Forbush Bird Club Field Trip to Bolton Flats

I joined the Forbush Bird Club last year and this was my first field trip.  We met at Bolton Flats at 7AM.  On the way there, while on Route 495, I saw a dead turkey in the passing lane.  Not one minute later, a wild turkey was attempting to cross the three lanes of traffic.  I made it past the turkey as did the cars behind me.  Hope he/she made it across!  This made me think, "Why did the wild turkey cross the highway?"

According to the experts with the area, the ducks flush easily when people walk in, and one person had already gone in ahead of our group.  We did immediately see several Killdeer scattered across the wet fields.  Then, those with scopes focused in on a pair of Blue-Winged Teals (life bird) and a couple of Greater Yellowlegs at the far end of the trail.  Song sparrows sang from the scrub trailside.  Two Hairy Woodpeckers were seen at the far end of the trail.  And several saw their first Tree Swallows of the year (although I had seen my first earlier).

Killdeer

(Click to enlarge)

Greater Yellowlegs

(Click to enlarge)

This was my favorite bird of the day!

Hairy Woodpeckers

Tree Swallows

 Wood Duck

These next photos are from our 2nd stop, some land near Fort Devin (but I don't know the name of the area).  As we were leaving this spot, a bird flushed from the side of the trail that could have been a Ruffed Grouse (life bird).  I saw it, but having not seen one before, I can't be sure of the identification.  Its tail seemed reddish to me.

Great Blue Heron

Field Sparrow (life bird!)

There was some debate about whether or not a call that had been heard was a Field Sparrow.  Alan M. had an iPod with bird calls, so we all listened to it.  Then, not two minutes later, the actual bird called, and we all knew it was identical to the recorded call.  Soon after, the bird was spotted in this birch tree. Nice team work!  I had to quit the trip at this point, but others were moving on to Dexter Drumlin.  I can only hope I didn't miss out on seeing a Sandhill Crane, but nature was calling and there were no facilities so I headed for home.