June 2021https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021Front Cover: June 2021https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/front-cover-june-2021Front CoverTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:19 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Hot Birds: June 2021https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/hot-birds-june-2021Hot BirdsTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:18 GMT<p class="caption"><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/HB_VATH_Lawson.png?ver=ETCd7gQjHSOYhELNvwMjSQ%3d%3d" style="width: 366px; height: 258px;" /><br /> A <strong>Varied Thrush</strong> that was reported from Carver on March 23 continued an influx of the species into the Northeast.The landowner there did not allow visitors, but in West Brookfield a property owner allowed a few birders to enjoy a male Varied Thrush that appeared at feeders April 5–6. The female that overwintered in Sudbury was last seen a month earlier, March 5. Since February 1, birders also photographed two Varied Thrushes in Rhode Island. Justin Lawson took the photo above.</p> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Birding the Eastern End of Nantuckethttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/birding-the-eastern-end-of-nantucketWhere to Go BirdingTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:17 GMT<p><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/Nantucket_locator.png?ver=BeBEBl-u2Ofjrak6MyAOpw%3d%3d" style="margin: 12px; float: right; width: 245px; height: 289px;" />Nantucket—my home birding patch—is the name of the county, the island, and the town—which comprises all of the island’s villages and hamlets. The two offshore islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget also fall under the jurisdiction of Nantucket.</p> <p>The Steamship Authority, the island’s main lifeline to the rest of the world, provides ferry service to Nantucket. In 2021, a round-trip ticket between Woods Hole and Nantucket Island costs $19.00 for adults and $10.00 for children 5–12. Between Hyannis and Nantucket, the fare is $39.00 per adult and $20.00 per child. If you are looking to cover Nantucket on a budget— whether you are trying to pick up Barn Owl for your state list or chasing some far-blown vagrant—taking your bike is definitely the way to go. You can stow your bike for $8.00 from Woods Hole and $14.00 from Hyannis. In-season round-trip rates for automobiles are $192–$250 from Woods Hole and $492–$600 from Hyannis; reservations fill early, and standby is not guaranteed. Off-season rates are lower, and bringing a car is less of a hassle. Nantucket via bike is an appealing mode of transportation and gives you the ability to explore more of the island. Birding on foot is another option. Nantucket is at its best when enjoyed at a leisurely pace with the wind at your back. This mentality is best reflected in some of the bumper stickers you are bound to see, such as “20 is plenty in ‘Sconset” and “What’s the rush? You’re already on Nantucket.”</p> <p>“East or west?” is a question familiar to every Nantucket birder. To the west is the tiny seaport of Madaket, with the associated neighborhoods of Dionis, Fisher’s Landing, and Jackson Point. To the east, one finds the historic beachfront hamlet of Siasconset or ‘Sconset—few locals actually refer to this place by its full name—and the villages of Wauwinet, Quidnet, and Tom Nevers. My answer is unwaveringly “east.”</p> <p class="caption"><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/WTG_Nantucket_-_Overview.jpg?ver=lGudruftdkJBG9PQh_NT9g%3d%3d" style="width: 1002px; height: 690px;" /><br /> Map of Eastern Nantucket.</p> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. 9 Rules for the Woke Birdwatcherhttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/9-rules-for-the-woke-birdwatcherFeature ArticlesTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:16 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. The Status of American Oystercatchers in Massachusettshttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/the-status-of-american-oystercatchers-in-massachusettsFeature ArticlesTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:15 GMT<p class="caption"><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/amoy_by_Lauren_Miller-Donnelly.png?ver=P6zHqltGlNnxMoFaLNh4GQ%3d%3d" style="width: 732px; height: 428px;" /><br /> American Oystercatcher. Photograph by Lauren Miller-Donnelly.</p> <h3>Introduction</h3> <p>The American Oystercatcher (<em>Haematopus palliatus palliatus</em>) is a regular summer presence on a number of beaches, marshes, and islands along the coast where it nests and forages. It is a charmingly clownish shorebird with bright plumage and a relatively large size atypical of most shorebirds. Its large, emphatically orange bill is a trademark of the species. Often seen in pairs or small groups, it has a loud, heralding call and exaggerated courtship behaviors. When disturbed during incubation, it readily concedes the nest site and vanishes to a distant location to quietly wait out the threat.</p> <p>American Oystercatchers are long-lived, migratory shorebirds. The Atlantic Coast subspecies breeds from Maine to Florida and winters from New Jersey south to Florida (Working Group et al. 2020). American Oystercatcher is one of only a few shorebird species that nest in temperate latitudes in the eastern United States and are thus, as ground nesters, vulnerable to human disturbance and predators along the heavily developed Atlantic coastline. The state population has been recovering over the past five decades and is currently stable, although not numerous. The opportunity to spot oystercatchers and observe their antics is a special summertime treat.</p> <p>Information about American Oystercatchers in Massachusetts is available due to the dedicated and concerted efforts of many shorebird conservationists who monitor and protect nesting sites and provide data annually to MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (see below). The purpose of this paper is to summarize information on the status, ecology, and conservation of American Oystercatchers in the state.</p> <p class="caption"><strong><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/Parsons_AMOY_figure_1.final.png?ver=8ovWhtYS03hu7P94-V7GGw%3d%3d" style="width: 732px; height: 412px;" /><br /> Figure 1</strong>. Abundance of nesting American Oystercatcher in Massachusetts, 1969-2020 (bars) and percentage of population nesting in Boston Harbor (●; MADFW 2016-2020; 2012-2020 data are preliminary).</p> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Squam Lake and Its Loons: Holding a Mirror Up to New Hampshire’s Loon Populationhttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/squam-lake-and-its-loons-holding-a-mirror-up-to-new-hampshires-loon-populationFeature ArticlesTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:14 GMT<p class="caption"><strong><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/Picture_1.jpg?ver=qx60gUX5OSS0TiC2aE0ztQ%3d%3d" style="width: 732px; height: 385px;" /><br /> Picture 1</strong>. Loon Preservation Committee works under state and federal permits to collect loon eggs from failed nests for research purposes. A nest camera shows one of the authors collecting an unhatched loon egg from Squam Lake. Photo credit: Loon Preservation Committee.</p> <p>When Shakespeare famously wrote of actors holding a mirror up to nature, he could not have imagined how well the analogy would fit the Common Loons (<em>Gavia immer</em>) of Squam Lake, New Hampshire. In this case, it is the loons of Squam that hold a mirror up to loons elsewhere in the state, both in their challenges and in their successes. The Squam Lake loons have been monitored and documented since 1975 by the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC), a nonprofit organization working to preserve and protect loons throughout New Hampshire. For more information about LPC, please visit <a href="http://www.loon.org"><span>www.loon.org</span></a>.</p> <p>The 6,800-acre Squam Lake has been a microcosm for the state for at least the last 45 years. After all, LPC was founded by Rawson Wood, a resident of Squam Lake who was concerned about the declining loon population on the lake. These declines were mirrored throughout the state, leading to LPC’s statewide efforts to protect this iconic bird. Shortly after LPC’s founding, the first documented case of lead poisoning killing a Common Loon came from Squam Lake (Locke et al. 1982; LPC unpublished data). Today, LPC continues to work to understand the challenges facing Squam’s loons.</p> <p>Common Loons were listed as a state-threatened species in New Hampshire in 1979 after more than a century of population declines resulting from habitat loss, human disturbance of nest sites and breeding loons, and direct persecution. As LPC’s efforts began to pay off and Squam’s loons climbed out of the trough of those years, Squam’s loon population settled into the expected ups and downs that the vagaries of loon breeding success can bring (Figure 1). In the mid-1990s and early 2000s, the Squam Lake population was averaging 14 pairs of adults, 10 hatched chicks, and 6.6 successfully fledged chicks each year. In the banner year of 2003, Squam fledged 15 loon chicks.</p> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Musings from the Blind Birder: Bird-Related Idiomshttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/musings-from-the-blind-birder-bird-related-idiomsMusings from the Blind BirderTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:12 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Field Notes: An Eastern Phoebe Dips for Minnowshttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/field-notes-an-eastern-phoebe-dips-for-minnowsField NotesTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:11 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Field Notes: The Eastern “Kingfisher” Phoebehttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/field-notes-the-eastern-kingfisher-phoebeField NotesTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:10 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Field Notes: Bathing by Double-crested Cormorantshttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/field-notes-bathing-by-double-crested-cormorantsField NotesTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:09 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. About Books: Celebrating Spring in the Year of the Plaguehttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/about-books-celebrating-spring-in-the-year-of-the-plagueBook and Video ReviewsTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:08 GMT<h3><em><strong><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/book_review_cover.png?ver=c5Cy-Sfm7OjWG-LcbFnz9A%3d%3d" style="margin: 12px; float: right; width: 234px; height: 359px;" />The Consolation of Nature: Spring in the Time of Coronavirus</strong></em>. Michael McCarthy, Jeremy Mynott, and Peter Marren. 2020. London, United Kingdom: Hodder Studio.</h3> <blockquote> <p>“Everything is the same, but nothing is the same.” (p. 16)</p> </blockquote> <p>When it became apparent by early March of 2020 that the coronavirus pandemic was going to change everything, how did it affect your birding? That sounds like a ridiculous question, and it should. How could you possibly think about chasing birds when businesses were closing down, when going to a grocery store became an expedition that needed advanced planning, and the economy was heading to the Antipodes? Suddenly the schools closed, and the kids were at home, and you had to learn how to Zoom, a word you had never heard used that way until the pandemic. Quickly, the hospitalizations and death tolls began to rise alarmingly, and the refrigerator trucks filled with bodies were on the national news. Hospitals were overloaded with patients needing extreme care, and there were not enough respirators. Doctors and nurses were overtaxed and understaffed. The dying were unable to be comforted by loved ones and passed on horribly alone. It was obvious that this was no typical flu. It was starting to feel like a medieval European plague. All our lives were thrown into a strange reality where social distancing and wearing masks became a way of hopefully staying alive. We washed our hands like germophobes, which is what we all became. Our national government sent out confusing messages telling us everything would be back to normal by Easter. But disease experts were telling us maybe by the end of summer, if we all did the right things, then maybe we could start to return to normal. When wearing a mask became a political issue, a palpable feeling of dread became the norm. Here in Massachusetts, we were supposed to minimize our time outside of our homes.</p> <p>How did birders react to these restrictions? Apparently, nothing stops us from chasing birds. Speaking for myself, I ended up craving some time outside just to escape the claustrophobic shelter that my home had become. I also needed to escape the endless alarming news reports. I longed for the comfort of nature. It was less about birds and more about keeping my sanity. I laid down some rules to minimize the impact of being outside. I would stay within the county, making it less probable I would bump into anybody. I would avoid any place that had people, even if it was only a single person. This means that my wife Sheila and I stuck to remote dirt roads in wooded areas. I would not chase birds, because any rarity meant there would be a crowd. People, non-birders who also needed to just get out, began to flock to parks and other green spaces. This meant that some popular birding areas became crowded and therefore off-limits to me. All the time I kept a low profile. I have to admit I felt guilty enjoying spring migration while many others were suffering. But I did consider it a personal health issue.</p> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Bird Sightings: January–February 2021https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/bird-sightings-januaryfebruary-2021Bird SightingsTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:07 GMT<p>The exceptionally mild weather between Christmas and the New Year continued well into January. The temperature was above average for 16 days in January, with a high of 52 degrees recorded on January 16. A winter storm brought a mix of rain and snow and bitter cold on January 27—prior to which Boston had only recorded three-tenths of an inch of snow for the month. Snow totals from the storm were 4.4 inches at Logan Airport in Boston, 5.3 inches in Worcester, 2.5–4.0 inches on Cape Cod, and 13 inches in the town of Savoy in Berkshire County.</p> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Bygone Birds: Historical Highlights for January-Februaryhttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/bygone-birds-historical-highlights-for-january-february5Bygone BirdsTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:06 GMT<h3>5 YEARS AGO</h3> <table class="table"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/BO_2016_June_cover.png?ver=o2lMLtbOs3DfuuF78uJ53A%3d%3d" style="width: 150px; height: 225px;" title="" /></td> <td> <h6>January–February 2016</h6> <p>A <strong>Pink-footed Goose</strong> that was wintering in Connecticut made occasional visits to Agawam this period. A <strong>Western Grebe</strong> was discovered on Winthrop Beach on February 7. An injured <strong>Purple Gallinule</strong>, discovered at Hathaway Pond in Barnstable on January 11, was treated for anemia by a wildlife rehabilitator. A Barn Owl was found dead in Danvers. A <strong>Hammond’s Flycatcher</strong> discovered in Fairhaven on New Year’s Day was the third record for the state. Another third for the state was a <strong>Smith’s Longspur</strong> found on January 17 at Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary in Saugus. <strong>Ash-throated Flycatchers</strong> continued in Cambridge and Manomet, and a <strong>Mountain Bluebird</strong> was present throughout the period at the Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth.</p> <p>Best sighting: a first-winter <strong>Yellow-billed Loon</strong> discovered at Race Point in Provincetown on February 27. This was the first state record.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3>10 YEARS AGO</h3> <table class="table"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/BO_2011_June_cover.png?ver=0PCupTA5PEB_qHuRKKC6_A%3d%3d" style="width: 150px; height: 225px;" title="" /></td> <td> <h6>January–February 2011</h6> <p>A <strong>Ross’s Goose</strong> continued on Nantucket through February 17. A <strong>Mew Gull</strong> of the Asian <em>kamtschatschensis</em> or <em>heinei</em> subspecies was found at Lynn Beach at the end of February. The three Monk Parakeets continuing on Bremen Street, East Boston, were being fed suet and parrot food by local residents. This was a poor winter for Snowy Owls with no sightings during this period. A <strong>Varied Thrush</strong> was visiting a feeder in Centerville in February.</p> <p>Best sighting: two <strong>Harris’s Sparrows</strong>, one on Duxbury Beach, from January 9–February 27, another in Falmouth, February 1–26.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. At a Glance: April 2021 Revealedhttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/at-a-glance-april-2021-revealedAt a GlanceTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:05 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. At a Glance: June 2021https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/at-a-glance-june-2021At a GlanceTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:04 GMT<p class="caption"><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/Assets/bo49-3/AAG_June_2021_crop.jpg?ver=9EdAGP0kOAPAMepi7ZfWyg%3d%3d" style="width: 602px; height: 392px;" /><br /> WAYNE R. PETERSEN</p> To view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Zaps: 49-3https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/zaps-49-3ZapsTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:03 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Volunteer Staff Openings at Bird Observerhttps://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/volunteer-staff-openings-at-bird-observerFeature ArticlesTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:02 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work. Advertisers 49-3https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2021/June-2021/advertisers-49-3AdvertisersTue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:01 GMTTo view the rest of the article you'll need to subscribe. Bird Observer publishes original articles on birding locations, on avian populations and natural history, on regional rarities, field notes, field records, photographs, and art work.