Spring 2020 Banding Season, Week 6: May 18—22

ALAN: THURSDAY, MAY 21—CENSUS

I am not prone to hyperbole, but Thursday was a stunning day at Manomet. Not a cloud in the sky and a gentle breeze with temperatures in the 60s. It seemed that a lot of the migrants from the last few days had moved on, as the bird scene was dominated mostly by resident species. During my methodical walk of the Holmes Farm, I enjoyed observing the behavior of several species. Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern Kingbirds, and Song Sparrows vied for perches around the Big Bog, while Northern Rough-winged Swallows sat in the gravel driveway. While they might seem mundane to some, I stood transfixed as a hen Wild Turkey waded through the evergrowing grass. What a grand bird. I was all too happy to settle onto the bluff for my seawatch, where I sorted through the flock of ratty Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Eiders. Laughing Gulls cackled away as one of the phoebe pair called from down the slope. As I walked to my car, I did intercept a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, a typical late-May “first of the year.”

Net Lanes: https://ebird.org/checklist/S69406204

Holmes Farm: https://ebird.org/checklist/S69422440

Seawatch: https://ebird.org/checklist/S69412202

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