Sue McGrath’s Report from the ECOC’s 
Annual Birding & Supper Event
Hosted by Dotty Brown
Monday, May 11, 6:00 pm

ECOC Club Members, 

Again, our gracious hostess Dotty Brown extended her warmth and seaside home to an affable group of birders and picnickers.  The sea was calm, the air cool and the sun bright.  Our conversations ranged from wind turbines, tree removals in our neighborhoods, attracting Ruby-throated Hummingbirds to feeders, warbler migration, art exhibits with recycled trash and the upcoming 103rd Canoe Trip.  We all enjoyed the evening with Dotty’s array of beverages, assortments of cheeses, snacks and two bird-themed cakes.  The spice cake was in the shape of a penguin, and the blue, bird cake was chocolate. 

Our collective sightings over two days of birding ~ Councilors John Nelson and Susan Hedman led a Brookline Bird Club walk in the fierce wind on Sunday at Eastern Point too: 

Mallard, Song Sparrow, Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Eider, Bufflehead, Common Loon, Northern Gannet, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson’s Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, 
Savannah Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole, House Finch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow 

Please join us and participate in the 103rd ECOC birding trip down the Ipswich River! Arguably this is the oldest uninterrupted bird-count in the world. We will meet and put in just south of Juniper Lane on Rte 97 in Topsfield. We’ll paddle for a 1/2 day and time spent birding the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary; so bring your canoe or kayak, a PFD and join the fun rain or shine!  Be sure to bring a bagged lunch and join us near the barn at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary as we tally the day’s birds and recap the day’s events.  A special thanks to our trip coordinator Phil Brown for volunteering to lead this outing again!! 

Ipswich River Canoe Trip and Bird Survey 
Saturday, May 23, 6:00 a.m. 
Rte 97 & Juniper Lane, Topsfield, MA 
Contact person: Phil Brown nebirdsplus@comcast.net 
For more information please see:  http://massbird.org/ecoc/ECOCCanoeTrip09.htm 

Best wishes, 
Sue 

Sue McGrath 
ECOC, President

Annual Birding and Supper event, hosted by Dotty Brown
Monday, May 11, 6:00 pm

Join us for a longstanding tradition in ECOC — started by Sarah Robbins and Dotty Brown over 20 years ago — birding Eastern Point during spring migration. Even if the weather is uncooperative for birding, you will enjoy the company and unobstructed ocean view from Dotty’s wonderful seaside home! Come early for birding with your families and/or guests, BYO sandwiches (or sushi). Dotty provides beverages and bird-inspired cakes. Don’t miss this delightful informal gathering of ECOC members!