February 2001 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.

2/28/01 -- Oxford

This morning before 9:15, 2 American Robins were seen near an exit ramp, on the ground, in Oxford, along Rte. 395 Eastbound. The Robins were a cheerful and uplifting way to start the day.
Yesterday (2/27) afternoon around 2:30, riding along Rte.290 East in Auburn, 3 perched Red-tailed Hawks and 3 soaring Turkey Vultures were seen. (report from Joan Zumpfe).

2/28/01 -- Rowley Hill, Sterling

I saw 8 bluebirds, 5 golden-crowned kinglets and the tracks of one wild turkey on my xc ski route. I have been hearing great horned owls calling nightly, but have been unable to find their nest; they are not using the site they successfully used in 1998. I skied around the edge of several muddy swamps and brooks looking for woodcock , but no luck. There is still a foot of snow on the ground in wooded areas. (report from Richard Spedding).

2/28/01 -- Eaton Street, Gardner

While driving down Eaton street this AM I was fortunate enough to have a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers fly overhead. Further down on Raymond Street I saw/heard 1 White-winged Crossbill in flight and heard 2 or 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches calling. I've yet to see any xbills in the street picking grit (only pine siskins), nor have I found any road kills.
Still a bunch of snow up here , guess the Woodcock won't be moving in too soon up here unless we get a quick melt. I did hear a starling at home that sounded a lot like a Killdeer. (report from Tom Pirro).

2/27/01 -- Auburn

I had my first ever Red-bellied Woodpecker at my suet & peanut butter cage. He returned twice today. (report from Tres Thorndyke).

2/27/01 -- Oxbow NWR, Harvard

My ride down Stillwater Road was unusually quiet this morning. I usually expect to see Song and Tree Sparrows, Morning Doves and maybe some Bluebirds. All I could see or hear were Bluejays. After I parked the car and walked back up the road I spotted the reason - a Northern Shrike perched in a tree close to the fields. I also saw 6 Common Mergansers and 1 Hooded Merganser in the River. There were 2 Deer along the railroad tracks and I saw my 1st Chipmunk of the winter. (report from Peter Morlock).

2/27/01 -- Howard St., Northboro

This morning I saw my first red-winged blackbird of the season. A lone bird sitting abouty half way up a tree. We live on the far end of Howard St. in Northboro. (report from Jim Hogan).

2/27/01 -- Raymond Street, Gardner

This morning during a brief stop on Raymond Street in gardner were about 60 Goldfinches and a few Pine Sisikins. One Blue Jay was doing a good Osprey imitation. On saturday 2/24/01 I had nice looks at 3 adult WW Crossbills (2 females and a male). I have seen/heard flight displays and singing in the area on a few occasions so it will be interesting if any fledglings show up in the area. However, I don't think there are as many individuals in this area as reported in the western Mass. locales.
Another area worth investigation for breeding WW Xbills could be the Mount Watatic area in Ashburnham/Ashby. (report from Tom Pirro).

2/26/01 -- North Main St., Whitinsville

Today at 5pm there were 5 turkey vultures flying together on North Main St. in Whitinsville. They seemed to be circling around something (road kill ?). I have never seen more than 2 vultures, at once, around here. (report from Dan Wheeler).

2/26/01 -- Hopkinton

We just sighted approximately a dozen robins in our backyard. A true sign of Spring. (report from Peggy Zilembo).

----------------author David Sibley in Worcester

There will be a dinner and an author talk and slide show by David Sibely, author of (need I say this?) THE SIBLEY GUIDE TO BIRDS at the Tatnuck Bookseller (335 Chandlar Street, Worcester) on SUNDAY, MARCH 4 from 5-7 PM. The proceeds will go to support the education programs of the Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary (MAS). The 4th printing of the guide will be available. Cost will be $40, or $35 for MAS members. For tickets and reservations and the menu call the Tatnuck Booksellers at (508) 756 7644. (submitted by Mark Lynch).

2/24/01 -- SuAsCo/Westboro WMA, Westboro

The Great Horned Owl is back on a Great Blue Heron nest at the SuAsCo in Westboro. Decent views can be had (with a scope) from the canoe launch area on Arch Street just south of the railroad overpass. Look for the tree that has two nests, one over the other, and the bird is in the lower nest. At times, due to time of day or weather conditions, the bird may be scrunched down and only the top of the head barely visible. Better views (and a nice hike) can be had from the Assabet Conservation area by hiking out to Osprey Point (about a 15 minute walk).

Birds seen at the SuAsCo this morning (including a nice hike in the Assabet Conservation property): Ring-Billed Gull (1); Mourning Dove (16); Great Horned Owl (1 on nest: see above); Downy Woodpecker (5); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Blue Jay (5: including 1 imitating both an Osprey and a Red-tail); Black-capped Chickadee (28); Tufted Titmouse (12); White-breasted Nuthatch (9); E. Bluebird (2); N. Cardinal (7); A. Tree Sparrow (7); Dark-eyed Junco (45); A. Goldfinch (13)
The water was frozen (as was Chauncy, Little Chauncy and Bartlett Ponds) and ice fishermen were on all water. There were some good tracking to be done, though most of it was White-footed Mice and Gray Squirrels.
WESTBORO WMA (north end of Chauncy): Red-tailed Hawk (1); Ring-necked Phaesant (lots of fresh tracks); Blue Jay (3); Black-capped Chickadee (9); Carolina Wren (1); Golden-crowned Kinglet (3); N. Mockingbird (4); A. Tree Sparrow (2); Song Sparrow (24: 1 group); White-throated Sparrow (12); N. Cardinal (2);
DOWNTOWN WORCESTER: We searched in vain for the Peregrine, but did have a Red-tail perched atop the phone building tower where the Perergrine usually perches and had another Red-tail displaying over downtown. A flock of 20 Cedar Waxwings landed ina small tree right in the downtown area. (report from Mark Lynch).

2/23/01 -- Salisbury/Park area, Worcester

A small adult Sharp-shinned Hawk has been hunting at my feeders today. This is possibly the same bird that was here earlier in the winter. It dashed off and pursued several birds, but I have been unable to see if it was successful. Also, the large Coop has been around in the last few weeks taking at least 3 other Rock Doves. The doves will disappear for a few days, but when they return, so does the Coop and its success rate is excellent. BTW: this has been a banner year at my feeder for White-throats and juncos with 25+ of each, sometimes many more, and up to 6 Cardinals and a flock of 15 goldfinches (which is a lot for my small yard). (report from Mark Lynch).

2/23/01 -- Westboro

The great horned owl that Bart Kemp saw on Wednesday (2/21) was still sitting in the nest this afternoon at 1pm. A closer view can be had by coming in from the other side of the pond. Park at the end of Andrews st. and walk down the Westboro conservation trail to a sign marked "osprey point". You will still need a scope to see it, but you will be about 100 yds closer than if you are looking from Arch st. Also 2 turkey vultures were flying over rt. 122 in Northbridge at about 12:30 pm. (report from Dan Wheeler).

2/21/01 -- Wachusett Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton

The first red-winged blackbirds of the "spring" sighted this evening -- 3 flyovers. That is 7 days ahead of last year. (report from Dick Knowlton).

2/21/01 -- Northboro

For the past two weeks we have had a single carolina wren at our feeders. He was there off and on for the better part of an hour around noon today. (report from Jim Hogan).

2/21/01 -- Arch Street, Westboro

I saw the Great Horned Owl on it's nest in Westboro today. It can easily be seen from Arch Street. The tree farthest to the right with nests contains two old Great Blue Heron nests. The owl is in the lower nest. (report from Bart Kamp).

2/17/01 -- Tatnuck Square, Worcester

I had my first Turkey Vulture of the year over my house this afternoon about 3 o'clock. (report from Howard Shainheit).

2/17/01 -- lower Blackstone Corridor, RI

Continuing our year-long survey of the Blackstone Corridor in RI and MA, we again hit the lower corridor in Providence, RI. Waterfowl populations were changing.
SWAN POINT CEMETARY: Eastern Screech Owl(same red phase easily seen; great bird); A. Robin (30+)
SEEKONK RIVER: Ice free and not a Canvasback to be seen. Great Cormorant (11); Mute Swan (22: as we have watched this species move up the river from Providence Harbor as the ice has melted, it is easy to see how they use this corridor to enter Worcester County); Canada Goose (10); Mallard (51); A. Black Duck (78); Bufflehead (229: numbers really increasing at this spot as ice has melted); C. Goldeneye (9); Hooded Merganser (8); Common Merganser (5); Ruddy Duck (69); BALD EAGLE (1ad. perched for the entire time we were there. Most easily seen from Swan Point Cem. from end of River Rd. looking north along western bank); Red-tailed Hawk (2 pair. One pair we had the pleasure of watching soar exactly sideways for some distance in the high winds. The hawks seemed unfazed.); A. Coot (3); Belted Kingfisher (1)
JAMES V. TURNER RESERVOIR: (Still 95% frozen, and only a relatively small patch of water open, but still packed with waterbirds thanks to the wanton feeding going on.) Great Cormorant (1 one ice); Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (131); Mallard (166); A. Black Duck (6); Gadwall (3); C. Goldeneye (1); Common Merganser (9); Ruddy Duck (10); A. Coot (37); Plus hundreds of the three common species of gulls.
INDIA POINT: Few birds and the wind had really kicked in by now. Great Cormorant (16); Mute Swan (6); Mallard (7); A. Black Duck (8); Gadwall (1); Greater Scaup (1 flock of 140); C. Goldeneye (1); Common Merganser (4); Red-breasted Merganser (13); Red-tailed Hawk (2)
We then hit a number of the interior reservoirs which are in the central and western RI sections of the corridor (some, interestingly, NOT part of the watershed though), but they were all still completely frozen. We ended up in some of the SPs in Burrilville (just south of Douglas MA), but the wind REALLY was blowing by now, preventing any serious landbirding, so we managed only good sized flocks of juncos, white-throats and robins. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

2/17/01 -- River Road, West Boylston

A search from 6:30-7:00 AM did not turn up the Lesser Black-backed Gull. (report from Rick Quimby)

2/16/01 -- downtown Worcester

I observed the Peregrine Falcon on the phone company tower near Chestnut Street in Worcester this morning at 8:45 while driving in my car. I verified the sighting from the Main Post Office on Summer Street by using my scope at 9:15. (report from Joan Zumpfe).

2/16/01 -- River Road, West Boylston

On my way home from Andover this afternoon I decided to stop at River Road in West Boylston to view the gulls. Amongst the gulls at 3:30 were 1 first year Iceland Gull and 1 adult winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. (report from Bart Kamp).

2/16/01 -- Peregrine Falcon, Downtown Worcester

The Peregrine Falcon that has been seen many times here in Worcester is currently (2:40 pm) eating his lunch (rock dove) on top of 10 Chestnut Street (the side facing Main Street.) I'm fortunate enough to work in the building and have had a close-up view (8 -10 feet away.)(report from Betty Ann Sharp, Fallon Community Health Plan).

2/15/01 -- Institute Park, Worcester

Noontime birds included 7 Hooded Mergansers, 25 Common Mergansers, 1 Song Sparrow, and 4 White-throated Sparrows. (report from Rick Quimby).

2/14/01 -- Shaft 12, Quabbin Reservoir

An afternoon walk into Shaft 12 turned up Bald Eagle(2, both 2nd year), Barred Owl(2 calling), Pileated Woodpecker(1), and Northern Raven(1). The entire reservoir here is frozen solid. (report from Chris Buelow)

2/14/01 -- Rowley Hill, Sterling

Eight bluebirds were seen feeding on the ground in snowless patches of the big field at the western base of Rowley Hill. I tried to see what they were feeding on, but saw nothing; they must have found something of interest as they were still there on my return ski trip. (report from Richard Spedding).

2/11/01 -- Uxbridge

Today a turkey vulture was soaring over Rt. 16 in Uxbridge for about 10 minutes before heading south along the Blackstone River. Also in Uxbridge were 3 mute swans above the waterfall in Caprons Pond. (report from Dan Wheeler).

2/11/01 -- River Rd., West Boylston

Late in the afternoon we headed to River Rd. to see what was happening with the gulls. Bart Kamp was also there. Only a modest flock of gulls (100+) were present and they were extremely nervous: taking flight often, groups leaving completely down River Rd. When other groups came in, they too seemed very "flighty", and also eventually left. (2) Red-tailed Hawks were present and flying around and we wondered if this was the cause of the gulls being so nervous. There were (2) 1stW Iceland Gulls present, but not together. Just as we were about to leave, the River Otter Bart had posted a message about earlier, hauled itself up on the ice. THIS was probably the real cause of the gulls leaving. Also present were hundreds of Robins at dusk flying in the direction of I-190 in Sterling. We were seeing flocks as we headed down Rt. 12 too. We estimated minimally 500+. When we finally got home (Salisbury St. Area) the crow roost (c.600+ birds) was all around our house. (report from Mark Lynch).

2/11/01 -- Moore Hill Road, Athol

We have 6 bluebirds here at 10:15 am, feeding on bittersweet. Also the day after the big snow we had 4 [Evening] Grossbeaks, but they haven't been sighted since. (report from Greg Watkevich).

2/10/01 -- Quabbin Park, South Quabbin Reservoir

A quick extremely windy tour of Quabbin Park ("south" Quabbin, off Rt. 9) this AM had the following: Common Merganser (2); Bald Eagle (minimally: 3ad+2imm); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Golden Eagle (1ad watched for 15 minutes from the Goodnough Dike as it hunted over Little Quabbin); Wild Turkey (12); Cedar Waxwing (4). Landbirds were virtually non-existant because of the wind. Earlier from the Pelham Overlook (RT. 202) we also had (2) adult Bald Eagles and another or the same adult Golden Eagle. It was great weather for eagles to be flying! As we were doing mileage counts in Hardwick and Petersham, we came across several good sized flocks of juncos and robins and (2) N. Flickers. NO winter finches at any feeders. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

2/9/01 -- River Road, West Boylston

At River Road in West Boylston this afternoon I saw a River Otter. The gulls would not go near the water while the otter was present. The otter climbed onto the ice to eat a fish at least three times. Amongst the 900 or so gulls were three Iceland Gulls; 2 first year and 1 second year. The second year Glaucous Gull was last seen by Fran McMenemy last Sunday. He also saw an adult Iceland Gull that day. (report from Bart Kamp).

2/8/01 -- city of Worcester

This afternoon I went out in the yard to put out some bird seed. I flushed a couple of Mourning Doves in the process. I then heard an explosion of doves taking off. I looked up and found a Cooper's Hawk with a Mourning Dove pinned on the snow on the roof of my house. It was rapidly plucking the feathers from the dove. The hawk shifted it's feet and the dove got away minus all of it's tail feathers. The hawk flew after it and pinned it on the snow a short distance away and continued it's plucking and eating. All this took place less than 25 feet from where I was watching. (report from Bart Kamp).

-------------Forbush Bird Club Meeting

It's that time of year to start planning for the return of Bluebirds. And the Forbush Bird Club is doing just that. On Thursday, February 15, Jerry Pattee will give a slide presentation and talk on Eastern Bluebird Restoration. The meeting takes place at 7:30 p.m. in Room 236 of Haberlin Hall in Holy Cross College. Jerry, naturalist writer and Worcester co-ordinator of the Massachusetts Bluebird Association will share his knowledge and experience in bringing back this species. The meeting is free and open to the public. (submitted by Ann Boover)

2/8/01 -- Rowley Hill, Sterling

Bright moonlight, plenty of snow and no wind were the conditions for a moonlight, owling, cross-country ski outing early this morning. While conditions were ideal , I only heard two great horned owls calling over the course of the whole route. A couple groups of coyotes were howling, yipping and yapping to the south and west of my ski route. It sounded like there were several coyotes in each group, but in reality there were probably far less. I had no difficulty staying on my route on the way out , but clouds moved in for the return trip and it was much darker especially under pines and hemlocks. Wonderful shadows were cast by the moonlight on the snow. (report from Richard Spedding).

2/4/01 -- Gardner area

I birded a few spots in the Gardner area this morning; a few of the hilites follow.
Lake Womanoag Area: Red-Breasted Nuthatch 2; Am. Robin ~30; Cedar Waxwing ~50; Pine Siskin ~15-20 various locations along both Raymond and Kelton Streets; White-wing Crossbill 3-5; Purple Finch 7. I was able to "spish" in 3-4 Siskins and a Female WW Crossbill to within about 15-20' on Raymond Street (near tele pole # 11). Some Siskins were picking up sand along both Kelton Street and Raymond Street in a few spots. Along Kelton Street a Male WW Xbill was feeding with some Siskins low in a Hemlock close by the road side near Tele pole # 48. Robins seem to nearly every where that there are some berries to feed on.
Here are the directions to the areas where both the Siskins and WW Crossbills have been present since at least Dec. 23rd.: (All directions from From RTE 2) Take exit 24 (in Westminster) NORTH (toward Winchendon) on Rte 140 off rte 2. Follow Rte140 for ~4.8 miles then take a RIGHT onto STONE STREET (about 0.4 mile past an over pass). Follow STONE for 0.6 miles and take RIGHT onto WHEELER STREET stay on WHEELER for 0.4mile and take left onto KELTON ST (just past a grove of Norway Spruce on your left). Approx. 0.8 mile down Kelton near telephone pole #48. There is a wet-land to the left which allows a view. If you continue another 0.1 mile down Kelton there is another wet land open area that allows a decent view across the "marshy area" with a few spruces that can be viewed. To get to Raymond Street (Road) you go back to the intersection of Wheeler and Kelton and take a left at the Spruce grove go 0.2 miles and Raymond is your next left (no sign). Follow Raymond 0.6 Mile to Tele pole #11. Looking to your left there is another marshy area which gives a decent view at some spruces most of the Red (I think) Spruces have abundant (smaller) cones. (report from Tom Pirro).

2/4/01 -- Westboro State Hospital, Westboro

At the Westboro WMA and fields west of Westboro State Hospital, from 7:30-8:30 a.m., twenty two species were observed. Notable were BALD EAGLE 1 (imm) flying overhead west, Eastern Bluebird 3, American Robins 45+/-, GRAY CATBIRD 1, Cedar Waxwings 16, and #'s of sparrrows throughout including American Tree, Song, White- throated and Dark Eyed Juncos (report from Ann Boover).

2/2/01 -- River Road, West Boylston

North met south at River Road today. I arrived for my daily walk at 2:00 and the first year Iceland Gull was already in. By the time that I had completed my walk at 3:00 the second year Glaucous Gull was in. >From 3:30 to 4:30 the gulls poured in from the south so that by 4:30 over 500 Ring-billed Gulls were on the ice. There was a lull til about 5:00 when the Route 31 dump gulls poured in from the north. By the time that the gulls stopped coming in there was over 1500 gulls present. Along River Road I found fresh day old moose tracks. (report from Bart Kamp).

2/1/01 -- River Road, West Boylston

Joining the first year Iceland Gull at River Road in West Boylston today was a second year Glaucous Gull. Also a female Ring-necked Duck has joined the male Ring-necked Duck that has been there for about 10 days. (report from Bart Kamp).

For previous sightings, see January 2001 Archives or Archive Index