Odiorne Point State Park Bioblitz - 9/23/23 (King Eider, Caspian Terns, White-eyed Vireo)

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Steve Mirick

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Sep 24, 2023, 9:41:10 AM9/24/23
to NHBirds
Jane and I made it to the Bioblitz again this year.  This was the 21st
year for this annual event and we've made it every year.   The event is
run by the Seacoast Science Center and the goal is to try to record as
many species of living organisms in the park in one day.  The purpose is
to educate the public and to expose people to the different organisms
that can be found in such a small area.  As always, Jane and I focused
on birds, but we always look at bugs and this year (because of a growing
interest), we were even more excited to look at bugs this year.  But
sadly, for the 2nd year in a row, the bugs were difficult  due to cloudy
cool weather.

The bird list was pretty good at 80 species, but far below last year's
incredible 100 species day.

Odiorne Point SP, Rye, Rockingham, New Hampshire, US
Sep 23, 2023 6:24 AM - 4:58 PM
7.62 miles (22,000 steps)
Checklist Comments:     All day birding at Odiorne during Bioblitz. Most
of the day with Jason Lambert, Jacqui Shuster, and Robbie Prieto.
Additional sightings from David Blezard.  Overcast with light easterly
winds in morning (following a night of easterly winds).  Increasing out
of the east during the afternoon with approach of Tropical Storm Ophelia
from the south.  Cool.  Only a few light sprinkles after 1:00 PM. 
Overall not a bad bird list considering the conditions.  LOTS of misses,
but a few nice birds.

eBird Checklist with a couple of photos at:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S150590686

Some non-bird sightings can be seen on my iNaturalist photo list for the
day:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?on=2023-09-23&place_id=any&user_id=stevemirick

80 species (+1 other taxa)
--------------------------------------
Canada Goose  28
Mallard  4
American Black Duck  23
Green-winged Teal  3     Migrating south offshore with scoters.
KING EIDER  1     Continuing female seen from south end of park. Now
present regularly since May 2022!!!!  Nice views.
Common Eider  24
Surf Scoter  14
White-winged Scoter  1
Black Scoter  2
scoter sp.  92     Several small flocks of scoters moving south.
Wild Turkey  2     The only species on this list not seen by someone in
this group.  Reported by others.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2     Not at bridge.  Fly over pair.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Black-bellied Plover  7
Semipalmated Plover  7
Killdeer  4
Pectoral Sandpiper  1     Flew overhead.  Calling.
Semipalmated Sandpiper  1     Only 1 single bird on flats at bridge.
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  6
Lesser Yellowlegs  2
RAZORBILL  1     Small black and white alcid.  No white on wings.
Possibly first for Bioblitz?
Bonaparte's Gull  5
Laughing Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  27
Herring Gull  28
Great Black-backed Gull  5
CASPIAN TERN  4     Nice group of 4 cutting the corner and flying south
over wooden bridge.  Fortunately they called as they flew right over our
heads and no one had seen them!
Common Loon  15     A few migrating in morning.
Great Cormorant  3     Sitting together on offshore rocks outside of
Portsmouth harbor.
Double-crested Cormorant  167
Great Blue Heron  6
Great Egret  1
Snowy Egret  10     Careful count of birds together on flats from bridge.
Osprey  2     Migrating south in morning.
Northern Harrier  1     Male.
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  2     Adult and immature.
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Eastern Screech-Owl  1     Responded to tape from alder swamp.
Belted Kingfisher  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Merlin  1
Peregrine Falcon  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER  1     Photos. Yellow wash on belly evident in
field, but badly backlit for photos.  Other than last year's anomalous
November record in Portsmouth, this is my latest fall migrant.  Could be
a first for Bioblitz.
Eastern Phoebe  5
WHITE-EYED VIREO  1     Photos.  Picked out by Jane for very brief views
in alder swamp for Jane, Robbie, and I.  Fortunately, relocated about an
hour later for better views (and views for Jason and Jacqui) along alder
swamp trail north of the Settler's Monument.  2nd record for Bioblitz.
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  6
American Crow  3
Black-capped Chickadee  11
Tufted Titmouse  7
Tree Swallow  45
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Brown Creeper  2
Carolina Wren  3
European Starling  15
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  1     Incredibly only one all day.
Eastern Bluebird  7
American Robin  1
House Finch  3
Chipping Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  2
Savannah Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  8
Ovenbird  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
TENNESSEE WARBLER  1
Common Yellowthroat  8
CAPE MAY WARBLER  1
Magnolia Warbler  1
Yellow Warbler  1
Blackpoll Warbler  9
Pine Warbler  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  5

Steve Mirick (for birding group)
Bradford, MA

Steve Mirick

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Sep 24, 2023, 10:43:36 AM9/24/23
to nhb...@googlegroups.com
Thanks to Robbie Prieto, a couple of additions to the list from
yesterday.  So list now at 82:

Northern Gannet - 1.  Shockingly, only a single Northern Gannet for the
day.  Despite the nice easterly winds.  We spent some time scoping
offshore, but no other nice pelagic surprises for the day.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - One adult.  Nicknamed "Woody", this same
individual gull has returned now for many years!  I'd have to do some
research to see when he or she first appeared.  The bird is almost
always seen in the vicinity of the "Wooden Bridge" over Rt. 1A at the
north end of the park.  At high tide, it can be seen on the wooden posts
in the marsh sometimes.  At low tide, it is often on the flats somewhere
near the bridge or up the creeks.

Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA

Bob Crowley

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Sep 24, 2023, 1:19:49 PM9/24/23
to Stephen Mirick, NH Birds
It was on my birthday, Nov.21 1998

Details
While on a field trip with the Brookline Bird Club to the NH coast, we saw at Odiorne Point a strange Gull. It was a winter adult, with all the field marks of a Lesser Black-backed Gull except it's bill was two thirds black at the base and yellow at the third near the tip. Legs were a dull yellow. P.J. Grant's Gull Book, p104, describes this bird exactly as a 4th winter bird that has not quite developed full adult coloring on the legs and bill.


I was sent into the Seacoast Center by our esteem leader, Mirick to get Grant's Book.

Bob Crowley
Chatham, NH


----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Mirick" <smi...@comcast.net>
To: "NH Birds" <nhb...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2023 10:43:32 AM
Subject: [NHBirds] Odiorne Point State Park Bioblitz - 2 additional species


Lesser Black-backed Gull - One adult.  Nicknamed "Woody", this same
individual gull has returned now for many years!  I'd have to do some
research to see when he or she first appeared.  The bird is almost
always seen in the vicinity of the "Wooden Bridge" over Rt. 1A at the
north end of the park.  At high tide, it can be seen on the wooden posts
in the marsh sometimes.  At low tide, it is often on the flats somewhere
near the bridge or up the creeks.

Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA

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