Words On Birds 11-08-24

 

     November is the “ducky” month of the year in Essex County. The numbers of migrant ducks continue to build on our rivers, lakes, ponds and ocean before the winter freeze sets in. Some will stay the winter on the ocean and wherever the fresh water stays open.

 

     Up to twenty-two species of waterfowl can be found on Plum Island this time of year. The most common are the black ducks, mallards and gadwall. Also present this past week are American wigeon, green-winged teal, northern pintail and northern shovelers. All of these ducks are termed “dabblers”, the fresh water ducks that feed from the surface of the water. They are often seen tipping in the water, submerging their head and leaving their tail sticking up as they try to reach vegetation below the surface. On Plum Island, some of these ducks are present in the Salt Pannes, but most can be found within in the ill-fated impoundments of Bill Forward Pool, North Pool, and Stage Island Pool.

 

     Joining the dabbling ducks have been some diving duck species. This week, reports included ruddy ducks, ring-necked ducks and greater and lesser scaup. Hooded and red-breasted mergansers are among the diving ducks that are present off the coast. Small flocks of long-tailed ducks and common goldeneye are also viewed off the coast and in harbors and rivers.

 

     Many species of ducks can be found on ponds and reservoirs throughout our area. Numbers of ring-necked ducks, ruddy ducks, and common and red-breasted mergansers are usually found on Cherry Hill Reservoir (a.k.a. Indian Hill Reservoir) in West Newbury.  Johnson’s Pond on the Groveland-Boxford line often hosts ring-necked ducks, greater and lesser scaup, American wigeon, ruddy ducks, hooded mergansers and, sometimes, American coot. A rare tufted duck visited the pond one year.

 

     Off the coast of Salisbury and Plum Island, there have been growing numbers of the larger sea ducks: common eiders and the three species of scoters. There is often a large raft of eiders just off the jetty at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation. White-winged scoters, black scoters and some surf scoters can be found in the mouth of the Merrimack River and in Plum Island Sound off Sandy Point and off Great neck in Ipswich.     

 

     In addition to the ducks, there have been large numbers of red-throated loons this past week off our beaches. Hundreds of red-throated loons, many of them not very far offshore, have dwarfed the number of common loons lately. Most of these birds will migrate through, but many winter off our coast. In addition, horned and red-necked grebes are showing up in small numbers off Plum Island this week.

 

     The large white gannets with black wing tips are diving constantly in the ocean, many not far offshore, making for a spectacular sight. The young gannets are darker, but their large size, long wings set back on their body, and long, pointed profile are easy to identify. The gannet show this past week had hundreds of these birds very close to shore, some right over the beaches of Plum Island and Salisbury. Together with the abundance of ducks, loons and grebes, a visit to the shore in November to view the coastal bird-life can be spectacular!