On September 28, 2014 Neil Hayward, North American Big Year record holder was leading a walk at Parker River National Wild Refuge in Plum Island, Massachusetts. Somehow we got lost on the Island, but allowed 30 minutes just in case we did get lost (which we did) and arrived at 8:00 sharp just as the walk was starting. As we were going through the pay toll to go to PRNWR a male Northern Harrier flew by (Gray Ghost) we would end up seeing a lot of Harriers, but that was our only gray ghost for the day. Once we got there we started carpooling to the different stops at Parker River.
Our first stop at a pond where we saw Northern Pintails, American Wigeons, and American Black Ducks.
Pintails, Black Duck, and Wigeon |
Our next stop was a field with a couple of pine trees and we saw a Brown Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warblers, American Robin, a giant flock of Double-crested Cormorants flying over, and finally 3 **Pine Siskins**.
Brown Thrasher |
Me Birding with Neil Hayward |
Green-winged Teal
Next we stopped at Hellcat trail system and birded along the trail. We found Peregrine Falcon, Marsh Wren, Eastern Towhee, Cedar Waxwing, Gray Catbird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Woodcock, and other common birds.
American Woodcock |
Northern Harrier |