December 2019

Front Cover: December 2019

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:13 GMT

American Goldfinch

The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a common species that is sexually dimorphic in plumage. It is also seasonally dimorphic. In breeding plumage, the male is a striking, bright yellow and has a black forehead and tail, black wings with a single white wing bar, and a white rump. The bill and legs are pink. Duller than the male, the female in breeding plumage is yellowish below and brownish yellow above; she has a blackish tail and wings with two prominent yellowish wing bars, and lacks the white rump. Both males and females have white undertail coverts and white underwing coverts that are obvious in flight. In nonbreeding plumage, females are a drab light gray with two buffy or yellowish wing bars. Nonbreeding males resemble the female but have more yellow on the throat. Separating the American Goldfinch from the western goldfinch species can be tricky, but in Lawrence's Goldfinch, the male has a blackish face and the female a dusky one. The Lesser Goldfinch has obvious white patches in the wings in flight and lacks white undertail coverts.

The breeding range of the American Goldfinch extends across southern Canada from British Columbia to Newfoundland, and across the United States from Oregon and Washington to the East Coast, dipping south into Nevada in the west, the Carolinas in the east, and the northern parts of the Gulf States. The Canadian populations are migratory as are those from the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The other populations are year-round residents. Migrant American Goldfinches winter in the southern United States to parts of northern Mexico. Winter flocks tend to be nomadic, constantly searching for their patchily distributed food. American Goldfinches prefer early successional woodlands and forest habitats, weedy fields, orchards, and suburban environments such as gardens.

The American Goldfinch is one of the latest breeders of all North American bird species. This late breeding is probably related to the late flowering season for thistles, which is one of the species' most important food plants. They also line their nests with thistle down. In Massachusetts, where they are common and widespread breeders and residents, goldfinches nest between mid-July and September. Migrating goldfinches pass through Massachusetts during early spring and mid-fall.

The male goldfinch's song is a warbling series of notes that serves to attract females and to advertise territories. Song learning lasts into adulthood and breeding pairs develop nearly identical flight calls, which probably serves to identify their mates. A common vocalization is a short and high-pitched contact call. Goldfinches also have a variety of alarm, distress, and feeding calls. The usual flight pattern for goldfinches is the typical undulating flight of other finches accompanied by flight calls. The male also performs a display flight using slow, exaggerated wing beats. Aggressive displays include the male crouching with head forward, wings raised, bill open, and uttering harsh calls.

American Goldfinches are usually monogamous, but females may mate with a different male to produce a second brood. Pair formation may occur either in winter flocks or on the nesting grounds. Courtship feeding by males is common. Both members of a pair select the nesting area, but the final nest site—usually in a deciduous shrub or small tree—is chosen by the female. The nest is also built by the female. It is a compact bowl of plant fibers and rootlets that is attached to several twigs with spider silk. The female develops a brood patch and she alone incubates the usual clutch of five bluish-white eggs for the 12–14 days until hatching. The helpless chicks hatch nearly naked with their eyes closed. For the first few days after the chicks hatch, the male brings food for the female and she feeds the chicks. Thereafter, both parents collect food for the young. If disturbed at the nest, the female gives a distraction display, fluttering to the ground and flopping about. Fledging varies but averages about two weeks, with the parents continuing to feed the young birds for an additional three weeks. Because of the late date for nesting, cowbird nest parasitism is minimal. When it does occur, the cowbird chicks fail to develop—apparently because the goldfinch's seed diet lacks sufficient protein for cowbirds—and they die.

American Goldfinches forage primarily on the seeds of small trees and plants, especially those of the family Compositae. Thistle seeds are among their favorites and they also take the seeds of grasses. Herbivorous, they only occasionally take insects. They often frequent bird feeders, especially thistle seed feeders. They forage from the ground or by hanging from seed heads, often upside down. They do not cache seeds, nor do they defend the resources they exploit. Goldfinches are gregarious and, in winter, often are found in large mixed-species flocks that include chickadees, titmice, and several sparrow species.

Nest predators of American Goldfinches include snakes, weasels, and squirrels. Predators of adults and fledglings include falcons, shrikes, and domestic cats. Breeding Bird Census data suggest decreasing populations in the East but stable populations in the West. However, Christmas Count data suggest a stable population. It appears likely that this beautiful, abundant, and widespread species will grace our gardens into the indefinite future.

William E. Davis, Jr.

Hot Birds: December 2019

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:12 GMT

An Empidonax flycatcher photographed in Hadley on October 23 by Joe Oliverio, turned out to be a Pacific-Slope Flycatcher, the state’s first record! The bird is still being reported through press time; it is difficult to impossible to detect on some days, especially those which are rainy or windy, but has put on great shows on others, and recorded giving a variety of vocalizations. Some birders have reported seeing it eating Privet berries as the cold has made insects harder to find. (A bird mist-netted at Manomet in November 2006 may have been this species but the closely related Cordilleran Flycatcher could not be ruled out). Photograph © Jeremy Coleman.

Sean Williams almost couldn’t believe his eyes when he glimpsed what appeared to be a Yellow-Green Vireo on Monomoy October 15. After all, the species had only been documented four times on the Atlantic coast north of Florida, though one of those had been on Plum Island in 2011. Fortunately, the bird wound up in the nets of the Momomoy Bird Observatory’s banding team operating nearby, allowing for in-hand photographs confirming its identity! James Junda took the photo above. In most years, a bird this rare would have been the unquestioned highlight of the season.

Joe Battenfeld found the state’s fourth record of Tropical Kingbird in the Rock Meadow Conservation Area of Belmont. The bird spent about a week flycatching around a community garden and sheep pasture, to the admiration of many happy birders. Another bird that might have stood alone as the best bird of the season, if this had been a remotely normal season for birds. Justin Lawson took the photo above.

Winter Birding at Elm Bank Reservation, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:11 GMT

Mass Hort made the decision to put up an iron fence around The Gardens at Elm Bank in order to have a dog-free area to protect the beautiful cultivated gardens. Elm Bank is a favorite spot for dog walkers and, unfortunately, leash laws are not enforced. Dog owners are notorious for not picking up after their pets here, but I have noticed some improvement over the past two or three years. The best time of day to bird Elm Bank is early morning or mid to late afternoon to avoid most of the dogs. Late afternoon in winter can also be good for hearing owls.

Historically, the area had been farmed since the 17th century and was known as the Natick Plain. In 1740, Colonel John Jones bought the property, which is bordered on three sides by the Charles River, and planted elm trees along the riverbanks. The elms are long gone, but the name "Elm Bank" remains. In 1874, Benjamin Pierce Cheney—a founder of the company that became American Express—bought the property. He became a member and benefactor of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. His daughter Alice and her husband Dr. William Hewson Baltzell built the impressive 45-room Neo-Georgian manor house that still stands at Elm Bank today (unoccupied and in a state of disrepair) and commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted's sons to design the gardens, including the Italianate-style garden, which has been restored. With no heirs wanting the property, Elm Bank eventually was purchased by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the 1970s. And now the Cheney-Mass Hort connection continues. The entire property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

The official address for Elm Bank and Mass Hort is 900 Washington Street, Wellesley. The entrance road, Cheney Drive, is directly off Route 16 (Washington Street) in Wellesley and is marked with a small green sign for Elm Bank that is easy to miss. If you are on Route 16 heading west and reach South Natick Center, or are going east and come to Wellesley College, you have passed it, and you will need to turn around. Drive over the historic, one-lane Cheney Bridge, and turn right on the main reservation road, which is one way. (See Figure 1. Elm Bank Reservation.) In approximately 0.5 mile, turn left at the stop sign. You will see parking lots on your left, but continue around the road past the buildings, greenhouses, Putnam building, and maintenance barn. At the stop sign, turn left, drive across a short stone-walled bridge, and park at the Canoe Launch parking lot. If this small lot is not plowed, drive around the loop again, park in the main lot, and walk down the road to the Canoe Launch.

Elm Bank Nature Trails

Walk across the grass or snow to the edge of the Charles River and look downstream for winter ducks: Mallards, Hooded and Common mergansers, and occasionally in late March, Wood Ducks. Sit for a few minutes on the bench and watch to see what swims by; patience can be rewarding. Look overhead for Red-tailed and Cooper's hawks. Listen for Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Carolina Wrens, House Finches, American Goldfinches, and Northern Cardinals. If you are here late in the afternoon, listen and look for Eastern Screech Owls in the oak trees along the riverbank. One early afternoon in January while I was watching Mallards, I heard a Great Horned Owl hoot a single Who's awake, me too from nearby pine trees on the Riverside trail. I immediately rushed into the woods searching for the bird, but could not find it roosting in the dense conifers. Nor did it call again.

Before you head to the road, walk along the shrubs and trees at the edge of the river, where you may startle up a Winter Wren. American Robins frequent this tangled thicket, especially if there are still berries.

When you get to the road, turn left and walk onto the narrow stone bridge (watch out for oncoming cars). The sunnier wall on the left is a good spot for Golden-Crowned Kinglets. This is the only place that I have looked down at kinglets foraging in the shrubs and picking up seeds that have collected in the cracks of the wall. When you get to the woodland trails, you will have plenty of opportunity to crane your neck up to watch them fluttering near the tops of the pines. The other side of the bridge is usually a birdy spot for Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Song Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos.

Charles River by the canoe launch. All photographs by the author.

Now you have two choices: bird the main road around Elm Bank or the DCR woodland nature trails. Depth of the snow might make this a moot point. When the temperature is well below 32 and the ground is snow-covered, these trails in the woods are among the iciest trails anywhere—and the last to melt because the low winter sun barely penetrates the conifers. I highly recommend ice-grippers.

Right after you cross the bridge, you will come to the trailhead on the left side of the road. There is a faded map of the trail system. Birding directions are simple: follow the Riverside trail and stay to the left at all trail intersections to remain close to the Charles River. The trails are labeled, but most of the signs are inconspicuous. From the start of the Riverside trail to the first intersection (the Olmsted trail), the habitat is predominantly white pine forest. It looks like perfect Great Horned Owl roosting habitat. Expect to find Golden-crowned Kinglets, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Dark-eyed Juncos, and hear, if not see, Red-bellied and Downy woodpeckers, and Northern Flickers. Pine Warblers are here in season. In mid-October, I was surprised to seemingly pish in a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Stay left on the Riverside trail. The forest opens up closer to the river, with more oaks and maples in the mix. Take advantage of the clearings to scan the water for more ducks or perhaps a Great Blue Heron and to look for Blue Jays, cardinals, and crows along the opposite bank. Ravens have been breeding in Wellesley for the past several years, so look and listen for them as well.

When you get to the intersection with the Quinobin trail, again stay left near the river. The trail will soon go up a gentle slope and begin to curve to the right; you will notice that the river flows through a grassy and shrubby marsh. Stop here and carefully scan the marsh. Most of the waterfowl will be Canada Geese and Mallards, with occasional Hooded Mergansers, but there is good habitat here for shy Wood Ducks in season. By the end of February or the beginning of March, Red-winged Blackbirds will be back. Because this is the widest and most open section of the river, hawks often perch on snags and trees along the banks, including the occasional Red-shouldered Hawk. Watch for muskrats and beavers early or late in the day. I have yet to see a fisher at Elm Bank Reservation, but I have been told they are on the property, and I have seen one near the river at the reservation boundary with Turtle Lane.

After the trail curves right, it intersects with the other end of the Quinobin trail, then bisects a marsh. This moist, shrubby section is good for White-throated Sparrows and more robins. Between the Riverside trail and the Charles River, there seems to be a warmer microclimate, and it's here, when bushwhacking to the river to look for the latest beaver lodge along the bank, that I have seen several Hermit Thrushes over the years. If it's not too wet or snowy, take the Marsh trail behind the marsh to look for finches and sparrows.

Once past the wetland, the Riverside trail returns to mixed pine and oak/maple habitat where you should find a mixed winter flock or two of chickadees, titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, goldfinches and Downy Woodpeckers. In the pines, look for more kinglets and Brown Creepers. Between the Olmsted and Meander trails, listen for Pileated Woodpeckers. At least one breeding pair has shown up at Elm Bank over the past 12 years, and I have heard them sporadically along this stretch of trail. In spring 2019, I saw a pair on the opposite side of the Charles River. Remember to scan the water for ducks and Great Blue Herons every now and then.

Follow the Riverside trail to the end, or if you want a shorter walk, turn right onto the Meander trail and follow the main road back to your car. At the end of the Riverside trail, turn right to follow an old cart path back to the paved road. The brushy edge habitat here is good for Dark-eyed Juncos, Song and White-throated sparrows, an occasional Tree Sparrow, and Goldfinches and House Finches.

When you reach the road, turn left and walk to the edge of the Elm Bank property. Spend a few minutes listening for Pileated Woodpeckers (on occasion) and Great Horned Owls (more often) on late afternoons. Walk along the main road to the gardens or back to your car. The road is good for Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Blue Jays, and Mourning Doves. Near the greenhouses and the Putnam Building, I regularly find Hairy as well as Downy woodpeckers.

Because I usually visit Elm Bank when there is snow on the ground, I don't often bird the compost and discards area behind the greenhouse parking lot or the roadway behind the Putnam building. Exploring back there one late October afternoon in 2019, I decided that this area merits more frequent attention when the ground is bare and could be a good place for fall-migrating sparrows, winter sparrows, and perhaps other less common seedeaters.

Seed to Table Vegetable Garden.

The Main Reservation Road

Start birding the reservation road counter-clockwise from the Canoe Launch and stone bridge. Look for Eastern Bluebirds as well as American Robins in the field on your left. When you come to a paved path on the left, follow it as far as you can to the iron fence. The fence currently prevents access to most of this tree-lined path, the old Olmstead Asian Garden (in need of restoration), and the Manor House, but you can get there later from the Gardens. This area provides good shelter for many of our resident passerines, and has been the one place at Elm Bank where I have seen Red-breasted Nuthatches.

Return to the main road and stop on the Cheney Bridge to check for waterfowl upstream and downstream. There is not much traffic during the winter, but be on the lookout for cars on this narrow bridge. Return to the reservation road, with the Charles River to your right. The shrubby thickets hold mockingbirds, robins, sparrows, finches, and cardinals, along with Gray Catbird stragglers into late fall. The river is slightly wider and more placid here, and there may be Green-winged Teal or Ring-necked Ducks among the Mallards. When children aren't sledding down the hill on the other side of the road, look for Blue Jays, crows, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers in the trees.

The road veers uphill and away from the river as you approach the soccer fields on your left. Scan the open sky for Red-tailed and Cooper's hawks and the occasional winter Turkey Vulture. The road makes a slight jog near the farther soccer field parking lot, and on the right is a grove of old sugar maple trees. Mass Hort taps the trees as soon as the sap starts running, and it makes a pleasant plinking sound. In 2008, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers nested here in a dead snag near the edge of the road, but a storm knocked the snag down the following winter. Since then, they had been more elusive—until summer 2019. Melissa Page, master gardener and education program instructor, told me that a pair of Pileateds hung out in Weezie's Garden, parking their fledglings in a hollow snag at one end of the children's garden, to the visitors' delight.

At the stop sign, turn right to bird the road to the Turtle Lane boundary or left to bird your way around the greenhouses and Putnam building. In either case, end your walk by exploring the gardens if the gate is open. If not, walking along the edge of the iron fence at the soccer fields will provide views into some of the gardens.

The Gardens at Elm Bank

Follow the main path toward the Manor House. (See the inset in Figure 1. Elm Bank Reservation.) The Trial Garden (T) has long been put to bed for the winter, but Weezie's Garden (W), the Bressingham Garden (B) (designed as a four-season garden), and the Seed to Table Vegetable Garden (S) provide food and shelter for a variety of birds, including Northern Mockingbirds, American Robins, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Cardinals, House Finches, and American Goldfinches. Look for Eastern Bluebirds between these gardens and the fields.

Even though it is not particularly birdy, take a walk through the Italianate Garden (I); you can imagine what it looks like in spring and summer with the fountain flowing and the flowerbeds filled with colorful annuals. Head down the paved path behind the house and look for kinglets, titmice, and nuthatches in the deep shady grove. Then return along the back path past the Herb (H) and Rhododendron (R) gardens, where there are usually juncos and Song and White-throated sparrows in the grass and the garden beds. If the gate to the main road is open, exit here and you will be close to the Canoe Launch lot. Otherwise, walk back to the main gate and return to your car via the main road.

The Massachusetts Horticultural Society "is dedicated to encouraging the science and practice of horticulture and to developing the public's enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding of plants and the environment." There is no mention of birds in this statement. However, where there are flowering and fruiting plants, there will also be birds. Ms. Pace delighted in telling me about the birds that frequent the gardens in spring and summer, not only Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, but also Scarlet Tanagers and Baltimore and Orchard orioles. She told me about the Great Blue Heron that has learned to find easy meals in the goldfish pond and the resident Cooper's Hawk that is not only used to her but watches her activity. When she gets out her basket of tools to divide and replant, the hawk hangs out nearby and uses the opportunity to snatch up mice and voles that she has displaced.

So come to Elm Bank Reservation to bird throughout the seasons. It's a beautiful place of cultivated landscapes and natural wooded trails along the Charles River where you can observe the behaviors of many of our common New England birds, with the prospect of a surprise or two.

Marsha C. Salett is the editor of Bird Observer.

Lawrence Winter Crow Roost Becomes Catalyst for Artistic Expression, Community Outreach, and Citizen Science

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:10 GMT

That evening was one of many that took place last winter as part of a collaboration in Lawrence that included artists, educators, and birding and conservation groups. The Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence brought in artists and writers to help young people learn about the crows and express that knowledge creatively. Groundwork Lawrence, an organization that focuses on environmental and community issues, used the crow roost as part of its Green Team youth program. The observations and data collected by members of the many birding clubs and conservation groups attracted to the roost have laid the foundation for a citizen science effort.

And it all started with the crows.

While by no means ubiquitous, winter crow roosts take place in urban environments throughout the country. The winter roost in Lawrence typically spans October through early April. The number of birds is at first small but by the end of the season can grow to more than 25,000. The roost is made up of American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus). A smaller number of the American Crows are local residents and perhaps up to 80 percent are migrants from the north. The Fish Crows are almost all local birds. Just before sunset, they stream in from daytime foraging grounds up to 20 miles away and gather in smaller groupings, which may be hundreds or thousands, in locations referred to as staging areas. Then all the smaller groupings converge at the final roost to spend the night. The staging and roosting areas change often, making it difficult at times to project where the roost will be from night to night.

While many in the Lawrence community had witnessed these thousands of crows showing up in their neighborhood for years, most did not understand why. That all changed last winter when the winter crow roost in Lawrence became a catalyst for artistic expression, community outreach, and citizen science.

Three local birders, Dana Duxbury-Fox, Bob Fox, and I, came together two years ago to document the roost. Dana and Bob had been observing the roost for a few years, and I joined them during the fall of 2017 to observe, monitor, and photograph the behavior. Our group became known as The Crow Patrol.

At that point, we were just a group of birders doing what birders do. We spent many nights separately observing and documenting the crows' behavior. Bob used reliable and time-tested counting methodologies to determine the size and scope of the phenomenon. Dana posted on listservs for Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. I posted detailed data and photos of the crows in action on eBird as well as on the blog (www.wintercrowroost.com). To date, the blog has had more than 4,000 individual visitors.

Then interest in the crows began to grow. Dana and Bob had already been in communication with Wayne Petersen, Director of Massachusetts Important Bird Area Program at Mass Audubon, who had been adding his insight to their efforts. As we posted our findings on birding sites and reached out to others we thought might be interested, word about the roost in Lawrence spread. Soon members of birding clubs and conservation groups were joining us and observing the roost. We found ourselves conducting informal guided tours and talks. Academics and scientists joined in. Two colleges became interested in possible research opportunities.

With the increased interest in mind, and having witnessed the success of a crow-themed art show at The Studio Door, a San Diego art gallery, we realized the crow roost presented an opportunity to engage the Lawrence community and beyond in celebrating the crows. That's when we decided to reach out to the Essex Art Center, Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence, Merrimack River Watershed Council, and Groundwork Lawrence. The resulting programs and activities were greater than any of us could have predicted. "I think it is a wonderful example of how a common-place event can end up capturing such widespread interest," said Wayne, who helped to organize the Mass Audubon event.

The Arts and the Crows

Who would have guessed that crow behavior would generate enough interest to be the subject of an art exhibit in all three of a museum's galleries? And yet, that's what happened when the Essex Art Center dedicated its three exhibit areas to the crows over a two-month period, from January 11 through March 15, 2019. "All of us here at Essex Art Center had been watching these crows fly in for years," said Cathy McLaurin, the center's Executive Director. "We figured, if we were fascinated, others would be too."

The main room, the Chester F. Sidell Gallery, showcased crow photography. Experienced bird photographers provided 25 matted and framed prints for the exhibit and later for sale. Each photographer donated all revenue from framed-print sales back to the Essex Art Center. The second room, the Elizabeth A. Beland Gallery, showcased the extraordinary videography work of Dennis Hlynsky, artist and Professor and Department Head of the Film/Animation/Video Department at the Rhode Island School of Design. "Dennis manipulates video to see flight patterns on the wings," Cathy said. "They look like someone is drawing on the sky." He created videos specifically of the crow roost in Lawrence. The third gallery was given over to community members. The museum invited people of any age working in any discipline to contribute artwork with a crow theme.

"I don't think we had any sense of how popular the exhibit would be," Cathy said. "It brought in not only bird watchers, but also other people who said they had never been to the Essex Art Center before, but they had been watching the crows for years and were curious."

Various community organizations brought members and benefactors to the Essex Art Center for events similar to the one the Mass Audubon members attended. The visitors would start at the Essex Art Center, hear a talk about the crows from Dana, Bob or me, and then head out to the field for a guided tour of the crows streaming in, staging, and roosting. The Merrimack Valley Watershed Council, a local conservation group, held two events. One was with the Merrimack Valley Bird Club and Andover Village Improvement Society. The other was geared specifically toward families called Crows and Cocoa. "We ended up in the middle of these crowing birds, and people loved it," said Lara Mataac, a volunteer with the Council.

Karen Kravchuk, Director of Education, extending warm welcome to students and families for the 2019 Family Bread Loaf Night at the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence (Feb 28, 2019).

Young People Get Involved

The activities based out of the Essex Art Center were just the start. Groups working with young people developed programs using the crow roost as a base. The Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence brought in Lawrence Arts House, an expressive arts studio, and Andover Bread Loaf, which promotes literacy and educational revitalization through the lens of social justice, to collaborate on a five-week program for children in grades 2 through 5. The program included an art component and a writing component. "The great thing about the project was that it made the children aware of this birding spectacle they didn't even know was happening in their city," said Karen Kravchuk, Director of Education for the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence.

The students worked with staff members from Lawrence Arts House to create crow-themed art and with high school students who had been trained by Andover Bread Loaf to lead writing sessions. Far from being just a writing program, Andover Bread Loaf focuses on the importance of community. Lou Bernieri, Director of the program, said it was valuable for the young students to see the concept of community played out in the world of the crows. "Crows are smart, social, and family oriented," he said. "These birds have characteristics that are very human."

At the end of the program, the Boys and Girls Club hosted a family night during which the younger students displayed their artwork and read what they wrote to a gathering of family and friends.

Groundwork Lawrence's Green Team program helps students learn about and lead local environmental and conservation initiatives, conduct research, raise awareness, and partake in hands-on projects. Their office happens to be right across from the Duck Bridge in Lawrence, a regular roosting site. Matt Morin, Education Program Manager for Groundwork Lawrence, had hoped to bring the students to one of the shows at the Essex Art Center. "I'm a bit of a photographer and had gone out a couple of nights on my own," Matt said. "I was near the Bashara Boathouse, and the swirl of birds around me was like a water spout. It was awe-inspiring."

Unfortunately, when Matt contacted us, the shows were all booked. As this was a great opportunity to get conservation-minded high-school students involved, I arranged a private tour of the art exhibit for them, gave a talk, and helped to coordinate a guided tour at the Bashara Boathouse so the young people could observe the crows staging and roosting along the Merrimack River. Groundwork Lawrence is now working on a pilot project curriculum regarding the crows, which is described in the Moving Forward section below.

Foundation for Citizen Science

One of the most exciting parts of this experience has been the foundation we've created for a citizen science effort. We now have two years of detailed data and documentation gathered by Dana, Bob, and me. With the interest of birding clubs and conservation groups drawn to the roost over the last two years, we have increased the amount of data collected even further. This information will be used by the academic researchers and avian biologists who don't have time to sit in the field.

We now hope to bring in a more disciplined approach. Dana is helping to organize a research study with Andrew Vitz, Ph.D., State Ornithologist for MassWildlife, and Becky Harris, Ph.D. of Tufts University, as well as volunteers. The study will explore migration timing and patterns along with winter roost behavior, including flight patterns and distances to and from daytime foraging grounds.

We are also starting a local podcast to interview crow experts and we will archive the stories. Podcasting provides yet another great way to be connected to the birding world and to learn from others.

Moving Forward

Last year provided an excellent start to what we hope will be a growing interest in the crow roost in Lawrence. The Essex Art Center plans to build on the subject of crows to produce an exhibition that frames the crows in a larger conversation about the environment, and they will also be expanding the number of photographers exhibiting their work. The Boys and Girls Club will again work with Lawrence Arts House and Andover Bread Loaf. We plan to work even more closely with Merrimack River Watershed Council, Merrimack Valley Bird Club, Andover Village Improvement Society, and other conservation and environmental groups and bird clubs.

This year, we are developing a new collaboration with Hunt's Photo and Video, a photographic, video, and digital-imaging business in Melrose, Massachusetts, that also runs educational programs and guided photography walks. Their walks will provide hands-on instruction on how to photograph in a city location, under dark lighting conditions, with black crows as the target.

Groundwork Lawrence is developing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum for a pilot program with high school students in their Green Team program. The curriculum focuses on training students how to observe and document trends and patterns around a winter crow roost. The students will take a three-hour, online course to learn how to use eBird, and The Crow Patrol will work with them to help them use it. Other components of the program include a Cornell Lab of Ornithology online course, conference calls with crow experts, eight weeks of field work, demonstrations on drone use, and the use of equipment to record and document bird calls.

"Groundwork is proud to cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders through our Green Team and are thrilled with the opportunity to collaborate with Craig and his rich, multi-faceted work with winter crows," said Heather McMann, Executive Director of Groundwork Lawrence. "Our Green Team STEM program centered on the crows native to the area is another great example of how we can teach students to be excited about the natural world right here in Lawrence. The city has a multitude of beautiful natural resources and this partnership is a wonderful way to highlight that with our youth."

This year there will be additional locations for talks and displays. One location will be the Lawrence Heritage State Park, whose Visitor's Center is a restored 1840s boarding house where exhibits tell the stories of Lawrence's mill workers and immigrant populations.

We are also connecting with community-minded local businesses. The Spicket River Brewery, which has taken an active role in the cleaning of local rivers and trails and also provides space to local artists, will be hosting events, including an open mic night. The company is even working on a new beer label for a crow-themed brew. El Taller Cafe and Book Store, which is committed to literacy and provides exhibit space for artworks, will also be hosting a crow-themed art show in February 2020.

There will be a live demonstration by the Center for Wildlife, an organization based in Southern Maine, whose mission is educating community about wildlife ecology, human impacts on wildlife, and critical ecosystems and stewardship. The group travels with injured birds, known as Ambassadors, who cannot be returned to the wild. It will begin with a Welcome Back Celebration in November.

In the end, all of this activity has been about a deeper sense of connection. A common, often misunderstood bird has served to join us, not only to nature, but also to one another. In a desire to better understand the crow, the Lawrence community has created art, engaged young people in a new experience, and gathered as community in celebrations that even a New England winter night can't cool. And it has brought us to the realization that we, and the creatures we share our world with, have more in common than we ever thought.

Craig B. Gibson is a bird conservation photographer who has photographed birds from Alaska to Antarctica. His current focus is on everything related to the Winter Crow Roost. Craig's crow photos and articles have appeared in the Essex Art Center exhibition; Bird Observer; Mass Audubon publications; the Eagle Tribune newspaper; Cornell Lab's Bird Academy online course "The Hidden Life of the American Crow"; Muse Magazine, a quarterly publication for students about science, nature, and history; Massachusetts Wildlife Magazine; and a new addition to the Peterson's Guide series that focuses on bird behavior. He is one of the founders of The Crow Patrol.

Twenty-third Report of the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:09 GMT

Eurasian Hobby. May 13, 2019. 100 miles south of Nantucket. Photo by Allison Black.

On May 13, 2019, while conducting seabird and marine mammal surveys well offshore, Allison Black photographed a strange falcon that landed on her NOAA vessel. The strong moustachial stripe, striped breast, and the orange undertail coverts identified this bird as a Eurasian Hobby. During intensely high seas and rain, the small falcon circled the ship and landed several times over a period of 45 minutes.

On June 15, 2019, Lisa Schibley visited Mass Audubon's Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary to follow up on a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher report. Upon her arrival, a different flycatcher with a bright yellow belly whizzed past her. Although Western Kingbird is the default yellow-bellied kingbird in Massachusetts, Lisa ruled out this species due to this kingbird's large bill and lack of white on the outer vane of the outer rectrix. She alerted the community to the presence of a Tropical or Couch's Kingbird, which according to some authorities are impossible to distinguish based on plumage alone. Audio recording subsequently confirmed it as a Tropical Kingbird, a second state record. After Lisa's report, another observer, Nancy Blake, realized that she had photographed the bird the previous day. It remained until July 4. The source population for vagrant Tropical Kingbirds is not well known; some may represent austral migrants.

During a NOAA cruise for mammal and seabird surveys in July and August 2018, Skye Haas photographed several noteworthy rarities for Massachusetts deep waters, including a third state record of Masked Booby and Trindade Petrel, two Red-billed Tropicbirds, and two Brown Boobies. These sightings occurred during a month of daily surveys beyond the continental shelf. Another survey in 2019 yielded similar results (those records have not yet been reviewed by the committee). The results pose the question: Are these pelagic species true rarities in Massachusetts, or are they part of the regular cast of the fauna in a relatively inaccessible area? With ocean temperatures warming overall and showing occasional "heat waves" that affect the distribution of better-known species, the question arises if the distribution of these species is changing as well. The answer is yes for Brown Booby, but much less clear for the other species.

California Gull. March 17, 2019. Turners Falls Power Canal, Turners Falls. Photo by David Sibley.

David Sibley found a California Gull bathing with the local gull crowd at Turners Falls in Montague. The gull departed with some Herring Gulls less than an hour later, and extensive searching later in the day yielded no additional sightings. This was a fourth state record, the first since 2005, and the first for a landlocked county in Massachusetts.

During an International Shorebird Survey at the Powder Hole on Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on August 19, 2018, Sean Williams, Marshall Iliff, Sue Finnegan, and John Pratt sighted a worn, male "ringed" plover, apparently in first-summer plumage. The bird appeared larger, paler, and with a more prominent eyebrow than nearby Semipalmated Plovers. Lack of webbing between the toes and a vocalization confirmed the identification as a Common Ringed Plover, a fifth state record. Sean and Marshall saw what was almost certainly the same individual on September 2 on a beach roost at high tide, five miles north of the original location. (The MARC formally considered it the same bird, based partly on plumage details.)

A Sage Thrasher dashed by Logan Kahle at Low Beach on Nantucket on November 25, 2018. Its stealthy habits evaded many observers, although some fortunate souls caught up with the bird the next day. This was a fourth state record and the first for Nantucket County.

The committee accepted a 1990 report of a Ross's Gull by the legendary, late Richard Forster, who sighted the bird on Niles Pond in Gloucester on February 1. Although no photographs were obtained, this experienced observer published an extensive account of his encounter in Bird Observer June 1990, volume 18, number 3, covering all plumage aspects and addressing potential identification pitfalls. Old, credible reports such as these are vital, exemplary pieces of ornithological history in Massachusetts. This was a second state record.

Favorable southwesterly winds and a long-term increase at the northern edge of the range combined for an exceptional year for Mississippi Kites, especially away from Cape Cod. Nine records were accepted in 2019, which was more than any other previous year.

The 2018–19 roster of MARC voting members included Nick Block, Marshall Iliff, Jessica Johnson, Wayne Petersen, David Sibley, Ryan Schain, Tim Spahr (chair), Jim Sweeney, and Larry Therrien. Sean Williams served as a nonvoting secretary.

Species taxonomy and nomenclature follow the seventh edition of the American Ornithological Society (AOS, formerly American Ornithologists' Union) Check-list of North American Birds (AOU 1998) and its supplements (Chesser et al. 2009, Chesser et al. 2010, Chesser et al. 2011, Chesser et al. 2012, Chesser et al. 2013, Chesser et al. 2014, Chesser et al. 2015, Chesser et al. 2016, Chesser et al. 2017, Chesser et al. 2018, Chesser et al. 2019).

The list of species reviewed by the MARC (the Review List) is available at maavianrecords.com. Please check the Review List to send evidence of records that are not listed in our Searchable Database—even in this Information Age we often do not receive sufficient information for many records. The committee strongly encourages written submissions even when photographs are available.

The statistics in brackets for each species or taxon show the number of records accepted in this report, followed by the total number of accepted records for that species. Species that lack statistics are species for which we have a relatively poor handle on the number of actual records, or it is a species reviewed due to its unseasonality. Below, we present data for all records covered, formatted as such: Record identification number, count of individuals, location, range of observation dates, original observers, and observers submitting documentation. We credit the discoverer with an asterisk (*). We indicate whether the evidence provided was photographic (ph), video (v), audio (au), or a written submission (†).

Accepted Records

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) [3 records accepted in this report, 12 total accepted records]

2018-052: 1 at Gooseberry Neck, Westport, Bristol, 7/29/2018 [Joel Eckerson* (ph)].

2019-036: 1 at Madaket, Nantucket, 6/10/19 to 6/12/19 [Trish Pastuszak* (ph)].

2019-037: 6 at Red Brook Wildlife Management Area, Wareham, Plymouth, 6/19/19 [David Hollie* (ph)].

Ross's Goose (Anser rossii) [5, 34]

2018-047: 1 at Children's Island, Marblehead Harbor, Essex, 9/22/2018 [Susan Hedman* (ph)].

2018-049: 1 at Mill Pond, South Egremont, Berkshire, 12/22/2018 [Jonathan Pierce* (ph)].

2019-002: 1 at Tedesco Country Club, Marblehead, and Forest River, Marblehead/Salem, Essex, 1/12/2019 to 1/13/2019 [Constance Lapite* (ph), Rick Cuzner* (ph)].

2019-004: 1 at Plum Island, Newburyport, Essex, 2/10/2019 [Sebastian Jones* (ph), Ted Bradford* (ph)].

2019-005: 1 at Lower Mill Pond, Easthampton, and East Meadows, Northampton, Hampshire, 3/14/2019 to 3/16/2019 [Scott Rasmussen* (ph) and Sean Williams* (ph)].

Ross's Goose records continue to increase. The Children's Island bird represents a record early date and the first September record for the state. Elimination of potential hybrids has been a contentious issue for the MARC, so observers are advised to describe the shape of the head and bill in detail and obtain photos from as close a range as possible.

Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) [1, 18]

2018-069: 1 at Argilla-Northgate-Essex Fields, Ipswich, Essex, 11/8/2018 to 11/15/2018 [Phil Brown* (ph)].

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) [1, 2]

2019-010: 1 at Milford Pond, Milford, Worcester, 1/28/2019 to 2/13/2019 [Bette Robo* (ph)].

Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) [2, 3 since 2017]

2019-009: 19 at Turners Falls Power Canal, Turners Falls, Franklin, 03/11/2019 to 03/12/2019 [Alex Haro*, Aaron Hulsey (ph)].

2019-034: 3 at Bridgewater State Hospital, Bridgewater, Plymouth, 3/16/19 [Marshall Iliff* (ph)].

Curlew Sandpiper. May 25, 2019. Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, Chatham. Photo by Jeffrey Offermann.

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) [2, 28]

2019-006: 1 at Long Pond, Harwich, Barnstable, 1/17/2019 to 1/30/2019 [Mary Jo Foti* (ph)].

2018-073: 1 at Higgins Marsh, South Peabody, Essex, 11/22/2018 to 01/13/2019 [Zoltan Poleretsky* (ph)].

Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) [1, 12]

2019-001: 1 at MacMillan Wharf, Provincetown, Barnstable, 1/1/2019 to 1/26/2019 [Scott Schwenk*† (ph)].

Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) [1, 10]

2018-041: 1 at Granite Pier to Andrews Point, Rockport, Essex, 11/19/2018 to 12/01/2018 [Brian Harris* (ph)].

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) [1, 26]

2017-139: 1 at Starfish Lane, Chatham, Barnstable, 5/19/2017 [Fred Atwood*].

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) [1, 37]

2018-051: 1 at Lafayette Drive, Peru, Berkshire, 7/26/2018 [Ed Neumuth* (ph)].

Rufous Hummingbird records seem to be on the decline in recent years; July records often pertain to adult males, as with this bird.

Little Stint. July 31, 2018. Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, Chatham. Photo by Sean Williams

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) [1, 11]

2019-026: 1 at Cohasset Golf Course, Cohasset, Norfolk, January 2019 [Sally Avery* (ph)].

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) [1, 5]

2018-037: 1 at Monomoy NWR, Chatham, Barnstable, 8/19/2018 to 9/2/2018 [Sue Finnegan*, Marshall Iliff* (ph), John Pratt*, Sean Williams*† (ph, au, vi)].

With only one record until the state's second in 2010, the four records since 2013 (one still pending MARC review) reflect a notable increase, probably due more to increased observer awareness of this subtle identification than a change in status.

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) [1, 5]

2019-035: 1 at Monomoy NWR, Morris Island, Chatham, Barnstable, 5/19/19 to 5/30/19 [David Clapp*, Joel Wagner (ph)].

Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) [1, 14]

2019-029: 1 at Parker River NWR, Newburyport, Essex, 7/15/2019 to 7/18/2019 [David Adrien* (ph)].

Little Stint (Calidris minuta) [1, 8]

2018-036: 1 at Monomoy NWR, Chatham, Barnstable, 7/31/2018 [Maili Waters*† (ph), Sean Williams*† (ph)].

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)

2018-058: 2 at 41.0447,-69.5588, Nantucket, 08/25/2018 [Brookline Bird Club (BBC) Extreme Pelagic].

Ross's Gull (Rhodostethia rosea) [1, 2]

1990-07: 1 at Niles Pond, Gloucester, Essex, 2/1/1990 [Richard Forster*].

Mew Gull (Larus canus) [3, 22]

2018-074: 2 at King's Beach, Lynn, Essex, 11/24/2018 to 2/6/2019 [Suzanne Sullivan* (ph)].

2018-075: 1 at Loblolly Cove, Gloucester, Essex, 11/27/2018 [Ryan Doherty* (ph)].

2019-040: 1 at Race Point, Provincetown, Barnstable, 4/7/19 to 4/17/19 [Peter Flood* (ph)].

Mew Gull records have been surging in recent years, and have involved at least three taxa: Larus canus canus from western Europe, Larus canus brachyrhynchus from the Pacific coast of North America, and birds matching Larus canus kamtschatschensis from east Asia. The MARC has yet to formally assess the subspecies of these records, but plans to review these records at that level as well.

California Gull (Larus californicus) [1, 6]

2019-003: 1 at Turners Falls Power Canal, Montague, Franklin, 03/17/2019 [David Sibley* (ph)].

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) [2, 12]

2019-038: 1 at The Club at New Seabury, Mashpee, Barnstable, 4/28/19 to 5/1/19 [Mary Keleher* (ph)].

2019-039: 1 at Demarest Lloyd State Park, Dartmouth, Bristol, 6/3/19 [Nicole Kirkos* (ph)].

Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) [4, 8]

2014-073: 1 at North of Dogbody Canyon, Nantucket, 8/24/2014 [BBC Extreme Pelagic].

2015-074: 1 at Hydrographer/Welker Canyon, Nantucket, 8/22/2015 [BBC Extreme Pelagic].

2018-034: 1 at 40.429,-66.637, Nantucket, 7/24/2018 [Skye Haas* (ph)].

2018-035: 2 at 40.54283,-66.526, Nantucket, 8/14/2018 [Skye Haas* (ph)].

Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)

2018-060: 1 at Race Point, Provincetown, Barnstable, 9/30/2018 to 10/20/2018 [Kate Sutherland*, Peter Flood* (ph)].

2018-065: 1 at Little Harbor Beach, Wareham, Plymouth, 10/2/2018 to 10/3/2018 [Lisa Schibley* (ph)].

2018-072: 2 at Race Point, Provincetown, Barnstable, 11/21/2018 to 02/03/2019 [Peter Flood* (ph), Kate Sutherland* (ph)].

2018-077: 1 at Andrews Point, Rockport, Essex, 12/16/2018 [Nathan Dubrow* (ph)].

2019-007: 1 at Salt Pond, Falmouth, Barnstable, 01/30/2019 to 02/03/2019 [Evan Dalton* (ph)].

Trindade Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana) [1, 3]

2018-030: 1 at Bear Mount Canyon, Nantucket, 8/9/2018 [Skye Haas* (ph)].

Likely more regular than the three records suggest, all Trindade Petrels have been found by seabird researchers from waters south of the continental shelf—beyond the reach of recent organized pelagic trips. Whether the three recent records are solely from increased recent coverage of deep waters or because of recent increases in ocean temperatures is unknown.

Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) [1, 3]

2018-032: 1 at Munson Canyon, Nantucket, 8/13/2018 [Skye Haas* (ph)].

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) [8, 16]

2018-053: 1 at 39.852,-67.908, Nantucket, 7/30/2018 [Skye Haas* (ph)].

2018-054: 1 at Menemsha, Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard, Dukes, 8/6/2018 to 8/9/2018 [Laurie Lee* (ph)].

2018-055: 1 at 39.852,-67.908, Nantucket, 8/14/2018 [Skye Haas* (ph)].

2018-056: 1 at Onota Lake, Pittsfield, Berkshire, 8/17/2018 to 8/20/2018 [Rene Wendell* (ph)].

2018-059: 1 at Andrews Point, Rockport, Essex, 9/2/2018 [Rick Heil* (ph)].

2019-030: 1 at pelagic waters- 40.00651167, -70.8296933, Nantucket, 7/9/2019 [Allison Black* (ph)].

2019-031: 1 at pelagic waters- 39.58307167, -70.56025167, Nantucket, 7/10/2019 [Allison Black* (ph)].

2019-032: 1 at pelagic waters- 39.80960833, -70.482395, Nantucket, 7/10/2019 [Allison Black* (ph)].

Brown Booby has shown perhaps the most astonishing change in status across all species in Massachusetts in the past decade and the MARC still requests formal submissions to help document this remarkable change. Allison Black's three birds across two days matches the state total up until 2005. Of particular note is the state's second inland record, which was also a Berkshire first.

Tropical Kingbird. June 17, 2018. Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield. Photo by Nancy Maciolek Blake.

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) [1, 28]

2018-076: 2 at Parker River NWR, Newburyport, Essex, 11/30/2018 to 12/1/2018 [Rick Heil* (ph)].

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) [2, 17]

2018-039: 1 at Nauset Light Beach, Eastham, Barnstable, 7/29/2018 [Tim Spahr*†, Brian Harris*].

2019-020: 1 at Monomoy NWR, Morris Island, Chatham, Barnstable, 5/11/2019 [Sonya Silk*, Kristina McOmber*, Keelin Miller* (ph)].

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) [2, 5]

2019-018: 1 at Plum Island, Newburyport, Essex, 4/25/2019 [Andrea Bean* (ph), Marjorie Watson* (ph)].

2019-028: 1 at Route 1A, Newbury, Essex, 6/24/19 [Andy Sanford* (ph)].

White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) [3, 28]

2018-050: 1 at Clark Pond, Ipswich, Essex, 7/14/2018 [Cammy Kaynor* (ph)].

2019-024: 1 at Argilla-Northgate-Essex Fields, Ipswich, Essex, 5/16/2019 [Chris Floyd*].

2019-056: 1 at Cape Ann Golf Course, Essex, Essex, 6/21/19 to 6/22/19 [Margo Goetschkes* (ph), Steve Grinley*].

Lark Bunting. September 30, 2018. Hatches Harbor Fire Road, Provincetown. Photo by Maili Waters.

Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) [1, 15]

2019-053: 1 at Gay Head cliffs, Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard, Dukes, 5/21/19 [Ted Gilliland* (ph)].

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) [9, 27]

2019-044: 1 at Willowbend Country Club, Mashpee, Barnstable, 5/22/19 [Mary Keleher* (ph)].

2019-045: 3 at Gay Head cliffs, Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard, Dukes, 5/22/19 [Ted Gilliland* (ph)].

2019-046: 1 at Ocean View Farm Reserve, Dartmouth, Bristol, 5/22/19 [Marshall Iliff* (ph)].

2019-047: 1 at Oak Street, Dighton, Bristol, 5/26/19 [Joel Eckerson* (ph), Mark Eckerson*, Matthew Eckerson* (ph), Andy Eckerson*].

2019-048: 1 at Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Plymouth, Plymouth, 6/1/19 [Cindi Jackson* (ph)].

2019-049: 2 at Pilgrim Heights, North Truro, Barnstable, 6/4/19 [Maryellen Stone* (ph)].

2019-050: 1 at Arrowhead Road, North Truro, Barnstable, 6/4/19 [Chris Floyd* (ph)].

2019-051: 1 at Shore Road, North Truro, Barnstable, 6/23/19 [Ted Bradford* (ph)].

2019-052: 1 at Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Plymouth, Plymouth, 6/23/19 [Brian Vigorito (ph)].

Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo) [1, 2]

2019-021: 1 at pelagic waters- 39.74899667, -70.8283983, Nantucket, 5/13/2019 [Allison Black* (ph)].

Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) [2, 12]

2018-061: 1 at Cuttyhunk Island, Dukes, 9/30/2018 [Mike Sylvia* (ph)].

2018-067: 1 at Carter & Stevens Farm, Barre, Worcester, 10/12/2018 to 10/13/2018 [Allison O'Hare*, Bette Robo (ph)].

Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) [1, 2]

2019-022: 1 at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield, Plymouth, 6/14/2019 to 7/4/2019 [Lisa Schibley* (ph), Nancy Blake* (ph), Sean Williams (au)].

Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) [1, 3]

2018-045: 1 at Miacomet Avenue, Nantucket, Nantucket, 11/04/2018 to 11/05/2018 [Nannette Orr*, Tom Griswold*, Kim Griswold*, Peter Trimble (ph)].

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) [2, 5]

2018-070: 1 at Salisbury Beach State Reservation, Salisbury, Essex, 11/8/2018 to 11/9/2018 [Judy Parrot-Willis* (ph), Marjorie Watson*].

2019-055: 1 at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield, Plymouth, 6/14/19 to 6/15/19 [Lisa Schibley* (ph), Nancy Maciolek Blake* (ph)].

Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) [1, 12]

2018-042: 1 at Fort Hill, Eastham, Barnstable, 10/8/2018 to 10/9/2018 [Tim Spahr* (ph)].

Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus) [1, 1]

2019-013: 1 at Edgartown Golf Club, Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, Dukes, 4/21/2019 [Ken Magnuson* (ph)].

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) [2, 5]

2019-041: 1 at Turners Falls Airport, Montague, Franklin, 6/3/19 [Peter Gagarin* (ph)].

2019-042: 1 at Gay Head, Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard, Dukes, 5/24/19 [Ted Gilliland* (ph)].

Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus) [1, 4]

2018-043: 1 at Low Beach, Siasconset, Nantucket, Nantucket, 11/25/2018 to 11/26/2018 [Logan Kahle* (ph)].

Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) [2, 18]

2018-064: 1 at Monomoy NWR, Chatham, Barnstable, 10/1/2018 [Valerie Bourdeau* (ph)].

2018-068: 1 at Duck Harbor Road, Wellfleet, Barnstable, 10/18/2018 [Greg Ward* (ph)].

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) [1, 16]

2019-008: 1 at Madaket, Nantucket, Nantucket, 02/17/2019 to 03/26/2019 [Trish Pastuszak* (ph)].

Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni) [1, 12]

2019-011: 1 at Fort Hill Road, Easthampton, Hampshire, 2/6/2019 [Brian Kulvete* (ph), Joseph Oliviero* (ph)].

Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) [1, 8]

2018-062: 1 at Hatches Harbor Fire Road, Provincetown, Barnstable, 9/30/2018 [Neil Blok*, Maili Waters (ph), Sean Williams (ph)].

LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii) [1, 14]

2018-079: 1 at Betty's Neck, Lakeville, Plymouth, 12/30/2018 to 1/6/2019 [Mark Faherty* (ph)].

Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) [2, 4 since 2017]

2019-015: 1 at Pilgrim Lake, Orleans, Barnstable, 4/24/2019 [Nick Tepper* (ph)].

2019-016: 1 at Fannie Stebbins Wildlife Refuge, Longmeadow, Hampden, 4/24/2019 [Michele Moore*].

MacGillivray's Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei) [1, 13]

2009-60: 1 at Fenway Victory Gardens, Boston, Suffolk, 11/17/2009 to 12/16/2009 [Paul Peterson*, Jeremiah Trimble (ph), Margo Goetschkes (ph), Ryan Schain (ph)].

Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens) [3, 18]

2018-066: 1 at Nantucket Island, Nantucket, 10/6/2018 [Nick Ernst*, Brian Harris* (ph)].

2018-071: 1 at Phillips Beach, Swampscott, Essex, 11/11/2018 to 11/15/2018 [Dana Crowley* (ph)].

2018-063: 1 at Gooseberry Neck, Westport, Bristol, 9/30/2018 [Andy Eckerson*† (ph), Joel Eckerson*, Matthew Eckerson* (ph), Paul Champlin*].

The Phillips Beach bird was last seen when it was depredated by a Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)—similar outcomes likely befall many tired vagrants.

Painted Redstart. October 14, 2018. Cuttyhunk Island, Cuttyhunk. Photo by Sean Williams.

Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) [2, 19]

2018-057: 1 at Nantucket Island, Nantucket, 8/24/2018 [Evita Caune* (ph)].

2019-054: 1 at Beech Forest, Provincetown, Barnstable, 5/5/2019 [Philip Kyle* (ph)].

Painted Redstart (Myioborus pictus)

2018-044: 1 at Cuttyhunk Island, Dukes, 10/14/2018 [Mike Sylvia* (ph), Maili Waters† (ph), Sean Williams† (ph)].

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) [1, 25]

2018-078: 1 at Court Street, Newton, Middlesex, 12/26/2018 to 1/4/2019 [Jacob Hesterman*, Sebastian Jones (ph)]

Records Not Accepted

Ross's Goose

2018-048: 1 at Bartholomew's Cobble, Sheffield, Berkshire, 10/13/2018.

Some members found the distant, in flight photos to be acceptable documentation for a pure Ross's goose, but several members felt a Snow x Ross's Goose hybrid could not be eliminated and the record was thus not acceptable.

Western Grebe

2019-027: 1 at Quabbin Reservoir, Shutesbury, Franklin, 6/19/2019.

The brief description did not eliminate other possibilities.

White-winged Dove

2019-014: 1 at The Club at New Seabury, Mashpee, Barnstable, 4/22/2019.

Some members found the combination of distant photos and description acceptable, but some were concerned about the brief description and failure to fully eliminate Eurasian Collared-Dove.

Bermuda Petrel

2018-031: 1 at Hydrographer Canyon, Nantucket, 8/18/2018.

Members thought the brief description of a highly significant rarity was not sufficient for acceptance.

Barolo Shearwater

2018-033: 1 at Munson Canyon, Nantucket, Nantucket, 8/13/2018.

Members thought the brief description of a highly significant rarity was not sufficient for acceptance.

Little Egret

2019-019: 1 at Pikul's Farm, Rowley, Essex, 5/4/2019.

The distant photos and brief observation in the field, not supported by detailed field notes, was not considered sufficient, especially with hybrid egrets a potential concern.

White-faced Ibis

2019-023: 1 at Scotland Road, Newbury, Essex, 4/20/2019.

2019-025: 1 at Chebacco Woods, Hamilton, Essex, 5/17/2019

Some members thought the photos of the Chebacco Woods bird were sufficient for acceptance, while others were concerned about the poor quality of the images. Furthermore, members were troubled that this record lacked any written description. Photos from the Scotland Road record matched Glossy Ibis not White-faced.

Swallow-tailed Kite

2005-062: 1 at east of Bourne Bridge, Bourne, Barnstable, 4/16/2005.

Hoary Redpoll

2018-046: 1 at Pine Hill Road Grasslands, Bolton, Worcester, 12/6/2018.

Putative Hoary Redpoll records are difficult to assess, especially when only seen from below. Committee members were split on the identification of the Pine Hill Road's bird, but all agreed that photos showing the bird in profile or showing the upperparts would have been helpful.

Boat-tailed Grackle

2018-040: 1 at Western Avenue, Essex, Essex, 4/29/2018.

The audio recording likely represented a mimid (e.g., Gray Catbird), possible with Boat-tailed Grackle-like phrases learned from the wintering grounds.

Golden-winged Warbler

2019-017: 1 at Jason Street marsh, Pittsfield, Berkshire, 4/24/2019.

Elimination of hybrids remains important in records of this species. The brief description here was not unanimously thought to be conclusive.

Literature Cited

American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds, 7th ed. Lawrence, Kansas: American Ornithologists' Union.
Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2009. Fiftieth Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 126 (3): 705–714.
Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2010. Fifty-first Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 127 (3): 726–744.
Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2011. Fifty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 128 (3): 600–613.
Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2012. Fifty-third supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 129 (3): 573–588.
Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, F. K. Barker, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2013. Fifty-fourth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 130 (3): 558–571.
Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, A. G. Navarro-Sigüenza, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2014. Fifty-fifth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 131: CSi–CSxv.
Chesser, R. T., R. C. Banks, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, A. G. Navarro-Sigüenza, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2015. Fifty-sixth supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 132: 748–764.
Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2016. Fifty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 133: 544–560.
Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., J. D. Rising, D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2017. Fifty-eighth supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 134: 751–773.
Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., D. F. Stotz, B. M. Winger, and K. Winker. 2017.Fifty-ninth Supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds Auk 135:798–813.
Chesser, R. T., K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, A. W. Kratter, I. J. Lovette, P. C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., J. D. F. Stotz, and K. Winker. 2019. Sixtieth Supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds. Auk, Volume 136, Issue 3, 1 July 2019, ukz042, https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/ukz042

Northern Fulmar, September 2019 BBC pelagic. Photographs by Neil Dowling.

Photo Essay: Birds of the 23rd MARC

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:08 GMT

Loggerhead Shrike. June 3, 2019. Turners Falls Airport, Turners Falls. Photo by Beth Finney.

Varied Thrush. February 19, 2019. Madaket Rd., Madaket. Photo by Lee Dunn.

Musings from the Blind Birder: Christmas Bird Counts: Citizen Science at its Best

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:07 GMT

But you push on and you return, year after year, to participate in this massive data gathering effort, recognizing that counting the more mundane birds is just as important as finding the rare ones. Those of you who participate in the Concord, Massachusetts count may be surprised to learn that the number of participants in this count (274, with 116 reporting from feeders) was the eighth highest in the 2017–2018 CBC season. In the New England region, only the Northampton, Massachusetts (191), Block Island, Rhode Island (140), and Greater Boston (122) counts had more than 100 participants (LeBaron 2018).

Of course, the number of participants does not predict the number of species. In 2017–2018, the highest species total in New England was for the Newport County-Westport (RI/MA) count, with 138 total species tallied (LeBaron 2018). On the flip side, consider the challenging Island Pond count in the far northeastern corner of Vermont. The 2017–2018 Island Pond CBC had just ten participants, 684 individual birds, and 32 species. The 32 species represented a nearly 50 percent increase from the prior year's tally of 23 species. But among those 32 species were Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay, and Red and White-winged crossbills, all highly desirable winter birds.

Sightings from the 1900 Christmas Bird Census. Bird-Lore, January-February 1901.

Statistics aside, CBCs engender great camaraderie among those who participate as well as many friendly competitions, particularly within regions or between neighboring counts. And let us not forget the countdown, where all participants in any given count are invited to share food and drink at the end of a long day to tally the species and individual totals reported by observers assigned to specific areas within the count circle.

The Greater Boston count was not started until 1973, when Bob Stymeist staked the center of the CBC-required 15-mile diameter circle at Fresh Pond in Cambridge. However, after only one year and realizing that centering the circle at Fresh Pond excluded Boston Harbor and its islands, Bob moved the center to Somerville the following year where it has remained ever since.

Every year, we hold our breath and closely monitor weather forecasts as the first count weekend approaches. Scores of birders are out scouting their areas, trying to find particular species that may still hang around long enough to be counted for the CBC. Hearts sink if a count gets ambushed by several inches of snow or a prolonged cold snap that may freeze freshwater ponds just days before the count, likely resulting in bird departures or mortality affecting species diversity and count for the period.

When the day arrives, many of us simply monitor our feeders; in 2017–2018, for example, nearly 14 percent of all CBC participants were reporting birds from feeders (LeBaron 2018). Some of us rise in the pre-dawn hours to visit spots good for owls, trying not to attract local police curious about our peering through binoculars in residential neighborhoods. Owling is just the start of a mad dash of a day as these birders move as quickly as possible to as many locations as possible counting birds. Still others bird more casually, preferring to take breakfast and lunch breaks to warm up and slow their pace. Whatever the style, the end result is the same: count and record every bird you see.

Over the 46 years of the Greater Boston count, a total of 232 species have been tallied, an astonishing total for a wintry and urban locale in North America. Many rarities have turned up on the Boston count list, such as Smith's Longspur, Henslow's Sparrow, Varied Thrush, Boreal Owl, MacGillivray's Warbler, Painted Bunting, and Swainson's Hawk. In some cases, these rarities are surprise finds on the day of the count, while in other cases, rarities are discovered before the count and then closely monitored until the local CBC, when someone is specifically assigned to make sure the bird is located and counted. Ah yes, competition indeed. Still, the discovery of rarities seems bittersweet, as the normal range of many of these individuals lies in warmer climes south and west of New England. Thus, the excitement of such finds is tempered by the reality that some of our visitors may not survive the harsh conditions they find themselves in.

Casual perusal of the CBC data may sometimes suggest seemingly mysterious changes in bird populations that have simple explanations. For example, some researcher might note a precipitous decline in European Starling populations in the Greater Boston CBC in the 2000s after many years of counts in the hundreds of thousands (over 200,000 in 1982). European Starling numbers plunged to a few thousand in the new century (3,042 individuals in 2017). What happened to the starlings in the Greater Boston count? Well, those of you who lived through the nightmare of the Big Dig might still recall the elevated Interstate 93 highway running through downtown Boston before the new underground tunnel and Zakim Bridge opened in 2003. That elevated highway was the site of a massive starling roost in the winter, and an early morning visit to the roost basically took care of the starling count for the entire day. With the elevated highway demolished following completion of the underground tunnel, the starling roost was no longer, and Boston count numbers plummeted.

There are sometimes other non-avian explanations for what may appear to be a jump or drop in individuals counted in a particular CBC from one year to the next. For example, birders persistent in pishing may record much higher numbers than birders who do not. I recall two experienced birding friends participating in a count that they had never participated in before. Their considerable expertise at pishing out birds lurking in the many thickets in this count area produced large numbers of multiple sparrow species, Eastern Towhees, Carolina Wrens, Northern Cardinals, Northern Mockingbirds, and other thicket-loving birds. At the countdown that evening, one by one, counters reported one or two individuals of a species common in thickets until my birding friends chimed in with 60, 100, or whatever, causing gasps and turning heads across the room. The lesson here, of course, is pish, birders, pish, and they shall come.

One species highlighted in the most recent summary of CBC data by the National Audubon Society was the Common Raven (LeBaron 2018). The Common Raven had essentially disappeared in the central and eastern parts of North America outside of the Appalachians by the mid-1900s. However, more recently, the species has made a comeback and has colonized southward along the eastern coast. To illustrate this point, data from the Greater Boston CBC show that the first Common Raven was reported in 1984 and then again in 2008. But in 2011 and 2012, three Common Ravens were reported for each year. Since 2014, they have been reported each year in the Greater Boston count, with high counts in 2015 and 2017 (11 individuals each) and 2018 (eight individuals).

At its core, CBCs generate voluminous data for researchers and conservationists to analyze for bird population trends. On a smaller scale, it is not difficult to see obvious trends for long-running counts. For example, early years in the Greater Boston count saw much higher numbers of Ring-necked Pheasant (211 individuals during the 80th count, and now sometimes missed entirely for the count), while more recent years have seen much higher numbers of Red-bellied Woodpeckers (one individual in 1990 and 101 individuals in 2015) and Wild Turkey (one in 1996 and 144 in 2016), but for most of us birders, the Christmas Bird Count is a highlight of our birding year. We reconnect with many birding friends, share our triumphs and disappointments of the day, complain or marvel at the weather conditions encountered, cheer at the best birds during countdowns, enjoy food and drinks often of the homemade variety, and feel a quiet satisfaction of doing our small part to help bird conservation efforts. The Christmas Bird Count tradition started so long ago by Frank Chapman is indeed one that all birders can be proud of.

Martha Steele, a former editor of Bird Observer, has been progressively losing vision due to retinitis pigmentosa and is legally blind. Thanks to a cochlear implant, she is now learning to identify birds from their songs and calls. Martha lives with her husband, Bob Stymeist, in Arlington. Martha can be reached at marthajs@verizon.net>

References

LeBaron, G.S. 2018. The 118th Christmas Bird Count Summary. Available online at: https://www.audubon.org/news/the-118th-christmas-bird-count-summary
National Audubon Society. 2018. Available online at: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/history-christmas-bird-count
Greater Akron Audubon Society. 2018. Christmas Bird Counts – From Small Beginnings, Great Things! Available online at: http://www.akronaudubon.org/gaas/BirdCount.html

Field Note: Ravens versus Red-tails

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:06 GMT

That first attack had been dramatic enough, but I was further astonished when a second Red-tail appeared from the south and carried out another attack on the ravens. This second hawk started its attack from below, but also extended its talons as it neared its target. Again, the ravens escaped.

At this point, the ravens regrouped, switched into attack mode, and started to harass and dive at the two hawks. A few other walkers stopped, and we stood entranced as these four large birds battled across the windy sky. The hawks and ravens carried out three or four cycles of noisy attacks and counterattacks, each bird alternating between attacking and being attacked. Both the ravens and the Red-tails were sometimes upside down while fighting. The battle didn't last long. After a minute or two of hostilities, the ravens flew off to the north and the Red-tails flew off to the south, leaving behind an empty sky. None of the birds appeared to have been harmed, and it was not clear if either pair had "won" the encounter.

Red-tailed Hawks and Common Ravens do not have cordial relations. For example, ravens have been found to eat Red-tail chicks (Wiley 1973), and remains of Common Ravens have been found in Red-tail nests (Gatto et al. 2006). A video of two ravens repeatedly attacking a Red-tail is available online (Zinkova 2017). Though it is no surprise that ravens and Red-tails can be hostile to each other, there were nonetheless two aspects of the encounter I witnessed that intrigued me.

First, the Red-tails appeared to have coordinated their attacks on the ravens. Though not a notably cooperative species, pairs of Red-tails do work together to defend nests and have been noted to sometimes hunt gray squirrels together (Preston and Beane 2009). Second, the ravens fought back against the Red-tails. Raven pairs stay together all year, defend nests together, and are known to attack large hawks (Boarman and Heinrich 1999). Having equal numbers of birds on each side may have allowed both species to respond with hostilities, instead of fleeing a numerically dominant foe. Ravens and Red-tails begin nesting activities as early as January and February throughout Massachusetts (Flanagan 1993, Stymeist 2011), so perhaps the raven and Red-tail pairs I saw were scouting potential nesting sites and switched into defense mode.

Ravens continue to expand their range throughout Massachusetts (Flanagan 1993; Kamm et al. 2013) and have been reported to nest at sites in Watertown, Waltham, and Wellesley that are within one to ten flight miles of my house. Thus, I suspect that ravens and Red-tails will, on occasion, continue to meet in my neighborhood. If so, those meetings may also produce avian fireworks and any fortunate future observers will be in for a thrill.

References

Boarman, W. I. and B. Heinrich. 1999. Common Raven (Corvus corax), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Ithaca, New York: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Gatto, A. E., T. G. Grubb, and C. L. Chambers. 2006. Red-tailed Hawk dietary overlap with Northern Goshawks on the Kaibab Plateau, Arizona, Journal of Raptor Research 39: 439–444.
Flanagan, T. J. 1993. Recolonization of the Common Raven in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Bird Observer 21: 197–204.
Kamm, M., J. Walsh, J. Galluzzo, and W. Petersen. 2013. The Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas 2. (J. Walsh and W. Petersen, Eds.). New York: Scott & Nix, Inc.
Preston, C. R. and R. D. Beane. 2009. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (A. F. Poole, Editor). Ithaca, New York: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Stymeist, B. 2011. The Red-tailed Hawk. In Birds and Birding at Mount Auburn. Available online at: https://mountauburn.org/the-red-tailed-hawk/ (Accessed October 4, 2019).
Wiley, J. W. 1975. The nesting and reproductive success of Red-tailed Hawks and Red-shouldered Hawks in Orange County, California, 1973, The Condor 77: 133–139.
Zinkova, M. 2017. Mid-air attack: Ravens vs. Red-Tailed Hawk May 31, 2017. Available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8ZOUNPtti4 (Accessed October 4, 2019).

About Books: Tangled Up in Blue

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:05 GMT

Early on in Saving Jemima, Zickefoose reveals:

I was moving a lot of books, sustaining a yearlong effort. But I was tired—soul tired. I kept reminding myself that giving talks and selling books was a vital part of my work as writing and painting, but there was a growing ache in my creative heart. I missed being home. I needed to get back to my true work. (p. 14)

Zickefoose, "soul-tired"? Zickefoose has long depended on using social media to notify the masses about her many projects and promote books. But social media is a two-way street, and using it means that those same people you are posting to also have access to your life. This means, among other things, that people were constantly sending her pictures of birds and other wildlife, begging her to take them in and raise them. Julie is definitely big-hearted, but rehabbing wildlife is a labor-intensive, emotionally draining occupation. I have interviewed a number of other wildlife rehabilitators, and burnout is always a real possibility. Once it is known that you rehabilitate wildlife, people who have found wildlife in distress will not leave you alone. She writes, "Social media abhors a vacuum. I can't escape the barrage of Facebook messages pleading for help with baby birds." (p. 16)

But this is only the start of Zickefoose's dark year. Her son was breaking up from his first serious relationship. Her daughter was also at risk of burning out at college. Her beloved dog, Chet Baker, featured in so many of Julie's posted photographs, was getting old and it was becoming clear that he would not live much longer. But the most devastating revelation in Saving Jemima is that her marriage was falling apart before her eyes. It had been happening for a while, and Bill and she managed to hide it from their kids for some time, but it was now obvious that the marriage was over. Bill had found someone else. Even though they still remained close, Julie was devastated. Except for close friends, the birding community had no idea any of this was going on: "I was feeling lonely and unsupported." (p. 15) "Zora Neale Hurston's words rang true for me: ‘there is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you.'" (p. 155)

It is against this emotionally chaotic background that Zickefoose does something she swore she wouldn't do. Needing a project to focus her energies on and take her mind off everything else, she sees a posted photograph of a fledgling jay obviously in distress and decides to take on the challenge of healing this one bird. She rationalizes that she will keep it for a few days until it stabilizes and then pass it on to the Ohio Wildlife Center to finish the job. You can guess what happens next. No sooner is the bird christened Jemima Iris Jay by Phoebe than it becomes part of Zickefoose's family that summer. The story of the ups and downs of trying to get Jemima healthy and ready to live on her own in the wild is what constitutes most of the narrative of Saving Jemima.

"I need to explain why Jemima is so important to me, how receiving that photo of her, dehydrated and down, in May 2017, was the ultimate deus ex machina for a struggling soul." (p. 152) Zickefoose becomes focused on getting this one bird well and out of the door. That would be a happy ending at a time when so many things in her life seemed uncertain. Jemima quickly becomes the focus of the entire Zickefoose household, beloved by Liam, Phoebe, Julie, and Bill. Jays are social birds, and socialization was part of Jemima's rehabilitation.

It was a stroke of great good fortune that Phoebe was home for Jemima's early weeks. She took Jemima's socialization seriously, knowing that, imperfect as it was, our family was Jemima's flock. (p. 45)

The jay is not easy to care for, and jay behavior being what it is, the house is soon a mess. Oddly, Jemima finds Chet Baker fascinating and even plucks hairs from his ears while the poor dog is sleeping. Getting Jemima to the point where she can fly and then fend for herself outside is a complex process. Along the way, Zickefoose and the readers learn a lot about jay health, behavior, and diet. It is sobering how much is still to be learned about some of the most common aspects of this common bird. Take migration. You may think that blue jay migration is well understood and studied. After all, we see jays migrating every year, but in fact little is understood about which jays are moving, where they are going, and why it varies from year to year. "This is migration, blue jay style: periodic, mysterious, latitudinal, longitudinal, and idiosyncratic." (p. 168)

Zickefoose has a network of learned specialists, veterinarians, and scientists who are used to getting inquiries from her, and through the summer she amasses a wealth of information about blue jays, as well as taking many photographs and executing a number of paintings of Jemima.

Another Blue Jay comes to Zickefoose's attention, and so she takes in "Stuart." But it is soon evident that Stuart has an untreatable infection and so must be euthanized. Zickefoose's writing about having to perform the cervical dislocation, "wringing its neck" in other words, is honest and powerful.

"Teaching myself to deal with death has been a necessary evil, because death is always part of the picture when you are trying to save small lives." (p. 39)

I am never the same afterwards. I'm sadder and wiser, and I know a little bit more about what you can fix and what you can't. But there's a piece of me that breaks off and flies away with a bird like Stuart, and I'm not sure it ever comes back. (p. 40)

Even after Jemima is finally released and flying on her own, her medical problems are not over. Jemima comes down with Mycoplasma gallisepticum, better known as House Finch disease. Zickefoose manages to treat Jemima in the wild, at the feeders. Later, many of Jemima's flight feathers appear damaged, likely due to stress at birth. This means that this jay is flying around on a partially feathered wing, dodging the Cooper's Hawks that haunt the area and trying to survive the changing seasons.

How it all turns out I will leave for the reader to discover. But it is now no surprise to reveal that things in Zickefoose's life go from bad to worse when she learns that Bill has pancreatic cancer and is declining rapidly. Saving Jemima also describes Bill's battle with this pernicious cancer and his death. A tribute to Bill, written after his passing, is included at the end of Saving Jemima. Written by Zickefoose, it is a testimony to a loving bond that people who have spent so much time together will always have no matter what happens in their separate lives.

At the end of Jemima's story, there are sections that summarize everything Zickefoose has learned by raising Jemima. This includes tips on how to recognize individual jays at your feeders, how to sex jays, and the meaning of jay vocalizations. A section on jay diet and feeding includes notes on designing a feeder that jays will love and Zickefoose's recipe for her famous "Zick Dough" a unique mélange that birds love. As is typical with Zickefoose's writing, she is opinionated and does not suffer fools who do not have the depth of experience with wildlife that she does. She chastises people who think that hand-raising a jay will imprint it, making it unsuitable for a wild release:

Second, the notion that by hand-raising a jay you could "ruin" her and render her unable to be released because she'll imprint on humans is a conceit of humans and a reflection of our disconnect with nature. In my view, this assumption does blue jays disrespect. (p. 204)

Saving Jemima is unlike any other book that Julie Zickefoose has written. This book focuses on a single bird, rather than a collection of bird species like her other books. Her wonderful watercolors are now augmented by her photography. But it is her honesty about what she is experiencing as her life gets increasingly chaotic that elevates Saving Jemima into something unique. Ultimately, Saving Jemima is about how our connection with the natural world can provide solace, instruction, and direction when our personal lives seem to be falling apart.

Whether in life, marriage, or bird rehabilitation, things rarely work out the way you envision, hope, dream, or plan for. Jemima showed me how hard I hang on to the ones I love even as they are trying to leave. (p. 212)

Bird Sightings: July–August 2019

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:04 GMT

August temperatures were more in line with historical precedent; the average for the city of Boston was 82 degrees, which is about normal, with a high temperature of 95 degrees on August 19. Rainfall totaled 3.48 inches, also about average. Severe thunderstorms in central Massachusetts, on the warmest day of the month, uprooted trees and brought power outages to Hampden County.

R. Stymeist

Bygone Birds: Historical Highlights for July-August

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:03 GMT

20 YEARS AGO

July-August 1999

An Audubon's Shearwater was found dead at Muskeget Island on July 5. Plum Island hosted an American Avocet and a male Ruff between August 9–11. The Red-necked Stint found there on June 26 continued to July 2. A Sabine's Gull was sitting on South Beach, Chatham, on August 26. A White-winged Dove visited a feeder in Marshfield in July. For the third year a Philadelphia Vireo returned to the Oxbow NWR in Harvard. This bird was recorded singing Warbling and Philadelphia vireo songs.

Best nesters: A family of Pied-billed Grebes at Nantucket constituted the first confirmed nesting record for the species on the island, while American Coots nested for the second time on the island.

40 YEARS AGO

July-August 1979

A Red-necked Grebe found dead at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was the first August record for the species in the state. A White Ibis continued into July in the Newburyport area. Two Bar-tailed Godwits were present this period: one on Monomoy in July and August and one at Plum Island on August 7–10. A breeding plumage Curlew Sandpiper was on Nantucket, August 4–5. Monomoy boasted a record 360+ Whimbrels on August 1, and 86 Stilt Sandpipers on August 8. Upwards of 60 Western Sandpipers were in Nauset Bay at the end of August. A Bridled Tern was seen flying past Sandy Neck during a nor'easter on August 12.

Best sighting: a dead Least Sandpiper chick found at Monomoy on July 12. This is the first breeding record in the Lower 48—at least 500 miles from their closest breeding site in Sable Island, Nova Scotia.

At a Glance: October 2019 Revealed

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:01 GMT

The general shape of the bird, the length of its tail, and the length and thickness of its legs are reminiscent of a thrush. Though the Townsend’s Solitaire is similarly gray-backed, it would have a uniformly gray head lacking a black cap and nape, and a complicated wing pattern instead of the plain gray wings of the mystery species. The mystery bird shows an overall resemblance to the much smaller and slimmer Black-capped Chickadee—a species that also shares the appearance of black on the back of its head and white cheeks—but a chickadee would also tend to exhibit conspicuous white edges to the secondaries, possess contrasting light flanks compared to its gray back, and would have noticeably thinner legs.

Having thus eliminated all of the similarly colored bird species in Massachusetts, there’s only one that most closely matches the mystery bird: Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis). The black back to the head, white neck and cheek markings, and uniform gray dorsal color are diagnostic. The only additional distinctive features not readily observable in the photograph of this adult Canada Jay are its short, stout bill and the white tips to its tail feathers.

Canada Jays are rare and irregular winter visitors in Massachusetts, with most records occurring in central and western parts of the state. Some Canada Jay occurring in the state have been visitors at feeders, and others have been discovered in more remote wooded areas. In New England, relatively small numbers of Canada Jays live and breed in the more northern or mountainous regions of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

The author photographed this adult Canada Jay on November 24, 2007, at the summit of Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.

Wayne R. Petersen

At a Glance: December 2019

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:01 GMT

Can you identify the birds in this photograph?

Identification will be discussed in next issue’s AT A GLANCE.

Advertisers: 47-6

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In this issue: