April 23, 2010 10:30 am to 1:15 pm, sunny, 63' Purgatory Chasm State Park, Sutton MA

None of us were expecting anything special today but surprisingly we got a lifer! But that is not all, this lifer came within 4ft of us at one point. The lifer was a Red-Breasted Nuthatch. I know most birders have seen one of these beauties but surprisingly I have not. There were two or three* of them hanging around the visitor center hopping high up in the pine trees and around the feet of the picnic tables (they were amazingly tame). Every once in a while calling out with a weird nasal call best described as a "yank-yank" noise. There were many other species of birds spread out through the 1/4 mile long deep rocky gorge including: 2 Palm Warblers (at least I think they were Palms - they were very far off) a FOY, 1 Eastern Phoebe perched above the canyon on a dead branch growing out the granite rock looking down at the 70ft drop below, 2 Chipping Sparrows beating each other up, 1 low soaring Turkey Vulture displaying its magnificent pair of wings and 3-4 fighting Northern Cardinals (2-3 Males 1 Female). All in all a very successful day.

*1-2 Males 1 Female