August 2011 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:

8/30/11 -- Millbury
This evening at the Shoppes at Blackstone Valley, Rick Quimby, Paul Melesky, Fran McMenemy, Jean Holm and Donald Holm joined me for a Common Nighthawk watch. Between 5:30 and 7:45, 173 were counted. Most were feeding and eventually drifting off to the south. Other birds of note were an Osprey and a flock of 15 Cedar Waxwings, flying over and well illuminated by the sun. (report from Alan Marble)

8/30/11 -- Sturbridge
Between 6:50 PM and 7:15 PM this evening we observed 29 Common Nighthawks migrating in a south - southeasterly direction over our home in Sturbridge. (report from Naomi Lacasse).

8/30/11 -- Sterling peat, Sterling
Yesterday and this morning at Sterling Peat, it was fairly quiet: Kingfisher (2), green heron (2), great blue heron (2), great egret (1), double-crested cormorant (1), northern harrier (1). (report from Paul Dufault).

8/29/11 -- Fitchburg/ Wachusett Reservoir
I checked the Fitchburg Airport this morning about 7:30AM, and except for killdeer and 4 American Kestrels it was empty. At Wachusett Resevoir I learned of the Black and Common Tern from Jean Holm while I was at gate 36. Eventually I had both a Black and a Common from the Mile Hill Road "overlook", both being in flight and too far to photo.  (report from Tom Pirro).

8/29/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir
Out before work, there were a number of birders scattered around Wachusett Reservoir: Fran McMenemy; Barton Kamp; Alan Marble; Kevin Bourinot; Steve Arena. Birds seen were as follows SO FAR: Common Loon (3ad+1 ad w/yng); Double-crested Cormorant (46); Great Blue Heron (1); Bald Eagle (2ad: 1 being attacked by 3 Red-tailed Hawks); Bonaparte's Gull (1); Common Tern (2); Black Tern (2). As is typical with the day after the passage of an interior hurricane, birds may drop in through out the day. The terns were beign seen from either the dam or South Bay. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

8/28/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir
Sorry for the late post, we finally have electricity in my area again. I spent most of Sunday 8:30am-4pm birding Wachusett Reservoir during the Tropical Storm. Heavy to light rain the whole time( I got soaked even through the rain gear while caught out in a very heavy bout of rain, luckily I brought a change of clothes and extra rain gear). At points the sustained winds were steady at around 30-40mph and some gusts to almost 70mph. I birded from many different gates on all sides of the reservoir.
  • The bird of the day for me was a Western Sandpiper that was hanging out on the spit at the end of the trail from gate 8. The WESA was hanging out in tight company with a Sanderling, they never strayed more than a few feet from each other. I had fun watching the two birds for a while. Both birds were in winter plumage. The WESA had a longer bill, thinner at the tip, and was much paler overall than any Semipalmated I have seen. The face and back of the bird were very pale and the streaks down the side of the breast ended quickly. Other highlights were a Black Tern and Red Knot in South Bay.
  • Here is the Complete List: Common Loon-4ad/2juv; D-c Cormorant-29; Great Blue Heron-2; Mallard-2; Canada Goose-46; Bald Eagle-1juv/1-3rdyear; Cooper's Hawk-1ad; Killdeer-27 mostly in Clinton HS ball fields; Red Knot-1 in molt; Sanderling-1; Western Sandpiper-1; Calidris species-2 may have been Pectoral but distant; Spotted Snadpiper-8; Bonaparte's Gull-4; Ring-billed Gull-78 mostly in Clinton HS ball fields; Herring Gull-8; Black Tern-1 trying to catch insects being blown across the water in the wind. It would occasionally catch a blowing leaf instead; Rock Pigeon-1; Mourning Dove-1; Empidonax sp-1; E. Phoebe-1; Blue Jay-2; A. Crow-9; C. Raven-1; Bank Swallow-1 flew by the spit at gate 8; Barn Swallow-3; Swallow Species-4; W-b Nuthatch-5; E. Bluebird-1; Cedar Waxwing-1; Gray Catbird-1; Chipping Sparrow-45 in one group by the graveyard at the end of Scar Hill Road. Many juvenile birds; A. Goldfinch-3; Unidentified passerines-6
    (report from Nickilas Paulson).

    8/28/11 -- Village of Manchaug, Sutton
    I had a very early sighting of CommonNightHawks Sunday afternoon at 2,30 . It was very windy and with drizzling rain I wasn't thinking birds as I walked up the street. I could see some birds, when it hit me they were CONI'S and I started to count .The event lasted less than 5 minutes and had 325+ .I would have spotted more had I paid bettter attention and had my binoculars with me. I spent a couple of hours that night with out a single sighting. Monday night I had a decent and typical night with 113 for 3 hours counting. (report from Michael Joubert).

    8/28/11 -- Fitchburg airport
    Photos of the 8/28 storm birds at Fitchburg Airport can be seen on my blog. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    8/28/11 -- Fitchburg Airport
    After a bleak showing of storm driven birds at Wachusett Reservoir I stopped by the Fitchburg Airport to give that a view.
  • The highlights: Black-bellied Plover.. 64; American Golden Plover.. 7; Semipalmated Plover.. 2; Killdeer.. 2; Hudsonian Godwit.. 3 seen well photographed; Greater Yellowlegs.. 4; Lesser Yellowlegs.. 3; Ruddy Turnstone.. 12 all adult but one; Sanderling.. 10; Red Knot.. 8 a variety of color, but one still retained a good deal of red.... photographed; Least Sandpiper.. 3; Semipalmated Sandpiper.. 20; SHort-billed Dowitcher.. 2; Lesser Black-backed Gull.. (1 adult BP...i.e. clean headed, in direct compairson to a Gr. BB Gull); Parasitic Jaeger.. (1 imm. light barred underside, tail and underwings with little contrast compaired to the body, slight central tail feather extrension, light base to the primaries. It passed quickly, I tossed the phone and snapped some photos).
  • I called a few central Mass. birders who got to see most species except the Jaeger, which passed overhead while I was on the phone with another birder and continued east.. I did get a few digi-bin shots as it passed and will seek advice from folks with more experience than I have with Jaegers. I got a few poor photos of the Godwits, Knots.... I believe Kevin B. got better shots on most other "important species". I will post some of my better (a relative term) photos on my blog shortly. Any comments on the Jaeger would be appreciated
    (report from Tom Pirro).

    8/27/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston
    There was a Red-necked Phalarope (non-breeding plumage) seen from the point inside Gate 8 in Boylston. It was floating around in open water with ring-billed gulls. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    8/27/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir/Sterling Peat, Clinton/Sterling
    I did a bit of "pre-storm" birding during mid-day today. Highlights were:
  • Wachusett Reservoir: Common Loon (2 ad and 2 1st summer birds, all close together seen from Gate 36; probably a family); Bald Eagle (1 ad, swooped down showing its talons, giving a nice show from Gate 40)
  • Sterling Peat: 1 GB Heron, 5 Green Heron, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 9 Least Sandpiper, and 1 Belted Kingfisher.
    (report from Rick Quimby).

    8/27/11 -- Mt Wachusett, Princeton
    Interesting sighting this evening just as the rain began on Mt Wachusett. A male Black-throated green warbler, already beginning to show fall colors, was feeding young (2). Don't think I have ever seen feeding behavior this late. But see also Mark Lynch's post about catbirds at Quabbin (8/21). (report from Dick Knowlton).

    8/26/11 -- Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester
    Observing Nighthawks from the Notre Dame Cemetery to night from, 5:30 to 6:00 pm, I estimate that the number of birds feeding back and forth from Worcester into Auburn was between 350 and 400 birds. (report from Fran McMenemy).

    8/26/11 -- Sutton
    Around 3.05 on the road off of Greenwood St heading to The Shoppes at Millbury there were 9 male Wild Turkeys. At 4.10 at Tucker Pond on Putnam Hill road Sutton there was 1 adult Little Blue Heron; it was in the company of 2 Great Blue Herons and 1 Green Heron. (report from Michael Joubert).

    8/25/11 -- Sutton
    Slow night for Nighthawks tonight I got my first bird at 7.20 and last one at 7.40 for a grand total of 21. From 7.50 to 7.55 I had 3 seperate groups of Canada Geese each with a dozen plus birds per flock all heading North West.I also had 1 GreatBlueHeron fly over also 1 AMERICAN WOODCOCK flying straight east along the Mumford river. All birds seen along Main St. Manchaug/Sutton. (report from Michael Joubert).

    8/24/11 -- Sutton
    This evening around 5.35 I observed a CommonNightHawk fly off the roof  of the building  where I have been counting NightHawks (Main St.Manchaug/Sutton). This was the first of a short line ( 17 ) of NightHawks seen tonight. (report from Michael Joubert).

    8/24/11 -- Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester
    I went to Notre Dame Cemetery looking for Night Hawks from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. I saw 53 Birds all heading south to south west. Most were on the move -- not much feeding going on. (report from John Shea).

    8/21/11 -- Gate 35-37, Quabbin Reservoir
    We birded from Gate 35 to Gate 37 and back out Gate 35 Sunday. Initially the weather was unsettled with some fog, but eventually the sun came out. Warblers were mostly in four discrete flocks, working the forest upperstory and composed predominantly of young birds. In these flocks, Pine Warblers were the most common species by far. Water levels are still a bit high here. Shorebirds are around, but mostly far out on the Phrag Island. I could ID only those large species that flew up, nearby or called.
  • Species list: Common Loon (13ad); Double-crested Cormorant (3imm); Great Egret (2); Mallard (2f); Bald Eagle (1ad); Broad-winged Hawk (1imm); Merlin (1); Wild Turkey (3); Greater Yellowlegs (3); Lesser Yellowlegs (1); Spotted Sandpiper (2); UPLAND SANDPIPER (1); "Calidrid sp". minimally 35+ Pectoral Sandpiper (2); SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (3); Ring-billed Gull (8); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (3); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (6); Downy Woodpecker (2); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Wood Peewee (7: still singing); Yellow-throated Vireo (1); Blue-headed Vireo (1); PHILADELPHIA VIREO: (1 seen and heard signing a few times. Obviously weird); Red-eyed Vireo (51: some still singing; many family groups); Blue Jay (8); A Crow (6); C Raven (1); Black-capped Chickadee (44); White-breasted Nuthatch (9); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2); Hermit Thrush (6); A Robin (1); Gray Catbird (12: a few still carrying food to nests);
      WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (11); Black-throated Blue (3); Yellow-rumped (4); Black-throated Green (11); Pine (94: huge numbers in every flock, mostly birds of the year); Black and White (20); A Redstart (13); C Yellowthroat (6); Canada (1);
    Scarlet Tanager (11); E Towhee (15: some still tending nests); Chipping Sparrow (41); Red-winged Blackbird (6); A Goldfinch (4);
  • PLUS: Viceroy (1);; a nice variety of dragonflies (a number of Green-striped Darners);; and a number of Ambush Bugs in the goldenrod.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/21/11 -- Westboro
    I sighted a Great Egret, Belted Kingfisher, and Eastern Phoebe today in Westboro. (report and photo from Henry Squillante).

    8/20/11 -- Rutland State Park, Rutland
    Dave Grant reports a Yellow-billed Cuckoo sighted today along the rail trail in Rutland State Park. (phone report from Dave Grant).

    8/18/11 -- Sutton
    Tonight at 7,40 I had a Rock Dove with an orange tag on it's right leg and a hot pink tag and ribbon on it's right leg .this bird had a tough time walking with the trailing ribbon that was 4 to 5 inches long .Must be a racing thing, There is a guy who has racing pigeons down the road from me possibly one of his?Also tonight Nighthawk counting I had decent numbers of birds spaced out all night to keep me out ( 39 ) all birds seen MainSt Manchaug/ Sutton. (report from Michael Joubert).

    8/17/11 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester
    On the Forbush Bird Club trip, some highlights were Green Heron, Wood Duck, Coopers Hawk, Red tailed Hawk, Common Night Hawk and a Northern Oriole. The group saw 24 species, but the target species Black-crowned Night Heron was not observed. Here is the complete species list. (trip report from John Shea fide Jean Holm).

    8/17/11 -- High Ridge WMA, Westminster
    Highlights from nighthawk watching from 5:50-7:00PM, from inside the Overlook Road entrance at High Ridge WMA.
  • Turkey Vulture 3; Northern Harrier 1 juv.; Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 juv.; American Kestrel 1 fem.; Common Nighthawk 24 (small groups 5, 8, 6 , 2, and 3); Chimney Swift 3; Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1; Northern Flicker 1; Pileated Woodpecker 1; Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 (T'd up near the old hunter safety HQ building 1/3 mile inside the Overlook Rd. gate, the presence of the SS and AK may encouraged it to move on.); Eastern Wood-Pewee 1; Eastern Phoebe 1; Eastern Kingbird 4; Tree Swallow 17; Barn Swallow 3; Cliff Swallow 1 migrating w/ Tree Swallow); Eastern Bluebird 4 feeding young; Cedar Waxwing 15; Scarlet Tanager 1; Bobolink 40 groups of 16 and 24 heading north west likely to roost
    (report from Tom Pirro).

    8/14/11 -- Gates 22-35, Quabbin Reservoir
    Despite dark, overcast conditions and periodic rain, we managed a few hours atlasing in a block in northeast Quabbin. This block includes Gate 35 and parts of Gate 22. We started at Gate 22, and there was only occasional drizzle, but by the time we got to Gate 35, the heavens opened up and we called it a day. There were several flocks of warblers, but for the most part they stayed high up in the upper story, very tough to see and ID in the gloom and backlighting.
  • Here is what we managed to see: Common Loon (12ad); Double-crested Cormorant (1imm); Great Egret (2); Canada Goose (13); Wild Turkey (9); Ring-billed Gull (4); Mourning Dove (12); Barred Owl (3 calling); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (3); Downy Woodpecker (2); E Wood Peewee (10: still some fledged yg being attended by ads); Least Flycatcher (3); Red-eyed Vireo (19); A Crow (1); Tree Swallow (1); Black-capped Chickadee (23); White-breasted Nuthatch (7); A Robin (2); Gray Catbird (8); Chestnut-sided Warbler (5); Pine Warbler (8); Black and White Warbler (8); A Redstart (3); C Yellowthroat (4); Scarlet Tanager (1); E Towhee (2); Chipping Sparrow (2); Song Sparrow (3); Indigo Bunting (2); Baltimore Oriole (3); A Goldfinch (2);
  • PLUS: White-tailed Deer (1);; Stinkpot (turtle); (1);; Red Eft (common);; Pickerel Frog (common);; with all the rain, the variety of fungi popping up in a forest like that found in northeast Quabbin is mindboggling and worthy of some attention. Sheila spent some time shooting just a few species she will likely get up on her blog later.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll)

    8/13/11 -- Muddy Pond, Oakham
    The highlight was a Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding in a patch of Orange Jewelweed. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    8/13/11 -- Gate 40 Quabbin Reservoir
    Today we atlased inside gate 40 Quabbin. Our route took us through an atlas block and two small slivers of blocks. Our route took us in the main gate of Gate 40, through Dana Commons, straight to an overlook of Mt Zion, continuing to the south of Pottapaug Hill, then back to Dana Commons, up and over Skinner Hill Road to Graves Landing; north along Whitney Hill Road; south along Tamplin Road and out the gate again. There was still a lot of "atlas able" behavior (all "confirmed" behaviors) as many just fledged young which could hardly fly or were tailless or with tufts of down on them, were still being fed by adults. Some towhees, catbirds and cardinals were still feeding young in nests and we had Wood Duck ducklings. Warblers were sometimes in very loose affiliations.
  • Totals: Common Loon (4ad); Wood Duck (7 ducklings); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1 ad hunting deep in forest); Cooper'led Hawk (2imm w/1ad); Virginia Rail (3); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Ring-billed Gull (2); Rock Dove (3 overhead); Mourning Dove (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (10); Downy Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker ( 3); N Flicker (9); E Wood Peewee (32); "Trail's" type flycatcher (1); Least Flycatcher (9); E Phoebe (4); E Kingbird (6); Blue-headed Vireo (5); Red-eyed Vireo (56: lots of song; a number of family groups); Blue Jay (23); A Crow (7); Tree Swallow (12); Black-capped Chickadee (29); Tufted Titmouse (9); White-breasted Nuthatch (7); House Wren (2); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1); Veery (2); Hermit Thrush (8 singing); Wood Thrush (3 calling); A Robin (27: including 1 imm we watched for several minutes ANTING, catching an ant in the middle of the road, stretching out a wing or turning the body oddly, then running the ant down the shaft of a feather); Gray Catbird (28); Cedar Waxwing (18: all adults);
      WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (11); Magnolia (1); Black-throated Blue (13: 3 tailess, still a bit downy yng seen accompanied by an ad); Pine (17); Black and White (16: 7 yng birds seen; several adults still singing); A Redstart (8); C Yellowthroat (25); Canada (2);
    Scarlet Tanager (2); E Towhee (34); Chipping Sparrow (6); Song Sparrow (12); Swamp Sparrow (4); N Cardinal (3); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Indigo Bunting (3); Baltimore Oriole (8); A Goldfinch (12);
  • PLUS: a number of spectacular huge fungi, all of which we are still trying to ID and a 3.5 foot BLACK RACER [snake].
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    8/11/11 -- Sutton
    Around 7.10 at Main St.Manchaug/Sutton I observed 1 CommonNightHawk feeding  along with the many ChimnySwifts in the area. I suspect this bird is local. (report from Michael Joubert).

    8/11/11 -- Sutton
    Around 5.15 at the intersection by the old Blue Jay Pub I observed a Common Raven. (report from Michael Joubert)

    8/10/11 -- Dark Brook, Auburn
    At the large marsh south of the dam and water diversion tunnel just off Route 12, we found an adult male Least Bittern. We actually saw it twice, once on our hike in, and on our hike out it was in a different location. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    8/9/11 -- Sutton
    At 6.45 PM while watching the local Chimny Swift show I had one CommonNightHawk join the Swifts feeding .( Main St. Manchaug/Sutton ) I watched it feed for about 20 minutes to see if it was joined by others till I got tired of the rain. (report from Michael Joubert).

    8/8/11 -- Athol
    Breeding Bird Atlas work is continuing to pay off! I hiked around Bearsden Conservation Area in Athol (ATHOL 01) today and found the following: Yellow-rumped Warbler feeding fledglings; Red-eyed Vireo feeding fledglings, Hermit Thrush and Ovenbird fledglings. The most interesting find of the day was Eastern Wood Pewee on her nest, on still-unhatched eggs, judging by her behavior. (report from Wendy Howes)

    8/7/11 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    Early this evening there were 2 yellowlegs, 7 semipalmated sandpipers, 3 green herons, 1 spotted sandpiper and 8 killdeer. (report from Jean Holm).

    8/7/11 -- Gate 35, Quabbin Reservoir
  • During a brief atlasing tour of Gate 35, Quabbin (northeast corner) this morning we had the following birds. The weather, despite the fact that it was raining in Worcester, was mostly cloudy, extremely humid, but at least there was no rain. NB: the water levels here, though falling, are nowhere near as low as at Wachusett Reservoir.
  • Common Loon (12ad); Double-crested Cormorant (2); American Bittern (1: flew up from middle of Phrag Island and resettled a bit further north in more phragmites, just behind a Great Egret. It is very likely this species breeds here based on this years observations); Great Blue Heron (1); Great Egret (3: later flushed by the Bald Eagles); Hooded Merganser (4 imm); Bald Eagle (2ad+1 very dark yg. This young bird "of the year" was seen perched on the north end of the Phrag Island next to an adult. It kept picking up a large stick, putting it down and picking it up again); Semipalmated Plover (1); Killdeer (1); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Great Yellowlegs (1); "calidrid sp." 40+: too far out to ID Ring-billed Gull (16); Caspian Tern (1); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (7); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Wood Peewee (7); E Phoebe (3); Tree Swallow (80+); Barn Swallow (30+); Red-eyed Vireo (12); Black-capped Chickadee (19); Tufted Titmouse (14); American Crow (2); Common Raven (2); American Robin (7); Gray Catbird (7); Black Throated Blue Warbler (6); Black-throated Green Warbler (3: all imm); Pine Warbler (14); Black and White Warbler (24: including an amazing "flock" of 15+ immatures mixed in with a few other species at the gate. Everywhere we looked in this one small area of forest, there would be 4-5 young Black and Whites. I have never seen so many Black and White Warblers in one spot before); American Redstart (11); C Yellowthroat (17); E Towhee (17: many just fledged birds); Chipping Sparrow (20); Song Sparrow (3); A Goldfinch (1);
  • Invertebrates were interesting: included Ambush Bugs; Crab Spiders and a good number of Flower Borers, Typocerus sp.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll)

    8/5/11 -- Greenbrier Rec. Area, Oxford
    Some highlights: 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Great Egret, a Green Heron eating a fish, 2 Turkey Vultures, 1 Belted Kingfisher, and a juvenile Downy Woodpeckerworking a spike of Common Mullein. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    8/4/11 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    There was an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron at Sterling Peat this evening. It was under a bush on the far shore straight out from the tip of the peninsula. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    8/2/11 -- Hadwen Park, Worcester
    There was a Black Crowned Night Heron perched in a tree along the shore of Curtis Pond behind the baseball field. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    For previous sightings, see July 2011 Archives or Archive Index