Date: 4/2/25 11:57 am From: Robert Ross <plumisl...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] White morph Red-tailed Hawk and More in Byfield
Mass Birders:
Last week a white morph, red-tailed hawk appeared for several consecutive days along Larkin Road in Byfield. It is an impressive bird.
It is the size we would expect. It has an all-white head, and a white tail with no red I can see, or where a broad-winged hawk would likely sport a black band. There is very little brown beneath its wings in flight. I have only seen it perched once and the spotting on its abdomen is sparse.
It behaves somewhat unlike a red-tailed. For two days last week, it strafed our roof and soared down low into a stand of trees next to a wetland. Both times it went low and did not rise again. When I saw it perch, it was low in the middle of a tree, not near the top. I would normally assign such behavior to a broad-winged. However, this bird shows no consistent markings of a broad-winged and appears larger.
It would be great to have a second opinion, though it is not predictable when the hawk will appear. It has been seen as far down Larkin as the Wheeler Brook bridge. I have seen it at the intersection of Larkin and Central Streets for several days now. I hope to get a decent photo soon.
If you decide to take on the challenge, much more is available. A raven often perches at the top of dead trees off Central on Larkin; the crows announce its presence. The raven shows more often than the hawk and is rumored to roost at Pearson's wood lot beside and behind their hardware store. I have not seen ravens there, however the raven on Larkin appeared twice last week and once this past weekend. There are at least two in the neighborhood.
Pileated Woodpeckers are also not rare. These can appear anywhere though are most often seen on dead trees along the river and brook.
Fish crows, osprey, bald eagles, and more arrive as the state stocks the Parker River with trout in early April. Many species come to feast. The activity picks up about 7-10 days after stocking. Stocking schedules are listed on the MA trout stocking website.
There are also wooducks along Larkin. These are very skittish. The water treatment plant just past the Parker River bridge is a good spot to sneak up on them. A wide view of the river and the surrounding marsh appears from the small plant building. Within the patches of grass, wood ducks nest here and feed all summer. I counted 27 of them on one day last fall. As above, they are very acute to any movement around them. As many know, when one spooks, they all do.
There are at least two great-horned owls and barred owls are not rare. The GHO calls consistently in the late evening, from about 9:30 to 11:30 during this mating season. I have seen them perched from the Parker River bridge, but only near dusk. Others have reported them perched high from the Wheeler Brook bridge.
Rusty Blackbirds are not uncommon during early spring and late fall. A small flock appeared last weekend. Green herons are not rare in the very early morning. Two sandhill cranes appeared briefly last spring. Otherwise, all the expected commons are ubiquitous including a large flock of bluebirds.
Many warbler species and flycatchers appear in the spring and fall. I have logged 14 warblers and 7 flycatcher species.
Due to the two rivers crossing the road and a large marsh, birding along Larkin can be rewarding. There is not a lot of parking, but if you are interested you may park in my driveway with permission. Reach out and I will confirm the address.
I have recorded 80 species along Larkin Road and in my backyard. It is an overlooked birding spot and easy to walk with limited traffic.
