by Tom Wetmore
Sue McGrath and Tom Wetmore of Newburyport Birders co-led a walk on the North Pool dike on May 15, 2005. This was the first activity of the Parker River NWR's 2005 Plover Festival. The walk was scheduled as the "Early Bird Special," a two hour walk starting at 6:00 am from the sub-headquarters to Hellcat along the barrier dike and back.
We were hoping to find some of the rare marsh birds that have recently returned to the North Pool, and we were well rewarded by this vibrant, freshwater marsh.
Almost as soon as we ascended the North Pool dike, we began to hear "poo poo poo" calls of a Least Bittern. This sound dominated much of our walk as we reached the point opposite the bird and then slowly passed him by. Soon we heard the first of many long guttural and mournful calls of a Pied-billed Grebe. As we reached the middle part of North Pool where it widens to its maximum breadth, we all heard a Common Moorhen give a single call. And from many locations along our walk, we heard "whinney" calls from what we assumed to be three different Soras. When we reached the southern extent of our walk, a second Least Bittern was just becoming audible further to the south.
Other prominent birds of the walk were a variety of local waterfowl, including two drake Blue-winged Teals and numerous courting Gadwalls. A pair of Canada Geese were escorting downy young.
Also noteworthy were the number of Willets that seem to be making the North Pool system their home. Traditionally a saltmarsh species, the high density of breeding Willets in our part of the Great Marsh seems to be pushing many pairs of Willets into less optimal territories at the periphery of their preferred habitat. As many local birders can attest, with each passing year, our Willets are becoming a larger and noisier part of the Plum Island avian panoply.
We enjoyed many of the regular inhabitants as well, including large numbers of Marsh Wrens, Savannah Sparrows, and Bobolinks. As we walked along, small flocks of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers came and went. A few herons, egrets, and a single Common Loon flew by.
Sue intends to repeat this walk at next year's Plover Festival. Mark your calendar for next year.