The Plover Warden Diaries

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15802700055233183312012-02-16T23:08:22.901-05:00The Plover Warden DiariesLife on the beach at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and occasional other birding adventures and, of course, piping plovers.Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.comBlogger3281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-16725115737056741362012-01-20T14:48:00.000-05:002012-01-20T14:48:38.720-05:00birds and beach

Fresh Ice on the North Pool Thursday afternoon was windy and cold with snow flurries in the air. The sun glinting through the clouds highlighted the recently formed ice on the salt pannes and the freshwater impoundments. A northern harrier cruised low over the dunes near Lot 1. Other than that, few birds seemed to brave the wind. I thought I might find a snowy owl in the dunes near Lot 6, so

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-47711588441177283642012-01-05T14:28:00.000-05:002012-01-05T14:28:18.548-05:00down the bay

The New Year's weekend afforded a great opportunity for some birding all along Narragansett Bay. There were some fun birds and surprises but still no Tufted Duck. At Colt State Park, we were looking at a flock of brant near the boat ramp when a flock of ruddy turnstones materialized on the rocks. Ruddy Turnstone Three of the Several Hundred Brant Usually we see lots of horned larks on the

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-73058763310706814172011-12-19T16:21:00.000-05:002011-12-19T16:21:05.275-05:0019th century piping plover description

From Zoology of New-York, or the New-York Fauna: comprising detailed description ... By James Ellsworth De Kay 1844 The Piping Plover or Beach-flea, or Beach-bird as it is sometimes called on Long island, ranges from 24° to 53° north, breeding from New-Jersey to Nova-Scotia. It appears with us about the last of April, and leaves during the month of October. It is a resident during winter from

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-90440328511298822852011-12-02T19:47:00.000-05:002011-12-02T19:47:31.571-05:00Lawrence Dam

Lawrence Dam Besides being an engineering marvel in its time, the Lawrence Dam is right next to a huge crow roost. The other day, I saw a Common Raven hanging out with the crows. Alas, I was not able to get a photo (dam photo was taken yesterday, Common Raven sighting was Monday afternoon). The other cool thing I noticed at the dam, was the Herring Gulls seemingly joyriding on the current.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-88524008794141994252011-11-28T17:34:00.000-05:002011-11-28T17:34:12.711-05:00down by the river

Merrimack River Canada Geese Leaves Under Water

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-12482746706512945502011-11-21T14:42:00.000-05:002011-11-21T14:42:43.474-05:00brant

Brant on the march Colt State Park was alive with birds on Sunday. The brant were occupying the grass between the puddle and the road. My first snow bunting of the season landed next to a picnic table. The trees were full of chickadees and tufted titmice. As always, there were many herring gulls and some ring-billed gulls. And, of course, pigeons. Pigeons on the grass, alas!* *Gertrude Stein

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-50394002600109817082011-11-18T19:50:00.001-05:002011-11-18T19:50:38.409-05:00Color in the Park

Color in the Park, a photo by Captain_Peleg on Flickr.Autumn leaves in the park at Lawrence Heritage State Park Visitor Center.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-19303804369941070912011-11-15T16:42:00.000-05:002011-11-15T16:42:18.998-05:00Lawrence

Been walking in Lawrence of late. Took some photos. Northern Canal Lock The lock mechanism is fascinating. Bridges Northern Canal has lots of bridges over it -- for trains, people, and vehicles. Canal It was wicked cloudy today, so made for interesting skies and reflections in the canal. Pemberton Mill I've been thinking a lot about the Pemberton Mill collapse (January 1860)

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-83120793828325957312011-11-05T13:54:00.000-04:002011-11-05T13:54:43.446-04:00Actor Entrance

Hmm, this isn't a theater.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-50572840748076740652011-10-23T23:44:00.001-04:002011-10-23T23:44:48.960-04:00Warren Antiques Market

Saw this large banana-like thing sitting just inside the back door of Warren Antiques Market during Walkabout Warren. Was unable to resist going into the shop.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-50723649231709110102011-10-14T21:25:00.000-04:002011-10-14T21:25:49.554-04:00peeps and squash

Ever since I first spotted the squash blossoms in the wrack between lots 6 and 7, I've been wondering what the fruits would look like. One afternoon last week, I went to take a look. the mystery squash (or gourd) A few of the plants had these little round gourds on them. more of those mystery squash are forming behind the blossoms Some still had blossoms, but I could see the fruit forming.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-92200476508330393952011-09-30T16:31:00.000-04:002011-09-30T16:31:03.019-04:00The Wrack Line is up on the refuge web site

Check out the Fall 2011 issue of The Wrack Line, the newsletter of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge: wrackline fall 2011.pdf (application/pdf Object) There's a nice year end wrap up by biological staff and a profile of my favorite fellow volunteer, Big Steve, by Jean (the unit formerly known as 3 for old time readers). I still can't believe 34 chicks fledged. That's the second highest total

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-46587434733107796342011-09-26T16:25:00.001-04:002011-09-26T18:42:19.015-04:00Working Waterfront Festival -- Day 2

Sunday in New Bedford was slightly less humid and much less gray. There were far more visitors. The Foodways stage with its Seafood Throwdown outdrew all the musicians, authors, and demos. We enjoyed Portuguese fado, folk songs from Maine, sea chanteys from Virginia, humor, and more poetry. I regretted that we had to choose between fabulous music and a panel discussion on navigation from dead

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-28675412791625170432011-09-26T15:59:00.000-04:002011-09-26T15:59:07.614-04:00Working Waterfront Festival -- Day 1

New Bedford Whaling National Park Visitor Center The Working Waterfront Festival showcases the fishing industry and the cultural traditions of America's largest commercial fishing port. There's music and food and boats and poetry and oral history and all kinds of activities. Model Boat at Big Boats, Little Boats demo in Coast Guard Park We were particularly excited to hear Geno Leech, a

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-64625111811568371792011-09-21T16:41:00.000-04:002011-09-21T16:41:14.543-04:00Wildlife and Nature Photography Weekend at Parker River NWR October 7, 8 & 9

This isn't up on the Parker River NWR web site yet so you, my lucky readers, are among the first to know. PRNWR is hosting an awesome Wildlife and Nature Photography Weekend in October in celebration of National Wildlife Refuge Week. Mark your calendars now for October 7, 8, and 9. A photographic print exhibition from the 2011 Parker River NWR Nature Photography Camp will be on display all

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-91125364957401898652011-09-12T23:16:00.000-04:002011-09-12T23:16:26.994-04:00remembering good times birding with a friend

Long time readers of previous incarnations of this blog may remember my tales of birding with Hungarian friends: Peteri Lake, our search for Otis tarda, and the Tisza River. Maci, with whom I shared those adventures (and others), passed away last week. She was a remarkable lady and I will never forget her. She was already 80+ when we shared these adventures. That Otis tarda was a life bird for

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-10608121106996415732011-09-03T14:38:00.000-04:002011-09-03T14:38:46.907-04:00the dunes

Looking back over the dunes from the top of the lot 5 boardwalk... Looking south along the beach... Looking north ...

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-44386527203007832972011-09-02T15:38:00.000-04:002011-09-02T15:38:58.630-04:00a bug

some kind of grasshopper This grasshopper landed in front of me on the Lot 5 boardwalk. Alas, my grasshopper/cricket/bug id skills are rusty.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-43868642353785737752011-08-30T14:35:00.000-04:002011-08-30T14:35:49.534-04:00fungi of the lot 5 boardwalk

I went to the overlook at Lot 5 in search of seabirds, of which I saw plenty of the usual suspects plus one Sooty Shearwater. There were a lot of Wilson's Storm-Petrels but no Leach's. I saw a Peregrine Falcon take out a Semipalmated Sandpiper -- kind of gruesome. Unfortunately, I did not get any photos of these things. Fortunately, I found lots of interesting-looking mushrooms to photograph.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-18556062399910845282011-08-29T19:32:00.000-04:002011-08-29T19:32:02.694-04:00some least sandpipers

I saw lots of least sandpipers at Nelson Island before the storm. They were very friendly in terms of posing for pictures.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-8546434814157600142011-08-17T17:52:00.000-04:002011-08-17T17:52:26.795-04:00moon snails

Moon snail shells are all over the beach. So are the sand collars the females build to house the eggs. They're among the coolest gastropods (yeah, they eat with their foot) on the beach. They're fearsome predators of other mollusks. They can move around under the sand to stalk clams in their burrows. I've never seen one with the foot extended. In fact, I mostly find empty shells or sometimes

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-60936947453714024752011-08-11T18:44:00.000-04:002011-08-11T18:44:31.888-04:00plants of the wrack line

Another benefit of the beach closure is that some of the beach-growing plants get a chance to take hold, which helps build dunes. I found a lot of plants growing in the wrack. I think I'm losing my plant identification skills though. I thought this was salicornia until I took a closer look and noticed that the leaves are not segmented. Maybe lamb's quarters? I know I should know what this one

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-59819034865855617122011-08-10T13:44:00.003-04:002011-08-10T13:45:58.077-04:00numbers

Now that the chicks have fledged, here's a quick summary of the numbers: Refuge beach: 19 pairs, 34 chicks fledged = 1.79 chicks per pair Sandy Point: 7 pairs, 10 chicks fledged = 1.43 chicks per pair Town beach: 1 pair, 1 chick fledged I wish more of the press reporting on the piping plover would use the number of chicks per pair as the measure of success rather than just the number of

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-91495788300586245282011-08-02T17:44:00.000-04:002011-08-02T17:44:31.089-04:00unnatural wrack items galore

Coffee of the Day: Panama Bird of the Day: piping plover Invisi-Bird Status: As of 8/1/11: Refuge beach: 4 chicks, 30 fledged. Sandy Point: 10 fledged. Town beach: 1 fledged. Number actually seen by me on Friday: 3 adults. Weird Wrack Item of the Week: a "missing" sunbather (see below) technically not a wrack item, but very weird Working on the Boardwalk at Lot 6 So as of Friday morning, they

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-59397614667054516282011-07-22T16:08:00.001-04:002011-07-23T12:15:33.856-04:00greenheads under the heat dome

Coffee of the Day: Tanzania Bird of the Day: gray catbird Invisi-Bird Status: last update was July 18. Number actually seen by me: zero. Weird Wrack Item of the Week: the entire concept of the wrack line is apparently weird on fresh water beaches-- check out this story about Sauble Beach in Canada Refuge Biological Staff Sighted: 0 Coast Guard Assets Sighted: 0 Number of Greenhead Bites: 1 The

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-23052555371943172662011-07-18T21:52:00.001-04:002011-07-18T21:52:06.735-04:00PRNWR Photo Day Camp Pix up on Faceboook

Matt posted some photos from the kids' photo day camp on the Parker River NWR Facebook page: Photo Camp 2011 Day 1

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-20739606320364257742011-07-18T13:53:00.002-04:002011-07-21T14:36:38.235-04:00latest plover numbers

This just in. Official piping plover numbers from Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Refuge Beach: 18 chicks, 14 fledglings, no nests remaining. Town Beach: 1 fledged Sandy Point: 7 chicks, 10 fledglings

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-68412122910624174672011-07-16T14:42:00.000-04:002011-07-16T14:42:58.750-04:00nice day

Coffee of the Day: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Bird of the Day: ring-billed gull Invisi-bird Status: I don't have updated numbers for this week but I do know from talking to biological staff that one of the chicks that hatched on the town beach survived to fledge. Also, chicks from the two nests just north of the one that got predated are 25+ days old so should be fledged. He was on his way to check

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-43178757974088969702011-07-10T20:27:00.001-04:002011-07-10T20:27:47.811-04:00low tide

Shift: AM South Coffee of the Day: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Bird of the Day: common tern Invisi-Bird Status: I don't have updated numbers for this week but I do know from talking to biological staff that the nest near the south boundary (the one I was so excited about a couple of weeks ago) got predated. Weird Wrack Item of the Day: half a pair of glasses (right half - just in case you see

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-42613573832428720132011-07-05T14:14:00.003-04:002011-07-05T16:59:03.218-04:00updated plover numbers

Latest official piping plover numbers on Plum Island: Refuge beach: 17 pairs, 4 nests, 19 chicks, 5 fledged Sandy Point: 5 pairs, 8 chicks, 3 fledged Town beach: 1 pair, 3 chicks

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-18934391897057035702011-07-05T14:08:00.000-04:002011-07-05T14:08:37.828-04:00Stuff in the Merrimack

Time for another Stuff in the Merrimack post: A guy with either a dangerous drug or a woman superhero: Manchester man charged with heroine possession after pulled from river New Hampshire NEWS07 (they fixed the headline after I posted this) Some big plans: Planners expanding Merrimack River trail Creosote: Creosote pollution may last for years 17 tons of debris: Clean River Project moving from

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-30774199125457370922011-07-02T14:24:00.000-04:002011-07-02T14:24:12.995-04:00July Already

Shift: AM, South Coffee of the Day: French Roast Bird of the Day: little gull Invisi-bird Status: Refuge Beach: 18 pairs, 9 nests, 22 chicks, Sandy Point: 5 pair, 1 nest, 12 chicks, Town Beach: 1 pair, 2 chicks. Number actually seen by me: 0. Weird Wrack Item of the Day: a 15 foot piece of black plastic tubing. Refuge Biological Staff Sighted: 0. Coast Guard Assets Sighted: 1. Gorgeous day

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-47456671801309611622011-06-28T19:55:00.001-04:002011-06-28T19:55:35.366-04:00Daily News article about the PIPL nest on PI Point

The Daily News seems a little spatially challenged in this article: Unexpected arrival » Local News » NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA. PI Point is at the north end of the island. Otherwise it's a good story with good quotes from Jean. It is extremely rare for piping plovers to nest successfully on the north end of the island. Here's hoping the chicks fledge.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-78885520969798288812011-06-25T13:35:00.002-04:002011-06-25T13:42:54.225-04:00this just in

Just got an update from Jean re the plover numbers: Refuge Beach: 18 pairs, 9 nests, 22 chicks Sandy Point: 5 pair, 1 nest, 12 chicks Newbury Town Beach: 1 pair, 2 chicks This is shaping up to be a terrific season. BTW, I don't have any official data on the Least Tern colony at Sandy Point. I only know there are a way wicked lot of them and much courtship behavior was still going on as of

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-54020461662429739492011-06-25T13:29:00.001-04:002011-06-25T13:40:27.330-04:00same willet, different day

Rainy Friday continued... Late in the afternoon, the rain let up and I was suffering severe shorebird withdrawal from being rained out of working the south boundary this morning. So, I took a quick trip to the refuge. Of course, the rain hadn't really stopped ... I paused at the North Pool Overlook to check for bobolinks because I have not seen nearly enough bobolinks this year and I need my

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-48242441299849381762011-06-24T11:26:00.000-04:002011-06-24T11:26:38.518-04:00raining

Boohoo. It's raining so I'm not at the refuge guarding piping plovers today. Maybe I'll go there later and do some birding if it stops raining. Darn.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-5729692404450596842011-06-21T21:22:00.001-04:002011-06-21T21:41:25.773-04:00willet on the town marker

I'm guessing willets are nesting somewhere in the town marker field on the refuge. There's been a willet perched on the town marker off and on for a couple of weeks now. It was there this afternoon. willet on the town marker I stopped to take a picture and scan with binocs for any sign of nesting activity. A couple of people on bicycles asked me if it was a sea bird because of the long legs

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-38221639261221831262011-06-18T13:26:00.003-04:002011-06-18T13:29:04.276-04:00rainy day, a new nest, chicks are hatching

Shift: Friday AM, South Coffee of the Day: Panama Bird of the Day: piping plover Invisi-bird Status: Refuge beach: 19 pairs, 18 nests, 11 chicks. Number actually seen by me: 2. (Note -- numbers are unofficial - got them from conversation with biological staff on the beach). Weird Wrack Item of the Day: an umbrella attached to a lobster trap. Refuge Biological Staff Sighted: 1. On my way to the

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-66924128608160313492011-06-14T21:44:00.001-04:002011-06-15T18:39:09.979-04:00tweeting about the Birds of Essex County

So, readers may ask, what's with these random tweets about Birds of Essex County? Charles W. Townsend's Birds of Essex County was published in 1905 by the Nuttall Ornithological Club. At that time it was the most extensive monograph on the bird life of such a small geographic area of North America. It was on my want list back when I used to collect "antiquated" books, but I didn't manage to snag

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-69500791079268833482011-06-14T16:39:00.001-04:002011-06-14T16:39:33.711-04:00Light on Leaves

Light on Leaves, a photo by Captain_Peleg on Flickr.There are a lot of leaves down since the recent thunderstorms. It's almost like autumn except that the leaves are still green. I spotted this oak leaf in the evening light near the North Andover heron rookery last night.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-82110527346324018892011-06-11T12:47:00.002-04:002011-06-21T21:05:34.014-04:00way busy at the south boundary

Coffee of the Day: Boatyard Brew (both choices today were blends, not specific origins) Bird of the Day: Willet Invisi-bird Status: Refuge beach: 17 pairs, 11 nests, 7 chicks. Sandy Point: 6 pairs, 5 nests, 4 chicks. Newbury town beach: 1 pair, 1 nest. Number actually seen by me: zero. Weird Wrack Item of the Day: either the chair legs or the dead skate. looking north Traffic coming off I-495

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-80895703021153422152011-06-07T17:37:00.000-04:002011-06-07T17:37:07.093-04:00updated numbers

I love it that the refuge staff has gotten way more communicative about the piping plover status this year. Matt posted updated piping plover numbers on the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Complex Facebook page this morning: "There are 17 pairs, 11 nests with eggs, and 2 nests that have hatched chicks (one with 4 chicks and one with 3 chicks). There might be even more nests out there

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-90863232352589719092011-06-03T16:11:00.141-04:002011-06-04T13:23:29.911-04:00shorebird extravaganza

Picture it: Friday morning. First time at the south boundary this season. Bright sun. Fierce wind off the water. Coffee of the Day: French Roast (they didn't say origin, but I'm guessing Colombian) Bird of the Day: Ruddy Turnstone Invisi-bird Status: Refuge beach: 11 pairs, 9 nests, 3 chicks!. Sandy Point: 6 pairs, 6 nests. Newbury town beach: 1 pair. Number actually seen by me: zero. Weird

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-20782515402906343332011-06-02T20:35:00.000-04:002011-06-02T20:35:44.976-04:00dunes and mist

Where does the spring go? May has gotten away from me. Anyway, here's the entry for this past Saturday (figured I'd better do it before tomorrow's shift -- I switched to Friday for June). Coffee of the Day: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Bird of the Day: Common Tern Invisi-bird Status: Refuge beach: 10 pairs, 7 nests. Sandy Point: 6 pairs, 6 nests. Newbury town beach: 1 pair, 1 nest. Weird Wrack Item of

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-2497913578396375602011-05-27T15:12:00.000-04:002011-05-27T15:12:40.464-04:00Rachel Carson's Birhday

Rachel Carson was important in the history of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, and PRNWR was an important part of her history too. So, for her birthday today, here is a link to an entry I wrote back in 2009 about PRNWR's Rachel Carson connection. If you want to read her description of the refuge, you can download it here.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-12897456791028067892011-05-19T20:34:00.000-04:002011-05-19T20:34:39.292-04:00piping plover news roundup

Haven't done a roundup of piping plover news stories in awhile, so here are a few of the latest stories around the media. From Sauble Beach in Ontario: One pair of piping plovers set up housekeeping at beach. From Wasaga Beach in Ontario: Piping Plovers in Wasaga. From Cape Hatteras National Seashore: First piping plover hatches on Hatteras seashore. From Newfoundland: Piping plover flies back

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-80943771853491159622011-05-17T20:47:00.000-04:002011-05-17T20:47:24.541-04:00great bird stories on vinyl cafe podcast

I'm catching up on my podcasts and just listened to the May 14th show of The Vinyl Cafe. It's a rebroadcast of last spring's show from Point Pelee. Stuart McLean talks about his experience birding there at migration time, reads a listener's bird story, and tells a wonderful Dave and Morley story about a summer tanager. Give it a listen.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-13494876133501835352011-05-17T20:36:00.002-04:002011-05-17T20:36:44.377-04:00saturday's shift -- with least terns

Actually got to do a shift on Saturday, as it was not raining and I did not have other commitments (I hate it when I have another commitment on the only day it doesn't rain and then it rains on a day when I'm scheduled.) Coffee of the Day: French Roast Sumatra Bird of the Day: piping plover Invisi-bird Status: Refuge beach: 9 pairs, 5 nests. Sandy Point: 3 pairs, 2 nests. Newbury town beach 1

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-57243858123336051232011-05-04T13:43:00.000-04:002011-05-04T13:43:19.078-04:00stuff in the merrimack

I haven't done a "stuff in the Merrimack" entry lately. It's hard to top the Hooksett discs as both stuff in the Merrimack and weird wrack item of the week. But there's always new stuff showing up in the river. Stuff in the Merrimack: A tow truck in Lowell: WHDH-TV - Stolen tow truck discovered in Merrimack River A Jeep in Hooksett: Jeep pulled from Merrimack River On the riverbank in West

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-44575028021305544662011-04-27T14:17:00.000-04:002011-04-27T14:17:26.430-04:00fungi of north andover

Carter Fields Next door neighbor's walk Ward Reservation

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-19861045915503845202011-04-25T16:59:00.000-04:002011-04-25T16:59:31.192-04:00a rainy day at the heron rookery

I took a walk along the Carter Fields Trail, one of the Essex County Greenbelt trails, this morning. Everywhere there were signs of spring and remnants of winter. The transition seems so gradual this year. North Andover Heron Rookery The great blue heron rookery on the North Andover/Boxford line was quietly busy with herons attending to their nests. I watched for a long time as light rain fell

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-45545054212386867392011-04-23T16:45:00.000-04:002011-04-23T16:45:56.361-04:00white-faced ibis

Looked at Facebook when I woke up yesterday morning and saw a photo of an ibis posted by Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. I didn't click on it to see it full size. The caption didn't say anything about species, so I assumed it was just a normal glossy ibis. Besides that, I was already on a mission for the day, having received email from Istvan that he hadn't received the Mac G4 power supply

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-71637226005586944162011-04-20T15:18:00.000-04:002011-04-20T15:18:57.086-04:00daffodil days

It's "Daffodil Days" at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens, and Arboretum in Bristol, RI. The daffodils are impressive, but there's so much more too see that really emphasizes the change of seasons. Daffodils Daffodils Star Magnolia bud opening Fiddleheads Star Magnolia blossoms

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-17878403394703976592011-04-19T19:55:00.000-04:002011-04-19T19:55:34.402-04:00too windy

Even with my hot cup of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe in hand, the wind coming off the water was so fierce that I was freezing cold. I only lasted an hour on the beach. There was nobody around, so I'm sure the piping plovers were safe without me. Coffee of the Day: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Bird of the Day: long-tailed duck Invisi-bird status: they are here and have been seen but not by me Wierd Wrack

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-41344792785675948182011-04-14T18:30:00.000-04:002011-04-14T18:30:22.217-04:00rocks and sand

Part of the beauty of Plum Island is the variety of rocks and the amazing colors of the sand. I could spend days just photographing rocks at low tide. These are just a few of my recent rock and sand photos. tidepool near Sandy Point gorgeous purple rock I really wondered if the tide placed this rock upright like this or it had human help. People are always making impromptu

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-14062076746340799032011-04-11T15:40:00.001-04:002011-04-14T17:46:23.500-04:00quiet beach day

On Friday I finally got to do my first plover warden shift of the season. I didn't do it last week on account of snow. It was a gorgeous beach day. It was also my birthday (one ending in a 0). I treated myself to breakfast at The Fish Tale and then stopped at Plum Island Coffee Roasters to pick up my beach coffee. Coffee of the Day: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Bird of the Day: tree swallow Wierd

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-33111374182931021232011-04-07T19:22:00.001-04:002011-04-07T19:22:56.230-04:00phoebe

DSCN2598, a photo by Captain_Peleg on Flickr.Phoebes were everywhere today.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-75698185058895436312011-04-06T18:38:00.001-04:002011-04-06T18:38:22.031-04:00Squirrel Photo

DSCN2591, a photo by Captain_Peleg on Flickr.I took this on Sunday at Blithewold, Bristol, RI.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-67933345385618790072011-03-31T20:54:00.000-04:002011-03-31T20:54:45.516-04:00wrack item of the decade

I took a walk at Sandy Point the other day in the hope of seeing some of the invisi-birds. The wind kept bird action of all kinds to a minimum, but it was a great walk in the brilliant (but cold) sunlight. As soon as I stepped onto the beach, I spottted one of the millions of plastic discs that washed into the Merrimack River from the Hooksett sewage treatment plant on March 6. Despite several

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-77912968137830598512011-03-27T21:10:00.000-04:002011-03-27T21:10:24.011-04:00Skunk Cabbage

Skunk Cabbage Saw lots of skunk cabbage emerging today at Colt State Park in Bristol, RI. Spring is way more advanced in Rhode Island than it is up here in northeastern Massachusetts. The flock of brant that has been wintering in the bay near Colt State Park seemed to be organizing itself for migration -- doing a lot of mass takeoffs and landings. The horned larks seem to have moved on

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-63506480051355291652011-03-24T00:58:00.001-04:002011-03-24T00:58:50.041-04:00Cricket Husk in Quahog Shell

Cricket Husk in Quahog Shell, a photo by Captain_Peleg on Flickr.Found this quahog shell with a cricket husk inside among the wrack along Poppasquash Rd. in Bristol, RI. I wonder if it was there all winter.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-21494493976954060942011-03-18T20:22:00.000-04:002011-03-18T20:22:34.356-04:00priceless

Vern Laux on the "value" of the piping plover: "The haunting, plaintive calls of the piping plover, an ethereal strident 2-note whistle, on a cold New England beach in March make this species' “value” incalculable."

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-4517332316431766972011-03-18T20:21:00.000-04:002011-03-18T20:21:21.541-04:00how to spell Merrimack

Don't know why I didn't do this before. I just ran the Google Ngram Viewer to compare the two most common spellings of the name of the major nearby river: Merrimack and Merrimac. Merrimack vs. Merrimac

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-57986417408357023312011-03-16T13:31:00.000-04:002011-03-16T13:31:08.846-04:00stuff in the Merrimack -- discs from Hooksett

Diplomatic relations between NH and MA improving? NH: Sorry for disk accident » Local News » NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA State Senator Bruce Tarr asking Mass. AG Martha Coakley to get Hooksett to pay for the cleanup of north shore beaches and the Merrimack. In Methuen: Clean River Project using booms to trap escaped disks Along the NH seacoast: Blue Ocean Society and Surfrider

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-71396265176018472732011-03-15T16:37:00.000-04:002011-03-15T16:37:53.662-04:00Sunday -- a wild goose chase

We were having breakfast at Malachi's in Providence when I happened to check my email. The RIBirds list was reporting a Ross's goose in Bristol. Had to chase it. Just had to. We checked the Bristol Golf Course at the last place it had been reported. Lots of Canada geese. No Ross's. Met a few birders looking for it. Met one birder who had seen it on Saturday and brought her husband back to see

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-11885493195383229822011-03-15T14:40:00.000-04:002011-03-15T14:40:07.989-04:00Saturday -- sunny refuge

Saturday was one of those days. The original plan was to meet my cousin for breakfast and go to the plover warden orientation at the refuge. Then my condo association decreed a mandatory smoke alarm inspection for which somebody had to be home or else at the exact same time as the plover warden orientation. Went to plan B -- abandon trip to Plum Island and stay home waiting for fire inspector

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-90783361832021786842011-03-14T21:07:00.000-04:002011-03-14T21:07:27.793-04:00Friday -- rainy refuge

Friday 3/11 The Salt Pannes After I dropped off books for the MRFRS book sale at the Unitarian Church in Newburyport (very historic by the way), I headed over to the refuge between downpours to see what I could see. Between the rain and the fog caused by melting ice and melting snow it was hard to see much of anything. The Salt Pannes were pretty much still frozen. A small group of Canada geese

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-54105680651861267082011-02-22T15:45:00.000-05:002011-02-22T15:45:20.971-05:00city pigeons

pigeons keeping watch over the city

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-53388830946241969552011-02-01T15:55:00.001-05:002011-02-01T16:01:43.310-05:00crows in snow

It's snowing crows! A flock of about 300+ American Crows swooped down over the parking lot and roosted in several trees. Crows have been assembling at these trees in mid-afternoon for a week or so now, but this is the largest number so far. They don't stay long. I suspect they go to the well-documented Lawrence crow roost for the night. They regularly fly over my condo at dusk on the way to the

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-15608437795568372372011-01-31T15:18:00.000-05:002011-01-31T15:18:23.815-05:00japan tale from the deep past

Found this on a floppy disk in my desk drawer and it brought back vivid memories. Japan 1995: Went to Tokyo. Found the hotel. Fell asleep. Woke up Tuesday morning and walked around the 400-year old garden on the grounds of the hotel. Observed the giant mega-carp swimming in the ponds -- these carp were big enough to eat Cleveland if not Tokyo. The cherry blossoms fell and the government fell.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-58185204372815086602011-01-31T14:21:00.002-05:002011-01-31T14:21:37.280-05:00upside down icicles

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-62945067926060687042011-01-30T21:47:00.001-05:002011-01-30T21:47:32.301-05:00Icicles

DSCN2318Originally uploaded by Captain_PelegThe icicles on my house.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-51935098879252098192011-01-21T17:17:00.001-05:002011-01-21T17:17:51.949-05:00Sunset with Blowing Snow

Sunset with Blowing SnowOriginally uploaded by Captain_PelegThe sun did indeed come out this afternoon after the morning's snow. The snow is light and fluffy and the wind is blowing it around so it looks and feels like it's still snowing even with the sun blazing. I was in the Staples parking lot when I spotted the gorgeous sunset behind the trees. I stopped to take a photo and the wind whipped

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-37522329649665369492011-01-17T13:41:00.000-05:002011-01-17T13:41:36.534-05:00windy day on narragansett bay

It was windy at Colt State Park in Bristol this afternoon. Bird activity was mostly on the water or on the ground, not a lot of flying. The herring gulls were mostly clustered in one spot on the snow just kind of loafing like they do on the sand in summer. Many rock pigeons were huddled in among the herring gulls. Horned larks, tree sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, and snow buntings were foraging

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-61392710286645645792011-01-11T17:16:00.000-05:002011-01-11T17:16:24.099-05:00book

This post duplicates what I wrote in my professional blog. I observed a couple of interesting things during the course of the 25 hour reading event. Also, I just saw the results of the Book Industry Study Group survey that showed that 75 percent of college students prefer print textbooks over electronic versions. Observation 1: books outnumbered Kindle/Nook/iPad reading devices by about the

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-70450858297979348662011-01-10T20:46:00.000-05:002011-01-10T20:46:07.266-05:00pictures from the Moby Dick Marathon

Call Me Ishmael Cetology Chapter The crowd in the Jacobs Family Gallery Reading along Only saw a few iPads and Kindles After the reading

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-87576455349229133052011-01-07T13:20:00.001-05:002011-01-10T17:53:51.044-05:00of a whale

It's that time again. Time for the Moby Dick Marathon in New Bedford. We're off to New Bedford ahead of the snow (at least I hope we're ahead of the snow) to spend 25 hours with my favorite novel. We'll check on how the oil is dripping from KOBO's bones, have coffee at Cafe Arpeggio and Celtic Coffee House, follow along until we fall asleep, keep an eye out for the rabbi who davens when he reads,

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-375253996662055812011-01-05T21:26:00.001-05:002011-01-05T21:41:09.525-05:00eye spy the birds of essex county

I visited the Peabody Essex Museum this afternoon to see The Emperor's Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City before it closes on Sunday (blog entry coming soon) and while I was there I had to check out Eye Spy, Playing with Perception. Eye Spy deals with how what we think we should see, or what we expect to see, influences what we actually do see. That's a phenomenon that birders

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-36533673229690010182010-12-31T12:31:00.011-05:002010-12-31T12:38:28.319-05:00roundup of plum island storm stories

Whenever there's a big storm, the media rush to Plum Island to see if any houses are about to fall into the ocean. This week's storm was no exception. Here's a roundup of some of the news stories. Newburyport Current: Plum Island homes imperiled by December blizzard The Daily News of Newburyport: Emergency action approved for P.I. Sand barriers to be placed around endangered homes WHDH: Storm

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-21428883391054408462010-12-30T11:17:00.002-05:002010-12-30T11:17:53.707-05:00bad idea

I'm beginning to think there is something about the Merrimack River and its tributary, the Concord, that induces people to behave strangely. I can't believe how many stories there are every year about people jumping off bridges to avoid police around here. A clear sign of lack of sobriety is jumping into the Merrimack to avoid a sobriety checkpoint: Man rescued after jump from Lawrence bridge »

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-65960035811401682502010-12-14T17:33:00.001-05:002010-12-14T17:33:02.735-05:00Random Ice Photo

DSCN1997Originally uploaded by Captain_PelegSpent some time trying to get the perfect photo of icicles on a very cold night last week. I ended up liking this one the best. The soft focus on the ice and crisp shadow work well together.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-45804696971423743792010-12-02T23:04:00.000-05:002010-12-02T23:04:30.319-05:00no northern lapwing

I'm not really much of a twitcher but an unusal shorebird or gull on my territory will get me going.When I saw on Twitter that there was a Northern Lapwing at Plum Island, I nearly dropped my sandwich at Perfecto's. I bolted down the rest of the sandwich, dashed home to grab binoculars, camera, and warm jacket, and drove as fast as I legally could to the refuge. I skipped the legendary Parking

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-36194950189592112642010-12-01T17:52:00.001-05:002010-12-01T17:52:00.691-05:00Chantilly Place Award Winning Window

Chantilly PlaceOriginally uploaded by Captain_PelegWe went to the art stroll/hot chocolate competition/parade in Lowell on Saturday. Brew'd Awakening won the hot chocolate contest with an orange flavored hot chocolate garnished with marshmallow and candied orange peel. The winner of the window decoration competition was announced today: Chantilly Place. I'm not surprised. Their holiday window

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-88518863128998432542010-11-19T20:38:00.000-05:002010-11-19T20:38:03.571-05:00PIPL pix from 1999

Look what I found while I was cleaning my desk this afternoon! A floppy full of photos from 1999. Remember floppies? Remember 1999? I remember. It was a gorgeous June day and a piping plover walked right up to me on the beach at Sandy Point. These look pretty good for 640x480 Sony Mavica shots.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-62792145628275170212010-11-16T15:41:00.000-05:002010-11-16T15:41:31.467-05:00wild and domestic fowl

The wintering brant have arrived in full force in Rhode Island. Nancy and I went to Colt State Park in Bristol to check them out. The whole time we were there they either paddled around or flew up in small groups only to circle around and land among the larger flock again. None of them were eating. Brant on Narragansett Bay I watched the flock long enough and closely enough to notice that

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-45540904890878729472010-10-25T15:56:00.013-04:002010-10-25T16:55:21.079-04:00autumn

North Andover Fall Foliage in the RainAutumn in New England. You get a picture in your mind of red, orange, and yellow maple leaves when I say that. Don't you? Well, we did see plenty of maple leaves yesterday in our autumn tour of a tiny corner of the Merrimack Valley.First stop on our extremely local tour of "New England Autumn" was the corn field at Barker's Farm. The corn stubble was overrun

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-27871318242122132512010-10-20T18:29:00.000-04:002010-10-20T18:29:17.574-04:00Surfland Fishing Report

Should have posted this before. The mackerel are attracting tons of gannets, as per usual at this time of year. Also there are some good pictures of the dredging and beach renourishment project. Check it out at:Surfland Fishing Report

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-69789363819520879622010-10-19T16:48:00.002-04:002010-10-19T20:12:52.535-04:00flight of ideas leads to a little walk down memory lane

Gunnar Engblom's "guess the bird blogger" post on Hungarian shorebird blogger Szimuly György got me thinking about my trip to Peteri Lake with Zsolt and Maci and the ornithologist Bankovics Attila, way back in the distant mists of time (actually, 2001 -- it just seems much longer ago).It was really hot that day and I was exhausted by the time we finished birding and sat down to an al fresco meal

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-40551909443369048762010-10-18T19:35:00.002-04:002010-10-18T19:38:33.072-04:00yet another stuff in the merrimack entry

The latest stuff in the Merrimack River: 200 tires, two motorcycles (one of them vintage), and five other vehicles: 200 tires pulled from Merrimack River a boat with no passengers, a winter coat, a fishing pole, and a life jacket:Authorities Search Merrimack River After Overturned Boat Found - News Archive Story - WMUR Manchester -- this one is scary -- two people drowned in the Swift River over

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-1631721433876120172010-10-14T21:49:00.002-04:002010-10-14T21:54:14.415-04:00local media getting excited about coming storm

With a northeast storm predicted for tonight/tomorrow, the recently completed Plum Island beach renourishment is getting lots of media attention. What do you want to bet that every media outlet in a 75 mile radius has a crew at Plum Island center the instant the storm hits? Meanwhile, here are some of the stories:WHDH-TV - Plum Island prepares shore against erosionWill improvements to Plum Island

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-55755152705872637562010-10-12T20:28:00.001-04:002010-10-12T20:28:07.991-04:00Cormorants at Bold Point

Cormorants at Bold PointOriginally uploaded by Captain_PelegDouble crested cormorants were all over the place at Bold Point in Providence this weekend. It's neat the way they arrange themselves on pilings to pose for photographers.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-47559726131073063512010-10-07T18:37:00.001-04:002010-10-07T18:37:33.953-04:00Tourist Traps

Tourist TrapsOriginally uploaded by Captain_PelegNewburyport actually goes to the trouble of stacking picturesque wooden lobster traps on the Riverwalk for tourists to photograph. This amuses me. I took this at the beginning of September just before Hurricane Earl swung by out at sea.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-56756897772473875222010-10-06T19:12:00.003-04:002010-10-06T19:44:26.126-04:00sandhill cranes!

I had a nice surprise this rainy afternoon: 2 sandhill cranes only 3 miles from my house! They were hanging out with a whole lot of Canada geese in the corn stubble at Barker's Farm. Cranes and geese alike were eating up a storm. One of the cranes picked up a whole ear of corn and started pulling off the husk. It was cold and raining but I hung out and watched for awhile and tried to get some

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-63388796085950273332010-10-05T19:18:00.012-04:002010-10-05T19:38:57.266-04:00catching up 1: ASRI raptor weekend

The weekend of September 11-12 we attended Raptor Weekend at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island's education center in Bristol. We watched flight demonstrations, presentations by Mark and Marcia Wilson of Eyes on Owls, got to meet Webster the ASRI education owl, and took a walk through the sanctuary's meadow out to the bay. Took lots and lots of pix. These are only a few.Narragansett

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-40945500005685666772010-09-21T13:50:00.002-04:002010-09-21T13:52:29.890-04:00Merrimack River Dredging Update

Hurricane Igor may be way, way, way offshore but the high surf has interfered with dredging the mouth of the Merrimack: Dredging stalled by rough seas, broken part. Well, Igor and mechanical problems.Putting on my tech writer (and geek humor) hat for a second, this is the first time I've seen the phrasal verb "to ground out" used to mean "to run aground". It's more common to see "to ground"

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-79429655438183433632010-09-15T23:18:00.009-04:002010-09-16T21:28:06.090-04:00stuff in the merrimack -- dredging equipment

The dredging of the mouth of the Merrimack has begun. There's lots of equipment in the river between Salisbury Beach and the northern tip of Plum Island right now. The mother ship is The Illinois belonging to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. The Illinois is surrounded by satellite vessels of various types and lots of pipes and hose-like things. They're pumping the dredged sand from the river onto

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-61243405068473181402010-09-10T21:26:00.001-04:002010-09-16T21:36:36.975-04:00another stuff in the merrimack entry

Time for another round-up of stuff in the Merrimack:Tires, shopping carts, and plastic bags: River teeming with tires, other junk: EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MASand soon to be dredged: Dredging to now start Wednesday from the Daily News of Newburyport

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-45328705512526892010-09-08T14:28:00.001-04:002010-09-08T14:28:24.781-04:00PI Sunset

PI SunsetOriginally uploaded by Captain_PelegSunset on a hazy evening last week, viewed from Stage Island.Seconds later a flock of great egrets passed right in front of the pink sun, Too bad I missed the shot.

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-1213927575115085912010-08-24T21:06:00.000-04:002010-08-24T21:06:12.972-04:00stuff in the Merrimack - Hydroplane racing

Boy is this a blast from the past! I haven't seen hydroplane races since the early 1960s or maybe it was the late 50s. My Dad was a fan and I remember him taking me to see a race, but I don't think it was on the Merrimack. I'll have to see if my mother or the brother closest to me in age remember where it was. Anyway, apparently hydroplane racing is back and it's happening in Haverhill this

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580270005523318331.post-41561309769258767862010-08-23T21:32:00.000-04:002010-08-23T21:32:27.183-04:00stuff in the merrimack -- sturgeon

Those sturgeon are just full of surprises:Sturgeon take surprise route from Maine to Merrimack River - BostonHerald.comHaverhill must be very attractive to sturgeon. Apparently sturgeon from Maine secretly migrate down to the Merrimack River. Not all the Merrimack River sturgeon are hatched in Haverhill. Who knew? Apparently not fisheries scientists up until now.Hope Merry Mac (get it?), the

Janet Eganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13837822838260529649noreply@blogger.com0