MethuenRailTrail

Last month we had two ‘birders’ come down and spend some time in our Bird Sanctuary on the rail trail. This is what they found:

Birders: Paula McFarland & Sue McGrath
Location: Nevins Bird Sanctuary
Observation date: 5/23/10
Number of species: 32
Wood Duck 1
Mallard 3
Great Blue Heron 30 (approx 16 occupied nests!)
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Chimney Swift 10
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Phoebe 7
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 3
Tree Swallow 10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 8
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 7
Cedar Waxwing 10
Yellow Warbler 6
Common Yellowthroat 5
Scarlet Tanager 1
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Red-winged Blackbird 4
Common Grackle 15
Baltimore Oriole 11
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 15

Tags: birding, Methuen Wildlife, sanctuary

Mass Audubon: A Million Blackbirds? Birding Event in Methuen

Sun, Nov 01, 2009 5:00 am – 9:00 am

Instructions and Directions:
Meet at the commuter parking lot at Exit 47 (Pelham St.) off I-93 in Methuen.
Bring binoculars and your sense of humor.

Peat Meadow is owned in part by the city of Methuen. (the RED PIN)

Registration is required.
Register by mail: program registration form. (PDF 66K)
Register by phone: with a credit card by calling 978-462-9998.
For your own security, DO NOT send credit card information via email.

For more information, contact:

Dave Larson
Joppa Flats
P.O. Box 1558
1 Plum Island Turnpike
Newburyport, MA 01950
joppaflats@massaudubon.org

Tags: birds, Mass Audobon, Methuen Wildlife, nature

I was out walking the Methuen Rail Trail with some folks from the Eagle Tribune online and we discovered that the Baby Herons have popped up all over the place.

This area is a few hundred feet north from the MSPCA road, just to the east of Route 93. All the heron nests perched in trees, vaguely resembles pterodactyl nests, and the baby herons are sticking their heads up.

Tags: birding, Conservation, Great Blue Heron, Methuen Wildlife

red tail 72
Originally uploaded by jgodsey.

I helped rescue this Red-Tail Hawk who was sitting in a drainage ditch. The wildlife rescue vet who came out to collect him says he will probably be okay. She will let me know tomorrow.

and THAT was the highlight of my day.

Tags: Methuen Wildlife, nature, Red Tail Hawk

a Milk Snake stopped by to say hello.

and we found about 3 -4 wood chuck dens. We must have made too much noise for anyone to stick around.

Tags: Methuen Wildlife, Milk Snake

Early in the day is probably the best time to catch a glimpse of ‘Bob the Builder’- Beavers are quite common on the Spicket River, but any time of bright day is a good time find raptors, like this red-tailed hawk. There were also many pairs of nesting ducks, geese, blackbirds, cardinals etc . . .

Tags: beaver, Methuen Wildlife, nature, Red Tail Hawk