Robin roost at Quabbin...high count

I made a trip over to Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park this morning at first light to try and get an accurate count of American Robins leaving their roosting areas.  I started at 6:35 and ended at 7:10.  During this time I managed to see a total of 2943 all moving to the south and southwest.  Many were quite distant and more than a few escaped detection as they moved below the tree line.  This count is my high count for the season so far.  It will be interesting to see how the numbers change as season moves on.  Beyond the robins I had a Winter Wren at the dam.  There were oddly no waterfowl to be seen at Winsor Dam at all and a quick ride through Quabbin Park produced only one Common Loon, a Black Duck and a couple Hooded Mergansers.  Very odd to have such low numbers of waterfowl.  I had little else of note around this morning.

Robin roost at Quabbin

Distant shot of Bald Eagle catching fish, Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park, Nov 24, 2011

Distant shot of Bald Eagle carrying fish, Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park, Nov 24, 2011

Young Porcupine feeding, Quabbin Park, Nov 24, 2011

I began this somewhat frosty Thanksgiving morning at Winsor Dam trying to get a more accurate total on the numbers of American Robins roosting somewhere to the north of Winsor Dam on the west side of Quabbin.  I first noticed the morning flight out from the roost area on the Hampshire Bird Club trip when several hundred came over in the morning.  I had a total of 2122 on Monday the 21st and I came back this morning and had a total of 1832.  Many of these birds today were even further west then Monday so I probably missed many.  A scope was needed to see the vast majority but occasionally the route the birds take come right over head, like they did on the day of the bird club trip.  It will be interesting to see if the roost remains throughout the winter.  Beyond the robins I had several Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Common and Hooded Mergansers plus an adult Bald Eagle that came in and caught a fish just off the dam.  I also made a trip through Quabbin Park and had a few other birds around plus a young Porcupine feeding low and providing great looks.