Thursday Morning Birding

It is Thursday morning, the day that Doug and I usually go out birding and I do some photography.  This morning, the weather was overcast cloudy with some drizzle.  Our plan for the day was to meet at my house and then travel into Middleborough, Massachusetts to bird around Cumberland Fields, which is an IBA (Important Bird Area).  Our first stop on the way to the Cumberland fields was Oliver Mills Park.  The area was loaded with gulls mainly Great-Back Gulls, and Herring Gulls along with Great Blue Heron's, who were there to feed on the migrating Herring.


Around the edge of the Cumberland fields, there was a group of Wild Turkeys foraging, and what was interesting, it was a group of 3 males without any females. Walking the fields one of the most interesting sites was the large number of black birds that were present, sitting in the trees and flying around and making a huge racket, that had to be over 1000 blackbirds present. 

Most of the  passerines that we observed were extremely skittish and did not stay still long enough to obtain pictures.  A flight of 3 great blue Heron's flew overhead and gave an opportunity to photograph them.  The area, which is usually its wet was almost dried up and, except for Killdeers there were no other shorebirds present.
Our next location was the pond at Jenney's Mill in Plymouth.  The mute swans were already nesting. There were 4-5 Great Blue Herons present, including one in beautiful breeding plumage.  Also present at scattered throughout the pond were Double-crested Cormorant, who were displaying their dark nuptial crests which gave them their name. Some of the subspecies will have white nuptial crests.  The male Ring-neck Duck that has been present during the winter was still present, and also developing breeding plumage. Also present was the Lesser Black-backed Gull, who has been a regular winter visitor, and it's plumage has changed into the summer plumage. A magnolia tree was coming into full-bloom.






Finally at the parking lot on the harbor at the boat ramp, the Iceland Gull was still present, and allowing great views of it.

The Herring are Running

The herring are running again.  Stopped by Oliver Mills Park in Middleboro Massachusetts and joined the large number of people down watching the herring run and enjoying the  70 degree temperature.  Last year I wrote a blog about the herring run http://photobee1.blogspot.com/2011/03/river-herring-run-in-costal.html.
This year the water is lower and many more fish are jumping up the weirs to continue their journey to the breeding grounds at Lake Assawomsett.
So get out and discover the herring run in your area of New England

American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica)

I am continuing to post about my findings on the Columbus Day weekend.  A rarer bird to locate, although it is not unusual to find it, is the American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica). The most common large plover that we see along the shore and on mowed fields is the Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola).(Shown here with a Greater Yellowlegs)

This summer, when I was up in Churchill, Manitoba, I was able to photograph the American Golden Plover in full breeding plumage. They are spotted gold and black on the crown, back and on their wings.  Their face and neck are black with a white border and they also have a black breast and a dark rump and their legs are black.  They breed in the Arctic tundra from northern Canada and Alaska, nesting on the ground in a dry open area.

They are a migratory bird and winter in southern South America.  It's migratory route is over 25,000 miles, and they fly 2400 miles over open ocean.  In the fall.  They migrate south in an easterly fashion.  When they return knots would they pass through Central America and central United States on their way north.

It is felt that the American Golden Plover and the Eskimo Curlews (which are now extinct) with a shorebirds that attracted the attention of Christopher Columbus in early October 1492.  So I guess it's appropriate that it was on Columbus Day weekend when I found the migratory American Golden plovers on two separate days in two separate locations.  First, I found them on Sachuest Salt Marsh  in Middletown, Rhode Island and the next day on the Fuller Street fields, which is part of the Cumberland's IBA in Middleborough, Mass.

The American Golden Plover is similar to two other golden plovers, Eurasian and Pacific.

For all of you who live along the Eastern coast of the United States, keep an eye open for the American Golden Plover as it migrates southward This fall.

Oliver Mills Park - Middleborough Massachusetts

Oliver Mills Park in Middleborough Massachusetts, is a beautiful area to visit in any season both for its historical value and natural beauty. I have included information about the Park that is included in the kiosk located on the site.
"Oliver Mill Park" "The Muttock area has a history of occupation and use that dates to the early Archaic Period, attracting Native Americans who came to fish in the Nemasket River and who probably established a small village nearby. In 1734 a dam was built across the Nemasket River here, replacing an old native fish weir. "Between 1744 and 1776, Peter Oliver, an important provincial Tory official and judge, as well as an industrial entrepreneur, operated an ironworks that included one of the earliest rolling and splitting mills in New England. Oliver's works dominated Middleborough's early economy and were significant for the degree to which they exploited the power of the Nemasket River, using as many as eight water wheels to run an integrated cluster of iron works, grist, saw, and other water powered mills. "After 1800 the site was converted into a shovel shop under the ownership of General Abel Washburn and operated into the 1840s." "Following the abandonment of the site in the 1870s the area was largely ignored until the 1960s and 1970s when it was partially restored for recreational purposes. Oliver Mill Park survives as one of the most significant industrial archaeological sites in Middleborough and in the southeastern Massachusetts region." The park is located just past the intersection of Plymouth Street and US 44 on Nemasket Street.
After parking and reading the sign, walk along the paths to the stone mills ruins, literally a building shell with partial walls and no roof. There are several channels to look at, including one that allows herring to swim upstream to Assawomset pond. I have previously written about the Herring run on my blog http://photobee1.blogspot.com/2011/03/river-herring-run-in-costal.html
There is also an ample picnic area with picnic tables provided so you could have a meal or a snack in comfort.
I have observed various species of ducks and geese including common mergansers and a barnacle goose plus the usual more common species such as Canada geese and mallards. Various songbirds are present depending on the season. In the spring at the time of the Herring run great blue herons and gulls feeding on the Heron. Reptiles that have been observed in the area have included musk and painted turtles and common water snakes.


The morning that I was there, which is just after a rain, the webs of the funnel weaving spiders were present. Some other insects that were present were a least skipper and an Ebony Jewelwing.

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The amount of water running in the Nemasket River of course is dependent on the rainfall. The recent year when we had the spring floods almost the whole area of the mills park was covered under water. So when you are looking for a new place to visit think of Oliver Mills Park. Of course, bring you binocular's and cameras and let me know what you find.

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Herring Run continued

Yesterday visited again the Herring Run at Oliver Mill Park in Middleboro and the fish ladder in downtown Middleboro.  The Herrings are still running and in larger numbers than a month ago.  Anyone in the area should visit either one of the sites to see these fish battling their way upstream against a fast moving current to spawn and create the next generation of herring.  Despite the dreary drizzling weather there were people coming to witness the event.

Herring near the dam

Dam at Oliver Mill Park

Herring in Fish ladder

Fish Ladder

viewing the run at the ladder

to get there Google map

Cons Land-Oliver Mill Park

Middleboro, MA 02346

 

and to the fish ladder : 41.890138, -70.903769

River Herring Run in Costal Massachusetts

Spring arrives today at 7:20 1 PM Eastern Daylight Time, and besides the vernal pools. Another sign of spring is the river herring migration. River Herring, we turn to the place of birth desponding, create a new of generation River Herring. Here in Massachusetts, alewives spawn in late March to mid-May when the water temperature reaches about 51°F.

There are 2 species of River Herring in Massachusetts.  They are the Alewife-Alosa pseudoharengus and the blueback Herring - Alosa aestivalis.  The alewives are the early arrivers and the bluebac arrives later in the spring when the water temperatures warm up more.

Well, the alewives have started to run, and they are on the Nemasket River, which leads from the Taunton River to Assawompset Pond complex.

At the Oliver Mills Park, the gulls have been gathering to feed on the Herring as they make their way up the river. Oliver Mills Park is located right off of route 44 in Middleborough and you can see the herring in the water and the gulls feeding on them.

Gull with Fish (picture taken by my son Aaron)

Easier Access for the Herring to get up the Nemansket

The Falls on the Nemansket

Nemansket above the Falls at Oliver Mills

On Wareham Street in Middleborough, there is a fish way that was constructed in 1966 to help the Herring swim up the river to the Assawompset Pond complex.

Alewife swimming

Jumping up the fish ladder in Middleboro

On the right there are a number of the Alewifes that just made it up the first step in the ladder

Since 2006, there has been a moratorium on collecting the Herring, except by Native Americans, because of the decrease in the numbers of fish. Each year, there have been an increasing number of Herring returning, and hopefully we may get back to where the levels were in the past.



If you have never seen a Herring run, take the time this spring to visit one of the areas and see this impressive site. Information on where you can view a River Herring run is located on the Division of Marine Fisheries website: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/index:html