by Peter Alden
Lillian Stokes and I joined forces to lead a counter-clockwise tour of Cape Ann for a dozen sparkbirders on March 1st. The wind was howling at 9 a.m. at the Fisherman's Statue, but calmed down considerably as we explored many sites for the next four hours. We focused chiefly on wintering waterbirds that breed well to the north. At each stop we saw amazing birds with temps near 50 degrees.
In Gloucester Harbor we noted a number of Common Loons, flocks of Common Eiders, parties of cute Buffleheads and a close view of a male Surf Scoter.
Out at Niles Pond on Eastern Point we spotted Gadwalls and two male American Wigeon out on salt (not fresh) water. Some open water and a nearby ice shelf harbored perhaps 500 gulls and waterfowl. Ring-necked Ducks and both Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers were diving, while rows of bathing gulls and Mallards lined the ice edge. Highlight was a rare Iceland Gull adult with pure white wings (lacks the black on the wings of our three commoner wintering gulls).
We stopped along Atlantic Avenue watching a very choppy sea. Below were a flock of about 50 Purple Sandpipers resting on nearby rocks.
They were soft slaty-colored (no more purple than a Purple Finch) with a yellow-based long droopy beak and very short yellow legs and feet. None of us could recall seeing so many so close of these rocky seashore birds. It is the only Arctic-breeding sandpiper that winters chiefly on cold shores of the New England and has never been found in Latin America or the West Indies.
Restrooms are scarce in Rockport so it was so nice to have one of our "gang" Maureen Dolan open up her seaside home there. Sitting on some rocks in Rockport Harbor we could clearly see the white throat and white thigh patches of several Great Cormorants. Our final stop was a fairly long walk at Halibut Point State Park to an overlook. Below us we enjoyed fine views of the very colorful (males) and local Harlequin Ducks below us. Little flocks of white-headed Long-tailed Ducks and Black Scoters with bright orange noses were flying about. Many of us had a seafood lunch afterwards on Gloucester Harbor before facing the next extreme cold front headed our way.
Nice day after all!
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