Bird Monitoring at Select Cranberry Bog Restoration Sites in Southeastern Massachusetts

In late April, a King Rail was discovered by visiting birders at Foothills Preserve in Plymouth. From April 25 through at least the 28th, the bird attracted more than 30 visitors and provided unusually good views of a species that is rarely seen in Massachusetts. At the same time, two adult Little Blue Herons, also uncommon in the state, have been using the site for more than a week, adding to the steady interest from birders.

Spring is always the most exciting time, for both bird scientists and bird enthusiasts: the anticipation of the new arrivals, the energetic increase in song, and the change in behavior and activity signifying a fundamental shift in the natural world. And of course, our nine spring surveys from April to mid-May documented all these changes - an increase in species and a beginning of breeding behaviors.