Words On Birds 03-20-26

 

     Today marks the official start of spring on the calendar. This is a transitional time. The bitter cold days of winter are, hopefully, behind us, as each storm that goes through is now mostly rain. Once in a while we get teased with a warmer day when temperatures “soar” into the fifties. Pussy willows are budding, yet clumps of snow can still be found in the shaded woods. Hints of spring are around us, but reminders of winter linger as well.

 

     Late March to early April is an “in between time” in the bird world as well. Many wintering species are still lingering in the area, while some early spring migrants are just showing up. The eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks and wintering loons are still feeding along the coast. Newburyport Harbor still holds long-tailed ducks, common goldeneye, red-breasted mergansers and bufflehead. Wintering tree sparrows and white-throated sparrows are still lingering on Plum Island and under area feeders.

 

     In contrast, the first piping plovers are arriving on Plum Island. One was first spotted on the refuge beach ten days ago and more have arrived since. Two were seen this past week in the main salt pannes along with two killdeer. Killdeer were always Doug Chickering’s “true sign of spring.” Killdeer can now be seen in numerous fields around the county including Wet Meadows along Scotland Road in Newbury.

 

     The first great egret was seen on Plum Island this week and one was spotted across the harbor, walking along the edge in Salisbury. Margo and I found two roosting off of Pine Island Road in Newbury a couple of days ago.Great blue herons are arriving and two were spotted on nests, reclaiming their spots in their small rookery in Newbury.

 

     Woodcock have been doing their spring display at dusk on Plum Island and at Rough Meadows in Rowley and Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield. Great daytime views of woodcock could be had just feet off the Hellcat boardwalk on the Parker River Refuge this past week. 

 

     The closely-related Wilson’s snipe are just starting to arrive. A few early snipe were seen during those few warm days we had in early March, but soon hundreds of snipe will collect and feed in the muddy fields of Greenbelt’s Wet Meadows off Scotland Road in Newbury. Most of those snipe will continue further north. 

 

     Hundreds of migrating ducks are now feeding in the flooded areas of Wet Meadows including green-winged teal, (and one or two Eurasian green-winged teal,) American wigeon, pintail, ring-necked ducks, wood ducks, black ducks and, of course, mallards. A very uncommon redhead duck was seen there one day. Birders are still awaiting the arrival of blue-winged teal in the Wet Meadows and elsewhere. 

 

     Margo and I found three sandhill cranes in a nearby field on Scotland Road one evening where they spent the night, and tens of birders were able to see them the next morning before they continued their migration further north.

 

     Rick Heil spotted the first greater yellowlegs of the season at the edge of a pond on Island Road in Essex. Margo and I were lucky to see it that same day but no other shorebirds have arrived in the area as of yet.

 

     Great horned owls are already on the nest. Red-tailed hawks are courting and will be starting early nests as well. The West Newbury bald eagles should be incubating as well. 

 

     Small groups of black vultures have been seen migrating with our common turkey vultures. Margo and I finally caught up with a group of five black vultures behind Woodman’s in Essex. We found out later that these five had been roosting on the steeple of the United Methodist Church of Ipswich for two nights!

 

     Mixed flocks of red-winged blackbirds, cowbirds and grackles are arriving in big numbers. Those of you who have feeders may have started to experience blackbirds descending on your yard and cleaning out your feeders in no time. We have. We have modified our seed offerings in the meantime. Most of these birds will continue their flights to other areas to breed.

 

     Bluebirds are still enjoying the mealworms we offer and soon will be back at their nest boxes. If you look closely, you might notice a little extra yellow in the male goldfinches already. It will be April before the males change completely into to their handsome breeding plumage, but it is already starting. They are flocking once again to our thistle feeders, and their added color is a welcome sight on some on these drab days that we have been through. They provide further evidence that spring is here.

 

     And though high temperatures are supposed to only be in the low forties this weekend, the birds aren’t showing signs of stress. Instead, they are sounding most joyful as Spring arrives. The songs of cardinals, chickadees, titmice, Carolina wrens, house finches and song sparrows are everywhere now and remind us that warmer days are ahead!