Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary
Birding Community Newsletter
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A PUBLICATION OF NORTHEAST WETLAND RESTORATION
Issue 2017-22
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Friday, December 27 2017
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1,705 Subscribers
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As if called by the iron's strike that marked the solstice, frigid air stubbornly clings to the New England landscape. Suppressed by the sting, the gatherers in the Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary yield to winter's icy will, and make room for a stranger from a far away land. Settling in for another season, the hinterland wayfarers begin the struggle of a long wait in the last grassland of the Rumney Marshes ACEC.
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December 10, 17, & 24, 2017 Trip Reports
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Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary
Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts, US
December 10, 2017
8:45 AM - 12:12 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 Mile(s)
31 Bird Species
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Canada Goose 60
American Black Duck 25
White-winged Scoter 2
Bufflehead 20
Common Goldeneye 2
Red-breasted Merganser 10
Wild Turkey 13
Northern Harrier 1
Bald Eagle 1
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Ring-billed Gull 3
Herring Gull 150
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Rock Pigeon 60
Mourning Dove 20
American Kestrel 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 5
Horned Lark 40
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 1000
American Pipit 15
Careful count
Snow Bunting 30
White-throated Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Red-winged Blackbird 9
American Goldfinch 1
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Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary
Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts, US
December 17, 2017
12:00 PM - 2:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.5 Mile(s)
Christmas Bird Count
Two groups covered the majority of the Sanctuary. One group covered the grasslands and the second group covered the shrublands.
31 Bird Species in the Grassland
33 Bird Species in the Shrubland
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Grassland List
Snow Goose2
Canada Goose 250
Mallard 4
White-winged Scoter 8
Bufflehead 16
Common Goldeneye 3
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Wild Turkey 14
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Ring-billed Gull 25
Herring Gull 100
Great Black-backed Gull 3
Rock Pigeon 40
Mourning Dove 20
Short-eared Owl 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
American Kestrel 1
Blue Jay 2
Horned Lark 150
Black-capped Chickadee 1
European Starling 20
American Pipit 2
Lapland Longspur 2
American Tree Sparrow 26
White-throated Sparrow 4
Savannah Sparrow 3
Savannah Sparrow Ipswich 1
Song Sparrow 6
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 8
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 2
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Shrubland List
Snow Goose 2
Canada Goose 155
Mallard 2
American Black Duck 11
White-winged Scoter 6
Bufflehead 16
Common Goldeneye 1
Red-breasted Merganser 8
Wild Turkey 14
Great Blue Heron 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Ring-billed Gull 15
Herring Gull 100
Great Black-backed Gull 11
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 20
Downy Woodpecker 2
American Kestrel 2
One consuming a vole on the power lines
Peregrine Falcon 1
Horned Lark 20
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 20
American Pipit 10
In two or three groups on and around the pond at the south end of the landfill. Good looks.
Cedar Waxwing 3
American Tree Sparrow 7
Dark-eyed Junco 2
White-throated Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 8
Northern Cardinal 6
Red-winged Blackbird 25
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 5
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Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary
Saugus, Essex County, Massachusetts, US
December 24, 2017
9:00 AM - 12:39 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.5 Mile(s)
34 Bird Species
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Canada Goose 75
American Black Duck 50
White-winged Scoter 2
Bufflehead 30
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Wild Turkey 13
Common Loon 1
Northern Harrier 3
Female seen flying over trash heaps; juvenile with orangey belly flying over marsh; silver male sitting on grassy mound
Red-tailed Hawk 4
Rough-legged Hawk 1
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 300
Great Black-backed Gull 13
Rock Pigeon 22
Mourning Dove 25
Snowy Owl 1
Seen far out in the marsh
Short-eared Owl 3
Seen in different parts of the sanctuary, two seen together at one point. Good views of hunting behavior.
American Kestrel 1
Peregrine Falcon 2
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 4
Horned Lark 100
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 200
American Pipit 2
American Tree Sparrow 8
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 1
Eastern Meadowlark 3
Distinctive flight style, white outer tail feathers, short tails. continuing birds
Red-winged Blackbird 1
House Sparrow 2
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American Pipit eating an earthworm
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The Bird of the Season this year, is a bit of a secret, at least for now. We know… But this isn’t one of those kind of secrets. This is a very good one, we promise. We can’t wait to share this secret with all of our friends.
On December 19, the maintenance crew stumbled across a new grassland species in the sanctuary, while performing some routine management duties. Naturally, we contacted the right people to find out some more information on the species.
All of the folks we discussed the species with, basically advised us in the same way. “The species is a communal grassland species that is very sensitive to disturbances. The sanctuary should consider delaying publicizing the species, at least until it can be determined if the species is migrating through, or is wintering at the site.”
There is some evidence that the species had been using an area of the sanctuary for some time, but we were not able to determine if it is staying or just passing-by. As a precautionary measure, the sanctuary managers have closed off that section of the sanctuary, and we will review the area in late January to see if the species is yea or nay.
This is so exciting that all of our managers have been nervously wringing their hands all week. But in truth, our mission is to be a migratory sanctuary, so win, lose or draw, we are happy to serve.
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Runner-up this week goes to the gorgeous Rough-legged Hawk spotted by Susan and Mark on December 24.
This is one of our favorite photographs. Ready to pounce, the lunging forward pose in this shot really shows off the tiny talons and fluffy warm leggings that the species is known for.
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The Next Scheduled Nature Walks are:
New Year's Day Walk
Join us in our first annual New Year's Day Walk. Start the year off on the right foot by getting those pesky winter grassland birds on your list straight away.
Monday, January 1 at 9 a.m.
Sunday, January 7 at 9 a.m.
NOTE: The Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary is open to the public for guided tours only. If you would like to visit the sanctuary, please attend one of our regularly scheduled nature walks, or contact us to arrange a private tour. Thank you.
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Special thanks go out to so, so many, including Soheil, Alan, Norm, Ted, Jarett, Ted, Cammy & son, Kevin, Patricia, Craig, Paul, Susan, Mark, Sebastian, Kaija, Pat, Joe, Brian, Nancy, Janet, Paul, Nancy, Kathy, David, Susannah, MK, Michael, Andrew, Marshall, Jeremiah, Paul, Bob, Nancy, and everyone else who contributed pictures and support this week. Without your help, this publication could not be produced.
Additional pictures from this week:
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The modern world at our doorstep
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Adult Male Northern Harrier
(Grey Ghost)
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Northern Harrier harassing a Short-eared Owl
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A Fresh Short-eared Owl Pellet
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ABOUT BEAR CREEK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
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The
Wheelabrator Saugus Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary is a 370-acre property abutting a 2,274-acre estuary on the outskirts of Boston, located in the heart of the Rumney Marshes ACEC. Maintained and managed grasslands, salt marshes, shrublands and maturing woodlands combine as one of the largest bird migration staging areas on the North Shore and a habitat for nearly 200 bird species, as well as other wildlife such as coyotes, foxes, raccoons and snakes. Visitors can enjoy the more than 14,000 feet of walking trails that permeate the site, a half-acre exhibit garden, and meeting and lecture areas, which are scattered throughout nine of the restored ecosystems. Situated directly behind Wheelabrator Saugus, the Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary is maintained and managed by Geoff Wilson of Northeast Wetland Restoration. Follow along with us as the birds change with each passing season!
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