THE KINGFISHER
Vol. 36 - Issue 3 Cape Cod Bird Club Newsletter Spring (April - June) 2008
Cape Cod Bird Club Presidentʼs Message After a long cold winter these brightly meetings are held the colored little birds are a welcome second Monday of each sight. Many early migrating warblers month, September thru May, Welcome members, old and new, and including the Yellow-rumped Warbler I’m sure you join me in welcoming our at 7:30 P.M. at the Museum of and Pine Warbler arrive by the third long-awaited spring! week in April. During a walk at the Natural History, I am fortunate to work with a wonder- 869 Rte 6A, in Brewster, MA Mashpee River Woodlands I can easily ful group of talented, dedicated, and find twenty or more Pine Warblers. just "nice to be around" people who From the dullest females to the bright- make up the club’s Board of Directors. est males, these warblers are a sure Inside this issue: Two of these Directors will be leaving sign of things to come. the board in June. Ginie Page has The migration of warblers usually Club Trips 2-3 served on the board for a number of peaks during the second and third years as both Trips Coordinator and weeks of May with the later migrants Vice President. Ginie has done a won- CCBC Spring Programs 4 such as the Blackpoll Warbler trickling derful job in both of these positions. through at the end of the month into Al Curtis has fulfilled his three year the first week of June. Though the Club Notes 5 term as the club’s Publicity Director. Blackpoll Warbler doesn’t have a Al has done a great job in getting the beautiful melodious song, it’s one of Proposed By-Law word out about our club meetings and my favorite songs to hear. Its song is a Ammendments 6 walks. I would like to thank both basic pattern of very high pitched Ginie and Al for their service. Their notes usually growing louder in the Birdwatcherʼs 25th 6 work has been much appreciated. middle and softer at the end. Some of these warblers will remain in As a club we rely on our members to Cape Cod Birds Listserv 6 our area to breed but most will move volunteer for open positions on the on to breeding areas north of Cape Board of Directors. Your involvement Cod and Massachusetts. New Members 7 helps the Cape Cod Bird Club con- tinue to be a successful organization. One of the best places on the Cape to Notes to Members 7 If you are interested in serving on the witness the migration of warblers is Board of Directors please fill out the Beech Forest in Provincetown. The Quest: Finding the Rare Ones 7 club’s volunteer form, which can be sandy trail of Beech Forest wraps downloaded from our website at around the edges of a freshwater pond The Kingfisher is published http://www.massbird.org/ccbc/Volunte through a beech forest mixed with quarterly. erForm.pdf pitch pine and scrub oak. This migrant trap is an oasis amongst the sand dunes During the months of February and of the outer Cape. In some years more Deadline for next issueʼs March we saw the return of the early then thirty species of warblers can be articles: spring migrants. Common Grackles seen here while they rest and refuel for and Red-winged Blackbirds arrived on June 1st the next leg of their journey. schedule attacking my feeders with a Each spring the Cape Cod Bird Club vengeance. Ospreys arrived and began offers a series of walks at Beech For- the battle for their breeding territories. est. Several club members volunteer to Send articles or comments to: Eastern Phoebes announced their arri- lead guided walks every Saturday and capekingfi[email protected] val with their loud and abrupt Sunday during the month of May. “phoebe” song. Please join us on one or more of our Beech Forest walks and enjoy these Website: Now it’s time for the warblers! These delightful and dazzling little birds. http://massbird.org/CCBC little bundles of energy arrive in spring much to the delight of every birder. Webmaster: Terry Gavin Mary Keleher Cape Cod Bird Club Cape Cod Museum of Natural History 869 RTE 6A, Brewster, MA 02631
Cape Cod Bird Club, Inc.
is an organization whose members are interested in the protection and conservation of the bird life and natural resources of Cape Cod. If you are interested in joining, please send a check for $15.00 (single) or $22.00 (family) to: CCBC, Cape Cod Museum of Natural History 869 Rte 6A, Brewster, MA 02631 Website: http://www.massbird.org/CCBC
Officers Directors Mary Keleher President Julie OʼNeil Vianna Heath Ginie Page Vice President Matt Malin Al Curtis Peter Flood Secretary David Clapp Gretchen Putonen Carolyn Kennedy Treasurer
Newsletter Editor ~ Ed Banks E-mail: capekingfi[email protected] Membership/Address Changes~ Carolyn Kennedy E-mail: [email protected] !!!! Page 2 Volume 36 - Issue 3 The Kingfisher
Club Trips - Spring 2008 Matt Malin, Trips Coordinator
Please Note: April 28 - MON - 8 -10:30 AM intersection between Jones Rd Heavy rain cancels all trips. Bells Neck Conservation Area, and Gifford St. I encourage Call leader if in doubt. Harwich. Weʼll look for vireos, folks to show up early for “ad- warblers and other early spring vanced scouting”; I canʼt show April 5 - SAT- 7:30-11:00 AM migrants. Ducks, shorebirds, up until 8:15 due to daycare South Cape Beach State Park, and marsh wren are possible. duties. Leader: Greg Hirth Mashpee. Beach and bay walk Meet on Bells Neck Rd in (508) 457-4356 or (3 miles of sand) looking for Harwich between East and West [email protected] Reservoirs. Leaders: Nancy Piping Plover, Osprey, American May 10 - SAT - 7:30-9:30 AM Oystercatcher, lingering winter Reider & Ruth Connaughton. Contact Ruth at (508) 432-1580 Ryder Conservation Area, ducks and early migrants. Meet Sandwich. Over the last couple at the Mashpee Town parking lot April 28 - MON - 8:45 AM of years we have seen Parula, at the end of Great Oak Rd. Mashpee River Woodlands. Magnolia, Yellow, Yellow- Take Great Neck Rd south from Meet in the parking area on Rumped, Prairie, Pine, Black & the Mashpee Rotary at Rte 28 Quinaquisset Ave. White Warblers, Ovenbird and and then bear left onto Great From Mashpee rotary take Rte Yellowthroat, Great-Horned's Oak Rd, just past the entrance 28 towards Hyannis. Take first calling during day, as well as to New Seabury. right onto Quinaquisset Ave. Orchard Oriole, Yellow-billed Leader: Matt Malin, Parking area is on the right. We Cuckoo, Red-Eyed Vireo, and (508) 274-8472 or will carpool to River Road and Scarlet Tanager. Meet at the [email protected] walk back to the main parking conservation parking lot on area. This is a three hour hike South Sandwich Rd, just north of April 19th – SAT - 8 - 10 AM along the scenic wooded trials of the Sandwich/Mashpee town Hawksnest Four Ponds State the Mashpee River. line. Leader: Phil Kyle Conservation Area, Harwich. Leader: Mary Keleher, (508) 495-0196 We'll walk through several sec- (508) 477-1473 or tions of this large undeveloped [email protected]. May 16 - FRI - 8:15 -10:00 AM tract looking for early spring Long Pond/Falmouth. Weʼll migrants and early nesting May 7 - WED - 8 - 11 AM look for migrants and nesters in residents. Meet on Spruce Rd East Sandwich Game Farm. the area around Long Pond. off of Rte 137 about 1/3 mile We'll look for migrating war- Meet in the small parking lot just down where Hawksnest Rd is on blers, and nesting birds. The off the west side of Gifford St the left. Rain cancels. East Sandwich Game Farm is a (this is one of the entrances to Leader: Al Curtis 133 acre state-owned property, Goodwill Park) about 0.5 miles (508) 432-8677 or managed by Thornton Burgess north of the intersection between [email protected] Society. Meet at the Game Jones Rd and Gifford St. Farm parking lot, located on Rte Leader: Greg Hirth April 20 - SUN - 7:30-10:30 AM 6A, east of Old Colony Rd and (508) 457-4356 or Quashnet River Trail, the East Sandwich Post Office [email protected] Falmouth. Woodland walk look- on the west side of Scorton ing for early arriving passerines Creek. Leader: Ellie Winslow May 17 SAT - 8:00 - Noon and other surprises. Meet at the 508-888-1760 or Mass Audubon Long Pasture trailhead off Martin Rd. [email protected]. Sanctuary. Meet in the parking Take Rte. 28 to/from Falmouth to lot. After birding the Sanctuary Martin Rd, near the Falmouth/ May 9 - FRI - 8:15 -10:00 AM grounds, and depending on Mashpee town line, the trailhead Long Pond/Falmouth. weather and bird activity, we will is at the north end of Martin Rd Weʼll look for migrants and nest- visit other local spots along 6A in on the west side of the ers in the area around Long Barnstable and Yarmouth Port. Quashnet River. Pond. Meet in the small parking Bring a snack and water, but we Leader: Matt Malin, lot just off the west side of do not plan on continuing past (508) 274-8472 or Gifford St (this is one of the lunchtime unless the birding is [email protected] entrances to Goodwill Park) so fantastic that nobody wants about 0.5 miles north of the to leave! (continued next page) The Kingfisher Volume 36 - Issue 3 Page 3
Directions to Long Pasture June 1 - SUN - 7 - 11:00 AM ing lot and take Small Swamp Sanctuary: From Rt 6, take exit Waquoit Bay/Washburn Trail to the second overlook. 7 (Willow Street) to Yarmouth Island, Falmouth – Kayak Port. Go north one mile on Birding! Weʼll kayak around Willow Street, take a left onto Rt Washburn Island and watch for Beech Forest 6A West, go one mile, and take shorebirds, wading birds and a right on Bone Hill Road (look Osprey while paddling. Meet at As in the past, the Club will for a small sign). the Whiteʼs Landing parking lot have a walk in the Beech http://www.massaudubon.org/Na on Rte 28 in East Falmouth just Forest in Provincetown each ture_Connection/Sanctuaries/Lo west of the Childs River Marina, Saturday and Sunday morn- ng_Pasture/index.) weʼll put in from there. Bring ing in May. The Beech Forest Special Attraction: All the spe- your kayak and paddle, PFD, is one of the best places on cies of birds we see will be in- sunblock, hat, water and snacks. Cape Cod to see and hear cluded in the Mass Audubon Leader: Matt Malin spring migrants. Bird-A-Thon totals and will earn (508) 274-8472 or Take the Race Point Exit off money for our the Sanctuary. [email protected] If you would like to make a Route 6 at the light in Pʼtown. pledge to support the Bird-A- June 2 - MON - 8:45- 3:00 PM Meet in the Beech Forest Thon, please contact the Sanc- Main streets and backroads of parking lot. tuary Director, Ian Ives, at Mashpee. Meet at Honey Dew All walks begin at 8 AM, but [email protected], or call Donuts on the corner of Cape birders may wish to do an the Sanctuary at 508-362-7475. Drive and Route 28 near the earlier loop and then meet for THIS IS NOT A Mashpee/Barnstable town line. the official trip. Leaders: CONDITION FOR PARTICIPAT- We will carpool to various bird- ING IN THE BIRDWALK. ing hotspots in Mashpee. Bring Sat May 3 - Blair Nikula Leader: Peter Bono a lunch. Rain cancels. Leader: [email protected] [email protected]; Mary Keleher, (508) 477-1473 or or (508) 432-6348 (508) 375-9421 [email protected]. Sun May 4 - Al Curtis Cell: (774) 487-2848 June 11 - WED - 6:30 AM Mor- [email protected] May 30 - FRI - 5:30AM ris Island, Chatham. Meet at or (508) 432-8677 Wompatuck State Park, Hing- the Monomoy NWR parking lot Sat May 10 - Peter Flood ham. Meet at the Stop and Shop on Morris Island. Weʼll look for [email protected] on Route 6A in Sandwich to car- shorebirds, terns, gull and other or (508) 258-0113 pool. This area, is a relatively passerines that are stopping by Sun May 11 - Matt Malin large tract of woodland and wet- on their way north or stopping to land habitats that is a wonderful stay and breed. Leader: Ginie [email protected] stopover for migrating songbirds Page (508) 349-6810 or (508) 274-8472 and a nesting locale for a wide Sat May 17 - Ginie Page variety of birds. Target birds Pilgrim Heights Hawk Watch (508) 349-6810 here include Hooded Warbler, 9:00 AM – Noon (Most Days) Worm-eating Warbler, Blue- Leader: Don Manchester, Sun May 18 - Peter Flood winged Warbler, Pileated Wood- Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary [email protected] pecker. Staff Member, 508-349-2615. or (508) 258-0113 Weʼll bird until the latter portion Stop by for a visit to the pre- Sat May 24 - David Clapp of the morning and be done by miere hawk watching site on (508)-896-7322 noon. Watch the weather reports Cape Cod. In partnership with and call/email to check on the the Eastern Massachusetts Sun May 25 - Paul Schaub status of the trip. Leader: Frank Hawk Watch, Wellfleet Bay Wild- (508) 896-7352 or Caruso, 508-477-9807 or life Sanctuary has sponsored a 978-263-2432 [email protected] hawk watch at Pilgrim Heights to Sat May 31 - David Clapp document the passage of hun- dreds of raptors from late March (508)-896-7322 to early June. Park in first park- Page 4 Volume 36 - Issue 3 The Kingfisher
Cape Cod Bird Club Spring Programs David Clapp, Program Coordinator
April 14, 2008 May 12, 2008 Timothy White Stephanie Koch “Long-tailed Duck: “Bird Studies on Monomoy” !!Up Close and Personal” Stephanie is a native of Arlington, Mass. Timothy White is currently working towards a She received her bachelorʼs degree from Ph. D. in the Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior UMass Amherst and explored various fields program at the City University of New York. of biology working for the National Park His research focuses on the winter foraging Service, the Canadian Wildlife Service and ecology of Long-tailed Ducks on and around the US Fish and Wildlife Service. the Nantucket Shoals. Since graduating from UMass she has com- This winter, Tim and pilots from the US Fish bined her love of the coast with her interest in and Wildlife Service are conducting surveys birds, focusing on the conservation of coastal for seaducks along coastal and offshore wa- waterbird species. ters of New England. For the last 13 years she has been working at Tim is also interested in seabird spatial dy- the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge on namics, and the processes that dictate sea- Cape Cod and in 2006 began a study on the bird patchiness on the open ocean. He has impact of people on shorebirds in the refuge. collected data at sea onboard NOAA vessels Because the birdsʼ nesting season coincides in the Northwest Atlantic, and onboard the R/ with the recreational season of people there V Yuzhmorgeologiva as part of the Antarctic can be a significant impact. Her study exam- Marine Living Resources (AMLR) program. ines the behavior of birds with the presence Significant numbers of wintering seaducks of humans. seek out productive foraging habitat in the Stephanie hopes to incorporate her studies waters that surround the Cape and islands. into creating additional guidelines for manag- During winter, tens of thousands of eiders ing the refuge. and scoters, as well as hundreds of thou- She will give an overview of the refuge and sands of Long-tailed Ducks exploit valuable its importance to shorebirds. She will discuss resources offshore from Nantucket and some of the research that is being conducted, Tuckernuck Islands. and review preliminary results of the man- The winter population of Long-tailed Ducks agement implications on shorebirds at around Nantucket has dramatically in- Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. creased since the 1970ʼs, and Nantucket Donʼt miss this wonderful program on one of Christmas bird counts have documented the gems of Cape Cod - Monomoy! over 300,000 Long-tailed Ducks during spec- tacular foraging commutes. Using aerial, ship surveys, and land based counts, we are beginning to classify important habitat, document foraging ecology, and elucidate the distribution and abundance of seaducks offshore. Be sure to attend this fascinating program as Tim gives us a closeup view of this beautiful bird. Black-bellied Plover (Photo by Richard Johnson) The Kingfisher Volume 36 - Issue 3 Page 5
Club Notes Birding Cape Cod Weekend With the $174 collected at the locations on the Cape. And we is Postponed baked goods table on Member’s always need more people to help Night, a matching donation, and out. This is your invitation to checks sent by renewing mem- get involved and enjoy this The Board of Directors for the bers this fall, we have funded wonderful bird! At the same Cape Cod Bird Club has decided the scholarship for 2008. time, take your binoculars for a not to schedule the 3rd Annual walk and watch for other birds Birding Cape Cod Weekend A check for $247.50 has been utilizing these natural areas. Event in May 2008. There are mailed to American Birding As- Our monitoring does help the several other events during the sociation’s Birders’ Exchange bluebirds and other native month of May such as Mass. fund. cavity-nesting species succeed. Audubon's Bird-a-thon and the To learn more about this work, To make a difference we need a Cape Cod Pathway's Walks please check out their website at cadre of volunteers who rotate Weekend as well as Mother's www.americanbirding.org. The the duties of monitoring, so you Day and Memorial Day Week- site notes, “To successfully ad- may be asked to monitor about ends. dress Neotropical migratory bird one week a month during the These events conflict with the issues, good science and public spring and summer. scheduling of the Birding Cape awareness are essential. How- Cod Weekend Event. However, ever, in the Neotropics, many CCBC manages nestbox trails at the Board of Directors plans on researchers, educators, and con- Crowes Pasture in East Dennis, discussing the possibility of servationists work without the and at Thompson’s Field, Bank hosting the event in September most basic equipment. Birders’ Street Bogs and Texeira Field in 2008. Exchange takes new and used Harwich. That is a total of 80 bird equipment and educational boxes! materials and matches it with We train volunteers, clean out December Gifting local scientists, conservationists, and set up boxes for the spring, and educators in Latin America and schedule the visits to each Mary Keleher, our president, and the Caribbean.” site so that we can track the says that the December Mem- At the website you can learn nesting cycles of the birds using bers Night is her favorite meet- how you can help further as you each box. This involves some ing of the year. As your treas- go on trips to these areas or do- walking over uneven terrain, urer, it is becoming a favorite nate usable optics as you up- peeking inside each box and one for me, also. grade your own. recording what is happening: Your generosity, as you bid on nest building activity, adult sit- books and posters and pick up Many thanks for making it a ting on eggs, young waiting to baked items to take home for the happy new year for others. be fed or fledging time. holidays, has funded both our If you are interested in helping, scholarship for a student at Cape Carolyn Kennedy, Treasurer please email one of our coordi- Cod Community College this nators. spring and a generous donation to Birders’ Exchange. It’s Bluebird Time! For Crowes Pasture, Carolyn Kennedy, [email protected] Each spring CCBC donates a (508) 255-7564. It’s spring and $500 scholarship to the Cape For the Harwich sites, Terry bluebirds are Cod Community College Educa- Gavin, [email protected] or checking out tional Foundation for a student Judith Bruce, nestboxes with a career interest in birds [email protected]. and conservation. Last May, I already! How do we know? attended the Evening of Excel- If you have a location in another CCBC volun- lence awards program and town that has bluebird activity teers monitor shared the joy and pride as 143 and want to start a new project, eastern blue- students received over $300,000 contact us with your ideas. in scholarships from the Foun- bird nestbox dation. (Photo: Chris Banks) trails in four Page 6 Volume 36 - Issue 3 The Kingfisher
CCBC 2008 Annual Meeting
The Cape Cod Bird Club’s Annual Meeting will be held on May 12, 2008 at 7:30pm at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, 869 Rte. 6A, in Brewster, MA ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS Please check the club’s website for updates. Section 10, Para. 4
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS OF THE The Treasurer shall be responsible to the Board of Direc- CAPE COD BIRD CLUB tors for the proper receipt and disbursement of all funds in accordance with the instruction of the Board. Amendment #1: The Treasurer, or a Board Designee, shall be respon- sible for the maintenance of up-to-date membership ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS records. Section 4 Amendment #3: The six Directors shall be elected, two each year, to serve for the next free fiscal years or until their respective ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS [succors] successors are elected. Section 3 Note: Bracketed word to be removed. Bold word to be substituted. [Written notice specifying the day, hour, place, and pur- Amendment #2: pose of each meeting shall be mailed to the membership at least ten days before each meeting.] ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS Section 10, Para. 3 The Board of Directors proposes the following substi- tution for the bracketed sentence above: The Secretary shall issue a call and keep minutes of all meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors. Section 3 [The Secretary shall also be responsible for the mainte- nance of up-to-date membership records.] Written notice specifying the day, hour, place, and Note: Currently the responsibility for maintenance of purpose of each meeting shall be mailed to the mem- the up-to-date membership records is done by the bership at least ten days before each meeting or club’s Treasurer. Therefore, the Board of Directors posted to the Club’s website at massbird.org/ccbc/. proposes the following change: the second sentence enclosed in brackets in Article IV, Section 10, Para. 3, shown above, will be removed and the following word- ing will be added to Article IV, Section 10, Para 4.
Birdwatcherʼs 25th Anniversary Cape Cod Birds Listserv for Cape Cod Area The Cape Cod Bird Bird Sightings & Discussions Club would like to CapeCodBirds is a new Internet Listserv for congratulate Mike the discussion of all aspects of birdwatching OʼConnor on the 25th Anniversary of or information pertaining to birding on Cape the Birdwatcherʼs Cod. Suggested topics are bird sightings, General Store in identification, status and distribution, bird- Orleans. ing locations, and announcements from In these days of birding organizations. chain-store-mania it To read posts, go to the Cape Cod Birds is refreshing indeed Listserv website: to see our local http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ businesses succeed. capecodbirds/ The club would like to thank Mike for his generous To post, send an email to: support of the club and wishes him continued [email protected] success for many years to come. The Kingfisher Volume 36 - Issue 3 Page 7
New Members QUEST: Finding the Rare Ones. by Jack Palmer We welcome the following new members: Each fall for the last 2O years I’ve carefully scope-scanned Dwight Billings, Truro each Eider I could see in Buzzard’s Bay, searching in vain Carmen & Louis Garrett, for the King. I have been just as unsuccessful finding many Brewster other difficult birds. The remedy is obvious, but expensive: John Griener, Mashpee go where they are sufficiently abundant. Arlene Hedlund, Harwich So in June I broke out my long underwear, winter coat and Ed Hoopes, S. Yarmouth mukluks, and ventured to Northern Alaska. There, tramp- Karen Lacasse, Cataumet ing for days over the permafrost around Barrow, the most Cora & Jonathan Moulding, northern town in our country, (just 1250 miles south of the S. Dennis North Pole), I finally stumbled not only on the King but on Dianne Newton, Harvard a stellar view of Steller’s Eider sitting just 30´ from one an- William O'Neill, Marshfield other. A few days later, I found the endangered Spectacled Katherine Tracey, Mashpee James Wade, Chatham Eider. It, like the others, was wearing its breath-takingly Janet Weatherbe, beautiful breeding plumage. In my world, this long-awaited Yarmouthport triumphant find was certainly worthy of a celebratory drink, but Barrow is a dry settlement. Hope to see you at our Club Another bird I have searched for on the Cape is the Yellow- walks and meetings! billed Loon. A few Cape old-timers claim to have seen this bird here, so just for fun, but with little hope, I’ve always checked out the bills of the many Common Loons I see, since the bill color is the main difference between these two Notes to largest loons. In Barrow I soon scoped one from a beach Members quite a ways out in the sea. I was fairly positive of my long- distance identification because in its full breeding regalia the bill of this bird was strongly goldfinch yellow. A few • All club walks are free days later I found a pair of males swimming together in and new birders are “water-ballet” synchrony in a tundra pool just 30´ away. always welcome! The sun happened to be piercing the usual overcast at that moment and strongly highlighted their yellow namesakes. • A call or e-mail to the I saw other rare birds that I had seen before, e.g., a couple leader is appreciated, of years ago I was satisfied that I had actually seen a Stint especially if inclement on Little Island off West Falmouth, but was not bold enough weather is predicted. to report it. Years ago I saw the exceedingly rare Bristle- • Take a lunch on all-day thighed Curlew, a Whimbrel look-a-like, on Henderson field trips. Island in the South Pacific. Now I saw both of these birds in Alaska. • Carry an extra set of keys Other uncommon birds (for us here) entered my binocs: in your pocket on trips. Red Phalaropes; Snowy Owls; two rare Eurasian species, the Bluethroat, a real stunner, and Northern Wheater; the strik- • Check our website for ing Townsend’s Warbler; and hundreds of Lapland added trips or changes. Longspurs decked out in far snazzier plumage than we see • Inform the treasurer if them wearing here. And I mustn’t skip mention of Alaska’s you change your address State Bird: the mosquito. or phone number. Ironically, I did not see a Barrow’s Golden Eye.