September 7, 1885, Chatham (Barnstable), J. Thayer
3 records
| MARC number | Decision | Species | # | Location | County | Arrival | Departure | Observers | Notes | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885-002 | A | Eskimo Curlew | 1 | Chatham | Barnstable | 9/7/1885 | 9/7/1885 | J. Thayer | 13 | |
| 2000-029 | NA | Eskimo Curlew | 2 | Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet | Barnstable | 8/19/2000 | 8/19/2000 | 9 | ||
| 2002-017 | NA | Eskimo Curlew | 1 | Shear Pen Marsh, Cape Poge Road, Edgartown | Dukes | 8/27/2002 | 8/27/2002 | 7 |
At one time in colonial Massachusetts this species was a frequent sight during fall migration when storms would force massive flocks of “Doughbirds” to land along the coast in places such as the Boston harbor islands and Cape Cod. A favorite target for hunters, these landing events became an opportunity to grab an easy catch of tired, weary, and overweight shorebirds. Similar hunting in the Midwest during spring migration sealed the fate of the Eskimo Curlew, now almost certainly extinct.
For more reading on the occurrence in the state, see A History of the Game Birds, Wild-fowl and Shore Birds of Massachusetts by Edward Howe Forbish, state ornithologist from 1908-1929.