January 2005 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:

1/31/05 -- downtown Fitchburg
This evening just after dark the crows from the Fitchburg roost were flying about downtown Fitchburg in the dark. At least 1 Fish Crow was heard calling repeatedly. (report from Chuck Caron).

1/31/05 -- Sterling
I had a hermit thrush land on the deck railing of my house this morning; after a few seconds it flew to a bittersweet vine near the house and ate a couple bittersweet berries. It seemed to be in excellent physical condition. This is the first hermit thrush I have ever seen in Massachusetts in January. Later in the day I saw 4 ruffed grouse while xc skiing on Rowley Hill, Sterling, (report from Richard Spedding).

1/31/05 -- Gardner
This morning there were 5 Robins and 6 Cedar Waxwings outside my apartment and a Pileated Woodpecker was flying down the road toward Gardner High School.....its white wing linings looked spectacular flashing in the early morning sun! (report from Tom Pirro).

1/30/05 -- North Central Mass
  • I drove up to Royalston center late in the morning and had the following highlights: Red-bellied Woodpecker 1; Purple Finch ~10-15; Evening Grosbeak 17; The Purple Finches and Grosbeaks were just to the left of the house that is directly across from the town library feeding in some fruit trees...they later moved to the back yard of the house down in the hollow (with all the feeders and the signs that refer to their dogs..one which reads" I can make it to the fence in 3 seconds....can you?"). I did speak with the resident of that house who said there have also been some Redpolls coming to the feeders, I missed them, but has not had siskins in a month or two.
  • At the Templeton Development center (Formerly the Fernald School) there was a few flocks of Wild Turkeys totaling 98 birds.
  • Turners Falls near the fish ladder: Great Cormorant 1; Mute Swan 18; Common Goldeneye 8; Common Merganser 2; Red-tailed Hawk 1; Bald Eagle 1 adult; Eastern Screech Owl 1 pointed out by one of the walkers....apparently the bird (and the walker) is a regular. It was poking half its body out of a hole near the top of a snag. (gray morph); Iceland Gull 1 winter; Pileated Woodpecker 1 drumming; Golden-crowned Kinglet 1; (report from Tom Pirro).

    • 1/30/05 -- Turner's Falls Anadramous Fish Canal
    An afternoon stop at the canal adjacent to the Connecticut River and Barton's Cove had: Great Cormorant (1); Mute Swan (17 with another 11 by the bridge crossing over the river); Canada Goose (7); Mallard (373); A Black Duck (58); Common Goldeneye (5); Common Merganser (1m); Iceland Gull (1); Tom Pirro (1); Later, almost home, we made a stop at the tiny Tatnuck Brook and found a rowdy army of (66) Mallards, who promptly left the brook and surrounded me on the sidewalk and acting like they were going to mug me for bread. I did NOT give in to their demands. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/29/05 -- Northbridge/Uxbridge
    We scouted around to see if there was any open water in the MA section of the Corridor this morning. Many places that are normally at least partially open in winter were frozen including areas like the Riverdale crossing of the Blackstone (Northbridge). A small section of Linwood Pond was open and had (76) Canada Geese; (1f) Common Goldeneye, (1) Red-bellied Woodpecker. At Whitin Pond in Uxbridge, in the small area west of Rt. 122, there were: Canada Goose (153: soem with their backs covered in ice); Mallard (8); A Black Duck (4); Ring-necked Duck (3); Red-tailed Hawk (1); A. Coot (1). On Rt. 122 crossing of the Blackstone River in Northbridge was a perched adult Cooper's Hawk. On the way home we found a Nothern Flicker in Sutton. Though the river along the bikepath in Millbury-Worcester is open in spots and we could see numbers of Mallards as well as a few Common Mergs from the road, the bike path proper has not be plowed and hiking there would be tough. As it was, everywhere the deep piles of snow made pulling off difficult and getting views of areas pretty tough. Later in the day we drove over the Rt. 9 bridge over Lake Quinsigamond and it LOOKED like the area of water on the western shore that is normally open (and has lingering ducks), was now frozen. If you find anything different in this regard, please post your results here. Driving back from Sturbridge in the afternoon, we saw a flock of 18 Wild Turkeys near Kettlebrook #2 in Leicester. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/29/05 -- Shrewsbury
    The ruby-crowned kinglet (I presume it is the same) we reported 1/3/05 in Shrewsbury is still coming to suet at least once every two or three days. We also have a mockingbird that regularly comes to the heated birdbath, and plenty of hunting passes from sharpies. Photo. (report from Whit Andrews).

    1/27/05 -- downtown Worcester
    While I was waiting for a cab in front of 44 Portland Street (The Printers Building) at 11:45AM today, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK came zooming down the entire legnth of Portland, right down the exact middle of the street heading for the Commons. What was even more extraordinary is that it flew the entire legnth from 2-3 feet off the surface: skimming right over a car and close right over the head of two pedestrians that were crossing the street. They had to feel the rush of the wings go by, but did not seem to notice (their backs were to the bird) and may have attributed it to wind. (report from Mark Lynch).

    1/25/05 -- Sterling
    12 purple finches have been coming to my feeder for the past two weeks. I get an occasional house finch , but these are the first purple finches I have had at my feeders in a couple years. (report from Richard Spedding).

    1/24/05 -- West Millbury
    In addition to the common winter feeder birds, a female yellow-bellied sapsucker has been on the suet for the last 4 days. A Carolina wren and male red-bellied woodpecker have been regular visitors. I have also seen more robins around the yard this winter than usual. (report from Alan Marble).

    1/23/05 -- Princeton
    I had noted very low numbers of birds at my feeders in Princeton. With the snow of last weekend the birds have returned. Highlights today: Purple Finch (1 female), Northern Flicker (1; heard only), Red-bellied Woodpecker (1). (report from Job Dekker).

    1/22/05 -- Royalston/South Quabbin
    We started out at Tully Dam in Royalston, where the temperature was an amazing MINUS 17 degrees F. We searched around the town looking for winter finches et, and found (no surprise) very few birds. HIGHLIGHTS were Hairy Woodpecker (1); Golden-crowned Kinglet (5); Common Raven (2); Tree Sparrow (13); Purple Finch (1); A Goldfinch (11). Almost all the birds were around feeders. We then headed to Quabbin Park. The water here is rapidly icing up. The few remaining disjunct areas of open water had steam pouring off of them as this last remaining open water gave up it's heat to the bitter cold, though the temp was now a "balmy" plus 4 degrees F. There were extremely few birds around. HIGHLIGHTS included: BALD EAGLE (1imm); Great Black-backed Gull (a flock of 7 heading purposely east) and (2) Common Raven. Loons, grebes and ducks seem to have left for more hospitable climes. A young starving White-tailed Deer was trying to browse on whatever it could find right next to the road. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/20/05 -- Clinton
    I stopped by the "magic pond" this morning and the waterfowl were packed in pretty tight, even though many birds were leaving as I was pulling into the area, probably dispersing for the daylight hours. Canada Goose ~150; Mallard 100+ including some that I saw leaving; Black Duck a few; Northern Pintail 2 a pair; Greater Scaup 1; Redhead 1; Common Goldeneye 2; Hooded Merganser 6+; (report from Tom Pirro).

    1/18/05 -- Clinton
    Sheila and I were at the semi-mythical "pond that never freezes" (but see below) just before dawn today. There were many more ducks there than had been reported, but the pond has indeed begun to freeze. Temps when we were there was a bracing 1 degree F. Though typically the pond never becomes completely covered with ice, at the moment there are two areas of open water: one close to Rt. 110 (mostly dabblers) and the other away from Rt. 110 (dabblers and divers).Also, the southern end of Coachlace was open and there were some of the ducks there too that I tallied as part of the totals. My hunch, is that with the continued sub-freezing temps, many of the more interesting ducks will move on today, and some left while we were there. Ducks may go elsewhere during the day and return to roost at night.
    The birds: Canada Goose (120++); Gadwall (1f); Mallard (50-60++); A Black Duck (10+); Redhead (1); Greater Scaup (1); N Shoveler (1f); Hooded Merganser (4). ALSO: Passing the area of Wachuset Reservoir right next to Rt. 110, there was a female COMMON GOLDENEYE in the small areas of open water. A quick pass by South Bay revealed that much of it was frozen and there were NO ducks. However, east of the causeway, on the edge of the ice, as we were driving to Coachlace in the pre-dawn, there were hundreds of gulls that were just starting to leave. These undoubtably also come to roost here late in the afternoon and could be counted at that time from under the power lines. Though the very cold temps will be a huge draw back . (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/17/05 -- Clinton
    Yesterday when Fran McMenemy went to see the Redhead at the "pond that never freezes" (see previous posting), he also found a female Gadwall. I returned to the pond today. Both the Redhead and Gadwall were still there. The male Scaup is a Greater Scaup. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/16/05 -- Clinton
    Early this afternoon at the pond that never freezes in Clinton there was one male REDHEAD. Also in the pond was 1 Canada Goose, 1 male scaup species, 4 Hooded Mergansers, 6 Black Ducks and 20-30 Mallards. The pond is located on Route 110 adjacent to the construction site of the new filtration plant. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/16/05 -- Blackstone National Corridor, MA/RI
    We birded just a few areas of the Corridor today, mostly looking for waterfowl. (NOTA BENE: I have left out the counts of common birds and the three species of regularly occuring gulls, though these will go in our records);. In the order we did them:
  • RIVER BIKE PATH, WORCESTER MA: E. Screech Owl (1);
  • MANVILLE CROSSING OF RIVER, CUMBERLAND RI: Mute Swan (1imm); Canada Goose (27);
  • DIAMOND HILL+ARNOLD'S MILL RESERVOIRS, CUMBERLAND RI: (85+% ice-covered); RED-NECKED GREBE (1: this species is very uncommon-rare anytime, anywhere in the Corridor, and especially in January inland); Canada Goose (25); Mallard (1); Common Goldeneye (10); Common Merganser (9); A Robin (7);
  • LINCOLN WOODS/OLNEY POND (85% ice covered);, LINCOLN RI: Canada Goose (57); Mallard (9); Common Merganser (7); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); N Flicker (1); Golden-crowned Kinglet (2); A Robin (7); Song Sparrow (2); White-throated Sparrow (2); Purple Finch (1); A Goldfinch (16); RUSTY BLACKBIRD (we counted 62. We arrived at the place where someone had put feed out on the ground (enter past the horse farm, just off Rt. 146. At "T" turn left . park at the gate and look at small clearing towards pond) at 8:30 and NO blackbirds were seen, though juncos, chickadees, titmice, goldfinch and a White-throat were there. We stayed IN the car, which is recommended. In short order, the blackbirds flew in to the tree tops, but did not come down to feed: an inordinate number of folks with dogs were getting out of thier cars at that moment. They flew back to the horse farm. We folowed them there, saw them in the small wooded marsh, then eventually they headed back to the feeding area. We followed. This time, they came down to feed, albeit briefly. Even MORE folks with every dog under the sun walked by or got out of cars. The birds flushed back to the pond edge and south along the edge. We decided to leave them alone. Some enterprising RI birder should put down some more seed, BUT this time back among the boulders which are farther away from the hustle and bustle of this popular walking area.
  • SEEKONK RIVER, FROM BOLD PT-PAWTUCKET E PROVIDENCE/PROVIDENCE RI. We conducted one of our standard twice monthly point counts. Duck hunters were still about and the river was still running rather swiftly. Great Cormorant (11); Great Blue Heron (4); Mute Swan (4); Canada Goose (11); Mallard (39); A Black Duck (48); Canvasback (1m); Bufflehead (117); C Goldeneye (22); Hooded Merganser (7); Common Merganser (6); Red-tailed Hawk (1); LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (1adW); Belted Kingfisher (1); N Flicker (9); N Mockingbird (6); A Tree Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (16); Dark-eyed Junco (33); NOTA BENE: we came across c.12 illegally disgarded COUCHS, divans (what ever you call them); on both sides of the river. What was it? A state holiday for throwing out sectional furniture? Really stupid.
  • CENTRAL POND/TURNER RESERVOIR, E PROVIDENCE RI Great Comrorant (7); Great Blue Heron (3); Mute Swan (20); Canada Goose (481); Mallard (56); Ring-necked Duck (20); Lesser Scaup (61); Canvasback (131); C Goldeneye (1); Hooded Merganser (26); Common Merganser (68); Ruddy Duck (16); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Iceland Gull (1 1stW: nota bene: much fewer gulls than is typical were resting on the reservoir); FISH CROW: (minimally 70. This huge group of crows has been hanging out with American Crows between the Central Pond trail head, Hasbro and the "miracle mile" area: about a block long. We actually threw out chips to attract the brids and get as accurate count as possible.); Common Grackle (4);
  • UXBRIDGE, MA: Red-tailed Hawk (4);
  • LACKEY DAM/MUMFORD RIVER UXBRIDGE MA: Mute Swan (2); Mallard (84); A Black Duck (11); Hooded Merganser (5); Common Merganser (5);
  • LINWOOD POND, NORTHBRIDGE MA: Canada Goose (2); Mallard (74); A Black Duck (12); Hooded Merganser (3); Red-tailed hawk (1 chowing down on a squirrel on a branch overhanging the river); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); House Finch (flock of 27);
  • WHITIN POND, UXBRIDGE MA: Canada Goose (26); Mallard (10); A Black Duck (14);
  • RIVERDALE CROSSING OF BLACKSTONE, NORTHBRIDGE: Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (26); Common Merganser (8); Red-tailed Hawk (1);
  • MILLBURY: BLACKSTONE RIVER BEHIND GORETTIS MARKET. A narrow stretch you can easily throw a rock across. Mallard (479); A Black Duck (3); They have posted clear signs discouraging duck feeding, but....
  • CITY OF WORCESTER: In a 8 minute drive to get sand on Chandlar Street from Rt. 146, we managed the "hat trick" of "urban raptors" of the Corridor, to whit: Cooper's Hawk (1ad sitting in tree near Ballard Street); Peregrine Falcon (2ad: 1 flew right by us in pursuit of Rock Pigeons at the almost intersection of Rt. 146 and Rt. 290; the other ad was perched on the corner of the old Mechanics Bank building); Red-tailed Hawk (pair: with 1 perched on a street light on Chandlar Street, the other behind the old plumbing supply place nearby); AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST: A Kestrel (1m perched atop a tree behind Walgreen's corner of Chandlar and Park Ave); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 1/15/05 -- Fitchburg
    Late this afternoon I managed to find the crow roost in Fitchburg, I crossed paths with the birds on a hill top, viewed from from Hazel Street. The tally was approx. 2500 American Crows. (report from Tom Pirro).

    1/15/05 -- Quabbin Park, Quabbin Reservoir
    On the way home from the southern Berkshires, we swung by Quabbin Park and turned up: Common Loon (1); Horned Grebe (1); Common Merganser (1f); Bald Eagle (3ad+1imm); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Belted Kingfisher (1). and very, very few passerines. Also, while on Park Avenue, at L.B. Wheaton's, we had an adult PEREGRINE FALCON at 3:45PM flying high overhead, coming in from almost directly west and heading to downtown. Was this bird hunting around the airport? (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/11/05 -- Marlboro
    For the last several days, I have had a large flock of Robins with a few Starlings mixed in around my yard. The Robins have been stripping the fruit from the Crab Apple trees in my yard and feeding on the sumacs. At one point I counted 85 Robins! (report from Laura Lane).

    1/11/05 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester
    The left side of the pomd was mostly open, (as you enter the cemetery) and the right side was ice covered. There were 5 Common Mergansers, 18 Hooded Mergansers, 12 Black Ducks, 2 Mute Swans, 1 large Coopers Hawk, 32 Canadian Geese, 6 Mallards, 6 Ring-billed Gulls, and 1 Great Black-backed Gull. Yesterday morning at 8:20 AM, one of the Peregrine Falcons was perched on the cross atop Notre Dame church downtown Worcester. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    1/11/05 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    At noon today there were 2 Mute Swan, 1 Wood Duck (m), 2 Hooded Mergansers (m&f), 1 Common Merganser, and 3 adult Red-tailed Hawks, all calling "keeeeeer". The possible hybrid Muscovy Duck was also still present hanging out with Mallards. The pond is currently about 75% ice-free. (report from Rick Quimby).

    1/9/05 -- Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond, Shrewsbury/Worcester
    I birded Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond Sunday Morning. At Quinsig I had pretty much what John Shea had, except I missed the Coot. Three Northern Shovelers were still on Flint Pond, viewed from the spillway area. Also near the boat ramp at Flint Pond I saw a Great Cormorant (an imm. white bellied individual) flying south high over head. (report from Tom Pirro).

    1/9/05 -- Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester
    The lake was 80% frozen. C. Goldeneye, C. Merganser Hooded Merganser and the A. Coot were still around. The C. Loon and the Great Cormorant seem to have got out OK. (report from John Shea).

    1/9/05 -- Westboro WMA, Westboro
    I tramped around the Westboro WMA between the Chauncy Ponds today. Walking wasn't bad on the main path where a snowmobile had packed things. Other trails were more difficult walking in 6-8 inches of snow with a crust on top. There was a immature Redtail hanging out near Little Chauncey Pond in a tree along the road. Highlights included: Sharpshinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downey Woodpecker, Blue Jay, BC Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, 100's of Robins, Mockingbird, dozens of Starlings, Cedar Waxwing, Tree Sparrows, Song sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Juncos, and Cardinals. (report from Laura Lane).

    1/8/04 -- Lake Quinsigamond, city of Worcetser
    This morning, in the sleet, we did a waterfowl survey of one pond in the city of Worcester: LAKE QUINSIGAMOND, which is the border area between the city and Shrewsbury. Despite areas of this long, narrow lake having iced up, there were still some interesting birds about: especially interesting for Central MA in January. Most of the time we were with JOHN SHEA who birds these areas often. Common Loon (1: this bird better get out of here before much more of the lake freezes); GREAT CORMORANT (1 imm: up till recently, two Great Cormorants were here. This species is very uncommon anytime in Central MA); Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (32); Mallard (105); A Black Duck (26); Lesser Scaup (1f); Ring-necked Duck (2m); LONG-TAILED DUCK (1f); Common Goldeneye (22); Hooded Merganser (14); Common Merganser (8); Cooper's Hawk (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (5); American Coot (2); John Shea reports that the 3 N. Shovelers are still present at the southern part of Flint Pond (see previous post). ALSO: if any of you are in the vicinity of downtown Worcester, watch for the pair of Peregrine Falcons. They are most often seen around the greater Worcester Center buildings and along Main Street. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/7/05 -- downtown Worcester/ Wachusett Reservoir
    This afternoon in downtown Worcester the 2 Peregrines were perched on the Flagship sign on the East side of the building. One was on the letter "L" and one was on the letter "G". At Wachusett Reservoir later in the afternoon on the ice near the power lines there were 4 Iceland Gulls of 4 different plumages. According to Sibley they were darker juvenile, paler juvenile, 2nd winter and darker adult. There was also 1 juvenile Glaucous Gull. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/5/05 -- Downtown Worcester
    Echoing Mark Lynch's post from yesterday afternoon, the pair of Peregrine Falcons were perched atop the cross on the steeple of Notre Dame/St Joseph Church. The larger (female) was perched higher on the cross. This was at 8:20 AM this morning. Later at Leesville Pond, there were 10 Hooded Mergansers, 6 American Black Ducks, 4 Mallards, 22 Canadian Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Carolina Wren, and my first Common Merganser at this location this winter. (report from Brian Mulhearn).

    1/4/05 -- downtown Worcester
    Leaving the radio station at 4:10PM today, I saw one Peregrine perched atop the church next to the old People's Bank building while the other flew around nearby. Keep in mind that the Galleria, RIGHT next to where they nested last year, is due for demolition this spring: in other words: while they will be on the nest. (report from Mark Lynch).

    1/4/05 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Yesterday (1/3) Howard Shainheit found a possible hybrid Muscovy Duck on Salisbury Pond, and it was still there as of 1:00 pm today. It has many of the features of a 1st year Muscovy, except that the legs are orange on front and black on back. The bird seems rather tame, consistent with its being an escaped captive bird. Although you won't be able to "tick" this one off on your list, it IS an interesting bird, and something to look at to brighten a dark winter's day. It's been spending time near the water edge near the apartments, with CG and Mallards. (report from Rick Quimby).

    1/4/05 -- bikepath along the Blackstone, Millbury/Worcester
    The path, which used to only be about a mile long from Millbury, now extends for about 2 more miles into Worcester. Sighted on my walk were 5 hooded mergansers, 1 common merganser, 1 red-tailed hawk perched in a tree along Rt 146, 2 blue jays, 3 crows, 3 goldfinches, 2 tree sparrows, 6 song sparrows, 8 black ducks, 25+ mallards and heard but not seen, a kingfisher. (report from Alan Marble).

    1/3/05 -- Orlando farm ponds, Charlton
    I drove to the Orlando farm ponds in Charlton to look for the female Canvasback seen by Barton Kamp on New Year's Day. It was still there. I also looked for the Horned Larks he had seen. They were difficult to find and initially only saw 3, but after I drove closer to the barn and about 15 of them flew up. It seemed that the cows near the fence were also looking at the larks while they were ground feeding. On the way to Charlton, in Dudley, there were approximately 500 Canada Geese grazing in a farm field on Dresser Hill Road #2. (report from Joan Zumpfe).

    1/3/05 -- Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester
    Some new birds on Lake Quinsigamond, from Lake Park: 1 N. Pintail (m) and 1 Red-breasted Merganser. Behind the Marine Corp League: 3 A. Coot. (report from John Shea).

    1/3/05 -- Shrewsbury
    A ruby-crowned kinglet was found today in a residential neighborhood of Shrewsbury. Eye-ring and crown presented as though for ID class. (report from Whit Andrews).

    1/3/05 -- Flint Pond, Worcester/Grafton/Shrewsbury
    There has been an interesting collection of waterfowl congregating at the southern (Grafton) parts of Flint Pond (corner of Worcester/Grafton/Shrewsbury) for the last several days. These birds were found originally by John Shea and members of the Forbush Bird Club. This morning we found: Mute Swan (5); Canada Goose (119); A Black Duck (18); Mallard (56); NORTHERN SHOVELER (3); Common Goldeneye (pair); Hooded Mergnaser (1); Common Merganser (1); (report from Mark Lynch).

    1/2/05 -- Quabbin Park/South Quabbin
    A quick tour of Quabbin Park this morning produced extremely few birds. The highlights being: RED-NECKED GREBE (1: very close, in the small cove where the boats are moored); Common Merganser (2); A Robin (5); Purple Finch (2); THAT'S all folks! (report from Mark Lynch).

    1/2/05 -- downtown Worcester
    An adult PEREGRINE FALCON was perched atop the Main Street edge of the Slater Building. Three Red-tailed Hawks were also seen in the downtown area. At Worcester Airport, on Airport Drive, a flock of 60+ American Robins were found feeding. (report from Mark Lynch).

    1/2/05 -- Holden
    The neighborhood Cooper's Hawk, a resident for the past three years, decided to reduce the local sparrow population in the early afternoon. The bird successfully got his prey from the Rhododrens in our front yard and sending a few remaining sparrows into our living room windows. We both got a very good sighting of the hawk and, without doubt, it had accomplished the task at hand. For those folks interested in looking for this hawk, his territory seems to be in the Parker Ave., Stoneleigh Rd., Shrewsbury St., Lowell Ave. and various streets in this part of Holden. (report from Kathy & Steve Olson).

    1/1/05 -- Forbush Bird Club Trip, Worcester and Shrewsbury
    The Forbush Bird Club held a trip on New Year's Day afternoon in Worcester and Shrewsbury. There were 8 members attending with Joan Zumpfe leading and helped by Fran McMenemy and John Shea. John spotted the Peregrines and guided us to the Shovelers. It was sunny and in the high 40's with occasional wind gusts. Highlights were 2 Peregrine Falcons, a Great Cormorant, a Red-breated Merganser and 3 Northern Shovelers. Complete trip report here (report from Joan Zumpfe).

    1/1/05 -- Quabbin CBC: Dana Sector
    The Quabin Christmas Count was held on January 1, 2005. The weather was good: clear, cool, moderate temps except when facing west on the shore: then, the wind over of the cold water made viewing difficult and very cold. Overall, bird variety and numbers were very low. Even though the evening seemed perfect for owling: still, moonlit, moderate (for this time of the year); temps, few owls were tallied compared to the effort involved. Below are the totals for the Dana Sector: including Gate 40 and parts of Petersham, Hardwick and Barre, all in Worcester County. Our vigilant sector team consisted of: Bill Cormier, Nancy Cormier, Bill Lafleche, Simon Hennin, John Liller, Kim Kastler, Kathy Mills, Deb Berard, Bill Rasku, Sheila Carroll and myself. American Black Duck (19); Mallard (6); Bufflehead (1: uncommon on most counts); C Goldeneye (15); Hooded Merganser (4); Common Merganser (47); Bald Eagle (5ad/7imm: per usual, all eagles counted were BEFORE 10am ONLY. We had a nice eagle show IN Gate 40 at c. 8:30AM from (simultaneously); opposite Mt Zion Greenwich Rd and Grave;s Landing); N. Goshawk (1ad: in Barre); Red-tailed Hawk (6); GOLDEN EAGLE (1ad); Ruffed Grouse (4); Wild Turkey (48); Ring-billed Gull (13); Herring Gull (12); Great Black-backed Gull (1); Mourning Dove (36); Great Horned Owl (4); Barred Owl (2); N Saw-whet Owl (4); Belted Kingfisher (1: uncommon on whole circle); Downy Woodpecker (20); Hairy Woodpecker (5); Pileated Woodpecker (6); N Shrike (3ad); Blue Jay (72); A Crow (38); C Raven (9); Black-capped Chickadee (236); Tufted Titmouse (41); Red-breasted Nuthatch (18: most IN Quabbin proper); White-breasted Nuthatch (48); Brown Creeper (6); Winter Wren (1); Golden-crowned Kinglet (20); E Bluebird (7); HERMIT THRUSH (2: Skinner Hill); A Robin (65); N Mockinbird (1); E Starling (46: low); Cedar Waxwing (1: several other CBc sectors of this count reported ONE waxwing); A Tree Sparrow (12); White-throated Sparrow (1); Dark-eyed Junco (21); Nota bene: NO sparrows were seen by our teams IN Quabbin. N Cardinal (3); COMMON GRACKLE (1: only one on this year's entire count); BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (1: ditto); House Finch (22); COMMON REDPOLL (1); Nota bene: the only "winter finches" on the entire count were a small handful of Redpolls. There were NO: crossbills, siskins, grosbeaks, and VERY few Purple Finches); A Goldfinch (30); House Sparrow (118); Sighting of the day had to go to Bill and Nancy Cormier who watched a small flock of turkeys fly to the tops of a tree to evade a patrolling BOBCAT! (report from Mark Lynch).

    Summary report from all sectors

    1/1/05 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Clinton
    As we walked along the North Dike of the Wachusett Reservoir for two and half hours, we observed 6 Red-tailed hawks soaring high above the reservoir. At 2:40 p.m., a mature Bald Eagle glided over the water. There were around ten to twelve crows making themselves rather obivous. Most likely, a roost nearby. To finish the day, two mute swans transversed the water from West Boylston to Clinton. (report from Steve & Kathy Olson)

    1/1/05 -- Orlando Farm, Charlton
    At the Orlando Farm in Charlton today there was one Canvasback in the pond at the bottom of the hill and at the top of the hill near the barn there was a flock of 20-25 Horned Larks. (report from Bart Kamp).

    For previous sightings, see December 2004 Archives or Archive Index