August 2009 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:

8/31/09 -- Holden/Sterling
  • Yesterday (8/30) in the late afternoon, while traveling on Rte 31 over the causeway that bisects the reservoir in Holden , we observed a 3 or 4 year Bald eagle flying over the reservoir. It had a white head, subtle mottling on wings and body and no white tail.
  • A Great Egret continues to be seen in the pastures of Davis Farm with the Highland cattle on Redstone Hill Rd. in Sterling. Last seen today (8/31). (report from Marion Larson and Scott Handler).

    8/30/09 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    Rebecca and I birded around the Wachusett Reservoir IBA on Sunday. Locations in the IBA included reservoir gates 36 and 40, South Bay, Thomas Basin, Scar Hill Bluffs, E. Waushacum pond, the Quag, Coachlace pond, Clinton Landfill and Sterling Peat. There seemed to have been a movement of sparrows happening at the Clinton landfill. In the grasses were hundreds of bobolinks and good numbers of field and savannah sparrows along the trail. Flickers were also abundant there. Highlights of 55 species recorded were: Canada Goose (61); Wood Duck (9, all at the ?Quag? pond in Sterling); Hooded Merganser (5, South Bay); Common Merganser (5, from Scar Hill Bluffs); Wild Turkey (1); Common Loon (21, all on the res and mostly seen in groups of 4 to 7); Double-crested Cormorant (56); Great Blue Heron (4); Green Heron (2); Bald Eagle (2, adults seen together. Last saw the young ones on the nest in early June); Red-tailed Hawk (5); Killdeer (32); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Solitary Sandpiper (2); Least Sandpiper (13, all at the "Quag" pond in Sterling); Chimney Swift (7); Belted Kingfisher (4); Northern Flicker (16, all over the place at Clinton landfill); Eastern Wood-Pewee (3); Eastern Phoebe (7, Clinton landfill); Eastern Kingbird (1); Red-eyed Vireo (2); Common Raven (2); Tree Swallow (14); Barn Swallow (25); Carolina Wren (1); House Wren (3); Gray Catbird (5); Cedar Waxwing (22); Prairie Warbler (5, all juveniles); Common Yellowthroat (3); Chipping Sparrow (9); Field Sparrow (24, Clinton landfill); Savannah Sparrow (32, Clinton landfill); Song Sparrow (18); Indigo Bunting (6); Bobolink (160+, huge group in the grasses and trail at Clinton landfill); Red-winged Blackbird (200); Eastern Meadowlark (4); (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    8/30/09 -- The Shoppes at Blackstone Valley, Millbury
    Kim Allen and I watched for Common Nighthawks this evening at the Millbury Mall from 5:30 to 7:45. We had 17 moving directly south or southwest, 5 moving northeast, 15 moving northwest and 3 moving north for a total of 40. Some feeding was observed, but most of the birds were moving steadily in one direction. (report from Alan Marble).

    8/30/09 -- Rt. 56 airport overlook, Worcester
    Nighthawk watching from 5PM-7:15PM from the Rt. 56 airport overlook and Mulberry Street. We had the following highlights: Double-crested Cormorant (2) Cooper's Hawk (1ad); A Kestrel (4); Merlin (2); Peregrine Falcon (1); Killdeer (24); BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (1); Chimney Swift (4); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); COMMON NIGHTHAWK (708: including a long strung out flock of 428 shortly after 5. Birds were low and moving fast, though three times we had small groups appear to kettle up and then disappear. Winds 5-10mph from the SW; scattered fair weather clouds); Tree Swallow (2); Barn Swallow (8); E Starling (88); Cedar Waxwing (73); Savannah Sparrow (3); Song Sparrow (2); Bobolink (8); C Grackle (1); Baltimore Oriole (3m); PLUS: at the overlook: several groups of NODDING LADIES TRESSES. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/30/09 -- Grafton
    It was a quieter evening on the southeastern side of Worcester, but I still had a few nighthawks. I also had a good number of feeding swifts. Double-crested Cormorant - 3; COMMON NIGHTHAWK - 29; CHIMNEY SWIFT - 86+; Barn Swallow - 3; Cedar Waxwing - 18; Red-winged Blackbird - 5; Common Grackle - 102. (report from John Liller).

    8/29/09 -- Wachusett Reservoir
    In the pouring rain we did a quick check of Wachusett Reservoir and had the following: Comon Loon (1); Double-crested Cormorant (9); Hooded Merganser (1f); Wild Turkey (1); Killdeer (39: Clinton HS grounds); Ring-billed Gull (10). Visibility was tough not only because of the driving rain, but because of a mist rising from the surface of the water. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/27/09 -- Rt. 56 overlook of airport, Leicester
    We did some nighthawk watching from the Rt. 56 overlook of the airport from 5:45-7PM. Temps were cool; light winds from the NW; with only a few high clouds. We had the following: Turkey Vulture (5); Osprey (1); Bald Eagle (1ad); Northern Harrier (1imm); A Kestrel (1); Killdeer (12); UPLAND SANDPIPER (1: flushed by harrier from dirt at end of runway; flew over Rt. 56 towards Liecester); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Least Sandpiper (3); Mourning Dove (14); COMMON NIGHTHAWK (144: all heading South, all moving directly, no feeding, all rather high. Some seemed to drop out of the sky right overhead); Chimney Swift (2); Eastern Kingbird (2); Barn Swallow (8); Blue Jay (7); A Crow (24); C Raven (2); A Goldfinch (4); Bobolink (47); C Grackle (12); Baltimore Oriole (1m). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/27/09 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon included 1 DC Cormorant, 2 Great Blue Herons, 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron (1st year), 5 Mute Swans (1 ad with 4 imm), 3 Killdeer, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 5 Least Sandpipers, 1 E Phoebe, and 2 Cedar Waxwings. (report from Rick Quimby).

    8/26/09 -- Blackstone Shoppes, Millbury
  • Tonight Kim Allen, Fran McMenemy and I saw 17 Common Nighthawks, with most of the birds heading west or southwest.
  • Last evening (8/25), we were nighthawk watching at the Millbury Mall, and between 6:00 and 7:45 16 Common Night hawks were seen moving south or southwest. A few were seen heading northeast.
    (report from Alan Marble).

    8/26/09 -- High Ridge WMA, Westminster
    I've done a little "nighthawking" over the past week with the following results from High Ridge WMA, just up from the Overlook Road gate (200+yards south of the Mass F+W hunter saftey building, along the road with an easterly view): 
      
date        # Common Nighthawks
8/23                    57
8/24                   78
8/26                   203
      (report from Tom Pirro).

    8/26/09 -- Brierly's Pond, Millbury/St Philips Cemetery, Grafton
  • This morning at Brierly's Pond in Millbury, there were 4 Least Sandpipers, 2 Spotted sandpipers, 3 Solitary Sandpipers and 2 Killdeer. The water at Brierly's is very low, exposing quite a bit of mud.
  • This morning, there was a Merlin teed up in the dead trees in the swamp behind St Philips Cemetery. I managed to get these digiscoped pictures (photo 1| photo 2). The Merlin was still there when Kim Allen and I went back late in the afternoon. I'm sure she will have much better pictures on her blog The Curious Birder. (report and photos from Alan Marble).

    8/25/09 -- Grafton
    This evening, I stopped by the Grafton High School to check out the movement of Nighthawks. I was there from 5:30 to 6:45, tearing myself away relunctantly for another obligation. Here is what I had:
  • COMMON NIGHTHAWKS - 142+ (They were all heading north or northeast. The largest groups were 27 at 5:44, 14 at 6:26, 56 at 6:30, and 16 at 6:40. I also had a group of 17 feeding over Lake Ripple and then heading southeast at about 6:15. Not knowing their origin, I did not count them as a separate group.).
  • Other highlights: Double-crested Cormorant - 2; Accipiter species - 1; Killdeer - 1; CHIMNEY SWIFT - 19; Belted Kingfisher - 1; Northern Flicker - 1; Barn Swallow - 14; Cedar Waxwing - 2; Red-winged Blackbird - 174 (all heading north, as they do every year during nighthawk season); Common Grackle - 12 (ditto); Baltimore Oriole - 1;
    (report from John Liller).

    8/23/09 -- Sterling center
    While listening to an evening concert at the Sterling Bandstand behind the fire station, we viewed ~100 Common Nighthawks flying north/northeast. (report from Marion Larson and Scott Handler).

    8/23/09 -- Rt. 56 airport overlook, Worcester
  • This evening (8/23): 5PM-6:45PM. Weather: wildly complex with billowing cumulous clouds; storms to the east (with visible rain) ; storms developing to the north and west; sun dogs and a rainbow. Fewer darners. COMMON NIGHTHAWKS (200 on the nose): Birds flew north to south/southwest; directly, no feeding. Some went east of the hill, some west, some directly overhead. Nice show. OTHER SPECIES SEEN INLCUDED: Double-crested Cormorant (1); A Kestrel (1: runways); Killdeer (8); Least Sandpiper (7); Chimney Swift (8); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Barn Swallow (79); Bobolink (17).
  • Yesterday (8/22): 5PM-6:30PM. Joined by Bart Kamp. Weather: unsettled, but sunny. It was if we were between two areas of poor weather. Temp: 85, humid. The fields were covered with large darners and there was a significant movement of Common Wood Nymphs. COMMON NIGHTHAWKS (93). The largest group came in from the south, flew east around the hill, passed over Rt. 56 to the north and then headed south all in one continuous movement! Birds were migrating and not feeding. OTHER SPECIES SEEN INLCUDED: Double-crested Cormorant (1); Great Blue Heron (3); Turkey Vulture (3); A Kestrel (1 on runway); Killdeer (11: on runway); Chimney Swift (19); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); Tree Swallow (2); Barn Swallow (36); Bobolink (43); E Meadowlark (5).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/23/09 -- Ware River, Hardwick
    This evening, at the leading edge of a large thunderstorm, a loose swarm of Common Nighthawks was seen feeding low with Chimney Swifts, Swallows and large Darner Dragonflies along the Ware River in Hardwick. Numbers were impossible to get a lock on, but 100 Nighthawks is probably close, between the villages of Wheelwright and Gilbertville on route 32A. Perhaps 50 Chimney Swifts and a few hundred Swallow sp. All birds were silent. (report from Chris Buelow)

    8/22/09 -- Winimussett Wildlife Management Area, New Braintree
    Here is the extended trip narrative, which includes a Nighthawk count report. (report from Chris Ellison).

    8/20/09 -- West Hill Dam, Uxbridge
    Three nighthawks were seen in a nearly empty sky this evening around 7:45. Nearby on Hartford Avenue, two great egrets have been spotted at Rice City Pond over the past several days, along with two great blue herons and a green heron. (report from Beth Milke)

    8/17/09 -- Southbridge Street, Auburn/Worcester
    Mattie Vandenboom spotted a few nighthawks this evening over Southbridge Street near the Auburn/Worcester line. (report from Colleen Morin).

    8/16/09 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    After doing a bit of birding at GREAT MEADOWS NWR, we returned to Worcester County. We stopped by BOLTON FLATS. This was somewhat problematic because the Bolton Fair was on and traffic was being re-routed at the intersection of Rt. 117 and Rt.110, NO traffic, except shuttle buses or fair venders being allowed west down Rt.117. Still, we drove on, stopped by a policeman right at the main entrance to Bolton Flats. When we told him we wanted to go to the "wildlife management area" he said "of course". Needless to say, we were the only people in Bolton Flats at that time. Water has dried up considerably and only a few rapidly shrinking pools remain. At the intersection of the main path and the left, it is still very flooded and you need wellies to get past this intersection. Neither of us had boots, so we birded only from the main road. We were aided by first (2) Turkey Vultures and then a hunting Cooper's Hawk. Both occurrences put ALL the shorebirds up for some time; we were able to note how many birds there were (most not in sight) and best of all, many landed where we could see them after the Coop. This water will likely be dried up after tomorrow and these birds will have moved on. Great Blue Heron (3); Great Egret (1); Turkey Vulture (2); Cooper?s Hawk (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Virginia Rail (2); Semipalmated Plover (7); Killdeer (68); Greater Yellowlegs (4); Lesser Yellowlegs (2); Semipalmated Sandpiper (2); Least Sandpiper (64); White-rumped Sandpiper (4); BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (1: great and sustained views as it feed along the edge of a pool. For the first 45 minutes, it was not visible. Only AFTER the passing of the Coop); Pectoral Sandpiper (4: some great views of preening birds); Wilson's Snipe (6); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (3 migrating); Belted Kingfisher (2); Willow Flycatcher (3); Eastern Phoebe (19: movement); Eastern Kingbird (1); Warbling Vireo (4); Bank Swallow (20+ overhead); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1); Gray Catbird (18); Indigo Bunting (1); Bobolink (28: overhead); NB: it is a shame that so many of the access trails are being overgrown. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/15/09 -- East Quabbin Reservoir
    We spent Saturday atlasing in east Quabbin, from gates 35-39 and then gates 45-49. This area contains parts of 4 of our atlas blocks. Northeast Quabbin was completely fogged in at dawn and the fog only began to lift by 9AM. The rest of the day was sunny and hot, and bird activity diminished greatly after noon. Surprisingly, there were still a number of birds feeding "just fledged" young. This was especially true of warblers like Chestnut-sided, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat. Mosquitoes and Deer Flies were horrendous. Total species list: Common Loon 4ad+ 1 tight flock of 10ads. This flock drifted slowly north of the phragmite island. The birds all dove at the same time and remained quite close together for about an hour then started to drift off into small groups of 2-4 birds. Double-crested Cormorant (1ad); Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (1+1ad w/2 yg feeding on the Gate 35 road); Wood Duck (23); Common Merganser (6ad); Bald Eagle (1ad); Broad-winged Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Wild Turkey (1); Solitary Sandpiper (2: nb: though the water is going down a bit, there still are no flat or bars for shorebirds to rest on); American Woodcock (1); Ring-billed Gull (5); Black-billed Cuckoo (1 very vocal bird); Chimney Swift (1); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5: all appeared to be migrants); Belted Kingfisher (3); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3); Downy Woodpecker (5); Hairy Woodpecker (5); N Flicker (2); E Wood Pewee (16); E Phoebe (14); E Kingbird (6); Red-eyed Vireo (83: some still feeding yg); Blue Jay (5: surprisingly low numbers); A Crow (5); Tree Swallow (402: some over main body of reservoir, some over beaver marshes); Bank Swallow (2); Cliff Swallow (1); Barn Swallow (52); Black-capped Chickadee (103: many young birds in flocks w/adults); Tufted Titmouse (33: see note above); Red-breasted Nuthatch (4); White-breasted Nuthatch (8); Brown Creeper (4); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (5); Hermit Thrush (6); A Robin (7: surprisingly few); Gray Catbird (33); Cedar Waxwing (9); WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (27: a number of still somewhat downy yg still being attended by adults); Magnolia (1); Black-throated Blue (3: 1 still singing); Black-throated Green (5); Pine (13); Prairie (2); Black and White (3); A Redstart (39: a number of just fledged birds being attended by adults); C Yellowthroat (31); Canada Warbler (2); Scarlet Tanager (1); E Towhee (53); Chipping Sparrow (7); Song Sparrow (3); Red-winged Blackbird (68: most in large flock of grackles at dawn, moving west along power lines); C Grackle (360+); Baltimore Oriole (4); A Goldfinch (17);
    PLUS: a decent number of butterflies including Black and Spicebush Swallowtails; Mourning Cloak; and a good number of Great Spangled Fritillaries nectaring on Joe-Pye-Weed. A good sized (over 3 foot); BLACK RACER; a MEADOW JUMPING MOUSE and a BEAVER swimming all the way across the main body of the reservoir. At dawn, in the mist of the fog, we found HUNDREDS of the webs of the FILMY BOWL SPIDER, whose dense and complex webs look like large, deep inverted soup bowls made of ectoplasm suspended about a foot or so off the ground. . If you imagine such a thing. Sheila took some nice shots. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/12/09 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester
    Here is the complete trip list for the Forbush Bird Club evening walk. (report from Alan Marble fide Joan Gallagher).

    8/10/09 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    There continues to be a nice assortment of shorebirds on Bolton Flats. This evening the birds moved about, probably being spooked by a raptor (which I never saw), and most but not all ended up on the south side of Rte 117. Birds recorded: Wood Duck 2; American Black Duck 10; Mallard 175; Green-winged Teal (American) 3; Great Blue Heron 2; Great Egret 1; Green Heron 1; Semipalmated Plover 16; Killdeer 45; Spotted Sandpiper 4; Solitary Sandpiper 12; Greater Yellowlegs 3; Lesser Yellowlegs 12; Semipalmated Sandpiper 4; Least Sandpiper 160; White-rumped Sandpiper 3; Pectoral Sandpiper 1; Wilson's Snipe 2; Mourning Dove 12; Belted Kingfisher 1; Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2; Willow Flycatcher 1; Warbling Vireo 1; Tree Swallow 3; Bank Swallow 10; Barn Swallow 3; American Robin 500; Gray Catbird 4; European Starling 125; Cedar Waxwing 5; Common Yellowthroat 1; Song Sparrow 5; Swamp Sparrow 2; Northern Cardinal 1; Red-winged Blackbird 500; Common Grackle 20; American Goldfinch 10; (report from Tom Pirro).

    8/9/09 -- Gate 35, Quabbin Reservoir
    We spent the morning atlasing in the GATE 35 area of QUABBIN, sticking mostly close to the shoreline (New Salem/Petersham). Dawn was quite beautiful with a shimmering mist rising in the sun over the hills and islands, but by 11AM it was overcast and the wind was picking up. We had the following: Common Loon (8 ad); Double-crested Cormorant (1); Turkey Vulture (1); Wood Duck (1); Osprey (1); Bald Eagle (1ad+1 1st yr); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Mourning Dove (8); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (3); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (4: see note below); Hairy Woodpecker (1); PILEATED WOODPECKER (3 just fledged young with 1 adF. The 3 yg birds were together working on a phone pole. Actually they were making half-hearted attempts to get food. Mostly they were chasing each other and displaying to each other: raising crests, cocking heads and spreading their wings out flat against the pole. All the while this was going on, a group (family?); of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers mobbed them, 1 bird drilling on a piece of metal atop the pole time and again; the others flying at the birds and landing on the pole among them. We also had another adult Pileated in another part of the reservoir); E Wood Pewee (3); Least Flycatcher (1); E Phoebe (4); E Kingbird (8: moving); Blue-headed Vireo (2); Red-eyed Vireo (15); Blue Jay (39: moving?); A Crow (3); C Raven (2); TREE SWALLOW (5000++: at dawn huge numbers of Tree Swallows were seen roosting and flying about the phragmite island. I made an effort to estimate the size of the mega-flock when periodically the birds would simultaneously gather up into the air. By a few hours after dawn, large numbers could be seen drifting low over the water north of the island, while another several hundred were seen coming IN to the island from high over Mt. L from the east. By mid-morning they were almost all gone, and when we left, we saw virtually no swallows.); Barn Swallow (20+); Black-capped Chickadee (38); Tufted Titmouse (8); Red-breasted Nuthatch (11); White-breasted Nuthatch (3); House Wren (3); Hermit Thrush (11: weirdly, these have been silent for the last month or so, but this morning were in full song); A Robin (7); Gray Catbird (11); Cedar Waxwing (6);
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1 in full song); Yellow (2imm); Black-throated Blue (1 singing); Yellow-rumped (6); Blackburnian (1 singing); Pine (1); Prairie (3); Black and White (4); A Redstart (1); C Yellowthroat (11); Canada (2: 1 still singing)
    Scarlet Tanager (5); E Towhee (28: small groups of just fledged yg seen following ad Males around); Chipping Sparrow (7); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3); Bobolink (3 overhead); A Goldfinch (2). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/8/09 -- Redstone Hill Road, Sterling
    A Great Egret has been present for several days in a row at the Davis Farm field where the Highland Cattle and old dairy building are located off Redstone Hill Road. The bird was there from August 6-8. (report from Marion Larson).

    8/7/09 -- Bolton Flats along Rt 117
    The following is a selection of some of the birds that I saw at Bolton Flats:
  • Aug. 7, North Fields: Killdeer 8; Spotted Sandpiper 2; Lesser Yellowlegs 8; Least Sandpipers;
  • Aug. 7, South Fields: Spotted Sandpiper 6; Least Sandpiper 40; Killdeer 8; Short-billed Dowitchers 2;
  • Aug. 5, North Fields: Great Egret 2; Solitary Sandpiper; Least Sandpiper 3; Pectoral Sandpiper 2; Lesser Yellowlegs 2;
    (report from Peter Morlock).

    8/7/09 -- Meadow Pond, Northbridge
    Around mid-day, a Great Egret was on a rock at the western edge of Meadow Pond in Northbridge, seen easily from Main Street. (report from Beth Milke)

    8/3/09 -- Westminster
    A Louisiana Waterthrush was singing in back of my place this morning, I have heard it a few times this year. Maybe its "just me", but it seems very late for this species to still be singing and on territory, since this species has a very early "exit date" late July/early August. The neighborhood Eastern Wood PeeWee is another story and will continue to sing through August into early September. (report from Tom Pirro).

    8/2/09 -- Northeast Quabbin Reservoir
    We did some late season atlasing in northeast Quabbin, from Gate 35 to Gate 39. The weather was overcast and dreary (so, what else is new?). Most of the passerines noted were in two mixed species flocks, the largest being right along the shore just after dawn. The birds started moving south along the shore, then backed up a bit and headed east/southeast inland. The second group we came across well inland and also seemed to be working the upperstory heading southeast. Typically we see numbers and variety of birds moving like this in mid-September. We did have a few birds still in "family groups", so noted below. Common Loon (4ad: no sign here of young); Double-crested Cormorant (1); MUTE SWAN (1ad still working the phrag island north of Mt. L); Wood Duck (13); A Black Duck (1); Mallard (3); Hooded Merganser (1 yg bird); Bald Eagle (1ad+1imm); Broad-winged Hawk (1); Least Sandpiper (3: flybys: with the high water here, there are not many places for migratory shorebirds to put down); Ring-billed Gull (3); Mourning Dove (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); Downy Woodpecker (5); Hairy Woodpecker (3); E Wood Pewee (7); LEAST FLYCATCHER (5+ 1ad feeding 3 just/almost fledged young birds. These still somewhat downy young could fly, but just barely For the most part they stayed within FEET of the nest as the adult, calling only occasionally, sallied out and caught insects to feed them); E Phoebe (2); Eastern Kingbird (5); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (56: numbers moving at dawn); Blue Jay (8); A Crow (1); C Raven (3); Black-capped Chickadee (27); Tufted Titmouse (16); Red-breasted Nuthatch (2); White-breasted Nuthatch (3); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (5); A Robin (4); Gray catbird (4); Cedar Waxwing (8: none appeared to be nesting); WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (19); Black-throated Blue (1f w/3 just fledged yg+1M); Yellow-rumped (4); Black-throated Green (3); Blackburnian (4); Pine (24); Black and White (8); Ovenbird (1); C Yellowthroat (15); Scarlet Tanager (2: 1 m foraging on the ground in the middle of the road); E Towhee (23); Chipping Sparrow (7); Field Sparrow (1 still singing); Swamp Sparrow (4); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Red-winged Blackbird (3); A Goldfinch (6); PLUS: a family of RIVER OTTERS. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    For previous sightings, see July 2009 Archives or Archive Index