millipede Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Two years ago i took the family to New England to visit, well other family... Some of the trip was fun and we got a couple new birds... My now ex wife really ruined that trip, complaining about every last thing I wanted to do, that she approved ahead of time... One of the upsides to being single... I can plan whatever I want now. (kind of lonely sometimes but, is nice not being nagged) ha... We're flying up and driving back... Moose Bog is on the menu again... last time, we explored the place two days in a row and found NO boreal chickadees and NO canada jays. We need to fix that. There's another bog, Mollie Beattie, not far from there so if we strike out at Moose Bog, we might head that way to see if we have any luck there. Was so quiet last time. Had a few real good birds but... I was told I'd be able to hold my hand out and have these birds come in to eat. Nothing. I brought seed. In fact, day 1, as we were leaving, I sprinkled some seed at the parking lot and on top of the sign hoping the next morning the birds would have found it. No luck. Oh well... HOPEFULLY I can get those two this year. I also hope to dig through the bar charts and maps and such and try to get an oystercatcher... There are quite a few birds I could go looking for, and wouldn't mind looking for... but, When you're there for almost 2 weeks and you have to visit family, camp, beach, swim, and attend a wedding... I can only pack so much birding in without driving my kids completely nuts. I'd LOVE to hunt down more and more life birds but... we'll just see what I can come up with. The trip back typically would go west through MA and then NY, or through PA... But there's been reports of a little egret in Deleware lately? I still haven't gotten the one in Maine... Haven't seen reports there of that one lately... I may chase, depending on when and where one is found. Would be great if it decided to hang around plum island for a few days. Anyway... I'll be arriving in MA late on the 18th and will be leaving around the 31st I think. We'll see. If anyone has any MUST HAVE birds in that area, know any PERFECT spots(will be in middlesex county most of the visit) or even wants to join us on a trip... let me know. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 @Avery 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 @millipede Where in New York will you be passing through? Just the city, or will you be coming upstate? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 So to clarify- Your target birds are Little Egret, Boreal Chickadee, American Oystercatcher, and Canada Jay, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 17 hours ago, millipede said: Two years ago i took the family to New England to visit, well other family... Some of the trip was fun and we got a couple new birds... My now ex wife really ruined that trip, complaining about every last thing I wanted to do, that she approved ahead of time... One of the upsides to being single... I can plan whatever I want now. (kind of lonely sometimes but, is nice not being nagged) ha... We're flying up and driving back... Moose Bog is on the menu again... last time, we explored the place two days in a row and found NO boreal chickadees and NO canada jays. We need to fix that. There's another bog, Mollie Beattie, not far from there so if we strike out at Moose Bog, we might head that way to see if we have any luck there. Was so quiet last time. Had a few real good birds but... I was told I'd be able to hold my hand out and have these birds come in to eat. Nothing. I brought seed. In fact, day 1, as we were leaving, I sprinkled some seed at the parking lot and on top of the sign hoping the next morning the birds would have found it. No luck. Oh well... HOPEFULLY I can get those two this year. I can help with the NEK stuff! Moose Bog is great for Canada Jay (they visit the boardwalk for food) Spruce Grouse (look for them on the trail. There are a few dust baths on the trail) and Black-backed Woodpecker. If you don’t have much luck with the woodpecker on the trails then walk down the road from the parking lot to the dead tree stand. OSFL there as well. The birds don’t really come to your hand in the summer, but they visit the boardwalk if you put food out. The jays love peanuts. Also, there have been a bunch of WWCR there. The best spot for Boreal Chickadee in the area is Peanut Dam Road, which depending on your vehicle, you may need to walk down, which I would recommend anyway, as all 4 boreal species can be seen there as well. I’ve never had much luck at Mollie Beattie, though it is a cool place If you are heading down interstate 90 through Lebanon NH on your way back, you may want to pull into the Walmart as there are a few Least Bitterns that hang out and forage in the little pool behind the store. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) @The Bird Nuts anything else to add? Edited August 9, 2021 by Seanbirds 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Avery said: NEK stuff! ?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 7 minutes ago, Seanbirds said: ?? New England something, perhaps? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP48 Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Seanbirds said: ?? NEK is Northeast Kingdom to us here in Vermont. As one would expect it covers the whole northeast corner of the state. VT is only lightly populated in general, but the NEK is considered to be the least populated of all. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 5 hours ago, Avery said: I can help with the NEK stuff! Moose Bog is great for Canada Jay (they visit the boardwalk for food) Spruce Grouse (look for them on the trail. There are a few dust baths on the trail) and Black-backed Woodpecker. If you don’t have much luck with the woodpecker on the trails then walk down the road from the parking lot to the dead tree stand. OSFL there as well. The birds don’t really come to your hand in the summer, but they visit the boardwalk if you put food out. The jays love peanuts. Also, there have been a bunch of WWCR there. The best spot for Boreal Chickadee in the area is Peanut Dam Road, which depending on your vehicle, you may need to walk down, which I would recommend anyway, as all 4 boreal species can be seen there as well. I’ve never had much luck at Mollie Beattie, though it is a cool place If you are heading down interstate 90 through Lebanon NH on your way back, you may want to pull into the Walmart as there are a few Least Bitterns that hang out and forage in the little pool behind the store. I will have to write this down or print it... Good stuff... We got the woodpeckers last time... Well, I did. My daughter only heard them and wont count it. We'll definitely check all those places. For the grouse, is there a time of day that's best? We heard a grouse last time. I need to find my notes, based on call I think I put it down as ruffed. I don't remember(such a bad memory) but it wasn't that far from the trail and it was vocal for a bit. Would love to see and photograph. Trickiest thing is I'll have FIVE kids with me, from 20 years down to 7. Last time, when my ex was there, they got distracted by blueberries and we walked off alone, my oldest and I. This year, maybe I'll just have to give them candy to keep them quiet... HA. And least bitterns? That would be awesome... a lifer. I had an American bittern here in Arkansas once... Oh and we got the wwcr last time too... complete surprise and a lifer. black-throated blue warbler was another fun bird to see there. Anyway... thanks for those tips. Appreciate it a lot. 5 hours ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: @millipede Where in New York will you be passing through? Just the city, or will you be coming upstate? I don't know how much birding I'll do on the way home... we'd be driving I 90 across the state of NY, somewhere around the 31st of August or the 1st of September. That is unless around that time there's still active reports of a little egret in Delaware and I haven't seen one yet... I'll change my route... we will see. 5 hours ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: So to clarify- Your target birds are Little Egret, Boreal Chickadee, American Oystercatcher, and Canada Jay, correct? Those are ones we hoped to find two years ago and struck out on. I could probably make a list to add a few. I wonder if I still have a list from 2 years ago... There are for sure other birds I'd love to see, those are just the ones I THINK I can find without searching half of my trip. I wish I had more time up there, I'd do a lot more birding. I don't want to ruin my kids' vacation or make family upset... some of them haven't seen me in 2 years. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 @millipedeSeems like you'll be passing through my county, Schenectady County. If it's just to pass through, I don't think my advice will be useful. It would definitely help if you could tell us some more target birds you'd like to see, so I can suggest some places you can go to look for them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: @millipedeSeems like you'll be passing through my county, Schenectady County. If it's just to pass through, I don't think my advice will be useful. It would definitely help if you could tell us some more target birds you'd like to see, so I can suggest some places you can go to look for them. Because none of your target birds you have said so far have even been recorded in the county, unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: @millipedeSeems like you'll be passing through my county, Schenectady County. If it's just to pass through, I don't think my advice will be useful. It would definitely help if you could tell us some more target birds you'd like to see, so I can suggest some places you can go to look for them. would you advice be more located to that county area? IF we stick with 90 through NY, I'll check the bar charts and such for that area... I'm not sure what I'd need through most of NY, or at least the 90 part... But... IF there was something luring enough... I'm giving myself some extra time traveling back and could stop for more than a few minutes... I'll let you know if I can think of something I "need" in that area. Last time we stopped at Montezuma NWR for a little while... didn't explore near as much as I would have liked as someone got cranky... but we got a ruddy turnstone there, I think... cursed memory... I don't know if I have some of those lists on eBird yet... I need them there though. Oh good, that one is on eBird and yep... ruddy turnstone... That made up for not getting to stay and explore as long as I wanted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 22 hours ago, millipede said: I was told I'd be able to hold my hand out and have these birds come in to eat. Nothing. I think I was the one who told you that. I now realize that birds are much more likely to feed from your hand during the colder months, as Avery has already mentioned. I've only been there during the spring (basically still winter up there) and fall. Sorry. 10 minutes ago, millipede said: And least bitterns? That would be awesome... a lifer. I believe Hellcat dike in Parker River NWR is a good place for LEBI. We saw one there. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, millipede said: would you advice be more located to that county area? IF we stick with 90 through NY, I'll check the bar charts and such for that area... I'm not sure what I'd need through most of NY, or at least the 90 part... But... IF there was something luring enough... I'm giving myself some extra time traveling back and could stop for more than a few minutes... I'll let you know if I can think of something I "need" in that area. Last time we stopped at Montezuma NWR for a little while... didn't explore near as much as I would have liked as someone got cranky... but we got a ruddy turnstone there, I think... cursed memory... I don't know if I have some of those lists on eBird yet... I need them there though. Oh good, that one is on eBird and yep... ruddy turnstone... That made up for not getting to stay and explore as long as I wanted. Yeah, my advice would be more county specific, although albany county has some good birding spots I can recommend as well, IF you are actually going to bird there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: Yeah, my advice would be more county specific I looked at the bar charts for that area for Aug-Sept for the last 14 years-ish... and nothing stood out... nothing with enough bars to consider something easy to look for anyway. I don't think I'm going to get to spend as much time digging deep into eBird and planning out more lifers... I'd love to look more into more ocean and shore birds I don't have yet... Saw a bird up there one year that had to be a shearwater or, something along those lines but, it sort of flew over the area and disappeared... Unfortunately my time is limited... Someone keeps trying to tell me I'm still young(almost 44... sure feels old sometimes) and when my kids are all grown, I can take my time looking for more. We'll see. 14 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said: Sorry. No worries. And that makes sense about the weather. I sat outside for 20 minutes this morning and only recorded 4 species because the birds weren't that active, maybe quiet, and the cicadas are SO loud... time of year definitely changes things. 15 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said: I believe Hellcat dike in Parker River NWR is a good place for LEBI. We saw one there. I need to check the maps of that place again... It's difficult to go to Parker River and not end up there for a whole day searching... I forget which part is which, is the dike where there's a tower you can climb? If so, I've been to that part twice and haven't found LEBI yet... Plum Island is just a maybe right now... This all reminds me... I need to go looking at the maps for oystercatchers to see where a reliable spot is. Last year I found, on the maps, a good spot in CT but by the time we got there it was getting darker and we struck out. Was a cool place but, it's not likely on my route home this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 2 minutes ago, millipede said: This all reminds me... I need to go looking at the maps for oystercatchers to see where a reliable spot is. and that reminds me... I'll be planning a trip to Wingaersheek beach in Gloucester with the kids so, that area might have a spot that would be good??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 2 hours ago, millipede said: I looked at the bar charts for that area for Aug-Sept for the last 14 years-ish... and nothing stood out... nothing with enough bars to consider something easy to look for anyway. Alright, sorry I couldn't be of more help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 4 hours ago, millipede said: I will have to write this down or print it... Good stuff... We got the woodpeckers last time... Well, I did. My daughter only heard them and wont count it. We'll definitely check all those places. For the grouse, is there a time of day that's best? We heard a grouse last time. I need to find my notes, based on call I think I put it down as ruffed. I don't remember(such a bad memory) but it wasn't that far from the trail and it was vocal for a bit. Would love to see and photograph. I’ve had poor luck with the grouse, so I can’t really say if there is a good time of day. I wouldn’t worry too much about the kids, as the grouse (and Jays) are extremely tame. A ruffed would fly away like many other birds if you got relatively close, but the spruce grouse don’t really care. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted August 10, 2021 Author Share Posted August 10, 2021 Who do I tag to ask specifically about stuff in or near Middlesex county, MA? Outside of all the things I'm already looking for... my oldest daughter might want to try and drag her cousin along birding.... hoping to spark an interest. She said he needs to touch some moss. ha... I think my daughter and I both LOVE moss. One trip we were there we went to a place in Carlisle near an ice cream place, heavily wooded trails... HUGE boulders... I'll look it up... and that might be a good option for us. But... I am wondering, what other places in that general area might be good damp forests with mosses... I'll be staying near or in North Billerica a lot of the time... so, ah, Great Brook Farm, that was where we were... never submitted that checklist... ? anyway, I might want to plan a trip like that, not too far from where we'll be staying. I'll be camping way up in VT for a couple nights, a trip or two to the beach... a wedding... time will fly by and I need a lot of down time, swimming in my mother's neighbor's pool... ha. Other than great brook or something, what's something not too far that might be mossy, at least a little, and/or just be a must go to place in that area??? should I just do great brook again? or look for something better? A veery would be a good bird for my daughter by the way... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted August 10, 2021 Author Share Posted August 10, 2021 22 hours ago, Avery said: If you are heading down interstate 90 through Lebanon NH on your way back looking at the map, you mean 91. Our route was/is 93... going that way would add 15 minutes to an already 3 hour + drive... BUT... 15 minutes to maybe see least bitterns? We may just have to give that a try. ? Depending on how I plan things, we'll see if that's easier/better to do on the drive up or the drive down. We'll see. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 @PalmWarbler 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 1 hour ago, millipede said: looking at the map, you mean 91. Our route was/is 93... going that way would add 15 minutes to an already 3 hour + drive... BUT... 15 minutes to maybe see least bitterns? We may just have to give that a try. ? Depending on how I plan things, we'll see if that's easier/better to do on the drive up or the drive down. We'll see. Oop, yes 91 my bad 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalmWarbler Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 7 hours ago, millipede said: Who do I tag to ask specifically about stuff in or near Middlesex county, MA? Me! Though I won't be much help since I'm a pretty new birder and haven't been to many places. The only place I can recommend is Plum Island which you were already considering (Parking Lot 1 & the Hellcat things (the Wetland Spur on the trail has tons of Marsh Wrens) are probably the best parts). The only other place I've been to around there is Belle Isle Marsh Reservation. It's supposed to be pretty good but we got there late and mosquitoes ate us alive. Sorry that probably did not help at all. ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millipede Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 16 hours ago, PalmWarbler said: Belle Isle Marsh Reservation Just took a quick peek at the eBird list there... and it reminded me... saltmarsh sparrow would be great too. We thought we heard one on Plum Island one year but we never could confirm it. I'm sure there are other potential lifers that I will walk right by while I'm up there. I want to sit and dig through all the lists and charts and see what else I can find but, my time here preparing is limited and my time there visiting is limited... ack... birds....... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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