Southern New England Outdoor and Nature Site: Adventures Chasing Winter Finches in Massachusetts

Common Redpoll

Laurie hadn't done anything fun lately and wanted to get away. We had talked about New Hampshire, but all we could think of fun was dropping me off at a trailhead to go snowshoeing while she went and bought coffee or something. When I threw it out there we spend a night in Newburyport, and go birding Plum Island, I was surprised she said yes.

Before I go on to birding, here is my review of the room. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Amesbury. It is right off of I-95 and I-495. The cost after taxes and fees was only $77. The room was spotlessly clean. The night guy at the desk, Brian, was awesome as was the morning woman we checked out with, Marianne. I give it five stars. They had grab and go breakfast that consisted of pastry, cereal, yogurt, and bananas.

Despite it being spotless I took precautions. I walked in with a giant bottle of sanitizer and rags. I soaked the rags and wiped everything we would touch down from the bathroom, to microwave handles. I also brought my own blankets and pillow. I was careful when I got up in the morning not to let the part of my blanket that touched my bed touch my pillow or other blanket. On to birding...

Pine Grosbeak in a snow flurry

I left work a few hours early on Thursday so I could enjoy a couple of hours of daylight before checking into the hotel. On our way up I-495 we stopped in Bolton where Pine Grosbeaks had been feeding on crabapple trees all winter. Pine Grosbeaks are one of those winter finches that come down from northern Canada when there is a bad food year. They are one of the rarer finches to make it our way. However, they are not a lifebird for me. DJ and I saw them in Montana in 2010. I didn't know what they were but we got some photos. When we got to Bolton it was snowing. Luckily, the Grosbeaks were around. They let you get pretty close, but the white/grey cloudy sky was awful. I got a couple decent shots of them on the ground in the snow.

The snow stopped about twenty minutes later and we had a clear run to Salisbury. Before checking into the hotel we went to Salisbury Beach. I was hoping to see Crossbills but we ended up seeing a flock of Common Redpolls that hung around for half an hour. When it got close to dark, we stopped at a sub shop and picked up some supper to bring back to motel. Laurie and I watched Jeopardy where she beat me by one point.

Common Redpoll

Friday- My main goal was to see a White Winged Crossbill which would be a lifer for me. At least one was hanging around Salisbury Beach. Laurie wanted to see a Snowy Owl, up to four had been hanging around Plum Island. Our plan was to go to each place a couple of times. We started at Salisbury just before 8am. It was still cold and the birds hadn't warmed up. So we went to Parker NWR on Plum. There wasn't much at all. We walked a couple trails and birded the road. The best we could do was a Peregrine 3/4 of a mile away.

After a couple hours we went back to Salisbury. The sun was out and it warmed some. If we were going to get birds it was late morning. We ran into a mixed flock in the campground. It had Red Crossbills, Common Redpolls, American Tree Sparrows, Chickadees, and Red Breasted Nuthatch. I concentrated on the Red Crossbills. I wanted photo upgrades and hoped to run across the White Winged mixed in. For about forty five minutes it was wild with all the birds. You could stand in one spot and birds would be all around for ten minutes, then they'd move a couple trees down and you'd follow and repeat.

Red Crossbill

After it ended we went up by the beach where I hoped Crossbills would be in the trees. Sure enough I put my binoculars on a bird right out in the open and it was my White Winged Crossbill. Laurie was close so I called her over. By the time I got her on the bird, about ten seconds, it flew. So I never got a photo. But it was a lifer.

After an hour of trying to relocate it we went back to Plum for Laurie's Snowy Owl. Despite our best efforts and four hours or more of looking we never found one. Plum was really slow, we only saw about ten species. Our best birds were a Hermit Thrush and Horned Larks. Around dark we left for home.

Saturday

After a pleasant day and a half of birding, I still had Saturday off. I wasn't sure what the plan was. The "Saturday Group" wasn't getting together. Though four of them did decide to look for Tufted Duck at Trustom. Realizing I'd have full sun most of the day, I wanted a second chance at the Grosbeaks. Happily for me, so did Sue Palmer.

Pine Grosbeak

Sue and I met up in Bolton at 9 am. We only had a short wait before the Pine Grosbeaks came in. It was freezing out so we took photos from inside and outside the car. The birds never stopped moving. I took a ton of pictures but most got deleted in the first round of looking at them on the computer. I got a couple good ones, but man, was it tough.

After the Pine Grosbeaks got their fill and left us, Sue and I went and staked out a Yellow Throated Warbler. There had been one coming to a feeder in Lancaster for a while. The problem is it was in someone's backyard. The people don't mind visitors. I, on the other hand feel uncomfortable stalking birds at private residences. Luckily, Sue doesn't mind and is much friendlier than me. We pulled up and had the bird within ten minutes. It left and came back again for another ten minutes. After it left we took off. The family wasn't home so we didn't bother anyone. The Yellow Throated Warbler was another lifer for me. This one I got (not great) photos of. I owe Sue for this one, because I wouldn't have gone alone.

After we left the Warbler, we went back to the Pine Grosbeaks to regroup. Th

Not great, but a life photo of a lifebird
Yellow Throated Warbler

e birds never came back, We tried to figure out where to go next. We went to a WMA near Lake Chauncy. Hoary Redpolls had been reported. But no luck for us. We didn't see any Redpolls nor very many birds at all.

All in all I had an amazing two and a half days. I got two lifers (White Winged Crossbills and Yellow Throated Warbler). I got to watch and photograph Common Redpolls and Red Crossbills for an hour sometimes from feet away. I got photo upgrades of Common Redpolls and Red Crossbills and a new upgrade of Snow Buntings and American Tree Sparrows. Pine Grosbeaks were not a lifer, but I'd only seen them once before ten years ago. I got to watch and photograph them on two different days in two different weather conditions.

Laurie and I got away, something we hadn't done in ages. The motel as I said above was nice. My quick meals were good and birding was awesome other than Laurie not seeing the Snowy. The only downside was losing at Jeopardy!! A few more photos below