Afternoon Birding and Photography at Gooseberry, Westport Massachusetts

Pair of Surf Scoters

After I had finished the beach ramble at Allens Pond, Bob Gagnon and myself went to Gooseberry hopefully to photograph the snowy owl but also any other subject that we could find. The causeway gate to Gooseberry was closed. We were not sure if this was because of the holiday and no one from the state came to open it or was it closed in preparation for the upcoming storm. Bob and I got out our cameras and slowly walked up the causeway where in the waters on the east side of the causeway there were a number of ducks present, Common Eiders, Buffleheads and and a pair of Surf Scoters. The Surf Scoters were close enough to give us a great look at their markings, especially the beautiful face and bill of the male surf scoter and the big white patch on back of its head. There are also a number of Common Loons swimming along with a Horned Grebe. We also met a number of photographers and birders who had been searching the island for the snowy owls and did not find them.

Horned Grebe

The tide was extremely low due to the new moon. This allowed us to walk out to areas that were normally under the water and photographs some of the seaweed and shells that were just waiting for the tide to return. There were some interesting abstracts in the sand due to the runoff of the water and a number of the boulders had sea ice on top of them. Flocks of shorebirds wheeling around and flying back and forth. I checked the skies looking for a raptor that may put them up but did not see any.

Sand Abstract

Rockweed attached to rock awaiting the return of the ocean

Slipper Shells

Sand pool with seaweed and crustatceans

Speaking of raptors, a Cooper's Hawk came down the middle of the island and flew toward the mainland. Right around sunset, a Northern Harrier came back from the mainland and flew down to the tip of the island where it was foraging for food. I had met another gentleman who was looking for and hoping for owls and we watched till after sunset hoping that a short-eared owl or snowy owl would appear flying around looking for food. Again no luck.

Cooper's Hawk

The clouds and sunset were interesting and the waves is starting to pick up on the west side of the island probably from the approaching storm.

SUn Hidden behind clouds with Phragmites blowing in the wind

Although we struck out on owls, any day out in our natural world around us photographing and observing is better than a day at work.

By the way, these pictures are some that people should obtained if they join me on January 12 for the workshop photographing Gooseberry and Allens Pond. You can sign up at http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#program:sanctuary=25:program_code=30995

Horned Grebe - Podiceps auritus

Horned Grebe Feeding on a Flounder Fry

Besides, what I have already written about
Provincetown harbor and the birds that I found.  I also had a great time observing and photographing a Horned Grebe, who spent an enormous amount of time and energy trying to eat a flounder fry.  In the past I have observed the horned grebes catching and eating small fish, but this flounder fry seem to be too large for the greed to swallow until the Grebe ripped it up into smaller pieces.  To show you what happened, I compiled my pictures into a video.

When I had visited Churchill, Manitoba, I was able to photograph the Horned Grebe in its breeding plumage, which is way more colorful than the way they look during the winter, when they are in their non-breeding plumage.

Horned Grebe in Breeding Plumage

Horned Grebe in Non--breeding Plumage

Other Birds Seen on the Cape

Red-breasted Merganser-Male

During our birding trip on Thursday we also saw other species of birds in Provincetown harbor besides the gulls and the thick-billed murre. There were red-breasted mergansers and common eiders swimming and feeding.

Red-breasted Merganser-Female

Common Eider-Male

Common Eider-Female

After we had left Race Point we stopped at the Beech Forest, where the usual common passerines hang out. In fact, if you bring some sunflower seeds and put them in your palm Black-capped-Chickadees and tufted titmouse is will come down and feed right out of your hand. The birds are very used to people since feeding them by hand has been going on for many years and families will bring their children there and let the child feed the birds. A great way for children to learn about and enjoying nature.

Tufted Titmouse Feeding from Hand

Black-capped Chickadee Feeding from Hand

Other birds present at the Beech Forest, included red-breasted woodpeckers (unable to photograph) white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow and Blue Jays.

White-throated Sparrow

White-breasted Nuthatch

Blue Jay

The last interesting bird was a nice close-up of a juvenile Horned Grebe in Wellfleet Harbor.

Horned Grebe

Two Days of Birding Gooseberry and Allens Pond

Thursday and Friday, I started out early to photograph at Gooseberry, prior to meeting Paul and the group from Allens Pond Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary for the bird walks.

Horned Grebe with an Eel

Horned Grebe

Common Loon

Thursday there was rain in the forecast and the sky was basically cloudy, the seas were flat, and there were many horned grebes and common loons feeding. 
On Friday, the weather had cleared after the rain that came on Thursday, there was a wind present, and the seas again were rough,  And early in the morning, there were no grebes or loons present at Gooseberry.

Junco

Thursday, rather than birding the usual spots, we started off at Cherry and Web Beach, climbing first to the top of the dunes where we watched many flocks of American goldfinches migrating over us, along with large pulses of Robbins and some small blackbird flocks. Hopping around were Juncos.

Snow Bunting

We continue down To Horseneck Beach, where there was a flock of snow Bunting's in the parking lot

Snow Buntings in Flight

Fox Sparrow

and in the corner of lot number 3 besides black-capped  Chickadees, There was a nice Fox Sparrow, who kindly posed for me.

Fowler's Toad

We then traveled to Gooseberry, with the grebes and loons was still present, and they will large rafts of scoters on both sides of Gooseberry. We found a Fowler’s Toad in the parking lot.


Hermit Thrush



Hermit Thrush

White-throated Saprrow

We finished off at Allens Pond on the Quonset trail where there were Eastern Towhees, Gray Catbird's, a Brown Thrasher, Hermit Thrush. a Winter Wren and both morphs of the White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

.  As the rain was starting to fall, we finished for the day.

Snow Bunting

Friday, the day was sunny and most of the scoters grebes and loons had disappeared.  Prior to the walk, I stopped at Horseneck Beach parking lot and followed the Snow Bunting’s around.

Pine Warbler

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

Otherwise an adult bald eagle flew over us, and we found Western palm warblers, Fox sparrows Eastern bluebirds.  A pine warbler was hanging out with the bluebirds.  And we ended up finding a beautiful male Baltimore Oriole.

Great Blue Heron

Other birds were Great Blue Heron


Savannah Sparrow



Red-throated Loon

Savannah Sparrow , Red-throated Loons

Common Loon



Willet



I had an event to go to in Westport in the late afternoon, so I stayed, I went and had lunch, and then went back to Gooseberry to see what I could find.  The common loons were feeding close to shore and allowed me to get almost completely full frame pictures. There was reported by a birder that that morning on Gooseberry, he found a Western Willet.  While I was photographing the loons, I turn to my right and saw on the rocks down on the beach a gull and a whitish bird that was smaller in size than the gull.  I observed the with the binoculars and it was a Willet.  This Willet, compared to the usual once we have around during the summer, was not at all nervous and allowed me to approach close and obtain its picture.

Normally, you do not find Mallards on the water at Gooseberry, but I saw a flight of ducks approaching and turning to land, first I thought of scoters, but it turned out to be a flock of mallards.

Mallards Landing

Horned Grebes, Common Loons and Sunrise

I am back art Gooseberry for the sunrise.  Today there was beautiful color in the clouds before the sun rose and then the color was still present for a while after the sun rose.

On the west side of the Island the waves from Rhode Island Sound (Atlantic Ocean)  were still coming in on the high side and crashing into the breakwater, and this is were the Horned Grebes and the Common Loons were feeding.  The would ride the waves and dive right into them for food.

I was able to get down onto the beach to photograph them , even as the tide was coming in.

Both birds are now in their winter plumages.

When you are scanning the oceans for these birds you have to be patient, since when they dive they travel a long way underwater.