Recent Bird Sightings from Plum Island

Tom’s Birding Page

Recent Bird Sightings from Plum Island

Here’s a list of recent bird sightings from Plum Island, located in Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, and Ipswich, Massachusetts. Most sightings are from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, which makes up the southern two thirds of the island. This information is only as complete as the reports received. To contribute your sightings please send them to Tom Wetmore. Reports to the MassBird mailing list are integrated into this page.

See the legend after the list for an explanation of terms. You can find most of the locations on the Parker River NWR map.

There are 58 species currently on the list. The list covers the last 10 days.

Recent Bird Sightings from Plum Island — updated March 7, 2014

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
- 06 Mar, mn marsh n refuge, fw refuge, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, sev var, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, mn pi rv, north marsh, pi sound, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 68, j berry
- 02 Mar, yes, n landry
- 02 Mar, sev var, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, sev var, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 82 var, d chickering
- 27 Feb, mn var, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, mn south marsh, d adrien
- 25 Feb, mn thruout, d adrien
- 25 Feb, mn var, t wetmore
Mute Swan, Cygnus olor
- 25 Feb, 2 w three, d adrien
American Black Duck, Anas rubripes
- 06 Mar, mn marsh n refuge, fw refuge, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, sev var, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, sev pi rv, north marsh, pi sound, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 14, j berry
- 02 Mar, yes, n landry
- 02 Mar, sev var, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, sev var, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 36 var, d chickering
- 27 Feb, mn var, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, mn south marsh, d adrien
- 25 Feb, yes thruout, d adrien
- 25 Feb, mn var, t wetmore
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
- 06 Mar, 1 marsh n refuge, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2 pi rv, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 2+ pi river, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 4 pi river, d adrien
Common Eider, Somateria mollissima
- 06 Mar, 100+ pi sound, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 70+ one ocean, t wetmore
Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata
- 06 Mar, 1 m one ocean, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1, j berry
- 25 Feb, 1 m one ocean, t wetmore
White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca
- 06 Mar, 12+ one ocean, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 15 one ocean, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 20, j berry
- 02 Mar, yes, n landry
- 02 Mar, 50 one ocean, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, fw one ocean, 2 f/dune loop, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 30 one ocean, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 30+ one ocean, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, one ocean, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 20+ one ocean, t wetmore
Black Scoter, Melanitta americana
- 06 Mar, 4+ one ocean, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 3 one ocean, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 3, j berry
- 02 Mar, 5 one ocean, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 3 one ocean, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, fw one ocean, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, one & three ocean, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 5+ one ocean, t wetmore
Scoter species
- 02 Mar, ~160, j berry
Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis
- 06 Mar, 20+ one ocean, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 30 one ocean, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 12, j berry
- 02 Mar, 19, n landry
- 02 Mar, 8 one ocean, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 2 pi sound, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 6 one ocean, d adrien
- 27 Feb, 9 one ocean, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 6+ one ocean, t wetmore
Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola
- 06 Mar, fw pi sound, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 8, j berry
- 02 Mar, 3, n landry
- 02 Mar, fw pi sound, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 12 pi sound, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 2 pid sound, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 1 f pi rv, fw pi sound, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, mn south marsh, d adrien
- 25 Feb, pi sound f/wardens, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 10+ pi sound, t wetmore
Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula
- 06 Mar, 10 pi rv, fw pi sound, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, ~12 pi rv, d adrien
- 05 Mar, 8 pi rv, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 8+ pi rv, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2, j berry
- 02 Mar, 3, n landry
- 02 Mar, 12 pi rv, fw pi sound, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 12 pi rv, 12 pi sound, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 8 pi rv & sound, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 4 pi rv, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, mn south marsh, d adrien
- 25 Feb, pi bridge, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 12+ pi rv & pi sound, t wetmore
Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus
- 05 Mar, 1 pi rv, d adrien
- 05 Mar, 2 pi rv, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 pi rv, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 6 pi rv, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, pi bridge, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 2+ pi rv, t wetmore
Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator
- 06 Mar, 12 pi rv, fw pi sound, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 4 pi rv, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 8+ pi rv, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 5, j berry
- 02 Mar, 3, n landry
- 02 Mar, 4 pi rv, 4 one ocean, 6 pi sound, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, fw pi rv, fw one ocean, fw pi sound, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 19 var, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 10 pi rv, 8 one ocean, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, pi bridge, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 12+ var, t wetmore
Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
- 06 Mar, 4 rdside, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 4, n landry
- 02 Mar, 4 north field, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 4 north field, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 4 hellcat rdside, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 4 hellcat, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 4 sourth field, d adrien
Red-throated Loon, Gavia stellata
- 02 Mar, 1, j berry
- 02 Mar, 2 one ocean, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 1 one ocean, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 2 one ocean, t wetmore
Common Loon, Gavia immer
- 06 Mar, 1 one ocean, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 2 one ocean, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 17, j berry
- 02 Mar, 2, n landry
- 02 Mar, 5 one ocean, 4 pi sound, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 3 one ocean, 1 f/dune loop, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 4 one ocean, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 4 one ocean, 1 pi sound, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 10 six & seven ocean, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 one ocean, 4 three ocean, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 6 one ocean, t wetmore
Horned Grebe, Podiceps auritus
- 06 Mar, 4 one ocean, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 2 one ocean, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 21, j berry
- 02 Mar, 8, n landry
- 02 Mar, 8 one ocean, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 3 one ocean, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 10 one ocean, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 16 one ocean, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 5 one ocean, t wetmore
Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena
- 04 Mar, 3 one ocean, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1, j berry
- 27 Feb, 2 one ocean, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 2 one ocean, t wetmore
Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
- 06 Mar, 2 jetty f/one, t wetmore
Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
- 25 Feb, 1 im two marsh, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 3 im together pi sound w/north field, t wetmore
Northern Harrier, Circus cyaneus
- 06 Mar, 1 north pool olook, 1 hellcat, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 1 ad m one dunes, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1-2, j berry
- 27 Feb, 1 flyby goodno, d adrien
- 27 Feb, 2 north pool olook, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 3 hellcat, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 1 ad north pool olook, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 ad m 1 f north pool olook, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 1 north pool, 1 cross, 1 stage, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 three dunes, d adrien
Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter cooperii
- 02 Mar, 1 gate, j berry
Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
- 04 Mar, 2 mainland f/refuge, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1, j berry
Rough-legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus
- 05 Mar, 1 lt north field, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 1 north field, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1 north field, 1 x/sound f/wardens, j berry
- 02 Mar, 1, n landry
- 02 Mar, 1 lt north field, 1 nelsons is, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 1 lt north field, 1 nelsons is, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 2 north field, d adrien
- 27 Feb, 1 north pool olook, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 1 lt north pool olook, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 1 lt north field, t wetmore
Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus
- 26 Feb, 1 sandy pt, d adrien
Sanderling, Calidris alba
- 04 Mar, 1 flyby one beach, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2, j berry
- 02 Mar, 27, n landry
- 02 Mar, 30 flyby one beach, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 2 one beach, t wetmore
Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
- 06 Mar, 6+ var, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 6+ var, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, fw var, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2, j berry
- 02 Mar, yes, n landry
- 02 Mar, fw var, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, fw var, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 15 one ocean, d chickering
- 27 Feb, sev var, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, one ocean, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 15+ var, t wetmore

Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus
- 05 Mar, 1 one, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 2 north marsh, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2, j berry
- 02 Mar, 2, n landry
- 02 Mar, 1 north marsh, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 1 dune loop, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 north marsh, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 1 sandy pt, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 north marsh, t wetmore
Rock Pigeon, Columba livia
- 06 Mar, fw n refuge, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 12 n refuge, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, fw n refuge, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, ~20 gate, j berry
- 02 Mar, 5, n landry
- 02 Mar, fw pi bridge, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, fw pi bridge, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, fw pi bridge, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, sev n refuge, t wetmore
Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura
- 06 Mar, fw n refuge, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 5 n refuge, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 6 n gate, j berry
- 02 Mar, 2, n landry
- 02 Mar, 5 n refuge, 2 refuge, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 1 n refuge, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 4 n refuge, t wetmore
Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiaca
- 06 Mar, 6 inc 1 two, 1 three, 1 wardens, 1 hellcat, 1 pines, 1 cross, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 2 inc 1 three, 1 north pool olook, d adrien
- 05 Mar, 1 north pool olook, t martin
- 05 Mar, 2 inc 1 north marsh, 1 north pool olook, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 4, j berry
- 02 Mar, 3, n landry
- 02 Mar, 1 two marsh, 1 n end scurves, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 3 inc 1 marsh w/two, 1 wardens, 1 pines, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 pans marsh, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 1 marsh w/pans, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 1 six platform, 1 cross, 1 sandy pt beach, 1 pines, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 3 inc 1 two marsh, 2 three marsh, d adrien
Short-eared Owl, Asio flammeus
- 06 Mar, 3-4, inc 2 north field, 1 forward, 1 cross, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 1 north pool olook, t martin
Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
- 05 Mar, 1 n refuge, 1 goodno, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 1 n hellcat, 1 hellcat, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1 goodno, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 1 hellcat, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 3 scurves, d chickering
- 26 Feb, 2 rdside, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 rdside n goodno, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 hellcat, t wetmore
Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus
- 27 Feb, 1 scurves, d chickering
Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
- 01 Mar, 1 hellcat, t wetmore
Merlin, Falco columbarius
- 06 Mar, 1 marsh n refuge, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 one middens, d chickering
- 25 Feb, 1 one midden, d adrien
Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus
- 27 Feb, 1 pi bridge, d chickering
Northern Shrike, Lanius excubitor
- 06 Mar, 1 north field thicket, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 1 n end scurves, t martin
- 05 Mar, 2 inc 1 h n end scurves, 1 h north field tree island, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 1 ad north pool olook, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2 inc 1 n end scurves, 1 north pool olook, n landry
- 02 Mar, 1 ad north pool olook, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 1 north pool olook, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 n end scurves, d adrien
- 27 Feb, 1 wardens, d chickering
- 26 Feb, 1 wardens, 1 six bwalk vocal, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 wardens vocal, d adrien
Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata
- 04 Mar, h n refuge, 1 goodno, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 4, n landry
- 02 Mar, 3-4 one dunes, 2 goodno, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, h n refuge, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, h hellcat, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 4 middnes, 2 three boardwalk, 1 hellcat, d adrien
American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
- 06 Mar, 3-4 var, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 4-5 var, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 5+ var, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2, j berry
- 02 Mar, 4, n landry
- 02 Mar, fw var, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, fw var, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 3 one & north pool olook, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 8+ var, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 4 south marsh, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 3 middens, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 4-5 var, t wetmore
Common Raven, Corvus corax
- 02 Mar, 1, j berry
- 01 Mar, 1 north pool olook, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 1 pines & south marsh, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 wardens to north field, t wetmore
Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris
- 06 Mar, 30 forward dike, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 8 one flyby, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 7+ north pool dike, j berry
- 01 Mar, 22 north pool dike, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 7 sandy pnt, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 15 north marsh, t wetmore
Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus
- 06 Mar, 8+ var, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, h n refuge, h scurves, 6 goodno, fw hellcat, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, fw n hellcat, 4 goodno, 6+ hellcat, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 4, n landry
- 02 Mar, 6+ goodno, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 5 hellcat, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 3 hellcat & scurves, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 8+ var, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, mn rdside, d adrien
- 25 Feb, thruout, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 8+ var, t wetmore
American Robin, Turdus migratorius
- 06 Mar, 4+ scurves, 3+ others inc leucistic hellcat, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 4 dune loop, d adrien
- 05 Mar, 1 scurves, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 3-4 var, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2, j berry
- 02 Mar, 2, n landry
- 02 Mar, 6 var inc leucistic hellcat, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 6+ inc lecuistic hellcat, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 leucistic, 1 eating small mammal, d adrien
- 27 Feb, 7 scurves & hellcat, d chickering
- 27 Feb, ~10 var inc leucistic hellcat, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, mn inc sev seven tower, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 9 inc 1 leucistic rdside n hellcat lot, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 5-6 var inc leucistic hellcat, t wetmore
Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
- 06 Mar, 1 scurves, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 1 north pool olook, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 2, j berry
- 02 Mar, 3, n landry
- 02 Mar, 1 wardens, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 1 north pool olook, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 2 wardens, d adrien
- 27 Feb, 2 scurves & wardens, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 1 wardens, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 1 six, 2 seven rdside, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 wardens, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 2 wardens, 1 north field, t wetmore
European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris
- 05 Mar, 10+ n refuge, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, n refuge, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, n refuge, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 23 n refuge, d chickering
- 27 Feb, n refuge, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, n refuge, d adrien
Lapland Longspur, Calcarius lapponicus
- 02 Mar, 2 north pool dike w/larks, j berry
Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis
- 01 Mar, 2 one dunes, 2 wardens, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 200+ one dunes, d adrien
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Setophaga coronata
- 02 Mar, 1 goodno, t wetmore
American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arborea
- 06 Mar, 12 rdside n hellcat, 2-3 others var, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 1-2 rdside, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, 3 edge north field, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 4, j berry
- 02 Mar, 12 rdside n hellcat, fw others, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, h hellcat, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 3 rdside north field, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 4 var, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 1 six bwalk, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 rdside, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 wardens, t wetmore
Fox Sparrow, Passerella iliaca
- 27 Feb, 1 dune loop, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 1 dune loop, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 1 dune loop, t wetmore
Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
- 04 Mar, 2+ singing n refuge, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1, j berry
- 27 Feb, 1 wardens, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 3 var, t wetmore
- 26 Feb, 1 six bwalk, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 2 rdside, t wetmore
White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
- 02 Mar, 1 goodno, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, 2+ hellcat, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 1 hellcat, d chickering
- 27 Feb, 4 dune loop, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 4 dune loop, t wetmore
Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis
- 06 Mar, 2-3 h rdside var, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, h n refuge, 2-3 rdside var, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, h n refuge, h one, 2 n hellcat, 3-4 hellcat, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, 1, n landry
- 02 Mar, 9 var, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, h one, h hellcat, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, 4-5 var most goodno, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, 5 rdside goodno to hellcat, d adrien
- 25 Feb, 3+ goodno area, t wetmore
Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
- 01 Mar, 3 north field, t wetmore
Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula
- 27 Feb, 1 n refuge, t wetmore
House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus
- 06 Mar, h n refuge, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, 2+ n refuge, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, h n refuge, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, h one, t wetmore
House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
- 06 Mar, n refuge, t wetmore
- 05 Mar, sev n refuge, t wetmore
- 04 Mar, h n refuge, t wetmore
- 02 Mar, n refuge, t wetmore
- 01 Mar, n refuge, t wetmore
- 27 Feb, n refuge, t wetmore
- 25 Feb, h n refuge, t wetmore

Legend

m - male
f - female
pr - pair
fk - flock
ad - adult
im - immature
jv - juvenal
sm - small
lg - large
lt - light morph
dk - dark morph
n - north
s - south
e - east
w - west
inc - including
migr - migrating

forward - Bill Forward Pool
one - Lot one area
three - Lot three area
seven - Lot seven area
emerson - Emerson Rocks
cross - Cross Farm Hill area
pans - North pans to lot three
north field - North boundary field
south field - South boundary field
north marsh - salt marsh from gate to wardens
south marsh - salt marsh from pines to cross
stage - Stage Island Pool area
pines - Pines Trail area
gate - Gate house area
blind - Blind on Bill Forward Pool
wardens - Sub-headquarters area
sound - Plum Island Sound

March 7, 2014, Tom Wetmore