Date: 5/15/25 7:09 pm From: Matt S. <accipiter22...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] May 15, 2025: Parker River NWR, Newburyport - An odd confluence of terns (and cormorants)
Hi All,
I went out to Parker River this morning. The skies were gray, and it seems like a lot of folks moved out overnight. Even in my yard the constant din of Parula, Yellow-Rumps and BTGs was completely absent as I headed out. I ran into Steve B and Tom W and tagged along with them for a while. It was pretty quiet out, and given the tern show that apparently took place yesterday we headed down to Lot 7 to observe from the tower. I was hoping to finally see a Roseate Tern. That, along with Olive-Sided Flycatcher are about all I haven't really seen that's even vaguely common in the state. I think my difficulty with roseates is that I always look for a tern with a rosy wash on the belly, but I don't think it's as visible as pictures make it seem. While I did not get one today, the show on Bar Head, out past Emerson Rocks was astounding. I first scoped at least 800 cormorants on Bar Head, and kept panning and then came to this massive group of terns all on the shoal, probably 700 or more. Someone scoped to the side of that area, out on the ocean, and saw that it was absolutely boiling with terns, another few hundred in all likelihood. It was pretty gray and misty out, so ID'ing was out. A few on Emerson Rocks were all Commons. Still, what a sight! I'm sure there were Roseates and maybe even Arctic mixed in, but I was not going to be able to ID them in the conditions, and honestly did not care much at the time. The experience itself was enough. I snapped a ton of pictures, and just watched through my scope. I have never seen that many terns or that much activity in one compact space as with these birds.
Out on the jetty were another couple hundred cormorants as well, bringing the total of both terns and cormorants to 100. Then out on the ocean were probably about 100 gannets furiously plunge-diving into the sea. Eventually it started to rain which was the cue to leave, but wow what an interesting show. Definitely worth the visit.
That's all for now,
Matt s. Newton, NH <Accipiter22...>
------------------- Parker River NWR, Essex, Massachusetts, US May 15, 2025 6:50 AM - 8:55 AM Protocol: Traveling 6.79 mile(s) 50 species (+1 other taxa)
