take advantage of compatible uses by other groups. Unmowed grassy strips become habitat for fall and winter raptors by providing refuge for meadow vole and cottontail prey. Northern Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks, and Short-eared Owls patrol the edges of the strips. I would also mow patches of milkweed in mid-July to have their re-sprouted succulent stems available for monarch caterpillars in August and September.

The sound of the tractor is like Pavlov's bell to Red-tailed Hawks as they wait to pounce on newly exposed meadow voles. From the tractor, I have flushed the likes of Sora, Virginia Rail, and Short-eared Owl from the grasslands. Wild Turkey and American Woodcock will nest in unmowed strips that remain in spring.

I created old-field habitat for the rapidly declining Field Sparrows by putting some peripheral edges and the isolated Potash Road field on 2–3 year mowing rotations, allowing a scattering of woody vegetation. Field Sparrows are now nesting in four sites on the sanctuary, where previously they were scarce.

Shrubland is an ephemeral stage of plant succession from field to forest and is an important habitat for many declining species. Some edges and former agricultural fields in the Meadows have been managed as shrubland on a 10-year rotation (ideally). Funding, however, drives this management more strongly than biology, but Blue-winged and Chestnut-sided warblers have benefited. Long hedgerows lining Pynchon Meadow Road also provide shrubland habitat for several pairs of Willow Flycatchers, Brown Thrashers, and Yellow Warblers.

Three of twelve fledgling American Kestrels in 2020. Photograph by Kim Jones.

Having observed many fall migrants in weedy fields, I instigated a weedland management program to provide attractive habitat for a variety of seed-eating birds in fall. Tilling soil in spring encourages annual weed species that produce an abundance of seeds. In one section, tilled strips are alternated with mowed strips of perennials that contribute to cover, as well as provide a source for pollinators. Agricultural practices in leased fields may also provide an abundance of seed-producing annual weeds. This weedland habitat is particularly productive for birding, with many rarities discovered over the years and good numbers of uncommon species such as Lincoln's Sparrow. Weedy fields may seem unkempt to some, but to birders, they are Eden. I recall a former president of Mass Audubon showing the Meadows to a group of donors and apologizing that the fields don't usually look that messy, but then transforming with enthusiasm when they started seeing birds everywhere!

Wood Duck, the sanctuary bird of Arcadia.

Numerous bluebird and strategically placed kestrel nest boxes are scattered around the fields. Eastern Bluebirds typically occupy 6–8 boxes, with dozens of Tree Swallows in the rest. American Kestrels have successfully fledged 41 young from 10 nests since 2015, with three pairs raising four young each in 2020. Several duck boxes in the floodplain are used occasionally by Wood Ducks for nesting and also by Eastern Screech-Owls for roosting. My son and I have often found beaks and feathers of Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays in the boxes.

Getting There

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary is nestled between the quaint cities of Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts. Coming from far afield, take Interstate I-91 to Exit 18-Route 5-Northampton Center. Head south on Route 5 for 1.4 miles and turn right on East Street in Easthampton. Continue for 1.2 miles and turn right on Fort Hill Road with a Mass Audubon sanctuary sign at the intersection. (See map.) Scan Danks Pond for ducks and herons on your right on the way in from Fort Hill Road. In 0.5 mile, bear right onto Old Springfield Road and take a quick left onto Combs Road to the Visitor Center parking lot. Local folks can come in via Route 10 north from Easthampton or south from Northampton to Lovefield Street where you will follow the signs to Clapp Street, bearing left onto Old Springfield Road and taking a quick left onto Combs Road.

To reach Arcadia Meadows and the Oxbow, continue straight on Old Springfield Road past the Combs Road entrance. A metal bridge spans the mouth of the Mill River, giving views of the Oxbow. The one-lane bridge can be submerged under floodwaters in spring and traditionally closes in winter, though plans for a new bridge have been in the works. After the bridge, the floodplain forest gives way to the open grassland and agricultural meadows. Fields are located down Old Springfield Road and Pynchon Meadow Road. The Ibis Pool is on the south side of Pynchon Meadow Road. The area known as Ned's Ditch is part of the 800-year-old oxbow that bisects the meadows and is opposite the Oxbow Water Ski Show Team boat ramp.

Birding Arcadia

Wild Turkey at Visitor Center kiosk.

Visitor Center: Mulberries to Tulip Tree Trail

From the Visitor Center parking lot, some birders and photographers need not go any farther. In June and early July, the mulberry trees and shadbush are teeming with birds. The ripening time coincides with fledgling periods for most songbirds. Family groups with parents feeding offspring are common sights. Baltimore and Orchard orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Cedar Waxwings, Blue Jays, American Robins, Gray Catbirds, and House Finches flash their brilliant colors among the hordes of dull juvenile European Starlings. But many other species join in that are less often thought of as fruit eaters, including Red-bellied, Pileated, Hairy, and Downy woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Eastern Towhee, Brown Thrasher, Mourning Dove, and Wild Turkey.

A kiosk at the trailhead displays a map of the sanctuary, and trail maps are available at the Visitor Center. Cut across the field with the sensory trail to the boardwalk by Fire Pond and the vernal pool, a good place for Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush in spring. Barred Owl has often put on a daytime show. In April a cacophony of wood frogs that deposit masses of jelly-encased eggs can be heard here, and several other frogs and turtles can also be viewed or heard. Continue behind the Visitor Center and head down the Tulip Tree Trail, noting the majestic twisted-trunk tulip tree on the right. On the left is a wet area and scattered crabapples that usually attract a variety of birds in spring.

The Orchard

At the junction with the Cedar Trail and Horseshoe Trail, continue on the Horseshoe Trail to bird the hedgerow, either from the trail itself or on the side of the farm field. The hedge is birdy and produced the likes of Yellow-throated Warbler and Western Tanager in November 2017. Some folks get to the hedge from the parking lot by going back down the entrance road and entering near the solar panel array. A grassy trail is maintained that leads past the hedgerow to the Old Orchard, a former apple orchard with a figure-eight trail amid a thicket of shrubs and scattered trees. The Old Orchard Trail connects back to the Horseshoe Trail, which loops around to reconnect with the Cedar Trail.

Inside the Horseshoe Trail-Cedar Trail loop is an orchard, where a variety of crabapples and other fruiting trees have been planted, including three large, prolific Korean mountain ash, one castor aralia, scattered black cherries, and a tangle of wild grapes and invasive fruit-bearing shrubs. This area is a major destination in spring when the trees are in bloom, and again in fall when the berries are ripe. The flowering crabapples in May attract numerous warblers, including Nashville, Wilson's, and Northern Parula, along with Orchard and Baltimore orioles, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and Indigo Buntings. American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak breed there. Black-billed Cuckoo can also be found in some years. When the fruit is ready, or sometimes sooner, flocks of Cedar Waxwings and American Robins descend on the scene like vultures on carrion. In some winters, you may find Pine Grosbeak, and if you are really lucky, a Bohemian Waxwing.

At the end of the Horseshoe Trail, the Old Orchard area is great in spring for migrant warblers. The mix of open woods, thick shrubs, and tall trees brings in a variety of birds, with chances for good looks. Search the thickets for Nashville, Wilson's, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Canada, and Mourning warblers. Hooded and Worm-eating warblers joined the mix in 2019. At mid-level, you'll find American Redstart, Yellow-rumped, Blue-winged, and Prairie warblers, with Tennessee Warblers gleaning the American elms. When the oaks and hickories are in bloom or just leafing out, you'll get warbler neck by scanning the tops for Cape May and Bay-breasted warblers. Spruce Corner is a good place to find Blackpoll Warbler.

Mill River Floodplain and Arcadia Marsh

The Fern Trail spurs off of the Horseshoe Trail and leads through exemplary floodplain forest of silver maple, green ash, pin oak, black birch, and shagbark hickory, with glimpses of the Mill River and Arcadia Marsh. Scan the marsh from the trailhead, and then continue down to the observation tower. The spiral staircase has some sway to it, but that is part of the design. Notice the high-water markers on the pole as you ascend. Some mighty big floods occurred in the 1930s. The tower provides a good look at the marsh, which has two channels around a vegetated peninsula with abundant spatterdock, wild rice, and Walter's millet. The Fern Trail is a good place for spring ephemeral wildflowers.

Clay-colored Sparrow.

Ice-out kickstarts the spring waterfowl migration season, sometimes as early as February. Among the large flocks of Canada Geese, look for Cackling, Snow, and Greater White-fronted, or even Ross's. Rafts of Mallards and American Black Ducks stage in the marsh during the day, but most leave in the evenings to roost elsewhere—Nashawanuck and Lower Mill ponds in Easthampton—when the flocks of geese come in to roost in the marsh. Less common dabblers include Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, and Northern Pintail. Scan for Gadwall and Northern Shoveler. Divers are more common in the Oxbow, but Common and Hooded mergansers and Ring-necked Ducks often make their way into the marsh when the water is high. Nearly anything is possible. In 2020, a Greater White-fronted Goose mingled with Canada Geese and buttonbush in Arcadia Marsh for a spell in early March.

When the water level is high, waterfowl congregate to feed or roost. Look for grebes and coots as well. During low water, exposed mudflats often attract shorebirds and waders, including both yellowlegs and Least and Pectoral sandpipers. Keep an eye out for an occasional dowitcher or plover, Glossy Ibis, or Black-crowned Night-Heron, along with other herons and egrets. The marsh is a good place to view broods of waterfowl chicks, including Wood Duck, Mallard, and Common Merganser. In summer, watch for Cedar Waxwings and swallows picking off newly emerged damselflies on their fateful maiden voyages. In September and October, the wild rice and millet provide a feast for hordes of blackbirds, which in turn attract Northern Harriers and Cooper's Hawks. Eagles and Ospreys and Belted Kingfishers also hunt for fish in the marsh, which is a nursery for northern pike. If any of the blackbirds have white wing patches, they may be Yellow-headed Blackbirds.

Near the end of the Fern Trail, try to find another majestic tulip tree—over 120 feet high—towering over its neighbors. The Fern Trail connects to the River Trail, which continues along the Mill River and provides closer views of the river. You might catch sightings of beaver, muskrat, river otter, or mink. Listen for Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed vireos, Scarlet Tanager, Great Crested Flycatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Brown Creeper. The trail leads to Wood Duck Pond, where you will find a smaller version of Arcadia Marsh at closer range. A mudflat at the riverbend can have shorebirds when exposed.

Juvenile Northern Harrier patrolling the grasslands with tall, unmowed strip of switchgrass showing in the background.

Mixed Lowland Forest

At the intersection of River Trail and Old Coach Road Trail, you have several options, depending on how much time you have and how long a walk you want to take. (See map.) The other trails loop through mixed oak-maple-white-pine-hemlock forest with mountain laurel, witch hazel, and winterberry understory where you will find Eastern Wood-Pewee, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, and Scarlet Tanager. Stands of white pine are sure to have a pair of Pine Warblers. Acadian Flycatcher was singing in Tupelo Swamp off Sassafras Trail in 2019 and is a bird to watch for in the years ahead. To continue on this route, stay on the Old Coach Road Trail until you find your way to the Woodcock Trail, where you will not likely find American Woodcock but will get views of a perched swamp down the slope. Deer-watching is good there, and a black bear may wander through the swamp for an early spring salad of skunk cabbage. Birds may be at eye level on the ridge. The Woodcock Trail leads back to the boardwalk and sensory trail and Visitor Center.

Arcadia Meadows

To get to Arcadia Meadows, walk or drive from the parking lot back to Old Springfield Road and turn left. Soon you will descend to the mouth of the Mill River, where you will risk life and limb crossing a 40-year-old, one-lane, 10-year temporary bridge. Not yours, but the life and limb may belong to anglers on the narrow bridge. The bridge is closed in winter and often floods impassably in spring. Beyond the bridge, the floodplain forest opens up to grassland and agricultural fields called Arcadia Meadows, formerly known as the West Meadows. The Meadows can also be accessed via Fort or Olive streets that lead to Old Springfield Road, or Park Hill Terrace that leads to Pynchon Meadow Road. All three access roads are subject to spring flooding. Pynchon Meadow Road and part of Old Springfield Road are dirt roads that often have hazardous potholes, washboards, moguls, and deep abysses, especially Pynchon Meadow Road.

Once in the Meadows, start scanning the fields from the roadside for Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, and Bobolink, and keep an eye on the sky for Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk. At the right times, most raptors can be seen in the Meadows. The utility lines on Pynchon Meadow Road usually have perching birds, and the hedgerow beneath is a hub of activity. When the road is in bad shape, puddles form and become birdbaths. Wait at a good distance from a puddle long enough and several hard-to-see birds, such as White-crowned Sparrow, may come out into the open for a good view. Merlins know this and will cruise right down the road, sometimes within inches of observers, to catch unsuspecting prey. An observation blind sits on the raised bed of the old trolley line that crosses the western meadows. Look for Yellow-breasted Chat and Connecticut Warbler in the thickets.

A major highlight and rare bird magnet is the Ibis Pool on the south side of Pynchon Meadow Road. The area is a deep swale that retains floodwater in spring and sometimes autumn. It is bordered by weedy fields. It got its name when a Glossy Ibis showed up in the 1970s. The open pool was historically adjacent to agricultural fields, most recently potatoes in the early 1990s. Farmers would plow as close to the pool as possible. It provided open water for waterfowl and waders, mudflats for shorebirds, and weedy areas for sparrows. When the agricultural fields were acquired in 1993, the land adjacent to the Ibis Pool lay fallow, with acres of annual weeds providing food and cover for droves of seedeaters. Over the years, a wetland marsh community with cattail and smartweed has developed in the pool area, and perennial goldenrods and others have taken hold in the adjacent field; spring tilling encourages weedy annuals. Marsh and Sedge wrens, Blue Grosbeak, Lincoln's, Swamp, and Savannah sparrows, Common Redpoll, and Pine Siskin, as well as many vagrants, keep birders on their toes.

Other areas around the Meadows are grassland, shrubland, and agricultural crops that mesh with bird habitat. While Bobolinks prefer the interior of grasslands, Savannah Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows are associated with the grassland-cropland edge or areas with sparse grass. The crops are usually squash alternating with corn along Pynchon Meadow Road, or a variety of vegetables bordered by uncultivated weeds off Old Springfield Road. A cucumber farmer would often wait until July to plant the fast-growing crop, allowing Savannah Sparrows the opportunity to breed in the fallow field before cultivation. Outside the growing season and when freshly plowed, the fields harbor large flocks of Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and American Pipits, and sometimes shorebirds. Search among them for Lapland Longspur or even a Northern Wheatear. Winter raptors, such as Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Hawk, and Short-eared Owl hunt both the grasslands and agricultural fields.

Ned's Ditch and the Old Oxbow

Arcadia Marsh is at the southwest prong of the old oxbow arch, while Ned's Ditch is at the southeast end. Nobody knows who Ned was, but the swamp forest and buttonbush marshes are a botanical gem. The birdlife is also bountiful. The Ditch has low, wet, marshy swales; higher, dryer, forested berms; and open ponds connected during high water through dense buttonbush marsh that provides cover for Wood Ducks and Soras. A Northern Shoveler and Blue-winged Teal lingered with Mallards and American Black Ducks in Ned's Ditch in March and April 2020.

Ned's Ditch has been the scene of much avian drama over the years. In 1995 a pair of Great Blue Herons began nesting and started a rookery that built up to a high of 59 nests in 2009. Most of the nest trees were alive until a prolonged flood in 2009 killed over half of the trees. Supporting limbs gradually began to shed in the following years. In 2012 a pair of Bald Eagles usurped a heron nest, causing much unrest in the heronry. The eagles preyed on young herons. Two years later a pair of Great Horned Owls moved into another heron nest. Heron numbers plummeted to zero by 2018, though two pairs successfully nested farther away in 2019.

Common Redpoll on evening primrose.

The eagles had troubles of their own, having raised only two young in five years, when tragedy befell the pair in 2017. The female was struck and killed by a car on Route 5 near the Oxbow. Her bands revealed she was 28 years old and born in one of the first two nests at Quabbin Reservoir during the eagle restoration program (French 2017). The male appeared to have a new mate already a few days later. They did not attempt to nest that year but successfully raised three young in both 2018 and 2019. A field-readable photo of the male's leg band by Kim Jones revealed he was born in Massachusetts in 2010, so it may have been a completely new pair after 2017. In 2020 a male interloper tried to take over the territory shortly after the pair began egg-laying. The resident male vanished for a few days but made a return to help his mate ward off the intruder, lay a new egg, and successfully raise one young.

The 2009 tree-killing flood was a boon to woodpeckers, and other birds have thrived in Ned's Ditch, either during the flood season or in dry years when the bottoms of the ponds are exposed. Northern Flicker and Red-bellied Woodpecker are common. Green Heron and Sora are regular breeders. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a relatively recent addition to the breeding avifauna. Flocks of more than 30 Great Egrets have taken advantage of the dry ponds, and Glossy Ibis, Tricolored Heron, and Little Blue Heron have made cameos. The floodplain surrounding the old Mill River channel that enters Ned's Ditch hosted an immature Red-headed Woodpecker in the same location two years in a row.

The Oxbow

Arcadia abuts the 1840 Oxbow on the eastern side of the Meadows, offering looks into the open-water system. Cut off from the main stem, the slow current provides refuge for waterfowl, especially when the Connecticut River is raging. Shortly after ice-out, flocks of mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, and cormorants build into the 100s before moving north as Vermont and New Hampshire thaw out. Less commonly, you might encounter Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Canvasback, Redhead, or Long-tailed Duck. Either scaup species might hang out with the flocks of Ring-necked Ducks. Several other divers are possible, including Horned, Red-necked, and Pied-billed grebes. Common and Red-throated loons have been recorded. Rare gulls, particularly Iceland, Glaucous, and Lesser Black-backed, but also Black-headed and Laughing gulls may mix with the common species. Caspian and Common terns sometimes touch down for a day or two on their way to or from their inland breeding grounds. And on two occasions, an American White Pelican filled its beak and belly with Oxbow fish. When the flooding has subsided, or during low-water periods, check the sandbar at the Oxbow Marina harbor for shorebirds, terns, gulls, and herons.

The Oxbow is also a great place for eagle watching, particularly in winter and early spring with some ice and open water. Several immature birds will congregate and mingle with the resident pair. Aerial acrobatics of courtship, combat, or practice are on full display. Peregrine Falcon and Osprey also pursue prey there at times, and the Hadley Gyrfalcon of 2013 undoubtedly checked out the Oxbow, but nobody reported it.

References

French, Thomas W. 2017. Field Note: Massachusetts's Oldest Bald Eagle Died Too Young. Bird Observer 45 (6):396–7.
Litwin, T. and T. Lloyd-Evans. 2006. Silvio Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge neotropical migratory bird stopover habitat survey. Northampton, Massachusetts: Clark Science Center, Smith College. <Common Redpoll on evening primrose.
" target="_blank">http://www.science.smith.edu/stopoverbirds/index.html>
Yankee Magazine Editors. 2015. Editors' Choice Awards: Best attractions in Massachusetts. Yankee Magazine, May 25, 2015. https://newengland.com/yankee-magazine/travel/massachusetts/best-attractions-in-massachusetts-2015-editors-choice-awards/

David McLain is a wildlife biologist with degrees in the field from the University of Maine and University of Massachusetts. He has expert level experience with birds, freshwater mollusks, odonates, butterflies, orthopterans, fish, herps, and plants. He has worked in Puerto Rico on the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Project, Scotland and Iceland studying genetics of Atlantic Puffins, Panama on genetic differences between birds on the Pearl Islands versus the mainland, the Bahamas with hummingbirds, and numerous bird population studies in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Dave lived and worked at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary for 28 years, studying everything, before headquarters staff changed direction.

"Birds I Know," the Boston Globe's Bird Column, 1932–1966

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 00:14:00 GMT

"Birds I Know" was never a regular column. Whether it appeared in a given issue of the Boston Globe depended on the space available in the Household section and the number of letters that had been received. During winter feeding months it could appear every day; during the late summer and fall it might appear once a month. The typical "bird column" would feature one to five letters, each responding to a previous writer, comparing lists of sightings, asking for advice about feeder arrangements, sharing recipes for bird food, or making identification queries. Perennial themes included excitement about the arrival of Evening Grosbeaks, the mistaken attribution of the "fee-bee" song to the Eastern Phoebe instead of the Black-capped Chickadee, and concern about dwindling numbers of birds due to spraying and habitat loss. There was great interest in the still uncommon experience of encountering Northern Mockingbirds, Northern Cardinals, and Tufted Titmice. Some Chat sisters adopted bird species pseudonyms, including "Scarlet Tanager," "Meadowlark," "Brown Creeper," "Wood Thrush," and "Saddleback" (Great Black-backed Gull). Among the column writers that can be identified are the photographer and prolific bander Elaine Martin Drew, who wrote under the name "Warped Halo," the author Hattie Blossom Fritze, who wrote as "Woodsie One," and Myrtle McLellan ("Wren of Wrentham"), who organized face-to-face "Birds I Know" clubs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire during the 1930s and early 1940s. The undisputed star of the column, however, was "Of Thee I Sing"—Ada Clapham Govan, of Lexington, Massachusetts.

Ada Govan had written to the Globe's Household pages since 1911. Her earliest letters recounted her personal tragedy, the loss of two young daughters, and consoled other mothers with similar experiences; she initially used the signature "Redeemed," but changed her name to "Disillusioned" after her second daughter died. Her frank and engaging style had already made her a favorite among "Chat sisters," but her stories about the birds at her feeders as "Of Thee I Sing," would place her among the most celebrated writers at the Boston Globe in general, and would supply material for her popular 1940 book Wings at my Window.

Wings at my Window is framed as a story about overcoming depression and physical disability by caring for birds. In a 1936 letter, "Of Thee I Sing" dramatized the encounter with a chickadee that stimulated her birdfeeding and changed her life, recounting "that December day, almost six years ago,"

when I first saw him clinging to the railing, storm-battered and hungry, but blithely caroling "Things could be heaps worse!" Every motion was agony till I heard that voice, but somehow I threw him some crumbs which he barely sampled before he was swept away by the blizzard, leaving me in such a mental turmoil as rivaled the storm without.

For I had just resigned myself to an invalid's life—I'd be the happiest invalid that ever could be—but a burden, nevertheless. And then I heard their voices—saw them coming—Chicky! And all the relatives and friends he could scrape together on such short notice. He had only gone to call to the feast others less fortunate that they might share his bit of good fortune. ("Of Thee I Sing" 1936, 21)

She decided to write and sell stories about the birds at her feeder after her husband lost his job.

I took my troubles where I had so often found sweet comfort—to the little feathered friends, now so dear. The sun shone down on a purple finch, one of several on my window sill, and in its radiance, the silky, wine-colored feathers of his crested head, glowed with a jewel-like luster that he wore like a diadem. A pang shot through my heart: my birds! With no money, how could I feed them when they came to me for sanctuary this Winter? ("Of Thee I Sing" 1933, A42)

Govan would end up selling several stories to Nature Magazine and writing others for "Birds I Know." Readers loved these stories and asked for more, and she complied, offering real-life tales about the tragic end of "Limpy" the goldfinch, the domestic problems of "Poppa Grosbeak," and the shrike attack-scarred American Tree Sparrow "Henry the Eighth." Many would later testify that these stories, which portrayed birds as "little personalities," had inspired them to study and feed birds, and that their own care for the birds had been therapeutic.

"Confidential Chat" was a print-mediated social support community. "Birds I Know" writers were especially attentive to readers who were confined to their homes or beds. When "Thru the Window Pane" was hospitalized, for example, writers took turns sharing the views from their own windows. "Scarlet Tanager," for example, wrote:

Dear Thru the Window Pane—The outside world is so lovely now at Tanager's Nest, perhaps it would interest you to take a look at it by proxy…I hope you will not mind coming into the kitchen with me…The east window is, of course, most interesting at this time…Over the green field, which is still partly shaded by the hill, the tree swallows are busily getting their breakfast, their light breasts flashing as they dart from the shadows into the golden light… ("Scarlet Tanager" 1936, 26)

The fact that "Birds I Know" was part of a women's social support feature (Oehlkers and Oehlkers 2021) also affected the way writers interacted with each other. Identification corrections were made gently and novices were enthusiastically encouraged. "Of Thee I Sing" was one of the column experts, contributing long species accounts and detailed identification guides, in addition to her lively stories.

Dear Wing Flashes—…Will you join me in a talk-fest about a lovely and little known warbler with a highly romantic background? The Lawrence warbler has twice been mentioned lately in the bird column, and his is a very different story from that of most wild creatures whose parents "love outside their own class." For little Lawrence is a mongrel child—a hybrid—whose parentage for years remained more or less wrapped in mystery….Where hybrids are concerned, Old Mother Nature puts her foot down hard: "Thus far you may go—but no further!" she declares to most mis-mated bird parents, and allows them to produce mongrel offspring to their hearts' content. But in her determination to keep the stock pure, she brands the hybrid youngsters with sterility. Not so, our little Lawrence, who beat Mother Nature at her own game… ("Of Thee I Sing" 1940, 36)

Although self-educated in the ornithological literature, Ada Govan was a prolific birdbander and a careful observer, and even before the success of her book had deep connections in the larger birding community. In the 1940s and 1950s, she was a contributing editor for the Bulletin of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, listed on the masthead alongside such luminaries as Arthur C. Bent, Thornton W. Burgess, and Ludlow Griscom. In her writing for "Birds I Know," however, she always denied her expert status, choosing to work together with "Chat sisters" to solve identification challenges.

If conflict appeared in the column, it tended to be over the pros and cons of particular bird species:

Dear Woodsie One…Right now the feeders are very busy, with chickadees, nuthatches, downy and hairy woodpeckers, brown creepers, sparrows, juncos, flickers and even a beautiful little golden crowned kinglet. Then of course the miserable and inevitable jays. How I detest these loud-mouthed, thieving birds! I have seen them kill young songbirds in the spring and break eggs. They are arrogant and fiendish and, to me, loathsome. I never feel sorry when I see a hawk demolish one. In fact, I cheer a little, for with me, they rank lowest of all birds we have here. ("Nature Boy" 1953, 14)

During the column's run, writers, including "Of Thee I Sing," frequently wrote about the shotgun blasts they used against hawks and shrikes in order to protect birds at their feeders. Though it might be shocking to readers today, this was usually not controversial in the column because it was based on the official "useful bird" framework that regarded songbirds as having higher value than predators. Opinions were much more divided when it came to the Blue Jay, which occasionally produced prolonged disputes. "Of Thee I Sing," for her part, tried to manage Blue Jays by providing them with a separate feeding area, but showed no mercy when they threatened the birds closer to her house. Opinions were also divided, though less vociferously, about European Starlings and House Sparrows, and even Whip-poor-wills (too noisy) and Evening Grosbeaks (gluttons) were the source of lively disputes. Overall, balance-of-nature perspectives dominated, though "Of Thee I Sing," among others, maintained that the natural world of birds had been disrupted by humans in a way that only humans could mitigate.

While the column was generally not concerned with larger environmental issues, habitat loss due to development was a common observation. This became personal for Ada Govan in 1937 when developers began cutting the woods behind her house.

People had assured me the woods would be safe for years to come, but last Fall I knew some danger threatened. That day of crashing trees was an unforgettable nightmare! Impossible for me to stay here listening, day after day, while my ideal went down in ruins. For those woods have long been my church, and the trees have taught me peace and understanding. They are the only religion that satisfies my needs. (Of Thee I Sing 1937, 26)

While she chose the pages of Nature Magazine (writing as "Of Thee I Sing") to make her appeal to protect the land, column "sisters" were quick to show their sympathy and support. Eventually anonymous donors emerged with the funding to protect a small parcel of woods as "Woodland Bird Sanctuary" in perpetuity.

By the mid-1950s, the high volume of letters to "Confidential Chat" meant that the publication of letters could be delayed by months. For a topic as seasonal as wild birds, such delays were frustrating. Energy devoted to the column waned. Even though the column endured until 1966, practically speaking, it was on its last legs by 1960. Recognizing Ada Govan's contributions to the paper, The Boston Globe printed a tribute to "Of Thee I Sing" in January 1959 and reprinted some of her classic letters from the 1930s. After Govan retired to Florida in 1960, she continued to send occasional letters to the Globe, often with an explicit environmentalist tone, aghast at the unrestrained development and habitat loss there. Her last letter to the Globe was a story about the passing of her seventeen-year-old, hand-raised Rose-breasted Grosbeak "Zekie," published on April 14, 1964, three days after her death.

Except for a recent mention in a history of birdfeeding (Barker, Henderson & Baicich 2015), "Birds I Know" has been largely forgotten. Ada Govan, while cited by Linda Lear (1998) as an important influence on Rachel Carson, has also largely receded from the memory of the birding community. "Woodland Bird Sanctuary", sometimes labeled "Ada Govan Bird Sanctuary" on area maps—beware Apple's map, which places it in the wrong neighborhood—persists as a small unmarked forest between Fiske Elementary School and Woodland Road in Lexington. Amid the growing recognition of the therapeutic value of birding during Covid-19, and increased recognition of women's contributions to the history of nature writing, it is worth returning to the "sisters" of "Birds I Know" to see what else they might have to teach us. This article is intended as an introduction. Readers interested in learning more are encouraged to sample the column and "Of Thee I Sing's" contributions via online digital archives such as Proquest's Historical Boston Globe (available at a number of public libraries). As an aid to this research I've posted a 220-page log of the column letters I've been able to find at <https://sites.google.com/view/birds-i-know/home>.

References

Barker, M. A., C. L. Henderson, P. J. Baicich. 2015. Feeding Wild Birds in America: Culture, Commerce, and Conservation. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press.
Lear, Linda. 1998. Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature. New York: Henry Holt & Company.
"Nature Boy." 1953. Birds I Know, Boston Globe March 2, 1953: 14.
Oehlkers, P.W and Anna Ijiri Oehlkers. 2021. Ada Clapham Govan and Birds I Know: Ecological Intimacy in a Mass-Mediated Sisterhood. In Intimate Relations: Communicating (in) the Anthropocene, edited by Vail Fletcher and Alexa Dare. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books.
"Of Thee I Sing." 1933. Wrote stories about birds in her backyard and made money, Boston Globe January 15, 1933: A42.
"Of Thee I Sing." 1936. Birds I Know, Boston Globe October 24, 1936: 21.
"Of Thee I Sing." 1937. Birds I Know, Boston Globe June 17, 1937: 26.
"Of Thee I Sing." 1940. Birds I Know, Boston Globe February 22, 1940: 36.
"Scarlet Tanager." 1936. Birds I Know, Boston Globe May 19, 1936: 26.
"Troubadour." 1932. Confidential Chat, Boston Globe June 30, 1932: 27.

Peter W. Oehlkers is an associate professor in the Media and Communication Department at Salem State University and Vice Chair of the Needham Conservation Commission. He is production editor for Bird Observer.

Birding the Family Patch: Oak Top, Dighton, Massachusetts

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 00:13:00 GMT

Prothonotary Warbler. Photograph by Jonathan Eckerson.

All these habitats are instrumental in making Oak Top a special bird magnet. It may appear that Oak Top does not have any geographical or ecological significance such as a coastal location or large body of water, but we think its physical location cannot be overlooked and is key to the high diversity and numbers of birds that frequent or fly over the property. We consider Oak Top a hidden gem and we call our location the overland passageway. Our assumption for the overland passageway is that northbound and southbound birds during migration do not always fly around the arm of Cape Cod but instead fly straight over Bristol County. This would not only save time but precious energy as well. We base this idea on some of the sightings the property has accrued over the years.

Oak Top has a rich records history during the eight years we brothers have actively birded it. The wooded sections of the property have their fair share of notable records. In November 2012 we had an immature Red-headed Woodpecker visit the feeders twice within a few weeks. In May 2013 a singing Yellow-throated Warbler passed through the property. This is one of two records of this species on the property to date. In May 2015, Joel and I came upon a singing Prothonotary Warbler across the street in the maple swamp. It not only proceeded to check out an abandoned Northern Flicker cavity but briefly stopped in the birdbath at our feeder setup. Unfortunately, it was a one-day wonder but everyone able to observe it was satisfied with the absurdly close views.

Golden Eagle. Photograph by Matthew Eckerson.

Although most of Oak Top is covered with deciduous trees, there is a unique opportunity to sky watch from the private farm's fields. Sky watching has yielded a great number of otherwise unexpected species for what seems to be a wooded property. Countless hours sky watching during the spring, summer, and fall have paid off with some quality records over the years. Many of the property's most notable records have been flyovers.

On an overcast day in March 2017, Joel alerted us to a flock of 72 Snow Geese flying directly over the property; they nearly landed in the farm fields. We recorded Sora on a low overcast night in May 2017 while monitoring nocturnal flight calls with a homemade bucket microphone. Two weeks after the Sora record, we recorded a Least Bittern nocturnally, which marked the third Bristol County record. That spring we also had a variety of nocturnal first records at Oak Top such as Short-billed Dowitcher, Whimbrel, Semipalmated Plover, and Upland Sandpiper. In fall 2017, we documented the property's first record of Gray-cheeked Thrush by means of the homemade nocturnal bucket microphone.

On a warm October day in 2017, with strong southeast winds blowing, Matt came running inside to alert us that a Golden Eagle was flying overhead. It circled for a few minutes before disappearing to the northwest. This extraordinary sighting marked the fourth record for Bristol County.

In May 2018, we were not terribly surprised to find two Cattle Egrets that spent the day in the neighbor's field feeding within the cattle herd. On a fall day in late October 2018, Matt had a Dunlin drop into a flooded area of the neighbor's corn field where it foraged for most of the morning.

Tundra Swan in corn field with Canada Geese. Photograph by Joel Eckerson.

One April morning in 2019, Joel found a singing Louisiana Waterthrush in the hardwood swamp behind the slough section of the property. Until recently this species was scarce and under-detected in the county. Over the past few years, though, it has become a regular sighting during spring migration. In 2020, we observed a singing male for weeks at the small stream that runs along the back of the property. Although a breeding pair was not confirmed, there is good reason to expect breeding in years to come.

In late May and early June 2019, the Northeast saw an abundance of Mississippi Kites and it was only a matter of time before Oak Top recorded its first. Sure enough, while we were enjoying a calm May evening, one flew low over the property.

One of the most notable—and memorable—property records came in late August 2019 when Matt and Joel observed a flock of 54 migrating Hudsonian Godwits heading southeast. This record marked the highest count of Hudsonian Godwits in Massachusetts over the past ten years and strongly supports the idea of an overland passageway.

Later during that fall migration, Joel had two property firsts: a flyover Eastern Meadowlark and a Philadelphia Vireo in the slough. Although there are hay fields on the property, none is quite suitable for overwintering meadowlarks due to their shape and general configuration.

Things got crazy on the goose front during the winter of 2019–2020. The towns of Dighton, Seekonk, and Somerset had exceptional numbers of Canada Geese with a Pink-footed and Greater White-fronted Goose in the mix. A Tundra Swan was also hanging out with the Pink-footed Goose and Canada Geese. We closely monitored Oak Top's farm fields for the entire goose season for these unusual geese and, sure enough, one evening we located the Pink-footed Goose with some Canada Geese. Three days later, Joel spotted the Tundra Swan feeding in the corn field with some Canada Geese. In early January, I found a Greater White-fronted Goose at dusk while scoping a flock of Canada Geese.

The most recent notable record occurred in April 2020 when Matt observed a Swallow-tailed Kite. This occurred the day after Jim Sweeney documented a Swallow-tailed Kite in Truro, Massachusetts. There were favorable strong sustained southwest winds, so Matt set up his scope in the hay field with the hope of spotting this rare southern visitor. He was fortunate enough to pick out the kite flying over the southern portion of the property.

We think the overland passageway is an integral part of Oak Top's attraction to migrating birds. For the past few years, we have observed a large flight of scoters migrating north over the property in late May. The majority of these are presumably White-winged Scoters, although Black Scoters were observed during the 2019 flight. During the 2019 flight we estimated 7000 scoters, of which we identified 737 as White-winged Scoters, 110 as Black Scoters, and the remainder as scoter species. We think that these scoters are traveling north from their wintering grounds off Nantucket and southeastern Massachusetts. Instead of exerting the extra effort to travel around the arm of Cape Cod, they take the direct route over the mainland. Although this phenomenon has not been formally researched, this May scoter flight event supports our idea of an overland passageway.

Sky watching paid off in late March of 2017 when Joel and Matt observed more than 3000 Canada Geese flying north during the evening ahead of a huge storm system. Along with the geese were a couple hundred gulls, mainly Herring, that followed the same flight path. We cannot be sure that this concentration of geese over this particular area of the property is directly connected to an overland passageway, but it helps to support this idea.

On May 18th, 2019, Joel attempted an Oak Top Big Day. In just over 15 hours he documented 100 species on the property. This effort is an important event in the property's birding history and will go down as one of the best days of birding at Oak Top. If you bird an area long enough it is possible to be extremely efficient at covering it during peak migration and pulling out fantastic numbers and species.

Oak Top is a prime example of what relentless coverage of a local hotspot or location can produce. What appeared to be a property with little ecological significance has turned into a wildly different story. Every season on the property brings new birds with new surprises and the everchanging possibilities make birding all the more appealing. Whether it is watching morning flight stream overhead on a crisp October day or listening for nocturnal migrants on a cool May night, Oak Top continues to captivate every month.

Andy Eckerson is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he studies wildlife ecology with a particular interest in seabird population dynamics. When not engulfed in academia, he enjoys nocturnal flight calls, rock climbing, trail running, and essentially anything involving the outdoors.

Group Bathing by Shorebirds, Gulls, and Terns

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 00:12:00 GMT

Bathing by Ruddy Turnstones, Sanderlings, and Short-billed Dowitchers

On March 3, 2020, I was watching a group of approximately 50 shorebirds, mostly Ruddy Turnstones but also a few Sanderlings that were present on the dock. At about 5:30 pm, a group of 30-plus flew down beside the dock into water three to four inches deep and—with all of the birds standing facing the incoming small waves—began a bathing frenzy (Figure 1). They dipped their heads below the surface, partially submerging their bodies, and flapped their wings wildly in what was clearly a bathing sequence. Bathing was followed by extensive preening. This behavior continued for about five minutes, after which the flock returned to the dock. Perhaps the outgoing tide, which lowered the water three to four inches beside the dock, triggered the bathing response in these shorebirds. It was my impression that all of the birds in this flock bathed at some point, although not all the birds bathed together at any point in time.

Figure 2. This flock of mostly Short-billed Dowitchers bathed and preened.

On March 14 at 4:03 pm, a flock of about 70 Sanderlings stood in or beside shallow water as the flats began to emerge on the outgoing tide. A second group of Sanderlings and a few more scattered among a separate group of about 30 Ruddy Turnstones brought the Sanderling total to more than 100. At least a dozen Sanderlings and a few turnstones were actively bathing. Over approximately 20 minutes, I estimated that nearly all the birds had bathed and were actively preening. The birds were facing into the wind and incoming waves. The following afternoon at 5:05 pm, a flock of about 50 shorebirds, mostly Ruddy Turnstones, but including a few Sanderlings, were bathing near the dock. Almost all the shorebirds had bathed and preened by 5:15 pm. Two days later around 3:45 pm, about 50 turnstones and Sanderlings had come down to bathe and, all neat and clean, flew back up to the dock. The pattern of late afternoon group bathing was repeated at 5:35 pm when about 20 turnstones and Sanderlings bathed together and again at 6:00 pm when a small group of Ruddy Turnstones bathed near the dock.

On March 31 shortly after 5 pm, I noticed about 30 shorebirds in a bathing frenzy just off the right side of the dock. It was a dynamic flock, with new birds joining the bathers every few seconds and others returning to the dock. Most of the bathing birds were Sanderlings or Ruddy Turnstones. A Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) bathed with the flock of shorebirds and another Royal Tern and a Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) bathed to the right of the flock. At 6:12 pm, a flock of 30-plus shorebirds, mostly Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus) were on the water; about a half dozen dowitchers bathed and the remainder preened, suggesting that they had already bathed (Figure 2).

On April 16 at 5:54 pm, a group of about 20 Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones flew down from the dock and bathed for about five minutes. At 6:38 pm, a larger group of 30-plus shorebirds bathed near the dock. The group included Sanderlings, turnstones, and dowitchers and was somewhat dynamic, with birds from the bathing group flying to the dock and switching places with birds that had been on the dock originally (Figure 3). On April 21 at 12:55 pm when the flats were emerging in the falling tide, I watched a Ruddy Turnstone bathing beside three others that were furiously preening and doubtless had bathed. About 10 feet away, a Sanderling bathed for about five minutes and a second bird joined it. At 5:50 pm, a single Sanderling bathed. By 6:00 pm, most of the shorebirds were gone as the incoming tide began to cover the flats. The following day, six Sanderlings were bathing in a pool at 2:19 pm and five Sanderlings bathed at 2:23 pm in a different pool. At 4:10 pm, I noticed seven dowitchers. One was bathing and the others were preening and had probably just finished bathing. At 6:30 pm, 10 dowitchers bathed in one pool and 14 Ruddy Turnstones bathed nearby in two other pools.

Figure 3. Short-billed Dowitchers, Ruddy Turnstones, and Sanderlings group bathe.

The literature on bathing Ruddy Turnstones is sparse. They are "fond of bathing in shallow water, fluttering vigorously" (Nettleship 2020), but no reference was made to group bathing behavior. No reference is made to Sanderlings bathing in the Birds of the World (formerly Birds of North America) account (Macwhirter et al. 2020), but I had no difficulty finding photos of bathing Sanderlings on Google. The literature on bathing by Short-billed Dowitchers is more extensive, "Bathing most common in evening (18:00—19:00), when feeding in small ponds with other species. After bathing flutters to dry place, bares oil gland, and preens" (Jehl et al. 2020). Again, no reference is made to group bathing. All of my observations of bathing occurred in late afternoon suggesting that bathing may be a usual end-of-day event. The exact timing of the large group bathing episodes was strongly influenced by the tide cycle because there appears to be an optimal water depth on the flats for bathing.

Figure 4. One Whimbrel is partly submerged and is bathing. A Willet watches the group.

A Whimbrel and a Willet Bathe

On April 18 at 5:03 pm, four Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) alit in the shallow water near two Willets. The Willets walked away but one stopped about 10 feet from the Whimbrels. At 5:30 pm, one of the Whimbrels began to bathe, dipping its head and bill under water, dipping its front and rear body in a rocking motion, fluffing, and shaking its tail side to side. A Willet watched (Figure 4). The other Whimbrels preened. The nearby Willet began to bath at 5:37 pm, apparently stimulated by the Whimbrel bathing and the others preening. Willets commonly bathe in groups (Davis 2016, Lowther et al. 2020). The Whimbrels preened their lower backs near the oil gland, chin-scratched, shook their heads, and fluffed. They preened until 5:46 pm, when they all flew away. The Birds of the World Whimbrel account (Skeel and Mallory 2020) reports only that "Fall migrants occasionally bathe in tidal streams on Cape Cod." These birds were spring migrants.

Figure 5. Our dock attracts Royal Terns, Laughing Gulls, and other species.

Small Group Bathing by Royal, Sandwich, and Least Terns, and Laughing Gulls.

During daylight hours, as many as 30 Royal Terns (Thalasseus maxima) and a dozen Laughing Gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla) roosted on the dock at our rental house. The dock also hosted a small number of other species, including Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) (Figure 5). There were no Least Terns (Sternula antillarum) during March but they arrived in April and the dock hosted more than 20. At low tide, substantial rocky, algae-coated substrate is exposed, but is entirely covered by water from mid to high tide. On 16 days from March 12 through April 22, I saw at least one tern or gull bathing near the dock. The bathing was communal for most of the gulls and terns. In most cases, the bathing occurred in two to three inches of water near the end of the dock. In all cases, the birds stood facing into the wind and waves.

Most of the instances of bathing involved multiple birds. The groups would be dynamic, with some birds joining the bathing group as other birds finished bathing and left the water. On March 12 at about 2:30 pm, I noticed several Royal Terns bathing next to the dock as the tide dropped. They partially submerged their bodies, then dipped their heads and bills, with bills held straight out, under water while flapping wings, body feathers extended. A few minutes later two more terns, which had been standing nearby, began bathing. A fifth tern then dropped in for a bath after several of the bathing terns had returned to the dock. Slightly farther up the dock two Laughing Gulls—one an immature—bathed, poking their heads under water, bills pointed down, and fluttered their wings and tails in much the same way the terns did. My notes of these observations say: "Water depth seems to be the key in triggering this bathing response in terns and gulls."

Figure 6. Five Royal Terns and six Laughing Gulls bathe together.

On March 15 between 4:05 and 4:49 pm, I observed 12 Royal Terns and two Laughing Gulls bathing during a 44-minute period. On March 16 at 6:05 pm, five Royal Terns and six Laughing Gulls bathed together next to the dock (Figure 6). On March 31 at 5 pm, a Royal Tern bathed with a flock of shorebirds and another Royal Tern and a Sandwich Tern bathed at the right side of the flock. Eventually eight Royal Terns joined the bathing group.

Least Terns were not seen in the area until March 28 and not more than a dozen at a time until April 13. There were about 20 Least Terns, three of them bathing, on the flats on April 17 at 3:40 pm when the incoming tide began to submerge the flats. Soon, six Least Terns were bathing at once, dipping into the water, fluffing and wing-flapping with bodies partially submerged (Figure 7). When finished, they walked or flew to the exposed flats and preened with other terns. I estimated from the number of preening terns that at least a dozen terns had bathed. On April 21, a Least Tern was bathing in a pool on the tidal flats when a second tern flew in and joined it. A third bird joined the two bathers. The first bird left the water and stood on the exposed flats and preened; it was soon followed by a second, leaving one tern bathing. Several minutes later, a fourth tern joined the bathing tern. This sequence of one tern leaving the water to preen and another bird joining the remaining bather continued until five Least Terns had bathed.

Figure 7. Six Least Terns are bathing and many more are preening.

Bathing in gulls and terns appears to be an afternoon, particularly a late afternoon, phenomenon. On the 16 days during which I recorded gulls or terns, the earliest bathing occurred at 2:30 pm and the latest at 6:05 pm. The tide cycle also may have contributed to the optimal water depth near the dock for bathing. Bathing occurred during both the rising and falling tide, although most instances were during the falling tide.

Bathing in gulls and terns is well known, although perhaps under-reported. The Birds of the World account of the Royal Tern states, "Bathes in groups in shallow water" (Buckley and Buckley 2020). The account for Laughing Gull reports, "Individuals bath singly or in small groups in both fresh and salt water…." and continues with a description of the bathing behavior, referencing it to Stone 1937 (Burger 2020). The Sandwich Tern account (Shealer et al. 2020) mentions "group bathing in tidal pools adjacent to colonies" and describes the behavior. The account of the Least Tern (Thompson et al. 2020) states "At colonies, regularly uses salt or fresh water for bathing. Individuals normally bathe alone but may be joined by 2–10 other birds…" and then describes the characteristics of the bathing procedure. I could find no reference to group bathing in mixed-species flocks, as was the case with a Sandwich Tern bathing with a Royal Tern, a Royal Tern bathing with a flock of shorebirds, and Royal Terns bathing with Laughing Gulls as described above. In summary, it appears that bathing by these species is a common occurrence, biased heavily toward the end of the day, and not restricted to the areas adjacent to breeding colonies or to the breeding season.

Conclusions

I conclude: (1) bathing is common in shorebirds, gulls, and terns; (2) for the species studied here, group bathing, or the tendency toward group bathing is the norm; (3) watching other birds bathe is an incentive to join the bathing group, in many cases leading to interspecific group bathing; (4) bathing for the bird species in this study is primarily an afternoon, end-of-day phenomenon; (5) preening normally follows bathing and can be considered a stage in the bathing procedure; and (6) the timing of bathing is influenced by water depth, and therefore is often influenced by the tide cycle.

Literature Cited

Buckley, P. A., and F. G. Buckley. 2020. Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus), Version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Burger, J. 2020. Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla), Version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Davis, W. E. Jr. 2016. Shorebird Behavior on their Wintering Grounds. Bird Observer 44: 266–269.
Jehl, J. R. Jr., J. Klima, and R. E. Harris. 2020. Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus). In Birds of the World (A. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Lowther, P. E., H. D. Douglas, III, and C. L. Gratyto-Trevor. 2020. Willet (Tringa semipalmata), Version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Macwhirter, P., P. Austin-Smith, and D. E. Kroodsma. 2020. Sanderling (Calidris alba), Version 1.0 in Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Nettleship, D. N. 2020. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). Version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Shealer, D., J. S. Liechty, A. R. Pierce, and M. A. Patten. 2020. Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis), Version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Skeel, M. A., and E. P. Mallory. 2020. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Stone, W. 1937. Bird Studies at Old Cape May: An Ornithology of Coastal New Jersey. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Delaware Valley Ornithological Club.
Thompson, B. C., J. A. Jackson, J. Burger, L. A. Hill, E. M. Kirsch, and J. L. Atwood. 2020. Least Tern (Sternula antillarum), Version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.