I started birding in Massachusetts when I was 11. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it was that got me started—probably a combination of going to summer camp at a Massachusetts Audubon sanctuary, trying to complete work for a scouting merit badge on birds, and discovering in the process that I lived near to a coastal migrant trap where spring migrants from the tropics regularly landed in large numbers. For two years running, I plagued my parents for a pair of binoculars for Christmas before they finally relented. I had long since discarded my hula hoop and they feared that birding was just another fad. Little did any of us know that it would become a lifelong obsession.

Be it hobby or obsession, coastal Massachusetts has year-round opportunities for finding birds, which has contributed to the increasing popularity of this hobby. The spring and fall migrations of landbirds (i.e., birds that can perch) offer exciting chances for seeing a large number of species at almost any coastal location. Shorebird migration during the summer and early fall can be spectacular, especially in Newburyport Harbor and on Monomoy in Cape Cod, two internationally designated shorebird migration spots. Late fall and winter duck and seabird migrations also offer large numbers at times of the year when landbirds are scarce. For some “birders,” it comes close to being a sport! Massachusetts Audubon Society even hosts a competition on a Sunday in late January that they call the “Superbowl” of birding to see who can see the most species in the area around Newburyport.

What makes the coastal areas so special? For arriving birds, particularly in the spring, it is the first bit of land that they see after a long migration during which they may have drifted out over the ocean because of upper level winds. The shore offers them a place to stop and rest and maybe eat a little before moving on. For other birds, the coast is the last bit of land where they can fatten up before migrating over the water.

Spring warbler migration is perhaps the most exciting event of the year for many birders. There are close to 30 possible species that can be seen in Massachusetts, and the majority are colorful. Most warblers spend the winter in the tropics and migrate back to Massachusetts in May, nearly always at night. After a long night of flying, they descend to look for land. Since they frequently overshoot their destination despite their internal navigation systems, they often have to head back, landing in large numbers on the nearest bit of land. That is why, in spring, when weather conditions are right (i.e., usually a warm southwest wind during the night that gets interrupted by a rain shower close to dawn), locations like Plum Island in Newburyport, various points on Cape Ann, Marblehead Neck, Nahant, and even Provincetown can host large numbers of new arrivals. Similarly, in the fall, birds fly from their inland nesting areas, ride the northwest winds, and stop on the coast for one last feed before migrating onwards. In some cases, such as the Blackpoll Warbler, the trip will take them directly to the tropics. Any coastal thicket can serve as a layover spot before that flight.

More often than not, shore birds migrate up the Mississippi Valley in spring to their Arctic nesting grounds. Then, starting in late June, they begin their fall migration along the East Coast, which often takes them as far as the southern tip of South America. The prevailing northwest winds are a great aid in migration, so many arrive to fatten up along the tidal flats for a few weeks. They congregate in such large numbers in the Newburyport area and around Monomoy on Cape Cod that these sites have received international designation as areas important for shorebirds. Monomoy is a National Wildlife Refuge so access is limited, particularly during the nesting season, but the adjacent South Beach is open to pedestrians year round (except for small closures areas for breeding Piping Plovers—a state and federally protected species).

During late fall and winter nor’easters, when most people would rather be indoors sitting by the fire, birders often venture out to key spots along the coast hoping for a glimpse of seabirds, such as puffins, razorbills, and various seaducks. Andrew’s Point in Rockport and First Encounter Beach in Eastham, as well as Race Point in Provincetown, are among the key look out points. Most of this viewing is done while sitting in a vehicle, often while struggling to find an angle that allows you to peer out an open window without getting too wet. The number of seabirds is often exciting. In the past I have seen thousands of Dovekies streaming in a nor’easter—particularly exciting as numbers like this have not been seen since 1976. A Sabine’s Gull (an unusual Arctic gull that breeds in Alaska and other places with a high latitude, and winters near the tropics) sighting two years ago was an exciting find.

For some birders, it is rewarding to feed birds during the winter when the ones that stay around are most often stressed for food. There is a large choice of bird feeders and bird food to choose from, as well as heating coils that can ensure the availability of unfrozen water to drink. And this can all be enjoyed from the comfort inside one’s home with a warm drink.

Enthusiasts have benefited greatly from advances in technology. Birders communicate their findings to others through an online service that allows others to show up often within minutes of a rare sighting. Cell phones allow more direct contacts. New field guides and new audio recordings have been a great help in advancing learning. So, whether you want to participate in the “Superbowl” of birding, or just learn about what’s in your backyard, Massachusetts is full of opportunities.

All bird photos: Rob Kipp www.bird-photos.com