2016 Central Mass Bird Sightings

Sightings are listed in reverse chronological order. The email address of birders submitting reports, as well as other Central Massachusetts birding info can be found via the Central Mass Bird Update homepage.

Bird News:



Bird Sightings:

12/31/16 -- Lake Quinsigamond, Shrewsbury
From the White City shopping center I could see 2 Green-winged Teal and a Pied-billed Grebe. (report from Peter Morlock).

12/29/16 -- Bart's Pond , Clinton
Today there were 3 Wood ducks and a M&F Gadwall at Bart's Pond. (report from Peter Morlock).

12/28/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir and vicinity
From 10:30- 1:30 we birded Wachusett Reservoir and Environs. Muddy Pond and W. Lake Waushacum in Sterling were ice-covered. At Wachusett Reservoir Causeway near Old Stone Church we saw American Mergansers(3); Common Loon (1); Mute Swan (2); Goldeneye(1); Scaup (40); Red-tail Hawk (1). On RIver Street- Kingfisher(1); Hooded Merganser (18); American Merganser (7); Canada Geese (84); Mute Swans (2); American Goldeneye (2); Titmice (2). At South Bay Bald Eagle (1 juvenile) on a deer carcass; Goldeneye (45); Blue Jay (1). No Barrow's to be seen. Scar Hill Road was a bust--lots of wind as usual. South Meadow Pond was mostly frozen but the shore across from the boat ramp had some open water with 100+ Mallards in the water or on the ice. North Dike: Common Loon (2); Hooded Mergansers (4); Ringbilled Gulls (10). E. Lake Waushacum is ice covered except for one shoreline but no birds. We then drove up to Davis Farm on Redstone Hill Road, Sterling where hundreds of Canada Geese flew overhead and landed in the field with the Highland cattle. Alas, nothing but Canadas (~500) and 1 Red-tailed Hawk. (report from Scott Handler and Marion Larson).

12/26/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
We started out today birding Wachusett Reservoir. Coves remain ice-covered, but the main body is still open. In the middle of covering the reservoir we looked at Sterling Peat, the Quag, East and West Waushacum. All of them were ice covered. A flock of gulls were sitting on the ice at East Waushacum. After seeing the large flock of Canada Geese on the A-fields in Clinton, we drove up to Davis Farmlands (Lancaster) and found 18 geese there and then over to Dexter Drumlin where there was almost 100 Canada Geese. There was no sign of the Cackling.
  • Here's the list for Wachusett Reservoir: Common Loon (8); Horned Grebe (1); Canada Goose (451: most on the Clinton HS A-field); Mute Swan (4); Mallard (105: most in Bart's Pond (the "pond that never freezes"). NB: Coachlace is now ice-covered with ice-fishermen out on it); Green-winged Teal (1m: River Road); Greater Scaup (34); Lesser Scaup (2); Bufflehead (7); Common Goldeneye (53); Hooded Merganser (52); Common Merganser (18); Bald Eagle (adult pair sitting next to each other on the nesting island); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Belted Kingfisher (1). Passerines were typical. But we did also note: Muskrat (1) and River Otter (2).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 12/20/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir and vicinity
    In Clinton at Bart's Pond there were 4 male and 2 female Wood Ducks and 100's of Canada Geese feeding in the baseball fields. In the Quinapoxet River at Oakdale there was one drake Northern Pintail and one drake Green-winged Teal. (report from Bart Kamp).

    12/20/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Today around 3pm at the Clinton Dam I had a great sighting of one of the adult bald eagles at the reservoir. It appeared out over the water flying towards the dam, circled a few times over the dam which included right over my vehicle. It then continued down the shoreline and flew towards the courthouse. (report from Jeff Pingeton).

    12/16/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    This afternoon we birded around WACHUSETT RESERVOIR. There is still a lot of open water on the main body, though smaller bodies of water and edges of bay are iced over. Coachlace was 90% ice covered. Visibility was affected by heat leaving the open water. There were concentrations of birds at Thomas Basin, South Bay and the sliver of open water at Coachlace. There were also a number of Mallards, and 1 Black, behind Wheetabix.
  • Common Loon (5: there could have been more, but distant visibility was an issue); Horned Grebe (1); Mute Swan (6); Canada Goose (947: with more than 700 in that sliver of open water at Coachlace); Cackling Goose (1: probably the same bird I had on the main body a week ago. This afternoon it was with the Canadas at Coachlace. It was just luck that it swam in an open area so I had decent views. Much of the geese were so piled up, I couldn't even count them properly so there might be other non-Canadas in there.); Mallard (71); A Black Duck (5); Common Goldeneye (36); Barrow's Goldeneye (1f); Hooded Merganser (104); Common Merganser (29); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (5); Merlin (1: flying towards Worcester); Ring-billed Gull (65: nb: there was what appeared to be a smaller gull on a small bar with Ring-billeds, but the lighting and distance made any definite ID impossible. It could have been just another Ring-billed standing lower than surrounding birds. Or not); Barred Owl (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Carolina Wren (1).
    (report from Mark Lynch).

  • 12/13/16 -- Bart's Pond, Clinton
    There were lots of ducks in the open water of Bart's Pond. Among them were Mallards, Black Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Wood Duck (4) and Northern Pintails M&F. (report from Peter Morlock).

    12/11/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    Today we birded some of the QUABOG IBA because this is the first day of "count week" and all of this area is in the STURBRIDGE CBC CIRCLE.
  • Details: Canada Goose (106); A Black Duck (22); Mallard (188); Hooded Merganser (28); [NB: last week I had hundreds of Common mergs in this same area, but today: none]; Red-shouldered Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); [NB: No eagles despite searching]; Ring-necked Pheasant (3m at Quacumquasit WMA. Yes they are game release, Wild Turkey (27); Ring-billed Gull (468); Herring Gull (6); Great Black-backed Gull (1);
      NB: we had only 7 gulls on the ice at Quabog and only 1 on Wickabog and none at South Pond. But at LASHAWAY we had the rest of the gulls sitting on the ice!
    Rock Dove (179); Mourning Dove (8); Great Horned Owl (4); Barred Owl (3); N Saw-whet Owl (2); [NB: for the last hour of owling we concentrated on getting Screech and dipped badly!]; Belted Kingfisher (1);
      WOODPECKERS: Red-bellied (2); Downy (1); Hairy (2); Pileated (1: Elm Hill)
    Blue Jay (40); A Crow (19); Black-capped Chickadee (11); Tufted Titmouse (25); White-breasted Nuthatch (12); Eastern Bluebird (5); Hermit Thrush (1: Elm Hill); A Robin (9); Gray Catbird (1: great views at Coys Brook); E Starling (84); Cedar Waxwing (49); A Tree Sparrow (47: most at Elm Hill); Fox Sparrow (1 continues at Elm Hill); Song Sparrow (13); Swamp Sparrow (3: Quabog River marshes); White-throated Sparrow (11: Elm Hill); Dark-eyed Junco (174: at many locations); N cardinal (23); House Finch (5); A Goldfinch (36); House Sparrow (20). It turned out to be not a bad day for landbirds at all.
    (report from Mark Lynch).

  • 12/10/16 -- Quinapoxet Reservoir, Holden
    While scanning the Canada Geese on the shoreline I spotted 3 American Wigeon among them. (report from Peter Morlock)

    12/10/16 -- South Quabbin Reservoir
    This morning we did some birding in the South Quabbin area and had the following: Mallard (11); Common Merganser (2m); Bald Eagle (6: 5 immatures and 1 adult. 1 immature was missing all its secondary feathers on one side. Great eagle show at Enfield Lookout); Red-shouldered Hawk (1 attacked 1 of the eagles); Wild Turkey (33); Ring-billed Gull (3); Barred Owl (1 dead on Rt.9, Belchertown); Belted Kingfisher (3); Pileated Woodpecker (2).
  • Other passerines: Blue Jay (9); American Crow (16); Black-capped Chickadee (13); Tufted Titmouse (14); Dark-eyed Junco (41); Northern Cardinal (3).
  • PLUS: we watched a MINK swim and dive and catch a really large fish (at least for the size of the mink). It looked like a bass. It brought it up to shore and disappeared in the rocks.
  • GOT OUT HEARTS BEATING: while doing some scanning of the main bdy of Quabbin we were more than startled to hear the exact call of a BOREAL OWL. It called 6 times. It was somewhere in the pines in back of us and we began to frantically search the pines and other trees when it became clear that it was a weirdly creaking tree in the wind. I have heard Boreal Owls call, but never heard a damned tree mimic one.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 12/8/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    This morning we started on the west side of WACHUSETT RESERVOIR, then we went up into LANCASTER and then HARVARD then back along the east side of WACHUSETT.
  • HIGHLIGHTS FOR WACHUSETT RESERVOIR: Common Loon (9); Pied-billed Grebe (1: River Rd); Double-crested Cormorant (2); Canada Goose (548: off the southern end of the dike, first thing in the AM, was a large flock of geese that had put down overnight. They soon began to leave in flocks, flying north then east, but not before we found:); CACKLING GOOSE (1: seen well. Sheila took some shots, but they were far out. VERY small goose (ALMOST Mallard-sized); with short neck, stubby bill, small rounded head etc.); Mute Swan (2); A Black Duck (3); Mallard (16); Greater Scaup (48 at Coachlace); Lesser Scaup (2); Common Goldeneye (21); Hooded Merganser (18); Common Merganser (9); Ruddy Duck (3); Bald Eagle (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Belted Kingfisher (1); Carolina Wren (2 at Coachlace);
  • LANCASTER (and adjacent Davis Farmland); Canada Goose (771: at Davis Farmland; no sign of Cackling); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Ring-necked Pheasant (m at Bolton Flats, game release); Mourning Dove (132 at Davis); Northern Shrike (1imm: Bolton Flats edge, from Rt.110 south of Rt. 117, between the bend in road and model airplane field. Nice scope views and then flew off.); Eastern Bluebird (5); Hermit Thrush (1); A Robin (28); N Mockingbird (2); Snow Bunting (4); Red-winged Blackbird (40 at Davis);
  • HARVARD -- BARE HILL POND: Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (129); Mallard (22); A Black Duck (8); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); River Otter (1)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 12/8/16 -- Worcester area ponds
    Highlights:
  • Quinapoxet Basin: 16 H. Mergs, 12 Ring-necked Ducks
  • Choachlace pond: 94 Scaup sp.
  • South Bay: 3 Common Mergansers, 2 C. Goldeneye
  • N. Quinsiganond Lake: 13 Hooded Mergs
  • East Wauschacum pond: Bufflehead
    (phone report from Dave Grant).

  • 12/7/16 -- Auburn
    A mature Bald Eagle, perched on a dead snag just south of the Mass Pike overlooking Dark Brook Reservoir, Auburn, was observed at 10:30 am today from the east-bound lane of the Mass Pike. Awesome! (report from Bill Irvine and Sue Leschine)).

    12/6/16 -- Holden
    In the vicinity of village green lane and Newell road nature trail,I have been observing a northern harrier for a couple of days over the marsh area of Chaffin pond. The bird has been busy hunting and perching on the ground in and around the wood duck boxes and stumps near shore...also red breasted nuthatch and brown creeper today around 2pm. (report from Scott Corazzini).

    12/4/16 -- Ware River IBA
    Today we birded the southern sections of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. This is something we do every December even though birds are few and far between in the large forested parcels. During the deer hunting season, a number of roads that are typically gated are now open, allowing access to some remote areas of the area. Because this area is crawling with deer hunters typically, birders are recommended to only visit this IBA on Sundays in December. Today there were lots of people out on the roads, but we found enough areas to quietly bird. A few general observations: We had NO winter finches today indicating that (so far at least) this is NOT a flight year. Red-breasted Nuthatches and Golden-crowned Kinglets are in typically numbers, again it seems like there has been no major irruptions this year of these species. Today: jays were on the move, which was interesting to see. Most resident species were found in multi-species flocks moving through the forest.
  • Full list: Canada Goose (16); Mallard (pair); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Barred Owl (1: photo'd. This is a great place and time of the year to find this species during the day); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1: late); Downy Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (3); (NB: we found plenty of Pileated "work" but neither heard or saw any this morning); Golden-crowned Kinglet (11); Hermit Thrush (1); Black-capped Chickadee (33); Tufted Titmouse (25); Red-breasted Nuthatch (9); White-breasted Nuthatch (10); Blue Jay (64: including a flock of 53 birds working SW through the forest); A Crow (1); Song Sparrow (2); Dark-eyed Junco (12); American Goldfinch (3). Misses included Winter Wren and Brown Creeper.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 12/3/16 -- Gate 36, Wachusett Reservoir
    This afternoon there was a Lapland Longspur on the lower level of the dike a short distance from Gate 36 at Wachusett Reservoir. (report from Bart Kamp).

    12/3/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    This morning we birded the QUABOG IBA, concentrating on the ponds: Canada Goose (189); A Black Duck (16); Mallard (122); Hooded Merganser (132); Common Merganser (570); Ruddy Duck (16); Ring-Billed Gull (184); Herring Gull (11); Belted Kingfisher (1). Passerines were in decent numbers, but the most interesting bird seen was a FOX SPARROW in a flock of other sparrows (Tree, Song, White-throated and juncos).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    12/1/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Today at WACHUSETT RESERVOIR we had the following: Common Loon (16); Double-crested Cormorant (2); Canada Goose (107); Mute Swan (4); Mallard (4); Greater Scaup (52); Lesser Scaup (2m): (most of the scaup were at Coachlace. This AM they were close and in GREAT light); Surf Scoter (1f: gate 17); Long-tailed Duck (3m); C Goldeneye (9); Hooded Merganser (1); Ruddy Duck (2); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1). Passerines were typical, but we did have (4) Horned Larks and (1imm) White-crowned Sparrow.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    11/26/16 -- SuAsCo, Westboro
    Today we birded what long-time Central Mass birders call "Suasco", but other newer birders call Nichols Reservoir, Westboro. This is part of the Sudbury/Assabet/Concord water project. (see memorial stone at the boat launch side).
  • Birds seen and carefully counted included: Great Blue Heron (1); Mute Swan (157: with at least 22 non-adult birds); Canada Goose (258); Mallard (11); Green-winged Teal (8); Ring-necked Duck (2); Ring-billed Gull (13); Great Black-backed Gull (2).
  • NB: Suasco has changed dramatically in the last several decades. After the area was flooded, the numerous dead trees attracted nesting Great Blue Herons and a sizeable rookery was a big feature here for many years. Every early spring a Great Horned Owl could be found using one of the heron nests. Gradually, the dead trees fell down. An Osprey pair started nesting here, and now the rookery is gone, but an erected platform has encouraged the Osprey to continue to nest. The area has always attracted waterfowl and even shorebirds when there is low water. There are a number of access points for viewing the area: the canoe launch off Arch Street; the boat launch off Mill Rd, and a nice series of trails found at the end of Andrews Street.
  • RE: Mute Swans in Worcester County. Mute Swans were rare in the County before the late 1990s. They apparently started to move into the County from along the Blackstone River, north from Rhode Island, and soon became regular in the city of Worcester, spreading east and north to Westboro, Northboro, Southboro and Marlboro (not Worcester County). They are not nearly as common to the west of the city of Worcester, but are regular in small numbers in the Brookfields (Quabog IBA). They have also attempted to nest (unsuccessfully) at Quabbin viewed from Gate 35 during the Breeding Bird Atlas II. It is possible those birds arrived via the population that centers around Barton Cove on the Connecticut River (west of Quabbin). Today, Mutes are a regular feature of Worcester city ponds, large (like Lake Quinsigamond. Today I had 12 there) and small (a pair nesting at tiny Institute Pond across from WPI). SuAsCo has been some kind of swan magnet for years now, most seen in the sw corner where the habitat gives them what they like.
    (report from Mark Lynch).

  • 11/23/16 -- Chaffin pond,Holden
    Highlights from today in the vicinity of Gail drive: 1 adult Bald Eagle,1 adult female northern harrier,1 male Cooper's hawk,20+ cedar waxwings,1 brown creeper,2 m+f hooded merganser,1 adult mute swan. (report from Scott Corazzini)

    11/23/16 -- North Central MA
    we spent today birding in north Central Massachusetts. Birds overall were scarce, even species like jays and chickadees. The best action was at feeders, which were few and far between. There was NO sign of a major "winter finch" invasion. Highlights:
  • ROYALSTON: Mallard (10); A Black Duck (2); Common Merganser (1f); Wild Turkey (16); PLUS: River Otter (1);
  • WARWICK: Hooded Merganser (1); Common Raven (1);
  • ORANGE: Canada Goose (20); Mallard (5); A Black Duck (5); Lesser Scaup (9); Red-tailed Hawk (1);
  • PETERSHAM: Canada Goose (9); Mallard (7); A Black Duck (30); Hooded Merganser (2); Wild Turkey (12);
  • GATE 41, QUABBIN: Canada Goose (24); A Black Duck (5); Bufflehead (3); Common Goldeneye (1); Hooded Merganser (17); Barred Owl (1 very vocal bird); Winter Wren (1); Tree Sparrow (1);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 11/23/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights today included: Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Hairy Woodpecker (3); Carolina Wren (3); Golden-crowned Kinglet (1); American Robin (6); American Tree Sparrow (7); Fox Sparrow (1 ? seen in the same place 3 times in 10 days); Song Sparrow (7); White-throated Sparrow (5); Dark-eyed Junco (28); Red-winged Blackbird (2 - male and female together).
    (report from John Liller).

    11/20/16 -- Chaffin pond, Holden
    Highlights from the vicinity of Gail drive: Male & female rusty blackbirds feeding on edge of pond for the past couple days. Also fox sparrow, red breasted nuthatch, Cooper's hawk. (report from Scott Corazzini).

    11/17/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon today: 1 Pied-billed Grebe and 20+ Hooded Mergansers. (report from Rick Quimby).

    11/16/16 -- Worcester
    My first Fox Sparrow of the season arrived in my yard this morning. (report from Bart Kamp).

    11/13/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights today: Northern Flicker (1); Carolina Wren (1); American Robin (1); Yellow-rumped Warbler (3); FOX SPARROW (1). (report from John Liller).

    11/12/16 -- Brookfields/Holland/Wales
  • We started the day at HAMILTON RESERVOIR, in HOLLAND: Canada Goose (79); Wood Duck (4); Mallard (18); Greater Scaup (13); Bufflehead (25); Hooded Merganser (39); Common Merganser (32); Ruddy Duck (95); Hermit Thrush (1);
  • At LAKE GEORGE in WALES: Mallard (12); Hooded Merganser (8);
  • At the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields), Waterbirds are really starting to increase: Red-necked Grebe (1: Lake Lashaway); Great Blue Heron 94); Canada Goose (235); Mute Swan (3); A Black Duck (7); Mallard (283); Lesser Scaup (2); Bufflehead (3); C Goldeneye (pair); Hooded Merganser (101); Common Merganser (248); Red-breasted Merganser (1: Wickabog); Ruddy Duck (11); Bald Eagle (1imm); Ring-billed Gull (179: most adW); Great Black-backed Gull (2adW); Belted Kingfisher (1); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Common Raven (1); E Bluebird (9); A Tree Sparrow (2); Dark-eyed Junco (51);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 11/11/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon were 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 5 Hooded Mergansers, and 1 Hermit Thrush. The grebe has been there for the past week. (report from Rick Quimby).

    11/9/16 -- Petersham/Hardwick
    Today we birded some areas in Petersham and Hardwick.
  • Highlights: Canada Goose (17); Wood Duck (18); A Black Duck (2); Ring-necked Duck (3); Hooded Merganser (2); Bald Eagle (1imm); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Wild Turkey (6); Barred Owl (1: see photo); Belted Kingfisher (1); Pileated Woodpecker (2); Golden-crowned Kinglet (7); Eastern Bluebird (12); Dark-eyed Junco (56); Snow Bunting (1: on Rt.32A, Petersham, near the intersection of Woodland Rd. This bird fed along the edge of the road or even on this busy road with deep forest on both sides. When a car came buy, it would fly up and perch on a branch of a tree); Pine Grosbeak (1 fly-over near Gate 37); Purple Finch (3);
  • PLUS: River Otter, Beaver, Meadow Vole and 1 melanistic Gray Squirrel.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 11/8/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    Today we got a late start (I was on the air till 1 AM THIS morning) and birded the QUABOG IBA. Nothing special, but the shorebirds seem to have moved on. The largest species variety was at the north end of Wickabog.
  • Totals: Great Blue Heron (3); Canada Goose (234); Mute Swan (3); A Black Duck (15); Mallard (51); Green-winged Teal (27); Hooded Merganser (13); Common Merganser (15); Ruddy Duck (17); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Wild Turkey (8); Ring-billed Gull (114); Herring Gull (4); Belted Kingfisher (1); Red-headed Woodpecker (1ad: beach lot area of Lake Lashaway. It flew low right across our field of vision giving great views and into a large woodlot. We tried for sometime to relocate it with no luck); Red-bellied Woodpecker (4); Downy Woodpecker (4); Hairy Woodpecker (6). Passerines were unremarkable, but we did have flocks of juncos in a number of places (109).
  • We also had (6) Autumn Meadowhawks and (2) Eastern Commas.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 11/6/16 -- Quabbin Park, Quabbin Reservoir
    We had a good trip to SOUTH QUABBIN with the Menotomy Bird Club and students from this MAS class, despite windy conditions and heat leaving the water which made water viewing tough. And song birds were hard to come by.
  • SOUTHQUABBIN/QUABBIN PARK: Common Loon (3); Horned Grebe (3); Canada Goose (95); A Black Duck (7); Mallard (7); Green-winged Teal (2); Long-tailed Duck (26); Hooded Merganser (5); Common Merganser (4); Bald Eagle (7: including 1imm+1 sub-ad); Red-tailed Hawk (3: nice looks at kiting); Golden Eagle (1ad: flew right overhead); Greater Yellowlegs (1); Ring-billed Gull (11); Rock Dove (2: racing pigeons?); Mourning Dove (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (4); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Blue Jay (11); A Crow (251: most migrating); C Raven (1); Black-capped Chickadee (21); Tufted Titmouse (2); White-breasted Nuthatch (4); E Bluebird (1); White-throated Sparrow (1); Dark-eyed Junco (63); White-winged Crossbill (1: overhead); Pine Siskin (4 overhead);
  • NEW SALEM OVERLOOKS: Common Loon (1); A Black Duck (3); Bald Eagle (1ad); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (4); Ring-billed Gull (3); Great Black-backed Gull (1adW); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); A Crow (68); Common Raven (2); Black-capped Chickadee (6); Snow Bunting (5); A Goldfinch (12);
  • Plus: White-tailed Deer (2);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 11/5/16 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre
    An Eastern Meadowlark, calling and foraging in the field, was the highlight of a dismal morning of hawk watching. One Sharp-shinned Hawk, 6 Cedar Waxwings, numerous Eastern Bluebirds, and our resident Pileated Woodpecker were also observed. (report from Donna Schilling)

    11/5/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Today we birded around WACHUSETT RESERVOIR, making a number of stops, including Coachlace: Common Loon (25); Horned Grebe (4); Double-crested Cormorant (13); Canada Goose (185: most on Coachlace); Mute Swan (9); Wood Duck (4); A Black Duck (4); Mallard (8); Greater Scaup (58: not all on Coachlace); Surf Scoter (4f); Long-tailed Duck (2); Bufflehead (9); Common Goldeneye (pair); Common Merganser (8); Ruddy Duck (3); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Ring-billed Gull (12); Belted Kingfisher (1). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    10/31/16 -- Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
    Today's count at the hawkwatch and season summary:
    -------------------------------------------------------------
    Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
    ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
    Black Vulture                0              3              3
    Turkey Vulture               4            209            210
    Osprey                       0             10            165
    Bald Eagle                   2             26            156
    Northern Harrier             1              2             17
    Sharp-shinned Hawk           4             69            446
    Cooper's Hawk                2             27            105
    Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
    Red-shouldered Hawk          4              7             15
    Broad-winged Hawk            0              2           6962
    Red-tailed Hawk             11             40             53
    Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
    Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
    American Kestrel             0             13            107
    Merlin                       1             10             32
    Peregrine Falcon             1              5             35
    Unknown Accipiter            0              3             33
    Unknown Buteo                0              2             19
    Unknown Falcon               0              0              0
    Unknown Eagle                0              0              0
    Unknown Raptor               0              5             71
    Swainson's Hawk              0              0              1
    
    Total:                      30            433           8430
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
  • Raptor Observations: Flights were low with the exception of the high flights of the Red-Shouldered Hawks. All migrants moving due South.
  • Local raptors: 2BE(1 ad, 1imm); 2 RT's.
  • Non-raptor Observations: Migrating: 8 DC Cormorants, 50 Canada Geese, 12 Rb gulls, 12 Snow Buntings. Locals: 17 Ravens.
    (report from Rod Chase).

  • 10/31/16 -- Sterling/Clinton
  • Wachusett Reservoir, Route 110: 6 Common Loon; 1 Great Blue Heron; 2 DC Cormorant; 13 American Pipit; 1 Savannah Sparrow
  • Coachlace Pond, Clinton: 34 Lesser Scaup, 28 Ring-necked Ducks, 12 Ruddy Ducks, 79 Canada Geese.
  • East Waushacum, Sterling: 18 Bufflehead, 6 Common merganser, 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 DC Cormorant
  • West Waushacum, Sterling: 21 Wood Ducks
    (report from Susan LaBree).

  • 10/30/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon included 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 1 GB Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 3 Am Black Duck, 4 Hooded Mergansers, and 2 Pine Warblers. (report from Rick Quimby).

    10/27/16 -- Worcester
    At about 1:00 PM this afternoon this Evening Grosbeak made a brief visit to my feeder. A new yard bird. (report from Bart Kamp).

    10/26/16 -- Quabog IBA
    We spent this morning birding the QUABOG IBA, concentrating on the ponds, but also making a stop at ELM HILL MAS. Highlights included: Pied-billed Grebe (1); Great Blue Heron (10); Turkey Vulture (3); Canada Goose (27); A Black Duck (8); Mallard (133); Green-winged Teal (13); Ring-necked Duck (3); Bufflehead (2f); Hooded Merganser (8); Common Merganser (1); Ruddy Duck (2); Red-tailed Hawk (4); Wild Turkey (24); Killdeer (3); Greater Yellowlegs (6); Ring-billed Gull (51); Herring Gull (2); Great Black-backed Gull (1ad); Belted Kingfisher (1); Carolina Wren (1); Winter Wren (1); Hermit Thrush (1); American Pipit (1); Cedar Waxwing (19: all immature); Yellow-rumped Warbler (21); Palm Warbler (1); Rusty Blackbird (1)
  • PLUS; despite very chilly temps we found a Clouded Sulphur and had a number of Autumn Meadowhawks.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 10/26/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    I recorded the following highlights this morning on the Troiano Brookside Trail at the Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester. It was frosty to begin with, and then the breeze picked up, so the birds seemed to be laying low. Sharp-shinned Hawk (1 - flying south along brook); Cooper's Hawk (1 - flying south along brook); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Northern Flicker (1); Carolina Wren (2); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2); Eastern Bluebird (1); Hermit Thrush (2); American Robin (8); Palm Warbler (1); Yellow-rumped Warbler (6); Song Sparrow (6); White-throated Sparrow (7); Dark-eyed Junco (12); Red-winged Blackbird (2). (report from John Liller)

    10/23/16 -- Brookfields
    It was a very windy morning on the Forbush Bird Club trip, which, to say the least, made birding very difficult. We started at lake Quaboag, then to Orlando's in Charlton and through the major ponds and Slab City Road in the Brookfields.
  • Highlights from the 36 species recorded: D-C- Cormorant 2, Great Blue Heron 1, Turkey Vulture 4, Canada Goose 48, Wood Duck 2, Black Duck 16, Mallard 500+, Ring-necked Duck 12, Ruddy Duck 14, Bald Eagle 1 imm., Sharp-shinned hawk 2, Red-tailed hawk 3,Greater Yellowlegs 4, Ravin 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5, Yellow-rumped Warbler 4, Savannah Sparrow 3, Song Sparrow 22, Swamp Sparrow 12, White-throated Sparrow 120, Junco 60, Red-winged Blackbird 1, Purple Finch 1, House Finch 4.
    (report from Rodney Jenkins)

  • 10/23/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    This morning we birded a few areas in the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields) concentrating on the ponds. The wind was an issue often.
  • Double-crested Cormorant (4); Great Blue Heron (2); Turkey Vulture (7: having a very tough time aloft); Canada Goose (40); A Black Duck (3); Mallard (142); Green-winged Teal (1); Ring-necked Duck (13); Common Merganser (7); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Wild Turkey (8); Greater Yellowlegs (4: 1 at Quabog; the other 3 at the north end of Wickabog); Ring-billed Gull (70). Passerines were tough because of the wind, but we still had good numbers of sparrows, including juncos.
  • Also: Clouded Sulphur (1); Black-tipped Darner (1photographed: our latest record in county) and still 1 Eastern Painted Turtle out.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 10/22/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    This morning we got in some birding time at WACHUSETT RESERVOIR. The morning started in heavy mist and poor visibility, then started to clear and we even saw some blue sky, then temps began to drop and it started to mist again. We did not do any of the long hikes because of the weather, but we did stop at Coachlace in Clinton. We had NO raptors and NO gulls, which was weird, and only 1 goose. Passerines were typical for this time of the year.
  • Common Loon (15); Red-necked Grebe (2); Double-crested Cormorant (29); Great Blue Heron (2); Canada Goose ( only 1); Mute Swan (5); Gadwall (1); Mallard (13); Greater Scaup (27); Lesser Scaup (2); Ruddy Duck (3); Wild Turkey (38); Belted Kingfisher (2).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 10/19/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    We birded WACHUSETT RESERVOIR for just a few hours "before work" and had the following (NB: 2 DCR boats were out and zipping all over, so birds were flushed often): Common Loon (21); Horned Grebe (2); Red-necked Grebe (1); Double-crested Cormorant (54); Great Blue Heron (2); Canada Goose (34); Mute Swan (3); Gadwall (2); A Black Duck (4); Green-winged Teal (9); Surf Scoter (2m); White-winged Scoter (1m: very photogenic); Common Merganser (7); Ruddy Duck (3); Bald Eagle (1 sub ad. We watched this bird for 15 minutes trying to eat an Eastern Painted Turtle. It wasn't pretty); N Harrier (1); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Cooper's Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Wild Turkey (4).
  • Passerine highlights included: Common Raven (4); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (6); E Bluebird (4); hermit Thrush (2); American Pipit (1); Yellow-rumped Warbler (9); Purple Finch (10)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 10/19/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    I recorded the following highlights early this afternoon. It was not the best time of day to go, but there did seem to be a movement of Palm Warblers.
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (2); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); Hermit Thrush (3); Northern Mockingbird (2); Palm Warbler (7); Yellow-rumped Warbler (6); Song Sparrow (10); Swamp Sparrow (2); White-throated Sparrow (9)
    (report from John Liller).

  • 10/18/16 -- West Millbury
    In addition to the usual birds at the feeder today, I had 2 male and 1 female Purple Finches. Also a Red-breasted Nuthatch. (report from Alan Marble).

    10/17/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Clinton
    Early this afternoon from the Clinton section of Wachusett Reservoir I saw: 10 White-winged Scoters, 5 Long-tailed Ducks and 1 Male Bufflehead. (report from Bart Kamp).

    10/16/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Highlights from the 47 species recorded on the Forbush Bird Club trip: Red-breasted Nuthatch 3; Double-crested Cormorant 42; Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 37; Golden-crowned Kinglet 3; Ruddy Duck 18; Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2; Common Merganser 12; Osprey 2 (over Waushacum Ponds); Spotted Sandpiper 1; Carolina Wren 1; Red-winged Blackbird 25; Northern Flicker 1; Red-bellied Woodpecker 2; Pied-billed Grebe 2(1 on Muddy Pond, the other West Waushacum); Wood Duck 45; Turkey Vulture 2; House Finch 16; White-throated Sparrow 7; Belted Kingfisher 1; Cooper's Hawk 1; Common Loon 14; Common Raven 1; Sharp-shinned Hawk 1; Savannah Sparrow 4; Mute Swan 4; Eastern Bluebird 1; Great Black-backed Gull 1; Surf Scoter 1 (South Bay, probably 3); Eastern Phoebe 1.
    (report from Kevin Bourinot, fide Deb Berard).

    10/15/16 -- Princeton
    I had 3 common nighthawks grunting and peeping while flying from tree to tree this afternoon at my parent's house in Princeton. Almost looked like they were playing. (report from Susan LaBree).

    10/14/16 -- Scar Hill Boylston shoreline, Wachusett Reservoir
    Late this afternoon from the northern most tip of the Scar Hill shoreline at Wachusett Reservoir in Boylston I recorded: 1 Red-throated Loon, 2 Horned Grebes, a raft of scoters consisting of 5 male White-winged Scoters and 18 Surf Scoters (16 M, 2 F) and 2 Spotted Sandpipers. I saw the raft from the Scar Hill beach but had to walk about a half mile to get close enough to count and identify them.
  • Looks like there are going to be "lifeguards" at the reservoir. In the past week they've sent up 4 or 5 high white chairs at various locations around the reservoir.
  • In the past few days a Red-breasted Nuthatch, purple finches and juncos have joined the regulars at my feeders.
    (report from Bart Kamp).

  • 10/12/16 -- Gate 43, Quabbin Reservoir
    This afternoon in the cove at Quabbin gate 43 there were 18 American Pipits, and except for 4 Killdeer, no shorebirds. (report from Bart Kamp).

    10/11/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights on the Troiano Trail (aka "The Stretch") today: Hairy Woodpecker (1); Carolina Wren (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2); Yellow-rumped Warbler (10); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (16); Swamp Sparrow (18); White-throated Sparrow (12); Red-winged Blackbird (7); Common Grackle (3); House Finch (1); Purple Finch (3). (report from John Liller).

    10/10/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir and Indian Lake, Worcester
    We took some time out to do a quick birding tour around (windy) WACHUSET RESERVOIR: Common Loon (9); Double-crested Cormorant (41); Canada Goose (12); Mute Swan (1); Wood Duck (1); Mallard (10); WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (12); Bald Eagle (1ad); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Passernes were tough to come by in the wind, but there were small flocks of Yellow-rumps and a Savannah Sparrow.
  • On the way home we stopped by INDIAN LAKE, WORCESTER looking from the Clason Street beach. Double-crested Cormorant (8); Mute Swan (pr w/3yg); Canada Goose (101); BLACK SCOTER (52) -- NB: we have had Black Scoters at Indian Lake several times in years past, always in October. As is typical of inland scoter flocks, all the scoter flocks were very aware and nervous, and periodically would fly up and resettle. At Wachusett they would resettle sometimes far from where they originally were. My experience with these large flocks of Black Scoters is that they are a one day event, and we have watched them leave at or just after sundown.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 10/9/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We spent a few hours in the QUABOG IBA this morning to see if the rain had brought down any birds. We visited the 4 largest lakes/ponds and made a brief visit to Elm Hill MAS. Highlights: Pied-billed Grebe (2); Double-crested Cormorant (1); Great Blue Heron (7); Great Egret (1: north end of Lake Wickabog); Canada Goose (only 3); Mute Swan (1); Wood Duck (6); American Wigeon (3); A Black Duck (7); Mallard (56); Green-winged Teal (8); Hooded Merganser (1); Bald Eagle (2ad sitting next to each other, Lake Quacumquasit (South Pond); N Harrier (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); A Golden Plover (1 still at Lake Quabog!); Greater Yellowlegs (8); Pectoral Sandpiper (1); Belted Kingfisher (2); E Phoebe (7); Yellow-rumped Warbler (5); Palm Warbler (1); Red-winged Blackbird (190);
  • PLUS: about a dozen GIANT PUFFBALLS (Calvatia gigantean);.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 10/6/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    We had just a few hours this morning before work to bird and we birded in the SE corner of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. An "ok" number of sparrows but only a few warblers.
  • Totals: Wood Duck (1); Mallard (3); Sharp-shinned Hawk (2); Killdeer (6); Solitary Sandpiper (2); Mourning Dove (2); Belted Kingfisher (1);
      WOODPECKERS: Red-bellied (4); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1); Downy (6); Hairy (7); Pileated (1)
    E Phoebe (2); Blue-headed Vireo (4 singing); Blue Jay (72); A Crow (2); C Raven (1); Black-capped Chickadee (61); Tufted Titmouse (25); Red-breasted Nuthatch (4); White-breasted Nuthatch (21); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (7); E Bluebird (1); Hermit Thrush (15); A Robin (18); Gray Catbird (7); Cedar Waxwing (12);
      WARBLERS: Yellow-rumped (38); Palm (9); Blackpoll (2); A Redstart (1); C Yellowthroat (4)
      SPARROWS: E Towhee (14); Song (47); Lincoln's (2); Swamp (41); White-throated (32); Dark-eyed Junco (17)
    N Cardinal (6); Rusty Blackbird (1); Purple Finch (6); A Goldfinch (3)
  • PLUS: River Otter (3)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 10/5/16 -- Gate 43, Quabbin Reservoir
    This afternoon I walked down the east side of the cove at Quabbin gate 43. Observed was 1 Black-bellied Plover, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs and 1 juvenile Western Sandpiper. I had to get within six feet of the sandpiper in order to see its long slightly drooping bill and rufous upper scapulars. It was feeding by probing; similar to the way White-rumped Sandpipers and Dunlin feed. At times its bill was submerged right up to its eyes. (report from Bart Kamp).

    10/5/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Today there seemed to be a good number of sparrows, and if I had had more time, my counts of sparrows would have been higher, and might have included one or two other species. Highlights included: Wood Duck (14 -- mix of males and females, all together); Great Blue Heron (1); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Cooper's Hawk (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (3); Eastern Phoebe (2); Golden-crowned Kinglet (6 - feeding in a group. Could it be a good year for this species?); Gray Catbird (4); American Redstart (1); Palm Warbler (1); Yellow-rumped Warbler (5); Eastern Towhee (1); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (14); Swamp Sparrow (6); White-throated Sparrow (15).
    (report from John Liller).

    10/5/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon were 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 2 GB Herons, 1 Green Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Killdeer, and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler. (report from Rick Quimby).

    10/3/16 -- Zenith Drive, Worcester
    Feeding on a small road kill on Zenith Drive was a bird that at first I thought was a turkey. When I drove slowly closer, I recognized that it was a Black Vulture. Almost a yard bird. (report from Bart Kamp).

    10/3/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We spent just a few hours in the QUABOG IBA this morning, spending most of our time at Lake Quabog and Elm Hill MAS. Highlights: Double-crested Cormorant (5); Great Blue Heron (6); Canada Goose (46); Wood Duck (just 1); Mallard (26); Sharp-shinned Hawk (3: we watched 2 harass and attack a flying Coop!); Cooper's Hawk (1); Red-shouldered Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Merlin (1); Wild Turkey (18); AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER (1 continues (was found Saturday) at Lake Quabog. Today we got to see it fly several times and hear it call many times); Greater Yellowlegs (4); Pectoral Sandpiper (1: hanging with the plover); Mourning Dove (92: most at Elm Hill); Belted Kingfisher (1); Pileated Woodpecker (2); Eastern Phoebe (6); House Wren (3); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3); E Bluebird (7); Gray Catbird (21); American Pipit (1); Palm Warbler (2); Blackpoll Warbler (1); C Yellowthroat (5); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Indigo Bunting (6);
  • PLUS: butterflies: Cabbage White (18); Clouded Sulphur (10); Pearl Crescent (1);. Lots of Autumn Meadowhawks and still a few Spring Peepers calling.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/30/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We spent the morning birding the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields). Migrants were in a few pockets, but absent from many other places.
  • Great Blue Heron (5); Turkey Vulture (2); Canada Goose (59); Mute Swan (3); Wood Duck (6); Mallard (55); Green-winged Teal (5); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Cooper's Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (4); Greater Yellowlegs (2: at Lake Quabog); Ring-billed Gull (20); Mourning Dove (71); Belted Kingfisher (1); Downy Woodpecker (6); Hairy Woodpecker (2); N Flicker (2); E Phoebe (16); Blue Jay (49); A Crow (24); Black-capped Chickadee (13); Tufted Titmouse (3); White-breasted Nuthatch (9); Brown Creeper (1); House Wren (2); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); E Bluebird (23); A Robin (8); Gray Catbird (14); Cedar Waxwing (11);
      WARBLERS: Orange-crowned (1: Elm Hill MAS); Yellow-rumped (8); Northern Waterthrush (1); Connecticut (1imm); C Yellowthroat (4);.
      SPARROWS: Savannah (6); Song (68); Lincoln's (1); Swamp (85); White-throated (51)
    N Cardinal (13); Indigo Bunting (4); House Finch (4)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/29/16 -- Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
    Raptors today and season summary:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
    ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
    Black Vulture                0              0              0
    Turkey Vulture               1              1              1
    Osprey                       5            152            155
    Bald Eagle                   2            127            130
    Northern Harrier             0             15             15
    Sharp-shinned Hawk          14            369            377
    Cooper's Hawk                4             75             78
    Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
    Red-shouldered Hawk          0              8              8
    Broad-winged Hawk            2           6935           6960
    Red-tailed Hawk              0             13             13
    Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
    Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
    American Kestrel             3             91             94
    Merlin                       0             21             22
    Peregrine Falcon             0             29             30
    
    (report from Rod Chase).

    9/26/16 -- Winchendon-South Royalston
    Today we birded the wooded parcel between OTTER RIVER STATE PARK (Winchendon) and BIRCH HILL DAM (South Royalston). Staring temps hovered around freezing and frost was in many areas. Eventually it warmed up to the high 50s. Birds were in scattered groups, with long stretches with few birds.
  • Complete list: Pied-billed Grebe (1); Great Blue Heron (5); Turkey Vulture (4); Canada Goose (just 1!); Wood Duck (14); Bald Eagle (2 adults); Broad-winged Hawk (kettle of 5); Ruffed Grouse (1); Northern Bobwhite (1 seen and photo'd. Likely a game farm escape); Rock Dove (2: tough in this parcel. Found at the dam); Mourning Dove (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2); Downy Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (8); N Flicker (19); Pileated Woodpecker (3); E Phoebe (31); Blue-headed Vireo (12); Blue Jay (54); A Crow (6); C Raven (3); Black-capped Chickadee (74); Tufted Titmouse (9); Red-breasted Nuthatch (48); White-breasted Nuthatch (16); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (6); Hermit Thrush (4); A Robin (62); Gray Catbird (30); Cedar Waxwing (20);
      WARBLERS: Magnolia (2); Yellow-rumped (29); Pine (18); Blackpoll (4); C Yellowthroat (14)
    E Towhee (16)
      SPARROWS: Chipping (7); Song (32); Lincoln's (2); Swamp (36); White-throated (59); Dark-eyed Junco (6)
    Indigo Bunting (1); Purple Finch (26: small flocks in several locations); A Goldfinch (18);
  • PLUS: odonates were mostly different Meadowhawk species; butterflies consisted of single Clouded Sulphur; E Tailed Blue and Pearl Crescent.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/25/16 -- Mount Watatic, Ashburnham
    Raptors today and season summary:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
    ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
    Black Vulture                0              0              0
    Turkey Vulture               3              3              3
    Osprey                       6             74             74
    Bald Eagle                   1             48             48
    Northern Harrier             0              6              6
    Sharp-shinned Hawk          26            129            129
    Cooper's Hawk                1             19             19
    Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
    Red-shouldered Hawk          0              0              0
    Broad-winged Hawk            6           3040           3040
    Red-tailed Hawk              0              0              0
    Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
    Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
    American Kestrel             0             27             27
    Merlin                       1              6              6
    Peregrine Falcon             0              2              2
    
    (report from Tom Pirro).

    9/25/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    Today we birded a loop in the southern section of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. Starting temps were in the low 30s and there was fog. Birding was slow for the first hours or so, but eventually we came across 2 decent groups of migrants. Still, numbers and variety of species for this location for this time of the year was low.
  • Birds recorded: Great Blue Heron (4); Turkey Vulture (2); Canada Goose (3); Wood Duck (51); Mallard (8); Sharp-shinned Hawk (3); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Ruffed Grouse (1 in the road); Downy Woodpecker (4); Hairy Woodpecker (5); N Flicker (10); Pileated Woodpecker (5); E Wood Peewee (1 still calling); E Phoebe (11); Blue-headed Vireo (14); Blue Jay (58: at every stop); Black-capped Chickadee (44); Tufted Titmouse (21); Red-breasted Nuthatch (3: numbers have dropped); White-breasted Nuthatch (11); Brown Creeper (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3); E Bluebird (10); Swainson's Thrush (2: great views); Hermit Thrush (8); A Robin (15); Gray Catbird (21); Cedar Waxwing (flock of 5);
      WARBLERS: N Parula (9); Black-throated Blue (1); Yellow-rumped (6); Black-throated Green (6); Pine (7); Palm (4); Blackpoll (3); C Yellowthroat (3)
    Scarlet Tanager (3); E Towhee (18);
      SPARROWS: Chipping (36); Song (12); Swamp (29); White-throated (32)
    Northern Cardinal (3); Purple Finch (6); A Goldfinch (5)
  • PLUS: only herps we saw were Green Frogs; odes consisted of only Autumn Meadowhawks; butterflies: Cabbage White; Pearl Crescent and Viceroy.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/25/16 -- Bolton Flats WMA
    Highlights of the Forbush Bird Club trip this morning included:
  • Bolton Flats (Rt. 117 entrance): 5 Wood Duck; 3 Double-crested Cormorant; 2 Northern Harrier; 3 Sharp-shinned Hawk; 3 Cooper's Hawk; 1 Bald Eagle; 1 Broad-winged Hawk; 4 Eastern Phoebe; 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch; 2 House Wren; 12 Gray Catbird; 18 Cedar Waxwing; 1 Nashville Warbler; 18 Common Yellowthroat; 9 Palm Warbler; 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler; 1 Black-throated Green Warbler; 4 Chipping Sparrow; 2 White-throated Sparrow; 7 Savannah Sparrow; 16 Song Sparrow; 9 Lincoln's Sparrow; 46 Swamp Sparrow; 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak; 3 Bobolink; 162 Red-winged Blackbird
  • Lancaster WMA - Pine Hill Rd.: 1 Cooper's Hawk; 2 American Kestrel; 2 Eastern Phoebe; 1 Field Sparrow; 1 Vesper Sparrow; 4 Savannah Sparrow
  • Bolton Flats (110 Entrance): 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk; 1 RED-HEADED WOODPECKER -- Adult; 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker; 9 Eastern Phoebe; 2 Red-eyed Vireo; 11 Gray Catbird; 14 Common Yellowthroat; 2 American Redstart; 2 Palm Warbler
    (report from Kevin Bourinot).

  • 9/24/16 -- Gate 35, Quabbin Reservoir
    This afternoon I walked down to the Petersham part of Quabbin gate 35. On the island west of the gate 35 road a flock of 15-20 Greater Yellowlegs landed in the shallow water at the northern tip of the island. Feeding among the rocks at the northern tip were at least 7 Black-bellied Plovers. There were a lot of fishermen on the water today. They like to fish the shallow water around the islands. The birds probably did not stay very long in any one place. (report from Bart Kamp).

    9/24/16 -- Mount Watatic, Ashburnham
    Raptors today at the hawk watch: Osprey 15 ; Bald Eagle 1 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 29 ; Cooper's Hawk 2 ; Broad-winged Hawk 497 ; American Kestrel 16 ; Merlin 1 .
  • Raptor Observations: a few dozen TV's (perhaps a few migrating), Non-Migrant RT, BE and a fine look at a Juv. NG
  • Non-raptor Observations: 15-20 Ravens, RT Hummingbird, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, A few dozen migrant Canada Geese, 5 or 6 Northern Flickers, DC Cormorants, 3 Herring Gulls.
    (report from Tom Pirro).

  • 9/24/16 -- Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
    Raptors today at the hawk watch: Osprey 20 ; Bald Eagle 13 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 51 ; Cooper's Hawk 15 ; Broad-winged Hawk 2281 ; Red-tailed Hawk 2 ; American Kestrel 28 ; Merlin 6 ; Peregrine Falcon 2 .
  • Raptor Observations: Beautiful day with NNE to NW winds and post cold front 54-62 deg. F brought the late morning push of Broadwings (and Kestrels) which then softly waned. With the NW winds at their back most raptors came by at a high rate of speed -- falcons still even faster!
  • Non-raptor Observations: 1 Monarch; 22 Can. Geese.
    (report from Rod Chase).

  • 9/22/16 -- Scar Hill Beach, Boylston
    Observed from Scar Hill Beach at Wachusett Reservoir in Boylston late this afternoon were 3 male scaup species and a raft of ducks consisting of 16 Black Ducks and 2 male White-winged Scoters. (report from Bart Kamp).

    9/21/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook, Worcester
    After a summer in Maine, I returned to Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester yesterday afternoon. The time of day was not the best, but I did have the following highlights: Wood Duck - 1 (female calling); Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2; Hairy Woodpecker - 2; Eastern Phoebe - 2; Blue-headed Vireo - 1; Carolina Wren - 1; Gray Catbird - 14; Nashville Warbler - 1; Common Yellowthroat - 1; Northern Parula - 1; Wilson's Warbler - 1; Eastern Towhee - 2; Song Sparrow - 7; Red-winged Blackbird - 1. (report from John Liller).

    9/20/16 -- St. Philips Cemetery, Grafton
    Today there were 6 Eastern Blue Birds, 4 Green Heron, 3 Great Blue Heron, 17 Wood Ducks, 12 Mallards, 43 Chipping Sparrows. (report from Susan LaBree).

    9/19/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    This morning we did a quick circuit around WACHUSETT RESERVOIR amid periodic showers. Common Loon (24); Double-crested Cormorant (55+1 dead in the middle of the road in gate 17); Great Blue Heron (2); Canada Goose (137); Mute Swan (1); Mallard (7); Cooper's Hawk (1); Killdeer (6); Ring-billed Gull (38); Herring Gull (7); Belted Kingfisher (2);
  • NB: with this weather, it is possible that other 'ropes and maybe even terns could briefly set down at Wachusett, so check again this afternoon.
    (report from Mark Lynch).

  • 9/18/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    This morning we birded some of the ponds and river overlooks of the QUABOG IBA in the Brookfields. It was a dismal day weather-wise, with showers and overcast conditions. All shorebirds were at Lake Quabog. We saw: Pied-billed Grebe (1: Quabog River); Double-crested Cormorant (4); Great Blue Heron (16); Great Egret (2: 1 at L. Quabog and 1 at Lake Wickabog); Canada Goose (only 13); Wood Duck (18: all on the river); A Black Duck (4); Mallard (51); Hooded Merganser (1); Bald Eagle (2: 1ad+1imm both at L. Quabog); Wild Turkey (6); Killdeer (3); Greater Yellowlegs (5); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Least Sandpiper (6); Belted Kingfisher (4)
  • NB: swallows were flying low at Quabog and I estimated Tree (30+) and Barn (40+).The only butterfly we saw all morning was (1) worn Bronze Copper at Lake Quabog (photos).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/16/16 -- Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
    Raptors today at the hawk watch: Osprey 17 ; Bald Eagle 16 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 15 ; Cooper's Hawk 4 ; Broad-winged Hawk 89 ; Red-tailed Hawk 1 ; American Kestrel 4 ; Merlin 1 ; Peregrine Falcon 2 .
  • Raptor Observations: Local merlin, approx 5 local Bald Eagles
  • Non-raptor Observations: hummingbird 1; Monarchs 8
    (report from Rod Chase).

  • 9/15/16 -- High Ridge WMA, Gardner
    A quick early morning walk here today gave us our first Lincoln's Sparrow for the fall season, along with several C yellowthroats, 4 A redstarts, 1 Nashville warbler, 1 Black-throated green, 12 E phoebes, 2 GB herons, 4 Wood ducks, 1 Pileated woodpecker, lots of Chickadees, Catbirds, Song sparrows, etc. (report from Dick & Peg Knowlton).

    9/15/16 -- Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
    Raptors today at the hawk watch:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
    ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
    Osprey                      12             60             63
    Bald Eagle                  15             57             60
    Northern Harrier             6              8              8
    Sharp-shinned Hawk          25            124            132
    Cooper's Hawk                6             27             30
    Northern Goshawk             1              1              1
    Red-shouldered Hawk          3              6              6
    Broad-winged Hawk         1581           2998           3023
    Red-tailed Hawk              1              4              4
    American Kestrel             6             14             17
    Merlin                       0              5              6
    Peregrine Falcon             5             14             15
    
  • Raptor Observations: Non-Migrating - 7 Red-Tailed Hawks, 12 Turkey Vultures
  • Non-raptor Observations: 17 Ravens, 2 Juncos, 2 Chimney Swifts
    (report from Steve Olson).

  • 9/15/16 -- Mount Watatic, Ashburnham
    Raptors today at the hawk watch:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
    ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
    Osprey                       2             28             28
    Bald Eagle                   3             34             34
    Northern Harrier             0              3              3
    Sharp-shinned Hawk           6             51             51
    Cooper's Hawk                1             10             10
    Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
    Red-shouldered Hawk          0              0              0
    Broad-winged Hawk         1699           2374           2374
    Red-tailed Hawk              0              0              0
    Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
    Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
    American Kestrel             3              5              5
    Merlin                       0              2              2
    Peregrine Falcon             0              2              2
    
  • Raptor Observations:
  • The first four digit day of the season was a welcome sight! The optimal conditions proved true as Broad-wings were able to gain altitude and head south without impediment. Huge streams were extremely high over the summit - most birds were counted today as they passed "out of the blue" and through the center of some well placed cumulus clouds.
  • Super-streams were the bulk of the count - including 300+ around 11:15am, 325+ at 12:30pm, and another 325+ at 4:30pm EDT. Bald Eagles and Ospreys regularly escorted the Broad-wings, sharing the thermals. Almost every stream was exceptionally high - making for a lot of likely sore necks tomorrow.
  • Other raptors kept low around the summit, per the individual species' typical flight paths.
  • Non-migrants 16 Turkey Vulture 5 Red-tailed Hawk
  • Non-raptor Observations: 34 Common Raven 4 Monarch Butterfly
    (report from Brian Rusnica).

  • 9/14 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    Today we birded the southeast quadrant of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. It was an unusually poor morning for migrants, and numbers and variety were low -- except for a short list of species: catbirds (near the river), phoebes, and a very few others. For the last week or so, I have been getting up by 3AM and listening for migrants calling overhead till 4AM. This morning was the first time I heard NOTHING in the entire hour.
  • Birds recorded: Great Blue Heron (3); Wood Duck (23); Mallard (2); Sharp-shinned Hawk (3imm, each one accompanied by a retinue of jays that were chasing it or vice versa); NORTHERN GOSHAWK (2ad: this species breeds in this IBA); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Mourning Dove (1); Belted Kingfisher (2); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Downy Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (3); N Flicker (6); Pileated Woodpecker (1);
      E Wood Peewee (2 still calling: when I talked with Donald Kroodsma last week (interview podcasted on www.wicn.org under "Inquiry"); I asked him about these late calling flycatchers and he said many were likely young born this year )
    E Phoebe (33); Red-eyed Vireo (5: still some song first thing); Blue Jay (66); A Crow (2); C Raven (1); Black-capped Chickadee (72); Red-breasted Nuthatch (8: low); White-breasted Nuthatch (6); Brown Creeper (2); House Wren (4); E Bluebird (3); A Robin (18); Gray Catbird (51: especially near the river); Cedar Waxwing (37);
      WARBLERS: N Parula (1); Yellow-rumped (7); Pine (17: very low); Blackpoll (2); Connecticut (1imm vicinity of prison camp); C Yellowthroat (11)
    E Towhee (11); Chipping Sparrow (24); Song Sparrow (4); Swamp Sparrow (18); White-throated Sparrow (6); N Cardinal (12); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Purple Finch (9); A Goldfinch (5);
  • ALSO: E Painted Turtles ; Gray Tree Frogs, Spring Peepers, Green Frogs. Butterflies included 2 fresh looking Great Spangled Fritillaries, and E Tailed Blue, an American Lady and 2 Monarchs. Odes including a large number of meadowhawks, some ovipositing, and a number of Spreadwings Sheila is id-ing from photos. We finally found some decent blooms of Closed Gentian (most that we had seen here up till now had been shrunken and/or wilted because of the drought)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/13/16 -- Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
    Raptors today at the hawk watch: Osprey 9 ; Bald Eagle 4 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 6 ; Red-shouldered Hawk 1 ; Broad-winged Hawk 929 ; American Kestrel 1 .
    (report from Steve Olson).

    9/13/16 -- Mount Watatic, Ashburnham
    Raptors today at the hawk watch: Osprey 7 ; Bald Eagle 7 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 11 ; Cooper's Hawk 3 ; Broad-winged Hawk 254 .
  • Raptor Observations: Morning flight was strong, as Broadwings were leaping up from the green forests of New Hampshire and Massachusetts throughout the morning hours. After lunch, flight patterns went high in the blue once again as Broadwings streamed past the mountain. We were lucky to catch two decent sized kettles in a thermal high over the East Summit - one of 35 birds and a second of 42. Surely many groups were missed as they passed over the top.
  • Best look of the day came right at 8:30 in the bog directly across from the Mt. Watatic parking area on Route 119. I've scoured the dead trees in this stretch of highway every time I drive past it, and today found an adult Broadwing not far from the road. It posed handsomely as it searched for a meal to start its day. A photo of the perched Broad-winged Hawk is up at https://flic.kr/p/LeZTcE
  • Non-migrants: 14 Turkey Vulture; 4 Red-tailed Hawk;
  • Non-raptor Observations: 23 Common Raven; 2 Barn Swallow; 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
    (report from Brian Rusnica).

  • 9/12/16 -- Mount Watatic, Ashburnham
    Raptors today at the hawk watch:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
    ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
    Osprey                       3             19             19
    Bald Eagle                   4             24             24
    Northern Harrier             2              3              3
    Sharp-shinned Hawk          12             34             34
    Cooper's Hawk                2              6              6
    Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
    Red-shouldered Hawk          0              0              0
    Broad-winged Hawk          315            350            350
    Red-tailed Hawk              0              0              0
    Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
    Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
    American Kestrel             1              2              2
    Merlin                       1              2              2
    Peregrine Falcon             0              1              1
    
  • Raptor Observations: Today's count was already shaping up to be the season's best thus far, but a surprise ending really made it worth the hike. The season's first Broad-winged Hawk kettles formed over Watatic's east summit around 11am this morning - yes! A few dozen-strong kettles popped up throughout the day, but around 4:20pm EDT, I caught the front edge of a very long peel of Broadwings as they streamed southward. For the next half-hour, over 200 Broadwings went past the summit in multiple streams, both off the east and west sides of the summit, high up in the blue. The longest continuous stream was 66 individuals. One of the most satisfying ends of any hawkwatch that I've experienced, turning a good day into a great one.
  • The most unique raptor of the day (and the season-to-date) was an adult male Northern Harrier that approached the summit in a high glide from the northeast. Here is a photo of the Gray Ghost Earlier in the day, I observed the first "touchdown" of the fall as a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk perched up in one of the bald trees at the true summit, resting for just a few moments before departing southward.
  • Non-raptor Observations: 44 Common Raven; 3 Cedar Waxwings
    (report from Brian Rusnica).

  • 9/12/16 -- Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
    Raptors today at the hawk watch:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
    ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
    Osprey                      12             27             30
    Bald Eagle                  16             31             34
    Northern Harrier             1              2              2
    Sharp-shinned Hawk          19             91             99
    Cooper's Hawk               12             21             24
    Northern Goshawk             0              0              0
    Red-shouldered Hawk          0              2              2
    Broad-winged Hawk          358            421            446
    Red-tailed Hawk              0              3              3
    Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
    Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
    American Kestrel             3              7             10
    Merlin                       0              5              6
    Peregrine Falcon             5              8              9
    
  • Raptor Observations: Non- migrating - 6 red-Tailed Hawks, 11 Turkey Vultures
    (report from Steve Olson).

  • 9/11/16 -- Lake Quabog, Brookfields
    We returned to LAKE QUABOG this AM JUST after the front and the rain stopped, hoping that (perhaps) the storm had put something down. Initially there were very few shorebirds, then some others flew in (see below).
  • Double-crested Cormorant (flock of 4 on water); Great Blue Heron (3); Great Egret (1: on far side); Canada Goose (93: initially there were only a handful of geese, and then over 30 minutes the rest flew in in small flocks); Mallard (37); Green-winged Teal (3); Bald Eagle (1ad+1imm); Merlin (1: initially seen perched atop a tree far along the shore, calling. see below); Killdeer (3); Greater Yellowlegs (4: initially there was only 1, then the other 3 flew in from various directions at different times); Solitary Sandpiper (1); Least Sandpiper (5: see below);
      BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (1: while watching the few Leasts and yellowlegs, we heard the distinctive unique harsh "reeeeep" (several times) of a Baird's and watched it as it flew in and landed on the flats in front of us!...for all of about 15 seconds (great views) when all of a sudden, it flew off in a hurry. As we were watching it to see where it would go, we saw the MERLIN whiz by, chasing a flock (20+) of un-identified peep (non-calling). These peep had apparently been on the other side of the boat launch from where we started and were still standing. The Merlin pursued the peep up and out and we lost sight of the peep and Merlin and totally lost the Baird's in the chaos. Subsequent searches revealed none of them).
    Ring-billed Gull (11); Common Raven (2: initially seen harassing the adult Bald).
  • NB: NONE of the other lakes/ponds of the Brookfields have any low water/exposed mudflats.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/10/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA and Lake Quabog, Brookfields
    Today we started birding the southern half of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA, and only along a few roads at that. We stumbled across 4 really good waves/movements of passerines. They were all moving RAPIDLY to the east or southeast. I missed c. 80% of the birds because as I was focusing on 1, 8 more would flit by. It was frustrating, but that's forest birding. We also spent just a little time with the hawkwatchers at Barre Falls Dam.
  • Highlights: Double-crested Cormorant (flock of 4 seen at hawkwatch); Turkey Vulture (1); Wood Duck (1); Common Nighthawk (flock of 8: initially spotted by Bill Lafleche, they whizzed by right over our heads mid-morning, heading south); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2); Pileated Woodpecker (3); Olive-sided Flycatcher (1); E Wood Peewee (2); Least Flycatcher (2); E Phoebe (22);
      VIREOS: Yellow-throated (1); Blue-headed (12); Philadelphia (1); Red-eyed (27)
    Common Raven (2); Red-breasted Nuthatch (18); House Wren (1); Winter Wren (1); Hermit Thrush (5); Cedar Waxwing (29);
      WARBLERS: N Parula (1); Yellow (2); Magnolia (1); Cape May (1); Black-throated blue (2); Black-throated Green (12); Blackburnian (2); Pine (39); Blackpoll (4: our first of this fall); Black and White (9); A Redstart (8); Ovenbird (4); C Yellowthroat (20)
    Scarlet Tanager (1); E Towhee (9); C Grackle (flock of 200++ working through forest);. Purple Finch (4);.
  • It started to rain by late morning, so we left the Ware River IBA and headed to Lake Quabog to see if the rain put anything down. Despite there being a major kayaking event going on, we had: Double-crested Cormorant (3); Great Blue Heron (8); Green Heron (1); Canada Goose (101); Mallard (27); Cooper's Hawk (1); Semipalmated Plover (4); Killdeer (7); Greater Yellowlegs (9); Lesser Yellowlegs (1); Solitary Sandpiper (1); Semipalmated Sandpiper (2); Least Sandpiper (11)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 9/5/16 -- Ekblaw Sanctuary/Eames Pond, Paxton
    Have had some interesting sightings on Eames Pond during the period September 2-5. The pond is very low and choked out with lilly pads. There are many areas with small muddy islands and careful scoping is revealing several shorebird and dozens of painted turtles. Some of the highlights were 2 Great Egrets (9/2), (life bird #200 for the Town of Paxton), 4 Great Blue Herons, a maximum of 62 Wood Ducks, 1 Green -winged teal, 2 Blue-winged Teal, 2 Pectoral sandpipers (9/2), 2 Solitary sandpipers, 3 Spotted Sandpipers, 10+ Least sandpipers and 2-3 Semipalmated Plovers(9/5). (report from Rodney Jenkins)

    9/5/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Today we birded around WACHUSETT RESERVOIR. There was nothing earth-shattering but we did see: Common Loon (22); Double-crested Cormorant (59); Great Blue Heron (2); Turkey Vulture (1); Canada Goose (58); Mute Swan (3); Mallard (9); Bald Eagle (1ad); Cooper's Hawk (1imm); A Kestrel (1); Wild Turkey (13); Killdeer (3); Greater Yellowlegs (1 fly-over); Least Sandpiper (2 fly-over); Laughing Gull (1 juv: still here); Ring-billed Gull (30+); Herring Gull (2); Belted Kingfisher (3). Passerines were in low numbers and all typical. NB: People with dogs are really starting to be a problem in several areas of Wachusett where they are clearly (signed) prohibited. Walking out to the Scar Hill Bluff overlook, I passed 3 dogs (with owners). Including off leash. Then I stepped in dog crap. So be forewarned.
    (report from Mark Lynch).

    9/5/16 -- Sterling
    We heard a Common Loon calling as it flew over our house on Redstone Hill in Sterling around 7:30AM today. (report from Marion Larson and Scott Handler).

    9/4/16 -- Notre Dam cemetery, Worcester
    There were two immature black crowned night herons this morning on the beaver dam in the back of Notre Dame Cemetery. (report from Paul Dufault).

    9/1/16 -- Gate 37, Wachusett Reservoir
    There was an adult Common Tern and 2 Red-necked Phalaropes seen from Gate 37 at Wachusett Reservoir this evening. The phalaropes were spotted by Bart Kamp earlier in the afternoon. I could not relocate the Buff-breasted Sandpiper found by Bette Robo earlier in the day. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    9/1/16 -- Dark Brook Reservoir, Auburn
    This morning we heard an Osprey calling. We walked through the woods to get to the opposite side of the cove in order to see the Osprey. We did not see the Osprey, but we did see an Olive-sided Flycatcher hawking insects at the tops of the trees. The woods were loaded with insects there, and we think there were at least 2 Olive-sided Flycatchers there. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    8/29/16 -- Worcester
    Here's a photo of a new yard bird, taken about 6 pm at my house in Worcester. You will note that is has plenty of food to eat if you look at the chipmunk's pouches. (report from Bart Kamp).

    8/29/16 -- Sterling Peat
    At 4:00 PM this afternoon there were 2 Blue-winged Teal sleeping on a log on the east side of Sterling Peat. (report from Bart Kamp).

    8/28/16 -- Otter River State Park/Birch Hill Dam ACE, Winchendon/South Royalston
    Today we birded the OTTER RIVER SP-BIRCH HILL DAM ACE area between Winchendon and South Royalston. At dawn there were a few small groups of breeders feeding and moving, but soon after birds became scarce until as we were winding up our route in the early afternoon and we again found 2 mixed species flocks moving along Millers River. These birds were likely not migrating per se, but more like "staging" for migration, moving around in an area, feeding, picking up new birds in their flock.
  • Highlights: Great Blue Heron (3); Turkey Vulture (1); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1ad); Cooper's Hawk (1imm); Red-shouldered Hawk (1); Broad-winged Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5: attracted to the areas of Cardinal Flower along Otter River); Pileated Woodpecker (4); Eastern Phoebe (49); Eastern Kingbird (2: getting scarce); Yellow-throated Vireo (1); Blue-headed Vireo (4); Red-eyed Vireo (45); Red-breasted Nuthatch (79: at almost every stop); House Wren (4)
      WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (1); Pine (66); Black and White (7); A Redstart (1); C Yellowthroat (37);
    White-throated Sparrow (8); Indigo Bunting (3imm); Baltimore Oriole (3).
  • PLUS: nice show of odonates that included several Dragonhunters; Black-shouldered Spinylegs and nice views of a Canada Darner ovipositing. Afterwards, we headed to a small ecological park in downtown Athol and had great views of 6 AMERICAN RUBYSPOTS.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 8/24/16 -- Gardner
    This morning about 10:00 a.m. a flock of 25-30 Common nighthawks circled over our house for about 15 minutes. They then drifted off to the northeast. (report from Dick Knowlton).

    8/24/16 -- Paxton
    The Snowy Egret continues at Kettle Brook in Paxton. I first reported this bird as a Little Blue Heron based on binocular observation at fairly close range and was shocked when I read Lynch's report of Snowy Egret. I did not see any yellow near the base and the bill appeared to be very pale at the base with black toward the tip. I could see no hint of yellow on the feet although that is not usually obvious in immature Snowy. Oddly, when Mary and I looked at the Snowy tonight, her comment was that the "beak looks different on this bird," That being said, what are the odds of a different bird being present in the same spot? A lesson learned. I should have gone back with a scope to make absolute confirmation before reporting this sighting. I guess a piece of humble pie is in order and I apologize for my error. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

    8/24/16 -- Scar Hill Beach, Boylston
    At Wachusett Reservoir, late this afternoon from Scar Hill Beach in Boylston I observed on the water a juvenile Bonaparte's Gull. It was either flying (feeding) or resting between Sholan and Davenport Points while I was there. (report from Bart Kamp).

    8/24/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Today at noon highlights were: 1 DC Cormarant, 2 GB Herons, 1 Green Heron, 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron (imm), 2 Belted Kingfishers, a Gray Catbird, and 2 Cedar Waxwings. (report from Rick Quimby).

    8/24/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    WE birded WACHUSETT RESERVOIR this morning, including hikes through Gate 17, along the dike, dam, Thomas Basin, and in Gate 13.
  • Highlights: Common Loon (14); Double-crested Cormorant (51: some catching some rather large fish); Great Blue Heron (3); Canada Goose (85); Mute Swan (3); Mallard (14); Bald Eagle (1ad); Wild Turkey (4ad w/13yg+4ad w/3yg); Killdeer (14: all around the high school); Spotted Sandpiper (1);
      LAUGHING GULL (1 juv. Much to our surprise, this bird is still here. I assume it's the same bird. First seen flying around from the shore of Gate 13, then later, from the dike near the building, out on the water. Soon, it took off and flew south again. NB: DCR folks were out in force: driving the dike particularly near the building AND on the water in one of their boats. For those reasons, gulls were scattered and all over but NOT perched near the building.);
    Ring-billed Gull (61); Belted Kingfisher (1); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Wood Peewee (2); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (4); Barn Swallow (30+); Pine Warbler (5); E Towhee (4);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 8/23/16 -- West Hardwick
    On the evenings of 8/21-8/23, we enjoyed good numbers of Common Nighthawks moving overhead. On 8/21 the birds were pretty consistently traveling in a southerly direction. We didn't keep count but saw perhaps 35-40 individuals--many in the distance--before dark. But on 8/22 and 8/23 we couldn't figure out any way to count individuals because they were headed in various directions and also circling repeatedly, actively feeding over our pond and neighboring wetlands. It was really enjoyable watching their graceful, sometimes bat-like flight. There were easily dozens of birds, but I would hesitate to put an actual number on it. The exception was the observation of one "kettle" of about 25 nighthawks riding a thermal and heading south at about 4:45 p.m. on 8/23. Interestingly, I noticed the kettle because one nighthawk called a few times as it passed overhead to join the flock. On all three evenings 15-20 Tree Swallows were also present, along with a few Barn Swallows and at least one Chimney Swift, although these species were hunting insects on a lower level. On 8/24, only two Common Nighthawks were noted here. (report from Wendy Howes & Alan Rawle)

    8/21/16 -- Holden/Paxton/Worcester
    Highlights from some local birding:
  • QUINAPOXET RESERVOIR, HOLDEN: Great Blue Heron (19); Great Egret (11); Bald Eagle (2imm);
  • KETTLEBROOK#4, PAXTON: Snowy Egret (1: continues in exact spot as before. Easily seen without trespassing. I hope this bird is OK, it's not moving); Hooded Merganser (2); Solitary Sandpiper (1);
  • STUMP POND, HOLDEN: Wood Duck (5); Mallard (8); No sign of the Great Egret that has been here.
  • NOTRE DAME CEMETERY, WORCESTER: Great Egret (1); Black-crowned Night Heron (1imm); Belted Kingfisher (1);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 8/18/16 -- Leominster
    I have received a report of 2 Peregrine falcons, 1 likely immature, on the steeple of St Cecelia's church on Mechanic St. in Leominster. (report from Dick Knowlton).

    8/18/16 -- Wastewater Treatment Facility, North Brookfield
    This morning I saw my first evidence of passerine migration along the tree line here at the plant. Seen in one pocket were 2 Warbling Vireos, 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 1 Blue-winged, 1 Chesnut-sided and 3 Prairie Warblers, 1 ovenbird, 1 Baltimore Oriole and 2 Rose-breasted grosbeaks. At the pumping station on Bigelow Street a Great Egret flew by over the farm field. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

    8/17/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    There was a juvenile LAUGHING GULL at Wachusett Reservoir this evening. Seen very far out from gate 40 just south of cemetery island. Constantly in flight and never landed while I was there. It attempted to grab food about 4 times on the surface of the water. Watched it for about 25 minutes until it got too dark. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    8/17/16 -- Paxton
    The Little Blue Heron continues at Kettle Brook Reservoir # 4 along with 3 Killdeer, 1 Greater Yellowlegs and a Solitary Sandpiper.
  • Also, at 7:30 pm a group of 12 Nighthawks migrated over our house. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

  • 8/17/16 -- Kettle Brook Reservoir, Paxton
    The juvenile little blue continues this afternoon, which I spotted while driving home from work along rt 56. (report from Josh Gahagan).

    8/16/16 -- Paxton
    At Kettle Brook Reservoir #4 ( the corner of Rt. 56 and Rt. 122) there was an immature Little Blue Heron at 6pm. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

    8/14/16 -- Quinapoxet Reservoir, Holden
    This morning there were 8 Great Egrets on the reservoir. There were no close shorebirds but several could be seen at the furthest mud flats you can see, but too far to id any of the peep. I did see 1 Greater Yellowlegs and a Black-bellied Plover was heard and seen flying away. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

    8/14/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    This morning we checked out WACHUSETT RESERVOIR to see if the storms put down any migrants, like terns. Short answer: NO. Plus there were far fewer loons than just a few days ago. Highlights were: Common Loon (5); Double-crested Cormorant (39); Canada Goose (147); Mute Swan (3); Mallard (10); Red-tailed Hawk (2: we watched 1 at the high school catch and leisurely eat a RAT! We have the pics to prove it); American Kestrel (1imm); Wild Turkey (7ad+ad pr w/6yg); Killdeer (1); Spotted Sandpiper (4); Ring-billed Gull (28);
  • Passerines were few in number and variety. We did have: E Wood Peewee (2); E Phoebe (2); E Kingbird (6). A few swallows were moving, all Trees and Barns. We did see (14) Eastern Bluebirds and (3) Baltimore Orioles. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 8/13/16 -- Quabbin Gate 43
    In the cove at Quabbin gate 43 in Hardwick this afternoon, feeding with 15-20 Canada Geese, there were: 2 Great Blue Herons, 1 Great Egret and one huge Wild Turkey. There were also 18 Common Mergansers , 15 Killdeer, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 2 Solitary Sandpipers , 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 10 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper and 1 Least Sandpiper. (report from Bart Kamp).

    8/11/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    This morning we got in a quick tour around WACHUSETT RESERVOIR. Highlights: Common Loon (20); Double-crested Cormorant (35); Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (158); Mute Swan (4); Mallard (12: several were seen diving and coming up with looked like either small clams or snails); Bald Eagle (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Greater Yellowlegs (1 overhead calling); Ring-billed Gull (78); E Wood Peewee (2); E Phoebe (7); E Kingbird (3); Tree Swallow (10); Barn Swallow (1); E Bluebird (9); Hermit Thrush (1 just fledged)
  • really not much shorebird habitat at all or any bars for terns to land on.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 8/8/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We spent this morning birding the ponds of the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields). There is still a small muddy edge at Lake Quabog and there were a few shorebirds found there. Very frustrating was arriving at the boat launch lot and seeing a flock of 20+ shorebirds (looked like peeps) fly up and out before they could be ID'd. Talking to a local fisherman, apparently a Great Egret has been putting in an appearance here, but we did not see it today. We also got reports of a very vocal loon and 2 eagles at South Pond (Quacumquasit) but we also did not find those species there.
  • Highlights: Double-crested Cormorant (2); Great Blue Heron (12); Turkey Vulture (2); Canada Goose (19); Wood Duck (11); Mallard (76); Hooded Merganser (1 imm); Osprey (1); Bald Eagle (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (4); Killdeer (12); Least Sandpiper (4); Belted Kingfisher (2); E Wood Peewee (4); E Phoebe (3); E Kingbird (28);
  • VIREOS: Yellow-throated (1); Warbling (3); Red-eyed (11);
  • SWALLOWS: Tree (427); Bank (2); Cliff (1); Barn (76);.
    Veery (2);
  • WARBLERS: Yellow (3); A Redstart (3); C Yellowthroat (10);.
    Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Bobolink (3 overhead); Baltimore Oriole (23)
  • NB: they are going to be treating some of the Lakes like Wickabog with algicide in the upcoming weeks.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 8/7/16 -- Winchendon/South Royalston
    Today we birded the OTTER RIVER SP-BIRCH HILL DAM wooded parcel in Winchendon and South Royalston. Bird song is down to the few persistent singers, like vireos, and even they were mostly singing only shortly after dawn. Very few warblers were seen compared to the numbers and variety that breed here. Spishing and Screech-owling had little effect. This is all very typical for forest birding at this time of the year. Highlights: Great Blue Heron (4); GREAT EGRET (3 in 1 small wooded marsh); Canada Goose (only 1!); Wood Duck (24); Bald Eagle (2 different adults); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1ad: breeder?); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (2young birds); Wild Turkey (17); Killdeer (2); Solitary Sandpiper (1 flushed by egret, otherwise we never would have seen it); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (4); Belted Kingfisher (3); Pileated Woodpecker (4); E Wood Peewee (1); E Phoebe (10); E Kingbird (20); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (25); C Raven (4); Red-breasted Nuthatch (35); Hermit Thrush (28); Wood Thrush (2); Cedar Waxwing (18: all adults); E Towhee (11: including 2 just fledged birds); White-throated Sparrow (6: including 1 just fledged bird. NB: this parcel hosts a decent breeding population of this species); Baltimore Oriole (1 non-adult male); Purple Finch (3).
  • PLUS: White-tailed Deer (2); not much in the way of butterflies, but some very nice odonates including 4 Dragonhunters and Sheila photoed a state-listed Zebra Clubtail. Nice day
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 8/6/16 -- Holden Ponds
  • Today at Eagle Lake there was a Great Egret on the right side of the causeway. There were also a lot of Barn Swallows.
  • At Quinapoxet Reservoir there was another Great Egret and 3 Ravens. There were no shorebirds, probably due to the fact of a Peregrine Falcon that was perched on a limb.
    (report from Peter Morlock).

  • 8/4/16 -- Worcester
    At 3:15 PM a red tail hawk was circling over the intersection of I-290 and Southbridge Street (near National Grid). It was quite apparent that jesses were attached to the hawk's legs. (report from Deborah Norling).

    8/4/16 -- Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester
    At 6:55 this evening there were 2 immature Black-crowned Night Herons standing side by side on the beaver dam at Notre Dame Cemetery. (report from Bart Kamp).

    7/31/16 -- High Ridge WMA and Winchendon
  • An afternoon walk at High Ridge WMA in Gardner, Ma. brought the following hilights: Wood Duck 12; American Bittern 1; Green Heron 2; Black-billed Cuckoo 2; Barred Owl 1. complete list
  • At Whitney Pond (Wichendon, Ma): Peregrine Falcon 1; Purple Finch 1;. Understandably , NO egrets or shorebirds. Complete list
    (report from Tom Pirro).

  • 7/30/16 -- Leominster/Westminster
    Loon survey in northern MA:
  • Notown Reservoir (Leominster, Ma): Common Loon (1 adult and 2 young) - details
  • Wachusett Lake (westminster, Ma.): Common Loon (2 adults and 1 young): details
    (report from Tom Pirro).

  • 7/30/16 -- Quabbin gate 43
    Late this afternoon in the cove at the end of the short paved road opposite the Quabbin Gate 43 porta-potty, there was 1 Greater Yellowlegs and an Immature Northern Goshawk. It was hawking insects while perched on the tree stumps on the east side of the cove, which have been exposed by the lowering water. It seemed to be successful, bending down to its talons several times as if to eat something. The water level is lower now than it was at the end of 2014 and 2015. (report from Bart Kamp).

    7/26/16 -- Whitney Pond, Winchendon
    Little Blue Heron (juvenile) continues this morning. Observed from 10:00 - 10:30 AM and was there when I left. It is on the large muddy area with vegetation to the northwest and north of the cemetery. (report from Ed Kittredge)

    7/26/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    Today we spent the morning birding the QUABOG IBA (staying mostly in the Brookfields). We concentrated on the major ponds and a few other areas. Nothing earth shattering BUT water levels are down a bit on Lake Quabog and there is now a muddy edge attracting a few shorebirds. In years past, this lake has produced some very interesting inland shorebird records, so birders should plan on checking this spot in the next month or so. A scope is required.
  • Highlights: Double-crested Cormorant (4); Great Blue Heron (7); Turkey Vulture (1); Canada Goose (135); Wood Duck (11); Mallard 6ad+1f w/4yg+1f w/5yg); Hooded Merganser (1 juv); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Wild Turkey (12); Virginia Rail (1); Killdeer (16); Greater Yellowlegs (2); Solitary Sandpiper (2); Least Sandpiper (3); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); E Wood Peewee (5); Willow Flycatcher (2); E Kingbird (29);
      VIREOS: Yellow-throated (3); Warbling (19); Red-eyed (19)
    Tree Swallow (62); Barn Swallow (22); Brown Creeper (1); Yellow Warbler (only 4: no song!); Black and White-Warbler (1); C Yellowthroat (20); Swamp Sparrow (21: still singing); Indigo Bunting (2).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 7/25/16 -- Whitney Pond, Winchendon
    This noon there was a juvenile Little Blue Heron at Whitney Pond in Winchendon. I viewed the pond from the west side of Riverside Cemetery, on the west side Glen Allen Road just north of the junction with Rte 12. There is a little "herd path" down to the water on the SW side of the cemetery. Here are photos. Yesterday there were 2 Great Egrets. The water level is quite low. The pond can also be viewed from the bike path where there are several vantage points.. (report from Tom Pirro).

    7/24/16 -- West Boylston
    A flock of seven Great Egrets flew over the town common around 7:15 pm. (report from Scott Handler and Marion Larson).

    7/21/2016 -- Auburn
    At 3:15 PM an osprey was hovering and diving into Auburn Pond (next to Auburn Fire Department headquarters). (report from Deborah Norling)

    7/20/16 -- Quinapoxet Reservoir, Holden
    Shorebirds, including 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Least Sandpipers, and 2 Great Egrets, have arrived at the Quinapoxet Reservoir in Holden.
  • The Glossy Ibis found by Ed Kittredge at Sterling Peat was still there at 3:30 PM.
    (report from Bart Kamp).

  • 7/16/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    We spent this morning birding along the dirt roads that run along the western edge of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. These roads are heavily forested and are less visited by other non-birding people. Bird song continues to drop off, and we saw a number of warblers that were uttering no vocalizations. Species still singing (as of this writing) included the vireos, Hermit Thrush, some Chestnut-sided, Pine, Black-throated Blue and Black-throated Green Warblers. Many tanagers were still singing. A few Ovenbirds did brief vocalizations, but we saw others that were silent. We did see a number of warbler species feeding just fledged young that were following them through the foliage. These included: Chestnut-sided, Pine, Prairie and Ovenbirds.
  • Highlights included: Great Blue Heron (4ad+5 yg in 2 nests. They looked ready to leave); Broad-winged Hawk (6); Killdeer (1); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); Belted Kingfisher (4); E Wood Peewee (11); Alder Flycatcher (2 vocalized briefly and were also seen); E Kingbird (7); Blue-headed Vireo (6); Red-eyed Vireo (66); Red-breasted Nuthatch (10); House Wren (1); Winter Wren (1); Veery (5); Hermit Thrush (26); Wood Thrush (3);
      WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (11); Black-throated Blue (13); Yellow-rumped (7); Black-throated Green (16); Blackburnian (1); Pine (18); Prairie (3); Black and White (2); Ovenbird (10); C Yellowthroat (22)
    Scarlet Tanager (19); E Towhee (14); Swamp Sparrow (14); Indigo Bunting (4).
  • NB: we saw NO Red-winged Blackbirds in the marshes where they commonly breed. They are still "around" but many are no longer on their breeding areas. Many are coming to my feeders in the city.
  • BESIDES BIRDS: Great show of dragonflies including several BLACK-SHOULDERED SPINYLEGS and POWDERED DANCERS. Butterflies included a good flight of Great Spangled Fritillaries in the forest. The mammal highlight was seeing a LONG-TAILED WEASEL well. Blooms included a nice showing of the orchid WHITE-FRINGED ORCHIS. RATTLESNAKE PLANTAIN, another orchid, will be in bloom by next weekend or even before. Great day to be afield!
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 7/9/16 -- Glen Valley Cemetery, Barre
    Thank you to Lucy Allen for posting about a bird she was questioning (Merlin). That being a "non -breeder", Amy Johnson and I went to Glen Valley Cemetery in Barre. We quickly encountered an adult male Merlin, then a female. After 3 hours and many mosquito bites later we had 6 total Merlins!!!!! Lots of tree hopping going on by 4. Many photos, videos and audio recorded. I am no Merlin nesting expert but thats a lot of Merlins in Massachusetts in the summer or any time of the year in 3 trees!! I saw one adult Merlin mount a female. No physical nest was found, but I think we can assume that this is a first (?) reported nesting Merlin within Worcester County! Now can someone find a Mississippi Kite nest!?!? (report from Justin Lawson).

    7/8/16 -- Vaughn Hills, Bolton
    WE birded the VAUGHN HILLS CONSERVATION AREA in BOLTON. Highlights were: Great Blue Heron (3ad+6yng in 2 nests. 1 yng was a dramatic leucistic individual, white with a pale bill with some slight gray on remiges. Another bird in that same nest was a runt that looks like it may not survive); Mallard (1f); Barred Owl (1); Chimney Swift (6); Belted Kingfisher (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Downy Woodpecker (5); Hairy Woodpecker (4); N Flicker (3); Pileated Woodpecker (2: 1ad trailed by a newly fledged yg); E Wood Peewee (3); E Phoebe (6); Great Crested Flycatcher (pair attending nest hole); E Kingbird (2); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (3); Brown Creeper (2); Hermit Thrush (2); Pine Warbler (2); Scarlet Tanager (2); E Towhee (7); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Baltimore Oriole (8 yng birds in loose congregation);
  • PLUS: White-tailed Deer (1) and Eastern Coyote (1).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 7/4/16 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    I stopped at Sterling Peat today and was surprised to find that the west side was almost empty of water. There were 30-35 Killdeer, 5 Spotted Sandpipers and 1 Solitary Sandpiper. I guess that the "Fall" migration of shorebirds has begun. report from Bart Kamp).

    7/3/16 -- Bolton Flats
    Early this afternoon I saw or heard at the farm pond in Bolton Flats 1 Sandhill Crane, 1 Northern Bobwhite and 1 Marsh Wren. The water level at the farm pond is down about 6 inches from a couple of weeks ago. The water looks too shallow for ducks north of the farm pond; but OK for wading birds and rails. (report from Bart Kamp).

    7/3/16 -- Heard St., Worcester
    We were in my backyard when a bald eagle flew low and slow right over the yard in the am, heading toward the auburn and Leicester vicinity. It was crazy. (report from vin Dacri).

    6/26/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Highlights of the Forbush Bird Club trip around Wachusett Reservoir this morning included a pair of Common Loons with 2 recently fledged young. Other highlights were: Wood Duck (1); Common Merganser (1); Common Loon (14; 11 adults, 1 juv, 2 recently fledged); Double-crested Cormorant (17); Cooper's Hawk (1); Spotted Sandpiper (7); Red-breasted Nuthatch (2); Brown Creeper (2); Eastern Bluebird (6); Veery (1); Wood Thrush (9); Cedar Waxwing (11); Ovenbird (18); Black-and-white Warbler (5); Common Yellowthroat (8); American Redstart (4); Yellow Warbler (2); Chestnut-sided Warbler (2); Pine Warbler (13; one feeding cowbird); Prairie Warbler (4); Chipping Sparrow (8); Field Sparrow (2); Savannah Sparrow (6); Scarlet Tanager (12); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (6); Indigo Bunting (2); Orchard Oriole (1); Baltimore Oriole (6); Purple Finch (1).
    (report from Kevin Bourinot, fide Deb Berard)

    6/25/16 -- Brookfield
    Walked in on the rt.148 section of the railroad track for my annual Marsh Wren check. Being a few weeks later than usual I found it to be very quiet songwise. Highlight was a KING RAIL that flew about 30 feet and dropped it the marsh. I played a tape but it didn't respond. 30 minutes later I thought I could hear some faint ticking type noises but it never grunted like they can do. Other highlights were 1 Am. Bittern, 4 Virginia Rails, 4 Marsh Wrens (all these birds were on the North side) 2 Yellow-throated Vireos, 6 Warbling Vireos but no Willow or Alder Flycatcher which was surprising. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

    6/22/16 Royalston
    Today we hiked to Long Pond, Royalston, but this time by hiking along the Tully Trail SOUTH from Rt. 68. This was a more interesting trail and included a fine cut through some power line habitats and offered good views of the marshes at the north end of the pond.
  • Great Blue Heron (1); Wood Duck (4+1f w/5yg); Wild Turkey (1); Black-billed Cuckoo (3); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (12); Downy Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (2); Pileated Woodpecker (2); E Wood Peewee (3); Alder Flycatcher (5); E Phoebe (2); Blue-headed Vireo (3); Red-eyed Vireo (27); Blue Jay (3); A Crow (4); C Raven (1); Tree Swallow (4); Black-capped Chickadee (18); Tufted Titmouse (6); Red-breasted Nuthatch (6); Brown Creeper (2); Veery (21); Hermit Thrush (8); A Robin (5); Gray Catbird (7); Cedar Waxwing (3+ 1 nest building);
      WARBLERS: Yellow (5);; Chestnut-sided (3);; Black-throated Blue (3);; Black-throated Green (6);; Pine (4);; Black and White (3);; A Redstart (1);; Ovenbird (13);; C Yellowthroat (14);
    Scarlet Tanager (7); E Towhee (2); Chipping Sparrow (15); Song Sparrow (5); Swamp Sparrow (7); Dark-eyed Junco (1); N Cardinal (3); Red-winged Blackbird (18); Purple Finch (4)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 6/20/16 -- Royalston
    Today, we hiked the trail to Long Pond in Royalston. This area is north of Tully Dam and Lake. Birds noted were: Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (5); Wood Duck (1f); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Mourning Dove (6); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (7); Pileated Wodpecker (2); E Wood Peewee (8); Alder Flycatcher (2); E Phoebe (2); Blue-headed Vireo (7); Red-eyed Vireo (43); Blue Jay (19); Common Raven (3); Tree Swallow (5); Barn Swallow (1); Black-capped Chickadee (14); Tufted Titmouse (12); Red-breasted Nuthatch (16); White-breasted Nuthatch (6); Brown Creeper (3); Winter Wren (1); Veery (16); Hermit Thrush (11); A Robin (6); Gray Catbird (5); Cedar Waxwing (2); Scarlet Tanager (7); Chipping Sparrow (8); Song Sparrow (6); Swamp Sparrow (3); Dark-eyed Junco (1); Red-winged Blackbird (8); Baltimore Oriole (4); Purple Finch (2); A Goldfinch (3)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    6/15/16 -- Greenbrier Park, Oxford
    The first egg has hatched at the Osprey nest at Greenbrier. Viewing is available via the Osprey cam. There was some early morning activity with both parents deepening and adding to the nest. They are still sitting tight on the nest for the other 2 eggs. You do get occasional glimpses of the chick. I'm sure the nest will get busier as they now have to feed at least one chick. (report from Paul Meleski).

    6/11/16 -- Ware River Breeding Bird Survey
    From 4:42 am to 10:10AM I "ran" through the Ware River BBS route, consisting of 50 standardize point counts, 3 minutes each, spaced 1/2 mile apart. This 24.5 mile route meanders from east Petersham through portions of the Ware River Watershed including some of Rutland State Park. Calm conditions made for excellent listening conditions (start to finish) while the cool temps kept the biting insects in check. Dale Montette setup this route in 1993 and I have been pleased to keep it going for the past 5 years. (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/11/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We started today well before dawn birding in the Brookfields, mostly in the Quabog IBA. Here are some of our totals: Great Blue Heron (6ad+14yg in five nests in 1 rookery); Canada Goose (9+pr w/6yg); Wild Turkey (8); Virginia Rail (4); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2); Whip-Poor-Will (11); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Eastern Peewee (14); Alder Flycatcher (1); Willow Flycatcher (7); Least Flycatcher (2); Eastern Phoebe (37); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); Eastern Kingbird (22);
  • VIREOS: Yellow-throated (4); Warbling (26); Red-eyed (37).
  • WRENS: Carolina (5); House (6); Marsh (3).
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2); Eastern Bluebird (6); Veery (37); Hermit Thrush (3); Wood Thrush (19);
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1); Yellow (43); Chestnut-sided (18); Black-throated Blue (1); Pine (9); Black and White (2); A Redstart (31); Worm-eating (1); Ovenbird (17); Louisiana Waterthrush (3); C Yellowthroat (37).NB: we could not relocate the singing Cerulean we found a week back.
    Scarlet Tanager (6); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (7); Indigo Bunting (1); Bobolink (12); Baltimore Oriole (11);
  • NB: we had a great before dawn mammal show including: E Cottontail, Striped Skunk, Raccoon, Bobcat, Red Fox and Star-nosed Mole.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 6/8/16 -- Wells State Park, Sturbridge
    Highlights from a morning hike around WELLS STATE PARK (Sturbridge): Broad-winged Hawk (2); Wild Turkey (3); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (3: pair seen mating); Belted Kingfisher (1); E Wood Peewee (3); Willow Flycatcher (2); Least Flycatcher (2); Red-eyed Vireo (17); Common Raven (1); Brown Creeper (3); Winter Wren (1); Veery (3); Hermit Thrush (2); Wood Thrush (1); Scarlet Tanager (4); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (7); Indigo Bunting (2); Baltimore Oriole (9); Purple Finch (4)
  • PLUS: 6 species of butterfly including Zabulon and Pepper and Salt Skippers; 12 species of odonates including Spangled Skimmer and Slaty Skimmer and Sedge Sprites.NB: the forest is infested with caterpillars and their frass is really falling.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 6/8/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
  • Highlights this morning: Wild Turkey (1); Great Blue Heron (1 - on nest); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (9); Willow Flycatcher (2); Eastern Phoebe (1); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); Eastern Kingbird (1); Warbling Vireo (8); Red-eyed Vireo (3); House Wren (4); Carolina Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (5); Wood Thrush (1); Cedar Waxwing (2); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Common Yellowthroat (7); Yellow Warbler (7); Prairie Warbler (3); Field Sparrow (4); Eastern Towhee (7); Scarlet Tanager (2); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3); Baltimore Oriole (13 - including a male leaving a nest);
  • I also had 3 Northern Water Snakes and a good number of Garter Snakes.
    (report from John Liller).

  • 6/4/2016 -- Barre Falls Dam & Rutland State Park
    Highlights of the Forbush Bird Club's trip to the Ware River Watershed IBA included an Osprey, two Broad-winged Hawks, the Barre Falls Common Ravens, and stunning views of a Black-throated Green Warbler. Ten species of breeding warblers were observed. We recorded 58 species, including these selected totals: Osprey 1; Broad-winged Hawk 2; Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1; Cuckoo species 1; Alder Flycatcher 1; Willow Flycatcher 1; Least Flycatcher 3; Great Crested Flycatcher 1; Red-breasted Nuthatch 4; Veery 2; Hermit Thrush 1; Wood Thrush 1; Ovenbird 14 (minimum); Blue-winged Warbler 4; Black-and-white Warbler 1; Common Yellowthroat 18; American Redstart 1; Blackburnian Warbler 1; Yellow Warbler 9; Chestnut-sided Warbler 3; Pine Warbler 8; Black-throated Green Warbler 3; Swamp Sparrow 3; Scarlet Tanager 8; Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3; Indigo Bunting 3; Bobolink 6;
  • BUTTERFLIES: Dave Grant identified the butterflies seen during the trip and recorded eleven species
  • REPTILES: We were delighted to see a glorious Snapping Turtle laying her eggs at the Barre Falls Canoe Launch.
    (report from Donna Schilling and Dave Grant, fide Deb Berard).

  • 6/2/16 -- Barre Falls Dam / Ware River IBA
    Highlights recorded with Donna Schilling and Dave Grant: Wood Duck 3; Coopers Hawk 1; Sharp-shinned Hawk 1; Red-shouldered Hawk 1; Broad-winged Hawk 2; Spotted Sandpiper 1; Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2; Hairy Woodpecker 1; Eastern Wood-Pewee 1; Least Flycatcher 7+; Willow Flycatcher 4+; Eastern Phoebe 3; Great-crested Flycatcher 1; Eastern Kingbird 4+; Blue-headed Vireo 1; Red-eyed Vireo 11+; Warbling Vireo 2; Common Raven 2; Red-breasted Nuthatch 2; Brown Creeper 2; Veery 3+; Wood Thrush 1; Cedar Waxwings 14+; Blue-winged Warbler 3; Yellow Warbler5+; Chestnut-sided Warbler 4; Black-throated Blue Warbler 1; Black and White Warbler 6+; Black-throated Green Warbler 3; Pine Warbler 12+; Prairie Warbler 3; American Redstart 1; Ovenbird +; Common Yellowthroat 7+; Eastern Towhee 4; Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3+; Indigo Bunting 3; Bobolink 10+; Baltimore Oriole 7+; Purple Finch 1.
    (report from Bobbye Samdahl).

    6/2/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this morning: Green Heron (6 - including 2 being chased by Grackles; 4 in Wilson Swamp and 2 in Green Heron Pond); Spotted Sandpiper (1); American Woodcock (1 - flushed from edge of brook); Red-bellied Woodpecker (4); Eastern Wood-Pewee (9); Willow Flycatcher (4); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); Eastern Kingbird (1); Warbling Vireo (7); Red-eyed Vireo (2); House Wren (2); Carolina Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (3 - including pair around nest box); Wood Thrush (4); Brown Thrasher (1); Cedar Waxwing (38 - probably more); Ovenbird (3); Blue-winged Warbler (2); Common Yellowthroat (4); Yellow Warbler (5); Prairie Warbler (5); Field Sparrow (5); Song Sparrow (20 - including bird feeding young Cowbird); Eastern Towhee (7); Scarlet Tanager (5); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4); Brown-headed Cowbird (3 - including young bird being fed by Song Sparrow); Baltimore Oriole (8). (report from John Liller).

    5/29/16 -- DCR Krstoff farm, West Boylston
    Highlights of 42 species seen or heard on the Forbush Bird Club trip: Black-billed cuckoo (heard), great views of Scarlet tanager (3) and Blue-winged warbler (3). Also Broad-winged hawk, American kestrel, Wild turkey (4), Eastern wood-pewee, Eastern phoebe, Great-crested flycatcher(2), Red-eyed vireo (many), Common raven(2), Veery(2), Wood thrush, Cedar waxwing(9), Yellow warbler(many), Chestnut-sided warbler(many), Black-and-white warbler(2), American redstart(3), Ovenbird, Common yellowthroat(many), Rose-breasted grosbeak(2), Indigo bunting(3), Baltimore oriole(2). (report from Peg and Dick Knowlton).

    5/29/16 -- GATE 40, Wachusett Reservoir
    At 2 PM today resting on one of the rocky sandbars that surround the bushy island near gate 40 at Wachusett Reservoir there was a Caspian Tern. The tern was still there at 5 PM. (report from Bart Kamp).

    5/26/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    I took a long walk this morning at Broad Meadow Brook. This is the first time in years that I have walked a loop around the whole Sanctuary, including visiting the Wilson Meadow, which was not part of the Sanctuary the last time.
  • Highlights: Canada Goose (13 - 3 adults together, with a total of 10 young); Wood Duck (female with 4 young); Gadwall (1 - same male that has been present for weeks, still quacking, but unaccompanied); Great Blue Heron (1 on nest); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (7); Hairy Woodpecker (3); Eastern Wood-Pewee (8); Willow Flycatcher (4); Eastern Phoebe (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); Eastern Kingbird (3); Warbling Vireo (5); Red-eyed Vireo (7); House Wren (2 - including one on nest box); Carolina Wren (1); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2); Eastern Bluebird (2); Wood Thrush (3); Gray Catbird (16); Cedar Waxwing (35 - probably more; several different groups); Ovenbird (1); Blue-winged Warbler (3); Black-and-white Warbler (1); Common Yellowthroat (13); American Redstart (5); Magnolia Warbler (1); Yellow Warbler (8); Blackpoll Warbler (2); Prairie Warbler (4); Black-throated Green Warbler (1); Canada Warbler (1 - singing continuously); Eastern Towhee (6); Field Sparrow (4); Scarlet Tanager (3); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (12); Indigo Bunting (1); Baltimore Oriole (11)
  • Also, a good number of Garter Snakes and 3 Northern Water Snakes, including one that was definitely over 3 feet in length, spooked off a rock wall adjacent to Green Heron Pond.
    (report from John Liller).

  • 5/25/16 -- Hope Cemetery, Worcester
    There was a Black-Billed Cuckoo with a caterpillar , and two Red-Tailed Hawks . I think the top one is an adult and the bottom one is a fledgling. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    5/25/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Here are highlights from this morning on a walk at Broad Meadow Brook. Please note that my primary purpose was to take photos, so I did not do a formal count on species with large numbers (thus the Xs). I also made the mistake of not staying in one place for an extended period of time, so I did not get that many good shots.
  • Gadwall (1 male following a female Mallard) Mallard (14 - 2 females, one with 9 young, the other being followed by a Gadwall, and 3 males); Great Blue Heron (1 - on nest); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Northern Flicker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (2); Alder Flycatcher (1 - giving distinctive call near Green Heron Pond); Willow Flycatcher (3 - I finally was able to confirm one bird that has been confounding me the past several trips); Eastern Phoebe (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Eastern Kingbird (2); House Wren (2 - including one perched on a nest box); Carolina Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (1 male); Wood Thrush (2); Cedar Waxwing (5); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Common Yellowthroat (X); American Redstart (1); Yellow Warbler (X); Field Sparrow (4); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (X); Baltimore Oriole (X); (report from John Liller).

  • 5/24/16 -- Lake Dennison/Otter River SF, Winchendon
    Highlights seen and/or heard during a lunch break today:
  • Common Loon ...1 (adult on Lake Dennsion); Killdeer... 2; Barred Owl (Northern)... 1 (calling); Ruby-throated Hummingbird... 1 (female); Pileated Woodpecker ...1; Alder Flycatcher 2; Least Flycatcher 1; Eastern Phoebe 1; Eastern Kingbird 3; Warbling Vireo (Eastern) 2; Red-eyed Vireo 3; Tree Swallow 12; Bank Swallow 3; Barn Swallow (American) 2; Red-breasted Nuthatch 1; Veery 1; Hermit Thrush 1; Ovenbird 4; Nashville Warbler 1; Common Yellowthroat 6; American Redstart 1; Yellow Warbler (Northern) 5; Chestnut-sided Warbler 3; Pine Warbler 3; Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2; White-throated Sparrow 3; Swamp Sparrow 2; Eastern Towhee 2; Purple Finch (Eastern) 3.
    (report from Tom Pirro).

  • 5/23/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon on the Troiano-Heron Pond Loop: Wood Duck (1 female w/ 4 young); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Northern Flicker (2 - copulating); Willow Flycatcher (2); "Empidonax" species (1 - giving one-note call; likely a Willow); Eastern Phoebe (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); Eastern Kingbird (1); Warbling Vireo (6); House Wren (3 - one on box); Carolina Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (3 - including pair); Wood Thrush (3); Gray Catbird (4 - including pair, one carrying material); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Common Yellowthroat (13 - including male chasing female); American Redstart (1); Yellow Warbler (8); Prairie Warbler (1); Eastern Towhee (3); Field Sparrow (3); Song Sparrow (14); Scarlet Tanager (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4); Indigo Bunting (1 female); Baltimore Oriole (9). (report from John Liller).

    5/21/16 -- Millbury
    On the Forbush Field Trip to the Millbury Bike Path and a portion of the Brierly Pond Conservation Area, highlights included: Black-billed Cuckoo-1; Hairy Woodpecker-1; Eastern Wood-Pewee-2; Eastern Phoebe-1; Great Crested Flycatcher-1; Eastern Kingbird-2; Warbling Vireo-3; Red-eyed Vireo-4; Northern Rough-winged Swallow-1; Veery-4; Cedar Waxwing-11; Ovenbird-3; Blue-winged Warbler-1; Common Yellowthroat-3; American Redstart-8; Pine Warbler-1; Scarlet Tanager-1; Rose-breasted Grosbeak-2; Orchard Oriole-2 (male and female)
    (report from Alan Marble).

    5/19/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    In a morning walk, the most interesting sighting may have been the male Gadwall in the Green Heron Pond who began following a female duck with 3 very young birds almost on her back. I did not get good looks at the female, so I am not sure if it was a Mallard or a Gadwall. Per the recently completed Breeding Bird Atlas, Gadwalls are known to breed near the coast in eastern Massachusetts, so if it is a female Gadwall, this would be a big deal. (If you are in the area of the Green Heron Pond, please keep an eye out for this female.)
  • Highlights: Gadwall (1 male + an unidentified female w/ 3 young; see above); Great Blue Heron (2 - one on nest); Green Heron (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Alder Flycatcher (1 - perched and calling); Willow Flycatcher (4 - all calling); Least Flycatcher (1); Eastern Phoebe (1 - around possible nest site in culvert); Great Crested Flycatcher (2 - pair); Eastern Kingbird (2); Warbling Vireo (6); Red-eyed Vireo (2); Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2 - could be nesting in wall across pond); House Wren (2); Carolina Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (3 - including female carrying material); Wood Thrush (2); Gray Catbird (12 - including multiple pairs); Cedar Waxwing (4); Ovenbird (1); Blue-winged Warbler (2); Common Yellowthroat (10); American Redstart (1 male); Northern Parula (1); Yellow Warbler (7); Canada Warbler (1 - singing regularly; good looks); Eastern Towhee (3); Chipping Sparrow (2); Field Sparrow (2); Song Sparrow (11); Scarlet Tanager (2); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (7 - including one pair); Baltimore Oriole (6).
    (report from John Liller).

  • 5/19/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    This morning we birded the southern sections of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA, driving a wide loop. Despite the clouds and morning showers, there was a good show of breeding species, though only a handful of migrants.
  • Highlights: American Bittern (2); Great Blue Heron (1: we did not check any rookeries); Canada Goose (4+pr w/2yg); Wood Duck (3); Mallard (4+1f w/8yg); N Goshawk (1ad); Red-shouldered Hawk (1); Broad-winged Hawk (3); Ruffed Grouse (2); Wild Turkey (1: despite presence of turkey hunters); Virginia Rail (4); Sora (1); Solitary Sandpiper (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2); Pileated Woodpecker (4); E Wood Peewee (2); Least Flycatcher (18 nb: no sign yet of Alder or Willows both of which breed here); E Phoebe (11); Great Crested Flycatcher (3); E Kingbird (7);
      VIREOS: Yellow-throated (4); Blue-headed (5: decreasing as a breeder here); Warbling (7); Red-eyed (68).
    Red-breasted Nuthatch (17); Winter Wren (1); Veery (8); Hermit Thrush (37); Wood Thrush (4);
      WARBLERS: (nb: "*" indicates a species that breeds in the IBA): *Blue-winged (6); *Nashville (2); N Parula; *Yellow (30); *Chestnut-sided (62); *Magnolia (4); Cape May (1); *Black-throated Blue (14); *Yellow-rumped (16); *Black-throated Green (26); *Blackburnian (5: decreasing as a breeder); *Pine (24); *Prairie (9); Bay-breasted (1); *Black and White (24); *A Redstart (15); *Ovenbird (150); *Northern Waterthrush (5); *Louisiana Waterthrush (1: decreasing); *C Yellowthroat (78); *Canada (3).
    Scarlet Tanager (28); E Towhee (57); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (23); Indigo Bunting (3m); Bobolink (12: these birds attempt to nest in several grasslands where people play disc golf and run dogs. Their success is not great as you can imagine); Baltimore Oriole (13); Purple Finch (4)
  • Plus: Porcupine up a tree and a small showing of Painted Trillium.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/18/16 -- Gate 40, Wachusett Reservoir
    From Wachusett Reservoir Gate 40 in Clinton this afternoon, feeding on the rocky sandbars surrounding the bushy island were 3 Semi-palmated Plovers, 1 Dunlin and 3 Spotted Sandpipers. (report from Bart Kamp).

    5/18/16 -- Winchendon-South Royalston
    Today we birded the parcel between Otter River SP/Lake Denison and Birch Hill Dam (Winchenden to South Royalston). We had a lot of birds, but MOST of them were migrant breeders (except for the Tennessee, Parulas and Cape May). But some of the numbers of the breeding species were higher than typical.
  • Highlights: Great Blue heron (5); Canada Goose 6ad+4 goslings); Wood Duck (5); Mallard (7); Hooded Merganser (1f); Broad-winged Hawk (4); Ruffed Grouse (2); Killdeer (4ad+1yg); Solitary Sandpiper (5); Spotted Sandpiper (8); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (4); Pileated Woodpecker (5); Alder Flycatcher (2); Least Flycatcher (13); E Phoebe (9); Great Crested Flycatcher (4); E Kingbird (11); Blue-headed Vireo (15); Warbling Vireo (7); Red-eyed Vireo (22); Common Raven (1); Tree Swallow (36); N Rough-winged Swallow (3); Red-breasted Nuthatch (31); Brown creeper (13); Veery (4); Hermit Thrush (24)
      WARBLERS: Tennessee (1); Nashville (5); N Parula (2); Yellow (24); Chestnut-sided (28); Magnolia (11); Cape May (1); Black-throated Blue (7); Yellow-rumped (33); Black-throated Green (46) Blackburnian (3); Pine (28); Prairie (6); Black and White (12); Ovenbird (109); Northern Waterthrush (3); Louisiana Waterthrush (1); C Yellowthroat (84); Canada (2).
    Scarlet Tanager (4: low); E Towhee (37); White-throated Sparrow (23: this area is in the major breeding area for the County); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (8); Baltimore Orioel (11); Purple Finch ( 12: some doing great song/flight displays);
  • PLUS: 11 species of butterflies including (8) Cobweb Skippers; at least 7 species of dragonflies including (2) Springtime Darner; herps included a nifty Brown Earth/DeKay's Snake. Blooms included Fringed Polygala and Rhodora.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/17/16 -- Hodges Village, Oxford
    Highlights today in a 4 mile walk include: 2 Osprey (Town has set up a web cam of the nesting birds); 1 Solitary Sandpiper; 2 Spotted Sandpiper; 1 Greater Yellowlegs; 2 Brown Creeper; 3 Veery; 1 Swainson's Thrush; 2 Eastern Bluebird; 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; 1 Black-billed Cuckoo; 2 Eastern Phoebe; 1 Willow Flycatcher; 1 Eastern Wood-pewee; 3 Great Crested Flycatcher; 4 Eastern Kingbird; 31 Gray Catbird; 2 Brown Thrasher; 8 House Wren; 15 Warbling Vireo; 3 Yellow-throated vireo; 3 Red-eyed Vireo; 8 Ovenbird; 2 Northern Waterthrush; 3 Black-and-white Warbler; 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler; 2 Black-throated Green Warbler; 18 Yellow Warbler; 9 Pine Warbler; 1 Northern Parula; 3 Prairie Warbler; 6 Yellow-rumped Warbler; 1 Magnolia Warbler; 34 Common Yellowthroat; 7 American Redstart; 16 Baltimore Oriole; 1 White-throated Sparrow; 5 Swamp Sparrow; 4 Field Sparrow; 16 Eastern Towhee; 4 Scarlet Tanager; 5 Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
    (report from Paul Meleski).

    5/17/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this morning from the Troiano - Heron Pond Loop: Wood Duck (3); Gadwall (1 male); Mallard (16 - including female with 10 young in brook); Great Blue Heron (2 - including one on nest at Green Heron Pond); Cooper's Hawk (1 - spooked blackbirds along brook); Spotted Sandpiper (1 - flushed along brook); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (1); Willow Flycatcher (1); Eastern Phoebe (2 - there is also a newly constructed nest in a kiosk on the power lines; no birds visible around it today); Great Crested Flycatcher (3 - including pair around hole at pond); Eastern Kingbird (2); Warbling Vireo (6); Red-eyed Vireo (2); Bank Swallow (2); House Wren (1); Carolina Wren (1); Wood Thrush (3); Gray Catbird (7); Cedar Waxwing (3); Ovenbird (3); Blue-winged Warbler (2); Common Yellowthroat (13); American Redstart (5); Northern Parula (7); Magnolia Warbler (1); Yellow Warbler (9); Black-throated Blue Warbler (1); Black-throated Green Warbler (3); Eastern Towhee (8); Field Sparrow (2); Scarlet Tanager (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (10 - including 2 pairs; one female was carrying material); Baltimore Oriole (10 - including pair active around newly constructed nest).
    (report from John Liller).

    5/15/16 -- Gates 35-43, Quabbin Reservoir
    Highlights of the 71 species recorded on the Forbush Bird Club trip (by auto) included Wood Duck 3 ; American Black Duck 2 ; Hooded Merganser 1 ; Common Merganser (North American) 1 ; Common Loon 2 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 ; Bald Eagle 5 ; Broad-winged Hawk 6 ; Spotted Sandpiper 6 ; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3 ; Pileated Woodpecker 2 ; Least Flycatcher 5 ; Great Crested Flycatcher 2 ; Eastern Kingbird 3 ; Blue-headed Vireo 3 ; Warbling Vireo (Eastern) 2 ; Red-eyed Vireo 10 ; Common Raven 2 ; Bank Swallow 1 ; Barn Swallow (American) 3 ; Red-breasted Nuthatch 4 ; Brown Creeper 2 ; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 ; Veery 46 ; Swainson's Thrush 2 ; Hermit Thrush 2 ; Wood Thrush 1 ; Ovenbird 39 ; Black-and-white Warbler 15 ; Common Yellowthroat 16 ; American Redstart 20 ; Magnolia Warbler 3 ; Blackburnian Warbler 5 ; Yellow Warbler (Northern) 12 ; Chestnut-sided Warbler 22 ; Black-throated Blue Warbler 22 ; Pine Warbler 15 ; Prairie Warbler 1 ; Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 14 ; Black-throated Green Warbler 14 ; Eastern Towhee 24 ; Scarlet Tanager 7 ; Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5 ; Baltimore Oriole 9 ; Purple Finch 3 .
    (report from Tom Pirro, fide Deb Berard)

    5/15/16 -- Quabog IBA
    After being layed-up sick Saturday, I HAD to get out for some low impact birding. Today we did the QUABOG IBA, concentrating of the WMAs and woodlots. Lots of migrant breeders, but very few, if any, "just migrants". The wind really picked up by late morning and became a problem.
  • Highlights: Common Loon (3ad on lake Quabog despite many boats out on the water ad wind surfers); American Bittern (1); Great Blue Heron (5 active nests in 1 rookery); Green Heron (1); Turkey Vulture (1); Canada Goose (11+6 pairs with a total of 30 goslings); Mute Swan (1 on nest); Wood Duck (4+1f w/10yg); A Black Duck 91); Mallard (2); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Wild Turkey (8); Virginia Rail (3); A Woodcock (1); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (3); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1); Pileated Woodpecker (6); Least Flycatcher (3: no sign yet of Alder or Willow both of which breed in this IBA); E Phoebe (23); Great Crested Flycatcher (3); E Kingbird (15);
      VIREOS: Yellow-throated (8); Blue-headed (1); Warbling (21); Red-eyed (35).
    Common Raven (1)
      SWALLOWS: Tree (96); Bank (53) Cliff (2).
    House Wren (20); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (4); E Bluebird (8); Veery (23); Wood Thrush (25);
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (7); Yellow (66); Chestnut-sided (11); Magnolia (1); Yellow-rumped (2); Black-throated Green (2); Blackburnian (1); Pine (17); Prairie (2); Black and White (7); A Redstart (24); Worm-eating (1); Ovenbird (64); Northern Waterthrush (2); Common yellow-throat (79).
    Scarlet Tanager (17); Savannah Sparrow (7); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (23); Indigo Bunting (1); Bobolink (36); Baltimore Oriole (43);
  • PLUS: a number of sunning Banded Watersnakes and Eastern Garter Snakes; nice show of Dwarf Ginseng and Jack-In-The-Pulpit. NO butterflies or dragonflies.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/14/16 -- Central Cemetery, Millbury
    A Black Vulture flew low over me at 9:15 while I was in Central Cemetery. (report from Alan Marble).

    5/12/16 -- Barre/Bolton
  • At Barre Falls, the bobolinks are back.
  • In the evening at Bolton Flats, I had (with Bobbye Samdahl): Virginia Rail, 4 Bittern, Spotted Sandpiper, Woodcock, C. Nighthawk, Whiperwill, Kestrel (carrying nesting material), and Sandhill Crane (flying over). (phone report from Dave Grant).

  • 5/12/16 -- Auburn
    On the communication tower east of BJ's on Rt. 20 in Auburn there is an Osprey and a nest. It was there last year. It's a great spot, as about a 1/4 mile to the east is Eddy pond and that is loaded with fish. I viewed this from the Home Depot parking lot. (report from Alan Marble).

    5/11/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon: Mallard (10 - including female with 7 young); Great Blue Heron (2 - including bird on nest); Red-headed Woodpecker (1 - gave repeated emphatic "churr" after flying into woods across pond); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (2 - pair in area of bridge); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Eastern Kingbird (1); Warbling Vireo (4); Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2); Tree Swallow (14); House Wren (1); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1); Eastern Bluebird (2 - including male flying from box); Wood Thrush (1); Gray Catbird (6 - including 2 pairs); Ovenbird (1); Blue-winged Warbler (2); Common Yellowthroat (3); Yellow Warbler (3); Yellow-rumped Warbler (5); Eastern Towhee (6); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (9); Scarlet Tanager (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (5); Baltimore Oriole (8 - including pair); (report from John Liller).

    5/11/16 -- Worcester
    Today we intended to bird the cemeteries in the SW corner of the city just for an hour before work, but before we could get going we got distracted by the CAPE MAY WARBLER singing in the front yard, as well as a number of other warblers. Sheila worked hard and got some nice record shots of the Cape May, then we were off to Hope, All Faiths and finally Notre Dame. As is typical, Hope Cemetery is best when there is a warbler fallout BUT you need to get there EARLY as the mowers start by 7:30AM and then birds get very hard to find. Also, for thrushes, you have to get there right at dawn. At Hope we found a number of warblers including 2 TENNESSEE singing away. At All Faith's (Leesville Pond) there was a fly-over Green Heron and 3 ORCHARD ORIOLES (1adM+2 1st yrM). They have nested here in years past, but not often at all. Finally at Notre Dame we had a Nashville Warbler and (3) Solitary Sandpipers.
  • Partial list for the 3 cemeteries: Green Heron (1); Turkey Vulture (2); Mute Swan (4); Wood Duck (4); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Killdeer (7); Solitary Sandpiper (3 together); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Eastern Kingbird (9); Warbling Vireo (20); Red-eyed Vireo (1); House Wren (4); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2: at Hope: they have nested here in years past)
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1); Tennessee (2); Nashville (1); N Parula (4); Yellow (9); Chestnut-sided (1); Magnolia (3); Yellow-rumped (37); Black-throated Green (2); Blackburnian (1); Pine (2); Blackpoll (1); Black and White (5); A Redstart (5); Common Yellowthroat (1).
    White-crowned Sparrow (2ad); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3); Orchard Oriole (3); Baltimore Oriole (19).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/10/16 -- Ware River Watershed (North & West sections)
    Today we birded the more northern and western sections of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. These are areas NOT covered yesterday (5/9). Much of the area is hilly dense forest, but there are small marshes, beaver ponds and river habitat. One thing we noticed today was a definite movement of thrushes early in the morning. They flew low across the dirt path we were on, always east to west and always uphill. Many did not stop and went unrecorded, but luckily a number paused to feed, and we were able to ID those.
  • Select list: Great Blue Heron (5>3 occupied nests); Turkey Vulture (4); Canada Goose (12 w/4yg); Wood Duck (7); Mallard (8); Hooded Merganser (2f); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Ruffed Grouse (3); Solitary Sandpiper (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (13); Pileated Woodpecker (7: birds out and obviously looking for food for young in nest); Least Flycatcher (9); E Phoebe (13); Blue-headed Vireo (14); Warbling Vireo (4); Red-breasted Nuthatch (12); Brown Creeper (9: we watched 1 bringing nesting materials (pine needles) to its nest under some bark); House Wren (1); Winter Wren (5 singing birds); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3); Veery (6); Swainson's Thrush (4: all in 1 loose group); Hermit Thrush (19); Wood Thrush (2)
      WARBLERS: n Parula (3); Yellow (12); Chestnut-sided (28); Magnolia (3); Black-throated Blue (9); Yellow-rumped (68); Black-throated Green (36); Blackburnian (2); Pine (33); Bay-breasted (1); Black and White (15); Ovenbird (104: careful count); Northern Waterthrush (2); Louisiana Waterthrush (3); Common Yellowthroat (24).
    Scarlet Tanager (2); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Purple Finch (6).
  • Also: found Moose tracks; blooms included Purple Trillium and Dwarf Ginseng. There was a nice number of teneral Hudsonian Whiteface in 1 location; butterflies included lots of Azures and a few Juvenal's Duskywings.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/10/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon were 2 Mute Swan, 2 Green Herons (ad), 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Black-and-white Warbler, 1 Yellow Warbler, 1 Northern Parula, 3 Warbling Vireos, 1 Northern Waterthrush, and 2 Baltimore Orioles. (report from Rick Quimby).

    5/10/16 -- Lincoln Village, Worcester
    Today I had a ruby-throated hummingbird. (phone report from Dave Grant).

    5/9/16 -- Myrtle St, Worcester
    I had a Fish Crow at Callahan Fay Funeral Home parking lot. (report from Susan LaBree).

    5/9/16 -- Barre/West Boylston
  • In Barre today I had a Magnolia Warbler
  • At Thomas Basin at the mouth of the Quinapoxet River in West Boylston, I had 6 Northern Shovellers.
    (phone report from Dave Grant).

  • 5/9/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights today (* = new species for me this year at BMB):
  • Wood Duck (7 - female with 6 young); Gadwall (1 male quacking); *Osprey (1 - flyover); Chimney Swift (16 - probably more; feeding over Green Heron Pond); Red-headed Woodpecker (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (1); *Eastern Kingbird (2); *Warbling Vireo (2); Northern Rough-winged Swallow (6 - maybe more); Tree Swallow (17); House Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (1 male); Gray Catbird (4); *Black-and-white Warbler (1); *Common Yellowthroat (3); *Yellow Warbler (5); Yellow-rumped Warbler (7); Eastern Towhee (5); Field Sparrow (1); Savannah Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (8); White-throated Sparrow (1); *Scarlet Tanager (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (5); *Baltimore Oriole (6).
    (report from John Liller).

  • 5/9/16 -- Ware River IBA
    We spent the morning birding the southern roads of the WARE RIVER IBA. The wind was a constant problem and only got more so as the morning wore on. Still, there was lots of bird song. Temps were cool, but warmed to 50+ by 11AM. As is typical with this spot, it's is tough to say which are migrants and which are migrant breeders as almost all the warbler species found today breed in the IBA. The exceptions were the Palm and the Parulas.
  • Select list: American Bittern (1); Great Blue heron (2); Canada Goose (6); Wood Duck (3); Mallard (14); Broad-winged Hawk (3); Ruffed Grouse (2); Wild Turkey (1); Virginia Rail (1); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2: breeds); Pileated Woodpecker (3); Least Flycatcher (4); Eastern Phoebe (6); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Eastern Kingbird (3);
      VIREOS: Yellow-throated (2); Blue-headed (9); Warbling (1)
    House Wren (3); Winter Wren (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); Swainson's Thrush (2: photo'd); Hermit Thrush (10); Wood Thrush (1);
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1); Nashville (1); N Parula (3); Yellow (19); Chestnut-sided (14); Magnolia (1); Black-throated Blue (2); Yellow-rumped (42); Black-throated Green (16); Pine (48); Prairie (2); Palm (1); Black and White (15); Ovenbird (93: at every stop we made, usually more than 1); Northern Waterthrush (2); C Yellowthroat (18)
    Scarlet Tanager (1); Eastern Towhee (42); Field Sparrow (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (12); Bobolink (2); Baltimore Oriole (1); Purple Finch (18: we watched an amazing and wild sexual chase flight of 8 males pursuing 1 female).
  • PLUS: Butterflies included Spring Azure and Brown Elfin. An incredible display of Wood Anemone and Sessile Bellwort and still some trillium still in bloom.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/8/16 -- River Bend Farm, Uxbridge
    Male Orchard Oriole heard then seen at River Bend Farm about 3:45pm today, along with several Baltimore Orioles, including male and female together. The path going right from the nestbox on the right side of the lower mowed field is a good place to look for Orchard Orioles. A few Blue-winged Warblers are calling in different spots. (report from Beth & Paul Milke).

    5/8/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    We managed to get in a few hours of birding WACHUSETT RESERVOIR before the rains began. In a few locations there was a modest movement of migrants.
  • Highlights: Common Loon (8); Double-crested Cormorant (11); Great Blue Heron (1); Turkey Vulture (3); Canada Goose (15); Mute Swan (7); Mallard (3m+1f w/8yg); Green-winged Teal (3); Cooper's Hawk (1: relentlessly harassing 2 crows); Black-bellied Plover (3: 2 breeding pl. Seen best on 2 of the sand bars off from the brick building); Spotted Sandpiper (8); Ring-billed Gull (70); Herring Gull (11); Great Black-backed Gull (2); Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 ad br); Chimney Swift (1); E Phoebe (3); E Kingbird (2); Yellow-throated Vireo (1); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Tree Swallow (50+); Barn Swallow (10+); House Wren (6); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); Hermit Thrush (1); Wood Thrush (5); Gray Catbird (9).
      WARBLERS: N Parula (3); Chestnut-sided (1); Magnolia (2); Black-throated Blue (2); Yellow-rumped (13); Black-throated Green (5); Blackburnian (1); Pine (16); Black and White (4); Worm-eating (1); Ovenbird (18); Louisiana Waterthrush (2); Common Yellowthroat (2).
    Savannah Sparrow (8); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (10); Baltimore Oriole (4);
  • Bonus: Red Fox and Fisher.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/6/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook, Worcester
    In the mid afternoon I had the following highlights: 1 GB Heron on nest, 2 Green Herons, 2 Canada Geese with 6 goslings in tow, 2 Wood Ducks (m&f) with 7 young, 1 Gadwall (male -- heard it "quacking", which at first I thought was some type of frog!), 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 N Flicker, 1 E Kingbird, many Tree and N Rough-winged Swallows,, 1 E Bluebird, ~5 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 2 E Towhee, 1 Field Sparrow singing, and 4 Song Sparrows. Despite spending over 1/2 hour at the pond, I did not get the Red-headed Woodpecker today. (report from Rick Quimby).

    5/5/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Today we birded Wachusett Reservoir. It was misty and visibility was not the best, but we did see: Common Loon (6: including a pair inspecting an island for nesting); Double-crested Cormorant (12); Great Blue Heron (2); Canada Goose (8); Mute Swan (3); Wood Duck (1); Mallard (4); Wild Turkey (1); Killdeer (1); Greater Yellowlegs (1); Lesser Yellowlegs (1); Spotted Sandpiper (3). Common Raven (1) Eastern Bluebird (2) Savannah Sparrow (5)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    5/4/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    This afternoon we birded the lakes around the Quabog IBA (Brookfields) hoping to find some rain-driven seaducks or terns. We did not find any. We did not even find any gulls! We did have: Common Loon (1); Great Blue Heron (9 w/6 active nests); Turkey Vulture (2); Canada Goose (9+ pair w/4yg); Mute Swan (2); Wood Duck (5); Mallard (6); Osprey (1); Bald Eagle (1ad+1imm); Northern Harrier (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Solitary Sandpiper (2). SWALLOWS: Tree (1130); N Rough-winged (7); Bank (5); Cliff (1); Barn (55).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    5/4/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon: Wood Duck (1 male); GADWALL (1 male - still there and quacking); Great Blue Heron (1 - perched in tree with nest); Chimney Swift (1); RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (1 - still there); Red-bellied Woodpecker (3); AMERICAN KESTREL (1 - flyover); Tree Swallow (24); Eastern Bluebird (1 male); Yellow-rumped Warbler (18); Eastern Towhee (4); Field Sparrow (2); Song Sparrow (12); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4 - all singing); Brown-headed Cowbird (5). (report from John Liller).

    5/3/16 -- Millbury
    I have Baltimore Oriole singing in Millbury this morning. (report from Susan LaBree).

    5/2/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We checked the 4 major ponds/lakes of the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields) this morning. Heavy rain began at about 10AM. No signs of any tern fallout, but birders should check through the day as birds put down all along the day.
  • Birds seen included: Common Loon (2ad); Great Blue Heron (4); Mute Swan (2); Mallard (1+ 1f w/9yg); Bufflehead (3f); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Wild Turkey (3); Least Flycatcher (3); Tree Swallow (130); N Rough-winged Swallow (1); Barn Swallow (2); House Wren (2); Gray Catbird (2); Brown Thrasher (1);
      WARBLERS: Yellow (6); Black-throated Green (1); Pine (14) Black and White (4); Ovenbird (2)
    Savannah Sparrow (3 at the Lake Quabog boat launch/parking area)
  • At SEVEN-MILE RIVER IN SPENCER: Wood Duck (pair); Mallard (19+pair w/9yg); American Wigeon (1m); Greater Yellowlegs (1); Solitary Sandpiper (1)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/1/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    We got a few hours of birding in Ware River Watershed IBA before the rain. As it was, the weather was cool, overcast and damp.
  • Highlights: American Bittern (1); Great Blue Heron (7+4 active nests in 2 small rookeries); Wood Duck (8); Hooded Merganser (1); Broad-winged Hawk (1); Ruffed Grouse (1); Wilson's Snipe (1 winnowing: NB: snipe have bred in the County before, but are rare breeders); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3); Pileated Woodpecker (5); Least Flycatcher (4); E Phoebe (6); Blue-headed Vireo (5); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2); Hermit Thrush (1);
      WARBLERS: Yellow (9); Chestnut-sided (1); Yellow-rumped (35); Black-throated Green (8); Blackburnian (1); Pine (22: NB: lots of interesting Pine Warbler behavior, including watching several females on the ground gathering nesting material and a pair trying to chase a cowbird off their nest); Black and White (16); A Redstart (2); Ovenbird (24); Northern Waterthrush (1); Louisiana Waterthrush (1); Common Yellowthroat (2).
    Eastern Towhee (16); Field Sparrow (1); Swamp Sparrow (16); Purple Finch (3); Evening Grosbeak (1: overhead calling);
  • No butterflies or dragonflies, but did have (1) Porcupine and a very weird YELLOW petaled Purple Trillium.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 5/1/16 -- Green Hill Park, Worcester
    This morning along the trail by the pond, highlights were 2 Warbling Vireo, 1 Blue-headed Vireo, 1 Baltimore Oriole, and 1 Prairie Warbler. (report from Rick Quimby).

    4/30/16 -- Millbury
    Found this Louisiana waterthrush off in the woods near an old mill site. Couldn't get that close. Lots of nice red trillium there. (report from Garry Kessler).

    4/29/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
  • Highlights today: Wood Duck (4 - 3 males + 1 female); Gadwall (1 male); Great Blue Heron (1); Red-headed Woodpecker (1); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (2); Carolina Wren (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); Palm Warbler (4); Yellow-rumped Warbler (14); Eastern Towhee (1); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (10); White-throated Sparrow (1); Brown-headed Cowbird (3).
    (report from John Liller).

  • 4/29/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights of 22 species at noon today: 1 Great Blue Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 5 N. Flicker (all displaying and chasing in single tree, in their usual stiff and comical fashion -- a real Flicker Fest!), 3 Warbling Vireos, 4 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Palm Warblers, 1 Black-and-white Warbler, and 1 White-throated Sparrow. (report from Rick Quimby).

    4/28/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights on an afternoon walk at the Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester. (* = new bird for the year for me at BMB).
  • Wood Duck (1); Gadwall (1 - male on Green Heron Pond); Red-tailed Hawk (2 - one feeding, other soaring); Chimney Swift (11); Red-headed Woodpecker (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Northern Flicker (1); Eastern Phoebe (1); *Winter Wren (1 - being typically mouselike); Eastern Bluebird (1 - male); Gray Catbird (1); Palm Warbler (2); Yellow-rumped Warbler (10); Eastern Towhee (3); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (12); White-throated Sparrow (3).
    (report from John Liller)

  • 4/28/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon were 2 Mute Swan, 1 Warbling Vireo, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, and 1 Palm Warbler. (report from Rick Quimby)

    4/27/16 -- Princeton
    There was a Louisiana Water Thrush at my folks' Brook along Route 140, in Princeton. (report from Susan LaBree).

    4/27/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    New birds for the year for me on the Sanctuary are marked with *
  • Highlights today: Wood Duck (3); Gadwall (1 - male quacking); *Broad-winged Hawk (1); *Chimney Swift (7); Belted Kingfisher (1); Red-headed Woodpecker (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (4); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (3 - bird flushed from nest); *Blue-headed Vireo (3); House Wren (2); Carolina Wren (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2); Eastern Bluebird (4); Hermit Thrush (2); *Gray Catbird (1); Brown Thrasher (1); Palm Warbler (3); Yellow-rumped Warbler (9); Eastern Towhee (3); Chipping Sparrow (2); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (13); White-throated Sparrow (11)
    (report from John Liller).

  • 4/26/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Highlights from a cold and very wet morning at WACHUSETT RESERVOIR: Common Loon (7); Double-crested Cormorant (7); Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (8); Mute Swan (1); Mallard (5); Wild Turkey (4); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Bonaparte's Gull (1 ad br: off Gate 36); Ring-billed Gull (23); Herring Gull (11); Belted Kingfisher (1); Tree Swallow (257); N Rough-winged Swallow (1); Barn Swallow (6); Pine Warbler (6); Savannah Sparrow (2)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    4/25/16 -- Shrewsbury
    While bicycling through Shrewsbury, in vicinity of Dean Park, I had a Black and White Warbler. My first of the season. (report from Laura Lane).

    4/25/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights on a pre-work walk this morning at the Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester. (* = new bird for the year for me at BMB).
  • Canada Goose (2 - bird on nest in Green Heron Pond); Wood Duck (7 - pair in Green Heron Pond and 5 flyovers); American Black Duck (2 - possible pair in Green Heron Pond); Great Blue Heron (3 - 2nd nest being built at Green Heron Pond); *Hummingbird species (1);
      I am not sure what kind of species of hummingbird I had today. I had the bird flying about 15' overhead as it zipped by. It was definitely a hummingbird, but all I saw was a silhouette, so I cannot be sure if it was a Ruby-throated.
    Red-headed Woodpecker (1 - still present); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Tree Swallow (14); *House Wren (2); Carolina Wren (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); *Brown Thrasher (1); Palm Warbler (1); Yellow-rumped Warbler (3); Eastern Towhee (3); Field Sparrow (2); *Savannah Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (13); White-throated Sparrow (1); Brown-headed Cowbird (9).
    (report from John Liller).

  • 4/24/16 -- Quabog IBA and New Braintree
    This morning we started birding spots in the QUABOG IBA. Later we hit just a few areas in neighboring NEW BRAINTREE. There was some kind of fishing derby on at Quabog, so there was almost nothing on the water there.
  • Here are the combined highlights: Great Blue Heron (14 birds, w/8 active nests); Turkey Vulture (4); Canada Goose (97); Mute Swan (5); Wood Duck (4); Mallard (13); Ring-necked Duck (6); Bufflehead (1m); Common Merganser (3f); Bald Eagle (2ad in close company); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (2); American Kestrel (1); Wild Turkey (10: hunting season begins tomorrow); Virginia Rail (5); Killdeer (1); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Phoebe (13); FISH CROW (1); Common Raven (1 eating a road-killed squirrel, likely to bring home to the nest); Tree Swallow (100+: migrating flocks at Lake Quabog); Barn Swallow (3); House Wren (1); Winter Wren (2); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (14); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1); Hermit Thrush (1);
      WARBLERS: N Parula (1); Yellow-rumped (68); Black-throated Green (1); Pine (21); Palm (17); Black and White (1)
    E Towhee (8); Swamp Sparrow (42)
  • We spent a short time at the great Mandel Hill East Quabbin Land Trust hawkwatch platform in Hardwick and had Turkey Vulture (1); Broad-winged Hawk (1); A Kestrel (1). BTW: if you haven't tried this location out in migration, check it out. We have had nice movements of hawks and nighthawks and (at times) nice movements of passerines.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/24/16 -- Notre Dame & All Faith's Cemeteries, Worcester
    Highlights: 2 Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, 4 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, 3 pair Wood Duck, Tree Swallows, 1 pair Northern Flicker, Yellow-rumped warblers, Eastern Phoebe, King Fisher, Chipping, Song and Swamp Sparrows, Cooper's Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. (report from Susan LaBree).

    4/24/16 -- Sibley Farm, Spencer
    Walked the White Oak and Midstate Trail loop this morning.  It was sunny and about 38 degrees, with only a slight breeze.  I had the following highlights:  Song Sparrow (12);   Eastern Towhee (2); Yellow-rumped Warbler (3);     Palm Warbler (4);  Broad-winged Hawk (1); Northern Harrier (1);  Tree Swallow (8);  Eastern Bluebird (2);  Savannah Sparrow (1);  Brown-headed Cowbird (3).     (report from Steven Sulzer)

    4/22/16 -- Rutland
    Heard and saw a Black and White Warbler in Rutland today. (report from Ted Purcell).

    4/22/16 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    Dave Grant and I spent a little time mostly in the rain at Bolton Flats from about 3:45 to 5:15 pm. Highlights were Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, female Kestrel, Killdeer, Wood Duck, Common Merganser, Swamp Sparrow, Wilson's Snipe (life bird for me today!), and Virginia Rail. (report from Bobbye Samdahl).

    4/22/16 -- Oxbow NWR, Harvard
    There was a Blue-headed Vireo here today. (phone report from Dave Grant).

    4/22/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Today at noon there was a Spotted Sandpiper. (report from Rick Quimby).

    4/21/16 -- Pine Hill Road, Lancaster / Oxbow NWR, Harvard
    Today we started at the Pine Hill Road property (Lancaster) and had the following among other species: Great Blue Heron (1 overhead); Canada Goose (2); Mallard (4); American Kestrel (pair, but did not see them at the box); Wild Turkey (4); Belted Kingfisher (1); N Flicker (3); Eastern Bluebird (2); Hermit Thrush (1); Brown Thrasher (2); Yellow-rumped Warbler (1); Pine Warbler (8); Palm Warbler (2); Eastern Towhee (3); Field Sparrow (5); Vesper Sparrow 93); Eastern Meadowlark (1);
  • THEN, at OXBOW NWR looking for herps, dragonflies and butterflies we found among other species of birds: Great Blue Heron (1); Wood Duck (8); Bald Eagle (1 imm circling low overhead); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Belted Kingfisher (4); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Brown Creeper (4); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (7); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1: we almost missed this, but finally found one on our way back out); Hermit Thrush (3);
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1); N Parula (3); Yellow-rumped (26); Pine (10); Palm (8)
    Swamp Sparrow (15); Purple Finch (5);
  • ALSO: many Eastern Painted Turtles; Northern/Banded Watersnake; teneral Fragile Forktail and Beaverpond Basketail; butterflies included Pine and Henry's Elfin. Great Day!
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/20/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Note that the Red-headed Woodpecker is still present. Highlights today: Wood Duck (1) Gadwall (2 - male, quacking, and female at Green Heron Pond) Turkey Vulture (4 - low flyovers over Wet Meadow) Cooper's Hawk (1 - immature; mobbed by Jays, then seen chasing and being chased by Crows) Red-headed Woodpecker (1 - same bird in same location) Red-bellied Woodpecker (3) Hairy Woodpecker (1) Northern Flicker (4) Eastern Phoebe (2) Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2 - Green Heron Pond) Carolina Wren (1) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3) Eastern Bluebird (1) Palm Warbler (8) Yellow-rumped Warbler (14) Eastern Towhee (1) Chipping Sparrow (1) Field Sparrow (3) Song Sparrow (11) White-throated Sparrow (2) Brown-headed Cowbird (7) (report from John Liller).

    4/20/16 -- Petersham
    Today we birded a few spots in PETERSHAM.
  • Highlights included: Turkey Vulture (4); Wood Duck (3); American Black Duck (4); Ring-necked Duck (4); Bald Eagle (1ad); Broad-winged Hawk (1); American Kestrel (1m); Ruffed Grouse (1); Wild Turkey (5); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (13); Eastern Phoebe (11); Blue-headed Vireo (6); Common Raven (3); Tree Swallow (41); Red-breasted Nuthatch (7); Brown Creeper (5); Winter Wren (4 singing birds); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (10); Hermit Thrush (3); Yellow-rumped Warbler (40); Pine Warbler (29); Louisiana Waterthrush (2); Field Sparrow 91); Eastern Meadowlark (1); Purple Finch (5)
  • On the way home, we made a brief stop at Thayer Pond, Rutland and had American Black Duck (1); Ring-necked Duck (26); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (4); Yellow-rumped Warbler (15); Pine Warbler (7); Palm Warbler (2). NB: if you ht it right, small flocks of warblers can be seen working the dike here, offering some good views
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/18/16 -- Holbrook forest, Holden/Worcester
    Highlights were: 1 Barred Owl; 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker; 1 Hermit Thrush; 3 Pine Warbler; 1 Dark-eyed Junco; 2 Eastern Towhee; (report from Lisa Hennin).

    4/18/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    I walked the Troiano Brookside Trail and also checked out the Green Heron Pond. I did NOT get the Red-headed Woodpecker, even after 20 minutes of looking. All of the warblers, as well as the Kinglet, were in one group in the birches above the pond.
  • Highlights: Canada Goose (1 - on nest); Wood Duck (2 - pair); Great Blue Heron (2 - pair at nest at Green Heron Pond); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (3 - including pair); Tree Swallow (4); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); Eastern Bluebird (1 male); Hermit Thrush (1); Palm Warbler (6); Yellow-rumped Warbler (3); Song Sparrow (8); Brown-headed Cowbird (2);
    (report from John Liller).

  • 4/18/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    We birded in the morning in the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA, this time following a very different route than from a few days back. This included a dawn walk into the Ware River marshes. NB: as of today the major roads are still gated. This includes Prison Camp Road and Cold Brook Roads. So if you want to do any serious exploring, you need to hike.
  • Highlights: Pied-billed Grebe (1 very vocal. Possible breeder); American Bittern (1 pumping); Great Blue Heron (4 birds, 3 active nests in 1 rookery); Turkey Vulture (4); Wood Duck (13); American Black Duck (pair); Hooded Merganser (1m); Northern Goshawk (1ad); Broad-winged Haw (2); Ruffed Grouse (3); Wild Turkey (1); Virginia Rail (1); Belted Kingfisher (3); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (10); Pileated Woodpecker (3); E Phoebe (14); Common Raven (2); Red-breasted Nuthatch (11); Winter Wren (2); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (28); Eastern Bluebird (5); Hermit Thrush (16); Yellow-rumped Warbler (9); Pine Warbler (61); Palm Warbler (11); Louisiana Waterthrush (2); Swamp Sparrow (18); Purple Finch (20).
  • Later, at BIRCH HILL DAM in South Royalston: Northern Rough-winged Swallow (6).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/18/16 -- Hubbardston/Paxton/Rutland
  • Today there were White Throated Sparrows singing in Rutland and Paxton (Center School)
  • Yesterday there was an Osprey at Comet Pond Hubbardston. I am told it shows every evening.
    (report from Ted Purcell).

  • 4/17/16 -- Worcester
  • This afternoon at Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, there was a Broad-winged Hawk close to the visitor's center.
  • On 4/15/16 at Institute Park I had my FOY Chipping Sparrow.
    (report from Rick Quimby).

  • 4/17/16 -- Muir Meadows, Leicester
    Took a walk thru Muir Meadows in Leicester this morning.  First time there.  Walked thru the field and then took the loop trail by the pond.  Highlights were Red-tailed Hawk (1);  Red-bellied Woodpecker (3); Song Sparrow (5);  Brown-headed Cowbird (11);  Northern Flicker (3);  Pileated Woodpecker (2 males seen and possibly 2 others heard)  See photo on e-bird;  Wood Duck (4);  Scaup sp. (2, too far off to ID any better);  Great Blue Heron (1);  Tree Swallow (5);  Hairy Woodpecker (1). (report from Steven Sulzer)

    4/16/16 -- Warren and Sturbridge
    Today we birded WARREN in Worcester County. This town is little visited by birders, but our section of the Sturbridge CBC has a lot of Warren and we atlased several blocks in Warren and therefore have gotten to know the small "pocket areas" where it's best to look for birds. Though there are still some very wild and actually "tough to access" areas of the town (especially on the border with Palmer and Ware) , much of it is suburban and much of what open land there still is around the houses, is signed for development.
  • Highlights included: Great Blue Heron (6 birds and 2 active nests in a dwindling rookery); Turkey Vulture (5: likely breeders); Canada Goose (15); Wood Duck (5); Mallard (12); Ring-necked Duck (2); Osprey (pair at nest on microwave platform visible from Mass Pike); Bald Eagle (1ad); Broad-winged Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (2); A Kestrel (1m); Ruffed Grouse (1); Wild Turkey (2); Virginia Rail (3); Eastern Phoebe (18); Tree Swallow (65); Winter Wren (1 singing where we confirmed them breeding during Atlas II); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (16); Yellow-rumped Warbler (23); Pine Warbler (21); Palm Warbler (42: at many locations ); Louisiana Waterthrush (pair where we found them breeding before); Swamp Sparrow (6);
  • THEN we went to STURBRIDGE to check on some breeding birds:
    1. pair of Ospreys back on nest atop microwave platform along Rt.84 near Connecticut border.
    2. Ospreys NOT found on microwave platform between Rt.20 and Mass Pike where they have nested before. NB: this nest was cleared by company in charge of tower. They CAN do this, IF they do it before they start nesting.
    3. Great Blue Heron Rookery: 18 active nests, no sign of Great Horned Owls.
    4. At WELLS STATE PARK, we hiked in to check on Spotted Turtles and had: Great Blue Heron (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); E Phoebe (5); Hermit Thrush (3) Yellow-rumped Warbler (1); Pine Warbler (8); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2); Field Sparrow (4), and: (4) Spotted Turtles; 3 species of butterflies (Spring Azure, E Comma and Mourning Cloak); and my first snake of the year (E. Garter).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/15/16 -- Dunn State Park, Gardner
    A mature Bald Eagle was sighted around 2:00pm, circling the lake. (report from David Norris).

    4/14/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    This morning we birded a few areas of the QUABOG IBA in the Brookfields. Highlights included: Common Loon (1); Great Blue Heron (18: 9 active nests in 1 rookery); Turkey Vulture (2); Canada Goose (21); Mute Swan (3); Wood Duck (18: a number were found up in trees in forest parcels, looking for nest holes); American Black Duck (6) Mallard (8); Ring-necked Duck (46); Bufflehead (9); Common Merganser (24); Ruddy Duck (2); Osprey (2); Bald Eagle (2imm); A Kestrel (1); Wild Turkey (5); Virginia Rail (1); Belted Kingfisher (2); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (19); Tree Swallow (33); Red-breasted Nuthatch (2); Brown Creeper (5); Golden-crowned Kinglet (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (10); E Blue bird (4); Yellow-rumped Warbler (3); Pine Warbler (21); Palm Warbler (26); Eastern Towhee (2); Swamp Sparrow (9).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    4/13/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon: Wood Duck (3 - including pair in Green Heron Pond); Gadwall (2 - pair seen in Green Heron Pond; this is a new species for me at BMB); Great Blue Heron (1 - Red Maple Swamp); Cooper's Hawk (1, maybe 2); Red-headed Woodpecker (1 - same bird in same location since mid-December); Red-bellied Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (2); Eastern Phoebe (5 - including pair, one with material); Tree Swallow (16); Brown Creeper (1); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); American Tree Sparrow (1); White-throated Sparrow (3); Brown-headed Cowbird (1). (report from John Liller).

    4/12/16 -- Worcester
    Since the snows of April 3rd a Mockingbird has been visiting daily a feeder with store bought suet cakes . Today a Pine Warbler was gulping down bits of suet from the suet cakes. (report from Bart Kamp).

    4/11/16 -- Moreland Woods, Worcester
    Very windy conditions . Evidence of Pileated everywhere.
  • Highlights: 1 Cooper's Hawk; 1 Red-tailed Hawk; 1 Eastern Phoebe; 1 Brown Creeper; 1 Carolina Wren; 1 Dark-eyed Junco; 1 White-throated Sparrow; 1 Song Sparrow; (report from Lisa Hennin).

  • 4/11/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    Today we spent the morning birding the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. Almost all the gates are still closed, including Coldbrook, so we hiked a bit here and there including along the rail trail and in several gates. It was rainy for much of the morning but eventually became cloudy and windy.
  • Highlights included: Great Blue Heron (16 birds and 11 active nests in 3 small rookeries); Canada Goose (7); Wood Duck (23: several flushed from trees, a number prospecting for nesting boxes); American Black Duck (1); NB: though most birders consider this a common species, in fact it is a very rapidly declining breeder in the state and to our north. Keep an eye out for possible nesting pairs.); Mallard (12); Ring-necked Duck (5); Hooded Merganser (18);: also checking out nesting boxes and cavities in trees); Bald Eagle (1ad); Broad-winged Hawk (1: flushed from wooded trail and just sat in front of me); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Ruffed Grouse (3); Wild Turkey (4); Barred Owl (1); Eastern Phoebe (26); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Tree Swallow (20); Red-breasted Nuthatch (13); Golden-crowned Kinglet (2); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1); Eastern Bluebird (6); Hermit Thrush (4); Yellow-rumped Warbler (3); Pine Warbler (44); Palm Warbler (21); Eastern Towhee (1); Purple Finch (64: although this species was around most sections of the IBA, a hike in one road found a huge flock of over 50 birds working an area of mixed forest);
  • THEN, a trip along Muschopauge Road in Rutland had little but we did find a Killdeer (1) and Horned Larks (10).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/10/16 -- Saint Johns Cemetery, Worcester
    I have been searching for a Red-tailed Hawk nest which I know is here but so far I have been unable to locate. This Male Red-tailed Hawk vented his feelings this morning. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    4/10/16 -- Buffumville Reservoir, Charlton
    This morning I saw 2 Palm Warblers along the shore of Buffumville Reservoir in Charlton. (report from Robert Brady).

    4/10/16 -- Sudbury Reservoir, Southboro
    We started out today doing a pretty thorough survey of waterbirds at:
  • SUDBURY RESERVOIR, SOUTHBORO: Double-crested Cormorant (23 and 11 active nests); Great Blue Heron (21 and 9 active nests); Canada Goose (107); Mute Swan (7); Wood Duck (7); Mallard (9); Ring-necked Duck (31); Bufflehead (28); Common Goldeneye (4 f); Common Merganser (27); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); Pileated Woodpecker (3); Eastern Phoebe (17); Tree Swallow (9); Eastern Bluebird (5); Pine Warbler (9);
  • THEN: BARTLET POND, NORTHBORO: Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (7); Mallard (2); Ring-necked Duck (5);
  • LITTLE CHAUNCY POND, NORTHBORO: Pied-billed Grebe (1); Great Blue Heron (1); Mute Swan (1); Canada Goose (4); Ring-necked Duck (36); Tree Swallow (25). NB: we had to skip Chauncy Lake because by the time we got there, a huge race/walk was proceeding around the area.
  • Finally, SUASCO in Westboro: Double-crested Cormorant (5); Great Blue Heron (3); Mute Swan (25 w/3 on nests); Canada Goose (10); American Wigeon (pair); Mallard(2); A Black Duck (1); Ring-necked Duck (29); Osprey (3: pair on nesting platform plus 1 fly-over); Eastern Phoebe (5); Tree Swallow (60)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/9/16 -- Oakham
    A Northern Waterthrush was heard by the river. (report from Kathy Van Schoick).

    4/9/16 -- Donker Farm and Cook's Brook, Worcester
    This is a fairly new Greater Worcester Land Trust property off Moreland Green Drive, with a mixed upland habitat of pasture, stream and wood. Well marked with Blue triangle blazes. There is also access to power lines and a water easement. Map link on www.hikeworcester.com.
  • Birds recorded: 1 Cooper's Hawk; 2 Mourning Dove; 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker; 2 Downy Woodpecker; 1 Hairy Woodpecker; 2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted); 2 Eastern Phoebe; 4 Blue Jay; 4 Black-capped Chickadee; 2 Tufted Titmouse; 1 White-breasted Nuthatch; 1 Brown Creeper; 1 Carolina Wren; 1 American Robin; 1 Pine Warbler; 9 Dark-eyed Junco; 1 Song Sparrow; 4 Northern Cardinal; 1 Common Grackle; 1 Brown-headed Cowbird; 3 American Goldfinch;
    (report from Lisa Hennin).

  • 4/7/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    This morning we birded a few areas in the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields). The rains started by mid-morning, really affecting the birding.
  • Common Loon (3ad: 1 each at Lakes Quabog, Wickabog and Lashaway); Great Blue Heron (12 with 6 occupied nests in 1 rookery that we checked. There are minimally 3 other rookeries in this IBA); Turkey Vulture (2); Canada Goose (16: all pairs); Mute Swan (3: 2ad+1imm); Wood Duck (8); A Black Duck (8); Mallard (9); Ring-necked Duck (98); Bufflehead (10); Common Merganser (78); Osprey (1); Bald Eagle (1ad along Quabog mainstem); Red-tailed Hawk (2); A Kestrel (pair); Wild Turkey (3); Virginia Rail (1); Killdeer (2); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Phoebe (11); Tree Swallow (85: most over Lashaway); Pine Warbler (11); Eastern Towhee (1); Swamp Sparrow (7); Before we started in the Brookfields, we checked just a few spots in SPENCER and had the following: Great Blue Heron (1); Wood Duck (13); A Black Duck (10); Mallard (3); Common Merganser (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); Eastern Phoebe (9); Pine Warbler (11); Louisiana Waterthrush (3)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/6/16 -- Crow Hill, Leominster State Forest
    As we ascended the hill towards the ledges this morning, 5 Turkey Vultures flew out from atop the ledge. I suspect they were roosting there, and flew out at our approach. 2 Barred Owls called to each other. There was a pair of Eastern Phoebes repeatedly inspecting a crevice in the ledge. There were a few Tree Swallows flying over the nearby ponds. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    4/3/16 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    Despite the weather (bad, very bad), there was a brief Forbush Bird Club trip to Bolton Flats WMA this morning. We walked in the 117 entrance to scan the flood plains and had these highlights: Wood Duck  7; Blue-winged Teal  1; Northern Pintail  4; Green-winged Teal  110; Bald Eagle  1; Killdeer  8; Pectoral Sandpiper  6; Wilson's Snipe  55; Red-bellied Woodpecker  1; Tree Swallow  30; Song Sparrow  3. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    4/3/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    We attempted to do some birding this afternoon at WACHUSETT RESERVOIR. The viewing conditions were less than perfect: high winds; white caps; and squalls of graupel. We were hoping to find some outfall of migrant waterfowl, but ducks were almost completely absent and we found no loons or grebes. But viewing conditions were sometimes very poor.
  • List is as follows: Great Blue Heron (1); Turkey Vulture (3: struggling in the wind); Canada Goose (5); Mute Swan (6); Common Goldeneye (1m); Common Merganser (16); Bald Eagle (2ad: having a fine time in this weather. Eagles thrive in conditions like this); Red-shouldered X Red-tailed Hawk (1: the resident hybrid bird but this time hunting right out on the main road); Ring-billed Gull (3); Tree Swallow (60+ over Coachlace. NB: there could be high mortality of this species of aerial feeder after today's and tomorrows weather. There often is after these conditions in early spring);
  • On the way home, we stopped by Indian lake in the city and had: Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (18); Ring-billed Gull (84); Tree Swallow (40+).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/3/16 -- Auburn
    Adult Bald eagle seen over Mass Turnpike Worcester. I was approximately south of Lake Quinsigamond. (report from Michael Sharpe).

    4/2/16 -- Petersham
    This morning amid showers and just plain steady rain, we birded several ponds around PETERSHAM.
  • Highlights: Canada Goose (8: 1 on nest on beaver lodge); Wood Duck (24); A Black Duck (4); Mallard (pair); Ring-necked Duck (58); Common Goldeneye (4); Hooded Merganser (3); Common Merganser (3); Bald Eagle (2 immatures); Red-tailed Hawk (1); American Kestrel (1f); Wild Turkey (8); Killdeer (1); Barred Owl (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (11); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (9); Tree Swallow (46: having a very tough time hawking for insects low over ponds); Red-breasted Nuthatch (1); Brown Creeper (1); Pine Warbler (6); Purple Finch (1). Nb: large movements of robins and juncos.
  • PLUS; Beaver; White-tailed Deer (3); River Otter; Moose (tracks).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 4/1/16 -- Westboro
    Saw FOY osprey flying by the new DFW Field headquarters today! No foolin..... (report from Marion Larson).

    4/1/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    Broad Meadow Brook has been hosting a new species for the Sanctuary this week, as 2-3 Ring-necked Ducks have been seen in the Green Heron Pond the past few days. Thanks to Bernard Kingsley (shot a video) and Martha Gach for their reports. I have yet to see them, though I hope to get a chance tomorrow. (report from John Liller).

    4/1/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We spent a few hours birding around the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields) mostly around the ponds. Highlights: Great Blue Heron (9: 5 occupied nests just off Rt.9); Turkey Vulture (3); Canada Goose (11); Wood Duck (3); A Black Duck (10); Mallard (16); Green-winged Teal (7); Ring-necked Duck (41); Bufflehead (7); Common Merganser (40); Wild Turkey (2); Virginia Rail (3); Killdeer (5); Ring-billed Gull (101: several migrant flocks); Belted Kingfisher (1); E Phoebe (45); Tree Swallow (22); Carolina Wren (4); E Bluebird (4); Pine Warbler (4); Swamp Sparrow (5: just starting to set up territories). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    3/31/16 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
    This morning we spent a few hours birding in the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. All the roads are still gated, so we poked in where we could, including hiking a bit on the Rail Trail. Highlights: Great Blue Heron (4: 3 occupied nests just off Rt.122); Canada Goose (10); Wood Duck (16: all pairs. We flushed 3 pairs from high up in trees); Mallard (10); Ring-necked Duck (12); Hooded Merganser (4: 2 pairs); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1: in known nesting area); Pileated Woodpecker (pair); Eastern Phoebe (22); Common Raven (1); Tree Swallow (9); Golden-crowned Kinglet (2: possible nesters); Hermit Thrush (1: migrant or over winterer?); Yellow-rumped Warbler (1); Pine Warbler (5); Purple Finch (3).
  • LATER, at Thayer Pond, Rutland: Wood Duck (12); A Black Duck (4); Ring-necked Duck (28).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 3/30/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights today: Wood Duck (3 males); Turkey Vulture (1 - flyover); Cooper's Hawk (1); RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (1 - same bird in same location); Red-bellied Woodpecker (4); Northern Flicker (1); Eastern Phoebe (9); Tree Swallow (21); Eastern Bluebird (1 male); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (10); Dark-eyed Junco (10); Red-winged Blackbird (18); Common Grackle (22). (report from John Liller).

    3/27/16 -- Hodges Village ACE, Oxford
    Highlights at Hodges Village ACE in Oxford included 10 Wood Duck, 5 Green-winged Teal, 1 Osprey (checking out the nesting platform-past years have been unsuccessful), 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 4 Killdeer, 1 Flicker, 9 Eastern Phoebe (they were calling up and down river), 1 Common Raven, 12 Tree Swallow, 6 Tree Sparrow, 4 White-throated Sparrow, 5 Fox Sparrow, and 1 Swamp Sparrow. (report from Paul Meleski).

    3/27/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Annie and I spent some time watching the (now adult) red-headed woodpecker as it went about daily life, flycatching, raiding its seed caches and going in and out of various of its holes. A photo can be seen here. Also seen were: wood ducks, tree swallows, phoebe, coopers hawk, tree sparrow, bluebird, downy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker (heard), hairy woodpecker, a muskrat, lots of painted turtles and wood frogs (heard). (report from Garry and Anne Kessler).

    3/27/16 -- Rutland
    In the old Grist Mill pond at the corner of Sassawanna and Charnock Hill Rd in Rutland there were herons on three nests in old dead trees and a phoebe hawking for insects. (report from Ted Purcell).

    3/26/16 -- Grafton
    My wife, Kim Kastler, and I had an Osprey flying in the vicinity of Lake Ripple in Grafton this afternoon. (report from John Liller).

    3/25/16 -- Quabog IBA
    Highlights from a few hours this afternoon birding in the QUABOG IBA in intermittent showers: Common Loon (1); Great Blue Heron (27: 16 occupied nests so far); Canada Goose (19); Mute Swan (4); Wood Duck (26); A Black Duck (4); Mallard (34); Ring-necked Duck (86); Hooded Merganser (2); Common Merganser (109); Bald Eagle (3imm); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Wild Turkey (2); Killdeer (4); Ring-billed Gull (101: several large migrating flocks feeding on worms in fields); Herring Gull (5); Great Black-backed Gull (1ad); Eastern Phoebe (13); Tree Swallow (67). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    3/25/16 -- Coes Reservoir, Worcester
    At 5:00 PM today, I had good looks at a pair of BLACK SCOTERS on the pond. Adult male with big orange knob at base of bill, and an adult female with large pale area on face. Seen from behind the former Birbeck's Waterfront Restaurant on Mill Street, across the street from the Elks. Very close offshore, and not moving around much. (report from Ed Kittredge)

    3/24 -- Westborough
  • I Spotted my FOY tree swallows (2) at the MacCallum WMA in Westboro today.
  • At Davis Farm in Sterling, we had an American kestrel -- a FOY for us.
    (report from Marion Larson and Scott Handler).

  • 3/24/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    At noon highlights were 2 Mute Swans (mating!), 2 A Black Ducks, 16 Common Mergansers, and 2 E Phoebe. (report from Rick Quimby).

    3/24/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Highlights from a few hours birding WACHUSETT RSERVOIR today included: Common Loon (1); Turkey Vulture (4); Mute Swan (5); Canada Goose (23); American Wigeon (1m: chased by gull); Mallard (8); Greater Scaup (5); Common Goldeneye (17); Hooded Merganser (2f); Common Merganser (18); Bald Eagle (1imm+pair on breeding island); Red-tailed Hawk (1); E Phoebe (3); Tree Swallow (22); Fish Crow (1: flying over calling ); Snow Bunting (5)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    3/24/16 -- Kettle Brook, Auburn
    A couple hundred yards south of the dam and diversion tunnel off Southbridge Street there was a Male Northern Shoveler mixing with the 14 Mallards. The were 6 pairs of Wood Ducks, 2 Pairs of Black Ducks and a Red-bellied Woodpecker. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    3/23/16 -- Coes Pond, Worcester
    Stopped behind bowling alley on Mill St. about 5:00 pm to view Coes Pond. There were the usual Canada geese and Mallards, as well as 2 Mute Swans, 5 Common Mergansers, and a Pied-billed grebe that flew in. He swam cautiously for several minutes before diving. (report from Susan LaBree).

    3/20/16 -- Nashua River Watershed IBA, Bolton/Lancaster
    This morning we birded some areas in the NASHUA RIVER WATERSHED IBA. Basically from Oxbow NWR south through Bolton Flats and west to Pine Hill Road area. We started at 4:30 AM to see what we could get for a count of woodcock and (hopefully) some owls. Then, well before dawn, we hiked in the Rt.117 entrance to Bolton Flats. The wet areas where that had been yellowlegs just a few days ago, were now all ice covered. There were no ducks (they were in the Still and Nashua Rivers), no yellowlegs, but still Killdeer and snipe. The yellowlegs MAY have moved over to open water areas of the Still River and could return to the fields once the sun warms the puddles in the fields. Beginning well before dawn we also witnessed and attempted to count large movements of blackbirds, mostly to the south/southwest.
  • Totals: Canada Goose (92); Wood Duck (41); A Black Duck (42); Mallard (74); Green-winged Teal (43: at one point just at dawn, teal began to leave the Still River and 1 attempted to land on a frozen wet area in the fields. It slid right along and immediately took off again); Ring-necked Duck (36); Hooded Merganser (pair); Common Merganser (2f); Red-tailed Hawk (4); A Kestrel (2); Wild Turkey (11); Killdeer (28); Wilson's Snipe (17); American Woodcock (28); Ring-billed Gull (7: overhead, heading north, at dawn); Mourning Dove (22); Eastern Screech Owl (1); Great Horned Owl (4); Red-bellied Woodpecker (4); Downy Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (2); N Flicker (2); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Eastern Phoebe (1: along Nashua River); Blue Jay (17); American Crow (6); FISH CROW (1: at dawn 1 flew over Bolton Flats, heading south, calling all along the way); Common Raven (2: Oxbow); Tree Swallow (25: all over Still River); Black-capped Chickadee (16); Tufted Titmouse (8); White-breasted Nuthatch (3); Eastern Bluebird (2); A Robin (124); N Mockingbird (3); Cedar Waxwing (27);
      SPARROWS: Tree (6);; Savannah (1);; Fox (2);; Song (52);; White-throated (4);; Dark-eyed Junco (17)
    N cardinal (11); RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (4036); Common grackle (5180); House Finch (7); A Goldfinch (10);
  • PLUS: Raccoon; Eastern Cottontail; Eastern Coyote; Beaver; River Otter.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 3/20/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon included: Canada Goose (13 - includes several pairs and 2 birds on nests (?)); Wood Duck (11 - including several pairs); American Black Duck (5); Turkey Vulture (3 - flyovers); Belted Kingfisher (1); RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (1 - same bird in same location); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Northern Flicker (2); Eastern Bluebird (2); Dark-eyed Junco (8); White-throated Sparrow (3); Song Sparrow (8); Red-winged Blackbird (23); Common Grackle (19). (report from John Liller).

    3/19/16 -- Bolton Flats
    The following are highlights from "the flats" from 2 to 3:30 PM this afternoon, with Bart Kamp: American Black Duck 6; Green-winged Teal ~60; American Wigeon 4 (2 pair seen in flight); Northern Shoveler 2 (drakes in flight, later on the water); Cooper's Hawk 1; Red-tailed Hawk 6; Killdeer 10 to 15; Wilson's Snipe 30 - 40; Lesser Yellowlegs 1; Tree Swallow ~50-75; Common Flicker 1. (report from Tom Pirro).

    3/17/16 -- Millbury
    This morning in Millbury, my first Eastern Phoebe heard. Hope he likes the snow! (report from Susan LaBree).

    3/16/16 -- High Rdige Wildlife Management Area, Gardner
    I spent some time at High Ridge WMA (Overlook road area) between 6:10 and 7:40PM, mainly looking over the heron colony and enjoying several woodcock displaying, here are highlights: Wood Duck 2; Hooded Merganser 8; Common Merganser (North American) 3; Great Blue Heron (Blue form) 4; Killdeer 1 (calling overhead in the dark); American Woodcock 6; Herring Gull (American) 1; Great Horned Owl 1 (calling from near the heron colony); Hairy Woodpecker (Eastern) 1; Eastern Bluebird 2; American Robin 220 (a nice variety of plumage types, from very light females to very dark "canadian type" males).; Song Sparrow 1; Red-winged Blackbird 3; Common Grackle 5. (report from Tom Pirro).

    3/16/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights today: Wood Duck (8 - four pairs); American Black Duck (6 - all in Red Maple Swamp); Hooded Merganser (2 - pair in Red Maple Swamp); Red-headed Woodpecker (1 - same bird still present at Green Heron Pond); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (2); Carolina Wren (1); American Robin (9); Dark-eyed Junco (7); Song Sparrow (10); Red-winged Blackbird (34); Common Grackle (48). (report from John Liller).

    3/16/16 -- Worcester
    I just had a short visit (11:30 AM) of an adult male Dickcissel, a yard bird for me. It was feeding on the ground beneath my kitchen window. (report from Bart Kamp).

    3/16/16 -- Dudley
    At about 11am this morning a Bald Eagle landed in our neighbor's yard, catching what seemed to be a rabbit. It stayed on the ground for sometime eating, then finally took off carrying it away. (report from Thaddeus Endriga).

    3/16/16 -- Auburn
    We were standing on the river bank near the dam and diversion tunnel just off Southbridge Street when an adult Bald Eagle flew by, headed north -- maybe to Leesville, Curtis, or Coes Pond? (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    3/13/16 -- Oakham
    Our first woodcock was heard this evening, in the field east of the esker. (report from Kathy Van Schoick).

    3/13/16 -- Northbridge
    There were 2 Bald Eagles sighted both today and 3/12 in the trees off School St. in Northbridge. These trees are by the Blackstone River in front of the Riverdale Mill.  Take a right off Quaker St. onto School St., look for telephone pole #277 on the left side of the road and look up in the trees.   (report from Sheila Vernon).

    3/13/16 -- Downtown Worcester
    Here is a short video of a Peregrine Falcon returning to last year's nest site. The Falcon flew away and returned many times. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    3/13/16 -- Downtown Worcester
    At The Bancroft Building where the Peregrine Falcons nested last year, I saw a Peregrine Falcon land at the same nesting site, calling loudly 6 times in the space of half an hour. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    3/12/16 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    Birds of note included 3 Green-winged Teal, 1 Blue-winged Teal, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Bufflehead, 54 Ring-necked Ducks, and 2 Red-winged Blackbirds. (phone report from Dave Grant).

    3/12/16 -- The "Boros"
  • SUASCO (Westboro): Canada Goose (8); Mute Swan (85); Wood Duck (6); Mallard (3); Ring-necked Duck (59); Bufflehead (9); Hooded Merganser (10: 2f checking out Wood Duck boxes); Northern Flicker (1); Tree Swallow (1)
  • SUDBURY RESERVOIR (Southboro): Canada Goose (119); Mute Swan (4); Mallard (4); Bufflehead (21); Common Goldeneye (5); Hooded Merganser (1); Common Merganser (147); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Phoebe (1);
  • CHAUNCY LAKE (Westboro): Mute Swan (2); Bufflehead (7); Common Merganser (500+)
  • BARTLETT POND (Northboro): Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (4); Mallard (2);
  • CRANE SWAMP (Northboro); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Common Raven (pair in flight display)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 3/11/16 -- Holden/Rutland
    There were at least 40 Common Mergansers at Holden Reservoir (10 am) today. Also, two eagles (1 im. 1 ad) soaring above home in Rutland (4 p.m.) (report from Anne Greene).

    3/11/16 -- Downtown Worcester
    I saw a Peregrine Falcon fly over The Common, over The Peoples Bank building, and land on a cross on a steeple on The Notre Dame Church. It stayed perched there for 90 minutes until I left. It was still perched there. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    3/10/16 -- Lake Park, Worcester / Wachusett Reservior, West Boylston
  • Lake Park: I had two Fish Crows at Lake Park, and 12 Common Merganser on Lake Quinsigamond.
  • Wachusett Reservoir: 2 Common Merganser on the reservior near the Old Stone Church.
  • downtown Worcester: I heard a Peregrine circling around City Hall, but never saw the bird.
    (report from Scott Ricker).

  • 3/9/16 -- Downtown Worcester
    Nice look at Peregrine circling and vocalizing at 100 Front Street (T&G building) this afternoon. (report from Jo-Ann Ferrie).

    3/9/16 -- Rutland
    Although not seen, I am listening right now (6 pm) to a Woodcock calling in my back yard in Rutland. (report from Anne Greene).

    3/9/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon: Wood Duck (6 - all in Green Heron Pond); American Black Duck (2 - Red Maple Swamp); Red-headed Woodpecker (1 - still present at Green Heron Pond); Red-bellied Woodpecker (3); Northern Flicker (1); Brown Creeper (1 - singing); Eastern Bluebird (1 male); Hermit Thrush (1 - still along Wilson Meadow Trail); Dark-eyed Junco (6); White-throated Sparrow (2); Song Sparrow (7); Red-winged Blackbird (38); Common Grackle (29); (report from John Liller).

    3/7/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    We did a circuit around the reservoir this morning. Species numbers and variety are still "middlin" but we did have: Common Loon (3); Canada Goose (4); Mute Swan (1); Mallard (4); Greater Scaup (4); Bufflehead (4); Common Goldeneye (3); Common Merganser (6); Bald Eagle (3ad: 2 on the nesting island and 1 flying back and forth at the dam); Ring-billed Gull (12);
  • Landbirds were typical but I did hear a Brown Creeper SINGING, my first for this spring.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 3/5/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    We spent the morning birding the QUABOG IBA in the Brookfields. Numbers and variety of birds are still low, and for some species like Common Mergansers, numbers today were lower than last weekend. Red-winged Blackbirds are still migrating through, but many males are now also established on territory in marshes. There was more ice on shallow, marshy areas than last weekend.
  • Totals: Canada Goose (165); Wood Duck (6); A Black Duck (6); Mallard (46); Green-winged Teal (4); Ring-necked Duck (5); Bufflehead (3); Hooded Merganser (11); Common Merganser (16); Bald Eagle (1imm); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Ring-billed Gull (74); Herring Gull (2); Great Black-backed Gull (3);
  • Landbirds included: Pileated Woodpecker (2); Cedar Waxwing (33); A Tree Sparrow (3).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 3/3/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights as I walked the Sprague and Holdredge Trails, as well as the Wilson Meadow Trail, which overlooks the Red Maple Swamp: Wood Duck (2 - pair); American Black Duck (11); Mallard (87 - this is definitely an undercount, as there were Mallards throughout the swamp amongst the trees); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Hairy Woodpecker (1); HERMIT THRUSH (1); American Tree Sparrow (1); FOX SPARROW (1); Dark-eyed Junco (6); White-throated Sparrow (3); Song Sparrow (2); Red-winged Blackbird (27); Common Grackle (18);
    (report from John Liller).

    3/3/16 -- George Nichols Reservoir, Westborough
    I counted at least 52 mute swan here around noon time today. Never seen such a large concentration of these birds anywhere before. (report from Randy Langer).

    3/3/16 -- Millbury/West Boylston
    This morning at 10am on my way to an appointment for work a Black Vulture flew low over the road near the entrance to the Millbury bike path just north of the town center. Also at 2pm an adult Bald Eagle was soaring over I-190 at the West Boylston exit to Route 12..... (report from Paul Meleski).

    3/2/16 -- Northborough
    We spotted our first kettle of Turkey vultures of the year sailing over Church Street in Northborough around 5:00 pm. There were 17 birds. (report from Marion Larson and Scott Handler).

    3/2/16 -- Oakham
    A Red-winged Blackbird and Grackle were seen, and a phoebe was heard in Oakham. (report from Kathy Van Schoick).

    3/1/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    Much of the activity was in or around the Green Heron Pond, though there was a fairly large roost of blackbirds in the phragmites along the Troiano Brookside Trail late in the day. Highlights were: AMERICAN WOODCOCK (3 - calling; one visual); RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (1 - same bird still present at Green Heron Pond); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Hairy Woodpecker (2); Eastern Bluebird (1 male); American Robin (17); Song Sparrow (6); Red-winged Blackbird (64); Common Grackle (22). (report from John Liller)

    2/28/16 -- Quabog IBA, Brookfields
    Today we spent the morning birding the QUABOG IBA (Brookfields). All the ponds were mostly ice free, but vegetated marshes still had some ice. Waterfowl numbers and variety were modest. Turkey Vulture (1); Canada Goose (30); Mute Swan (1); Wood Duck (2); A Black Duck (2); Mallard (31); Hooded Merganser (17); Common Merganser (201); Bald Eagle (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Killdeer (1); Ring-billed Gull (88); Herring Gull (3); Great Black-backed Gull (2); Mourning Dove (19); Highlights of landbirds included:; Red-bellied Woodpecker (3); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Eastern Bluebird (25); American Robin (237); Cedar Waxwing (single flock of 130); Red-winged Blackbird (128: including many females); Common Grackle (12); Brown-headed Cowbird (2);
  • PLUS: River Otter (1) and (1) melanistic Gray Squirrel.
  • Back in the city: Red-tailed Hawks building a nest and Common Raven ON a nest.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 2/28/16 -- Bolton Flats
    In the evening: Canada Goose (1302); Wood Duck (26); Mallard (138); N Pintail (pair); Green-winged Teal (17); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Peregrine Falcon (1ad); Killdeer (1); A Woodcock (16); Red-winged Blackbird (2680+); Common Grackle (1200+);
  • Plus: White-tailed Deer (3) and a 7" White Sucker swimming across the main road in where the stream crosses it.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 2/25/16 -- Bolton Flats
    Early this afternoon I did a hip boot walk-in from the entrance of the Route 117 parking lot at Bolton Flats. Recorded in the flooded field to the West, in addition to the wintering flock of hundreds of Canada Geese, Mallard and Black Ducks and the recently erected 10-15 No Trespassing signs were 6 Pintails, 15-20 Green-winged Teal, 10-15 Wood Ducks, 4 Ring-necked Ducks and 4 Killdeer. By the time it was time to leave, as usual, all of the waterfowl had left, too. (report from Bart Kamp).

    2/25/16 -- Berlin
    Today at noon, I spotted a lone Turkey Vulture soaring in Berlin above the railroad tracks that cross route 62 (at the intersection of West and Boylston Streets). (report from Scott Handler).

    2/25/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon were 1 Ruddy Duck (nonbreeding male plumage), 21 Common Mergansers, and 2 Hooded Mergansers. (report from Rick Quimby).

    2/21/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon: Hooded Merganser (2 - pair); Red-headed Woodpecker (1 - still present at Green Heron Pond); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (1); White-throated Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (5). (report from John Liller).

    2/19/16 -- Millbury/Sterling
  • In Millbury there were 43 Red-winged blackbirds.
  • In Sterling at Kristoff's fields on Rte 140 there were 57 turkeys
    (report from Susan LaBree).

  • 2/19/16 -- Paxton
    There were 25 Cedar Waxwings feeding on crab apples at the entrance to the Paxton Center School again today. (report from Ted Purcell).

    2/17/16 -- West Boylston
    The Red-shouldered x Red-tailed hawk hybrid was present late Wednesday afternoon in the River Road/ rail trail section of West Boylston. a few photos and video, of this very cooperative and handsome raptor, can be found here. (report from Tom Pirro).

    2/16/16 -- Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester
    At 11:30 am, there was a pair of American Wigeon hanging out with Mallards, Canada Geese, and a few hooded mergansers and black ducks. (report from Josh Gahagan).

    2/16/16 -- Berlin
    Woke to a cooper's hawk finishing it's morning meal, either a hairy or downy woodpecker from the looks of the feathers.  Was able to get a quick photo out the back window before he flushed.  Guessing it's the same bird whose's been hanging around the past two winters. (report from Randy Langer).

    2/11/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir/Bolton Flats
    A circuit around Wachusett Reservoir this AM had the following: Common Loon (2); Canada Goose (61); Mute Swan (5: all together in an open patch of water just a bit bigger than a kid's wading pool in Thomas Basin); Mallard (67); Hooded Merganser (1); Common Merganser (8); Bald Eagle (2ad); Red-tailed Hawk (3); American Robin (97); Cedar Waxwing (64)
  • THEN we headed to Bolton Flats and had the following: Canada Goose (229); Greater White-fronted Goose (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); SAVANNAH SPARROW (1);
      NB: The geese were in a small open area of the Still River, very difficult to see. They took off and headed directly south. So, we looked for geese at Davis Farmland and found none. Then on to Dexter Drumlin where we also saw no geese (not surprising since the recent snowfall). Where the geese headed I have no idea.
  • After this weekend's sub-zero temps, open water will be at a premium. So any still open water by Monday may hold waterfowl. Today South Bay and mot of Thomas Basin and other inlets were ice covered.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 2/7/16 -- Hillcroft Ave, Worcester
    My wife and I had a bald eagle fly over our house around 11:30 AM today. It seemed like it might have been flying towards Indian Lake. (report from Don McGrath).

    2/4/16 -- Holden
    Early this morning in our yard on Gail drive there was anEastern bluebird & Eastern screech owl. (report from Scott Corazzini).

    2/4/16 -- Rutland
    There were about 20 Brown Headed Cowbirds among the starlings at Jordan Dairy Farm. (report from Ted Purcell).

    2/4/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    The male Red-headed Woodpecker was in trees toward the left side of Heron Pond this afternoon at Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester. The woodpecker came into view about 3:15pm on a tree on the far side of the pond; about 3:30 it flew onto a snag on the trail side where it preened for at least 15 minutes. Even with the overcast sky, the woodpecker's head glowed deep red. Two Yellow-shafted Flickers and a Downy Woodpecker were in the same area. (report from Beth Milke and Nancy Demers)

    2/2/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon: RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (1 - still present, and getting redder); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Song Sparrow (6). (report from John Liller).

    2/1/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    We birded WACHUSETT RESERVOIR Monday in the late morning and had the following: Common Loon (5); Canada Goose (11); Mute Swan (2); Mallard (9); Greater Scaup (56); Common Goldeneye (22); Hooded Merganser (15); Common Merganser (17); Bald Eagle (4ad: 3 were seen in an "altercation" in the South bay area. 2 were chasing the third out of the area.); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Ring-billed Gull (29); Northern Flicker (1); American Robin (19 feeding near Tower Hill);
  • PLUS: en route to the reservoir, we watched a COMMON RAVEN carrying large sticks (like for a nest) under the railroad overpass near the intersection of East Mountain and West Boylston Streets. Under the bridge is inaccessible, but people should watch to see if they continue in this area. Ravens do construct nests they do NOT use.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 1/30/16 -- Blackstone River: south Worcester County section
    WE spent some time birding along the Blackstone River in Northbridge, Uxbridge and Blackstone-Millville:
  • UXBRIDGE: Canada Goose (40); Mute Swan (4); Mallard (4); Ring-necked Duck (7); Hooded Merganser (2); Common Merganser (5); Hiking along a section of the trail, we found a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Northern Flicker among the more typical mid-winter passerines.
  • BLACKSTONE: Canada Goose (265); Mute Swan (8); Mallard (15); Hooded Merganser (24); Common Merganser (2); Red-tailed Hawk (1)
  • NORTHBRIDGE: Canada Goose (231); Mute Swan (8); Mallard (18); A Black Duck (21); "Mallard X Black" (1); Bald Eagle (2ad: perched near their nesting spot); Red-tailed Hawk (1)
  • NB: We started by looking for vultures both in Blackstone and nearby sections of Woonsocket. We found only 1 rather forlorn looking Black Vulture perched on a roof in Woonsocket. The huge trash transfer station in Woonsocket, that was a magnet for the vulture, has been closed and moved to Pawtucket and that may spell an eventual decline in vultures in this location.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 1/28/16 -- Paxton
    In the large crab apple at the entrance to the Paxton Center School on rte 31 near Paxton center this AM, was a flock of 100+ Cedar Waxwings. Try as I may all appeared to be Cedar's, quite yellow underneath. (report from Ted Purcell).

    1/27/16 -- Bolton Flats and Lake Quinsigamond
    We started the day with a "before dawn" hike on the main trail into BOLTON FLATS. NB: the trail is mostly snow free, but there are some very slippery patches of ice, so be careful. Canada Goose (472: suddenly flying up from maybe the Nashua River); GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (1: with the Canadas, headed in the direction of Dexter Drumlin or Wachusett Reservoir); A Black Duck (2); Northern Harrier (1); Cooper's Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Hairy Woodpecker (3); Carolina Wren (3); Eastern Bluebird (3); Tree Sparrow (10); Song Sparrow (7); Swamp Sparrow (1); White-throated Sparrow (3); Dark-eyed Junco (5);
  • THEN, we headed to do a complete survey of the LAKE QUINSIGAMOND-FLINT POND complex in Worcester/Shrewsbury. En route along Wachusett Reservoir, we had an adult BALD EAGLE looking like it was flying at a Red-tailed Hawk, which flew off.
  • LAKE QUINSIGAMOND-FLINT POND: Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (139); Mute Swan (5); A Black Duck (7); Mallard (167); Canvasback (4m); Redhead (1f); Greater Scaup (1); Lesser Scaup (2); Common Goldeneye (26); Hooded Merganser (17); Common Merganser (9); Ruddy Duck (13); Bald Eagle (2imm); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (3);
      Gulls: only the usual species: Ring-billed (140);; Herring (12);; Great Black backed (5);
    Belted Kingfisher (1); Probably the best bird was an EASTERN PHOEBE seen at Flint along a marshy area along an open stretch of river.
  • If you want to look for the Canvasbacks/Redhead: probably your best bet is to be on the Shrewsbury side off Route 9 and enter the shopping plaza south of Rt.9 and head to an area at the north end of the plaza overlooking the water in front of an apartment complex on the other side. The Rt.9 bridge will be on your right You will be looking over a chain link fence. The birds were easily ID?d with a scope from there.

    Checking my records, over the last several decades, I have 18 records of 40 Canvasbacks in Worcester County. Most of those records are in winter or late fall, and a number of them are at Lake Quinsigamond (also: Sudbury Reservoir, Wachusett Reservoir). During the same time period I had 24 records of 56 REDHEADS for Worcester County. Some of these sightings were at Lake Quinsig, but also a variety of other locations including an amazing spring record (3-15-97) of a flock of 21 Redheads at Little Chauncy Pond, Northboro after an ice storm. For both species, most records by far have been either IN the city of Worcester or east of Worcester. RE: Canvasbacks. I have many more records of Canvasbacks for the Seekonk River and Turner Reservoir (RI) in winter (December-February: 46 records of a total of 3714 individuals). Worcester is at the north end of the Blackstone National Corridor and the Seekonk River/Turner Reservoir are at the southern end of the Corridor. So it is not surprising that this species appears in Lake Quinsigamond every so often.
    (report from Mark Lynch).

  • 1/26/16 -- Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester
    Today at the sewer plant on Lake Ave, I found 4 CANVASBACKS, along with Ruddy Ducks, Common and Hooded Mergansers, Mallards, Common Goldeneyes, Mute Swan and Greater Scaup. (report from Peter Morlock).

    1/26/16 -- Bart's Pond, Clinton
    Among lots of Mallards this morning, I had 4 Buffleheads and a Male Gadwall at Bart's Pond. (report from Peter Morlock).

    1/24/16 -- South Quabbin/Quabog River
    A trip to SOUTH QUABBIN (Quabbin park) this AM recorded the following: Common Goldeneye (1m); Hooded Merganser (4); Common Merganser (27); Bald Eagle (2ad+1imm); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Ring-billed Gull (17); Belted Kingfisher (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Passerines were typical and in low numbers.
  • At the Lake Wickabog outflow into the Quabog River: Mallard (9); A Black Duck (22); Hooded Merganser (16); Common Merganser (1); Belted Kingfisher (1).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 1/23/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir; Coachlace Pond; Dexter Drumlin
    We started the day birding Wachusett Reservoir. While working our way around the reservoir, we staopped by COACHLACE POND, CLINTON. Though it was 90% ice covered, with several ice fishermen out on the ice, the back area was open and had c. 150 Canada Geese. We decided to break off from our Wachusett Count and see if we could find other flocks of geese in the area.
  • At DAVIS FAMLAND (Sterling) we had no geese on the ground, but a flock of c.100 fly overhead, heading in the direction of DEXTER DRUMLIN in Lancaster.
  • We headed to DEXTER DRUMLIN in Lancaster next, hiked out (very bitter cold), and in the fields visible from the top of the hill were c. 800+ Canada Geese. We searched through them several times and could find nothing unusual.
  • We next drove by Bolton Flats and could see no geese there.
  • Heading back to Coachlace Pond, we were surprised to now find even more geese packed into that small space, c.550+ this time around. This despite the ice fishermen and thier dogs. Searching through this dense congregation, after a bit, we found the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Kevin Bourinot had found (or likely the same one) earlier. BUT, right after we did, the geese began to take off in flocks of 15-30 and with some of the first groups went the Greater White-fronted (Sheila took some shots), and these headed in the direction of Dexter Drumlin. So, my advice if you are looking for the White-fronted is to check there.
  • At WACHUSETT RESERVOIR: Mallard (21: actually behind Wheetabix); Graeter Scaup/scaup sp. (115); Hooded Merganser (14); Common Merganser (30); Cooper's Hawk (1); Wild Turkey (3); Winter Wren (1); Common Raven (1);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 1/23/16 -- Fitchburg/Leominster
    A pair of Bald Eagles was sighted near the Fitchburg airport, one today flying around rt 12 leominster, and a pair on 1/21 near the Leominster registry.
    (report from Emily Gravelle).

    1/23/16 -- Lake Quinsigamond, Shrewsbury
    Behind White City Plaza on the lake there were 9 Common Mergansers, 5 Hooded Mergansers, and 1 Ruddy Duck.
  • Yesterday (1/22/16) there were 3 Common Mergansers, 7 Ruddy Ducks, and 1 N. Shoveller (F).
    (phone report from Dave Grant).

  • 1/21/16 -- Royalston
    We spent a few hours this morning birding Royalston. Biridng was slow and birds in forested araes few and far between.
  • Birds recorded: Wild Turkey (24); Mournign Dove (22); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Downy Woodpecker (1); Blue Jay (12); A Crow (5); Black-capped Chickadee (36); Tufted Titmouse (3); White-breasted Nuthatch (4); A Robin (6); Dark-eyed Junco (10); Purple Finch (17); House Finch (3); A Goldfinch (7);
  • Driving home in Rutland: Barred Owl (1 roadkill); Horned Lark (4); Brown-headed Cowbird (30+ in a flock of 200+ strarlings);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 1/21/16 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    At noon, there were typical birds for winter at the pond: 2 Mute Swans, 1 GB Heron, 3 Common Mergs, 3 Hooded Mergs, 5 Am Black Ducks, 1 Black Duck/Mallard hybrid, approx 30 Mallards, approx 30 RB Gulls. (report from Rick Quimby)

    1/16/16 -- Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester
    A quick afternoon trip to Notre Dame Cemetery in the city had the following: Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (80+ 1 hybrid Canada X ?); Mallard (19); Hooded Merganser (2); Red-tailed Hawk (1); E Screech Owl (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); N Flicker (1); Carolina Wren (2); N Mockingbird (3);
  • AT NEARBY ALL FAITH'S CEMETERY there were 200+ American Crows feeding among the stones and at ST. JOHN'S CEMETERY there were (34) robins being chased by a Sharp-shinend Hawk.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 1/14/16 -- Worcester
    On my suet feeder this afternoon there was a yard bird: male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/12/16 -- Lake Singletary, Millbury/Sutton
    This morning at about 11 a.m. there was a first year Iceland Gull loafing on the ice on Lake Singletary, at the Millbury/Sutton line. With a group of about 300 Ring-billed and a handful of Herring gulls. It was a very pale white-winged-gull with an all dark/black bill. It was viewed from accross the street to the Butler Farm property on Singletary Rd. Millbury. (report from Alan Marble).

    1/12/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    A quick check (several hours) of Wachusett this AM had the following: Common Loon (9); Canada Goose (218); Mute Swan (2); Mallard (9); Greater Scaup/scaup sp (130); Common Goldeneye (47); Hooded Merganser (36); Common Merganser (18); Ruddy Duck (2); Bald Eagle (1imm); Belted Kingfisher (1). Landbirds were pretty typical but did include a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and an Eastern Towhee.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/11/16 -- Salisbury Pond+Indian Lake, Worcester
    A quick check of both ponds did not reveal anything out of the ordinary, but people should continue to check Salisbury Pond as the month continues
  • SALISBURY POND: Canada Goose (300+); Mallard (140); "MallardXBlack" (1); Black Duck (8); Hooded Merganser (22); Common Merganser (10);
  • INDIAN LAKE: 97% ice covered Canada Goose (6); Ring-billed Gull (195); Herring Gull (13); Great Black backed Gull (1);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

  • 1/8/16 -- Wachusett Reservoir and vicinity
    I recorded the following this afternoon in the Wachusett Reservoir area. I checked out South Bay, the area near the Fletcher St. Bridge, the Thomas Basin, and the North Dike. I finished at Muddy Pond/Sterling Peat. Highlights:
  • WACHUSETT RESERVOIR: American Black Duck (2 at South Bay); Greater Scaup (100+; I had 120 scaup near the Fletcher St Bridge; I identified almost all of them as Greaters, and I did not pick out any Lessers); "Scaup" species (20 or so; see above); Common Goldeneye (43 at South Bay); Hooded Merganser (14; 12 at Thomas Basin and 2 at North Dike); Common Merganser (13 at South Bay); Common Loon (3 at North Dike); Great Black-backed Gull (1 at North Dike)
  • STERLING PEAT: American Tree Sparrow (2)
    (report from John Liller).

  • 1/7/16 -- Whalom Lake, Lunenburg
    At noon today there were 400-500 gulls on the ice and in the water on a lunch break. Among them there was 1 juvenile Glaucous Gull. At 12:50 PM their lunch break came to an abrupt end when they all took off and headed southwestward. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/6/16 -- Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester
    Highlights this afternoon while doing the Brookside/Green Heron Pond Loop at the Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester:
  • Cooper's Hawk - 1; Red-tailed Hawk - 1; RED-HEADED WOODPECKER - 1 (still in residence at the Green Heron Pond); Hairy Woodpecker - 2; American Tree Sparrow - 2; White-throated Sparrow - 5; Song Sparrow - 3.
    (report from John Liller).

  • 1/1/16 -- Worcester
    John Shea lead the New Year's day Forbush Bird Club trip in Worcester, with highlights including 3 Green-winged Teal, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Belted kingfisher and the Red-headed Woodpecker at Broad Meadow Brook. There were 28 recorded species. (report from John Shea fide Deb Berard).

    1/1/16 -- Wendemuth meadow, North Brookfield
    We had a Northern Harrier today at Wendemuth Meadow in North Brookfield. (report from Jeff Smith).

    For previous sightings, see September-December 2015 Archives or Archive Index