Birding With the Joppa Flats Birders

The Wednesday morning birders are savvy and very welcoming

The Joppa Flats Nature Center in Newburyport, MA is a wonderful MA Audubon facility located on the Merrimac River.  One of its popular birding programs is the Wednesday morning outings.  An accomplished group of regulars goes on these walks and for some time, I’ve wanted to attend one.  Today, I got the opportunity and it was a blast.

About 20-25 folks showed up and we took the two Center vans and several other vehicles and launched for some inland birding.  The objective was to visit a heron rookery -- the largest in Eastern Massachusetts, and stop at a swamp/wetlands along the way.

We got to the Crane Natural Area which features hundreds of dead trees and a variety of birds.  We just got out of the vehicles when we heard a Great Crested Flycatcher call from and area of dense foliage.  Bill, our leader, got out his recording, played it, and out popped the flycatcher, flying down to a dead tree, giving us all a wonderful look.  It hung around, calling and letting us know whose territory it was.

When you have five or ten good birders, it makes you a little better - or at least it does me.  We were all seeing a Baltimore Oriole with an active nest, an Eastern Bluebird, and a very cooperative Willow Flycatcher that popped up to a call and posed nicely.  We watched a Belted Kingfisher for some time as it dove and returned to perches.  It was a great stop with about 20 species seen.

About 70 heron nests were at the rookery.

After a winding drive through some fairly rural parts of the county, we arrived at the Carter Fields and walked down to the observation platform at the heron rookery.  About 70 heron nests were there in the dead trees with fifty of them occupied.  Given the size of the youngsters, we guessed that some had already fledged and many more were about ready to go. 

Mama (or Dad) bring home chow to the growing youngsters.

We watched their parents bring back food and noted that some of the kids sort of stretched out to look bigger (and get fed first.)  A couple of green herons and a massive snapping turtle added to the mix.  It was a very impressive site and fun to take some time and watch.

On the way back to the vans, we heard a Pileated Woodpecker which teased us for about 20 minutes as we moved and played a recording, and listened.  We finally gave up and were leaving as a caravan, when in a flurry of brake lights told us that Bill, in the first car, had seen the bird.  We all piled out but it had flown off -- but it gave me an insight of the tenacity of some birders. 

Going home, the guy driving our van told me , “Nearly everything I know about birding I learned at these Wednesday sessions.”  After today, I can see why.  Clear teaching from the leaders, mentoring from other experienced birders, and a wonderful array of birds, make for great outings.  I liked how they welcomed a newcomer -- I’ll be back again.  Give it a try if you are in eastern Massachusetts on a Wednesday.

Mississippi Birds

Tufted Titmouse

We stopped for two nights at Clarko State Park in Quitman, MS and ran into some nice birds.  The park was nearly vacant and birds were all over it -- this is a Tufted Titmouse that was around our site.

There were tons of Northern Cardinals and high in the trees, warblers.  Of course, I didn't have any better luck down south than I do in Vermont identifying them.

The first walk with Penny just before dark revealed this Great Blue Heron all hunched down, waiting.  The plumage was such that I was not sure what it was -- but saw it again the next day all stretched out, looking normal.

Mary and I went out together so that she could try out her new binoculars -- a Christmas gift -- and we practiced on Cardinals and a bouncy warbler.  The highlight was this cooperative Golden-crowned Kinglet which we watched from a viewing platform for some time.  He hopped around but much less frenetic than a warbler, and a great look for new birder Mary.

I saw several Grey Catbirds, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadees left and right, as well as others that I see regularly in Vermont.  The new camera is working well with the tele lens.

This morning I was treated to good looks at a Great Egret.  I got a bunch of shots -- this is one I particularly like. 

This afternoon, arriving at Fontainebleau State Park in Louisiana, we were met by two red-headed woodpeckers.  I hear there is a Great Horned Owl in the park with a nest and babies due any day.  Bodes well for good birding up ahead.

Razorbills and Red-Necked Grebes

After attending early church at St. Paul's in Newburyport, I bundled up, bought a duck stamp, and visited the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for some chilly bird watching.  It was 31 degrees with a stiff NW breeze - bracing weather along the Atlantic.

Northern Pintails

Mallards

I was looking for the razorbills reported off Lot 1 and sure enough, with help from a couple of local birders, saw three or four of them bobbing and diving in the ocean.  They were easily seen with the scope but too far out for my photo gear.  A red-necked grebe, common loon, and a couple of scoters were also out there.  Both the razorbills were life birds for me.

Further down the island were hundreds of black ducks, Canada Geese, and Mallards.  I was looking for some Redheads that have been hanging out at a pool on the southern end but did not spot them -- I was freezing and wishing I had my Vermont winter gear on.  I did see a couple of pair of handsome Northern Pintails.

As I was leaving, a Great Blue Heron alighted in a marsh just off the road and posed as I slowed the truck and shot its picture out the window.

The refuge is such a wonderful resource for birding.  Bird walks from Joppa Flats Education Center go there most Wednesdays and Saturdays and you can keep up with observations and news by joining the Yahoo Plum Island Birds group.