This year’s tour of Baxter State Park caught two days of good birding weather amid two weeks of unseasonable, unreasonable dampness. And that wasn’t our only lucky break. On the first day, the group managed to score three out of the four boreal favorites: Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, and Black-backed Woodpecker. With over 70 species sighted on the first day, including 19 warblers, we were off to a roaring start. Some of the credit goes to the caliber of birders along. Experts included 12-year-old Alex Burdo, who has been an avid birder since age 5, accompanied by his grandfather, Jim. Andrew Magee illustrated the recent Bird Finding Guide to Western Massachusetts. Mickey Turnbo is an accomplished nature photographer with several books published.

Each morning started the same, with a chorus of Common Ravens croaking in the trees directly above our bedrooms. This raucous wake-up call spurred us off to a quick breakfast and an early departure to take advantage of the dawn chorus. On Thursday, June 25th, we rushed up to the best boreal area in Baxter State Park, arriving just in time to see the bear skedaddle into the woods. We hadn’t taken a hundred steps before the sound of Gray Jays greeted our ears. The family group included one dark juvenile, and it was while watching him that we were startled to observe a Black-backed Woodpecker land on the same tree. 

This section of road always exceeds expectations. Abundant Fox Sparrows sang constantly. A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher landed on a branch just a few feet over our heads. Great looks at Canada, Nashville, and Magnolia Warblers were offset by plenty of singing but elusive Blackpolls and Bay-breasted Warblers. As is typical for this time of year, Boreal Chickadees were reluctant to announce their ubiquitous presence for fear of jeopardizing the kids. On the way to our picnic lunch, we did catch up with one elusive family of four. And during lunch our full luck returned as a Northern Goshawk cruised by, carrying its own lunch. Shortly after, a Ruffed Grouse stepped out of the brush and raised its ruff to demonstrate its indignation at our presence. The reason soon became clear, as around the corner we stumbled over a mama grouse with chicks.

In Nesowadnehunk Field, we added Eastern Phoebe, Least, and Alder to our daily count of flycatchers and moved on to Tracy Pond to add one more – an Olive-sided Flycatcher that is so reliable on his favorite snag every year that we’ve named him “Tracy.”

Evenings were filled with fine cuisine from the Big Moose Inn, followed by a quest for Mourning Warblers, more moose, and Saw-whet Owls. The moose were easy, but the owls played hard-to-get until our very last stop when we had two piping a warning to stay out of each other’s territories. In the meantime, the Common Nighthawks put on a fabulous show.

Friday, June 26th, was our morning for Roaring Brook and Sandy Stream Pond. The trailhead parking lot is famous for its population of Philadelphia Vireos, and we had little trouble locating one. When we arrived at the pond, there were two moose already feeding – one with a calf. Within minutes, another mama and calf stepped out of the woods next to us. American Black Duck and Goldeneye mothers also paraded their chicks around the perimeter. Flushed with success, we wandered off to Abol Pond and noted two singing Lincoln's Sparrows in exactly the same place they had eluded us the day before. Then it was off to the swallow show at Abol Bridge to be entertained by the many Cliff, Tree, and Barn Swallows that nest there. All and all, a great tour. Cant wait until next year!