BirdingGirl

It's been a while since I've blogged about birding while jogging. This was one of my favorite things to do when I lived in Watertown, MA and had the beautiful DCR Charles River trails at my disposal. Here are a few of my "Birding While Jogging" posts from 2007-2008: http://birdinggirl.blogspot.com/2008/01/birding-while-jogging.html http://birdinggirl.blogspot.com/2007/08/birding-while-jogging.html Since moving to Bridgewater, MA I haven't been as inclined to go running because we lack scenic trails like the ones on the Charles River. However, there is a nice route I like to take that crosses the Taunton River and its off-shoots in a couple of places. Naturally rivers and streams are a jackpot when it comes to birding. So, since I've picked up running again I've also been trying to get in some birding while I'm out there. Here's what I've seen so far in my jogs this week and last: Yellow warbler Pine warbler Rose-breasted grosbeak Tree swallows ...

I went birding in West Bridgewater State Forest last Sunday. Steve suggested it since he had noticed on a map of the Bridgewater area. We're always looking for new places to go hiking and birding, plus we're also slightly obsessed with Hockomock Swamp ... I was a little disappointed not to see anyone else out enjoying the beautiful weather this past weekend. There was plenty of evidence of people partying in the area, and ATV tracks, but that was it. Lucky for me I hit it up in off-peak hours! I got to enjoy the sounds of the woodpeckers, chickadees and robins. I also encountered some red squirrels, which scared the heck out me. I saw Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers (a lifer!). Red-bellied Woodpecker: The red squirrels I encountered while I was walking by a historic stone wall. Steve and I encounter these a lot while hiking in New England. I remember learning as a child about early settlers who cleared the land for farming and used the rocks to...

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the Ivory Gull for myself since it was just half an hour away. I drove over to Plymouth Harbor around 9:30 this morning and was in luck--the gull was still there! I parked in the East Bay Grill parking lot since I had read some accounts online saying it had been seen there. Upon pulling into the parking lot I saw a couple walking to their car with tripod and camera bags in hand- I know this had to be the right spot. After parking I walked over to the boat launch where I had seen them walking from. Here's what I saw as I approached the harbor: When I arrived (around 10:00) the gull was hanging out on the breakwater/jetty. I heard a woman say it had been right there in the parking lot though earlier that morning, feasting on the chicken carcasses (which were still there- you can thank me for not taking a picture of those). Everyone was so friendly and very nice. I was talking to a bearded gentleman who was giving me the scoop on everythin...

I just read a news update on the Cape Cod Times Website that a rare Ivory Gull has been spotted in both Plymouth and Gloucester, MA. What I found most interesting: According to Cape bird expert Vernon Laux, this might be one of the first adults spotted in Massachusetts since the 1880s. A man drove 6 hours form Pennsylvania just to catch a glimpse of it As you can see in the CapeCast video, birders were able to get extremely close to it as it ate a chicken carcass provided for the bird. Apparently ivory gulls scavenge (often what polar bears leave behind) rather than hunt and forage themselves Click on this image to read the Cape Cod Times article. Click on this image to launch the CapeCast video at YouTube.com. It's a must see! I'm always hopeful that I'll spot some type of rare gull in the wintertime, but as of yet all I've ID-d are Ring-billed Gulls like this one in Colorado: Maybe I should make a trip to Plymouth and test my luck!

There was finally a break in the weather yesterday so I decided to make a quick birding trip to nearby Stiles and Hart Conservation Park . According to the park profile it's "A Bird Watchers Paradise—A Nature Lovers get away right downtown." Despite having high hopes for my third trip to Stiles and Hart, I walked away without any good pictures. Sightings included the usual suspects-- blue jays, chickadees, titmice, downy woodpeckers, a flicker, among others. Surprisingly, the best pics of the day came from my very own backyard. I have a suet basket, along with two birdfeeders set up, and noticed this Eastern Phoebe earlier in the day and was able to catch it on a return trip later in the day.

I just keep striking out today. First, I can't find my Sibley Guide (that's what moving will do to you) and now the Cornell bird site, All About Birds, is down. With the resources I have available I've come to the conclusion this is a White-fronted Goose, although I can't find pictures of any with such a huge bump on the beak. I first was looking at pictures of the Greylag Goose, but they were lacking the white band at the base of its beak. These pictures were taken right after we moved into our new place in Bridgewater, aka "Farm Country" according to me. I've always been able to identify the region where I lived—I grew up on Cape Cod, I went to college in Central Pennsylvania, I've been living in and around Boston for the last 5 years. Now that we've moved to Bridgewater I'm at a loss. Maybe we live on the South Shore? That's the closest 'region' name I've been able to come up with so I decided to make up my own since I don...