January 2012 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:

• ONGOING -- Asian Longhorned Beetle Information
• 1/4/12-1/18/12 -- Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey -- The state Division of Fisheries & Wildlife is asking anyone who spots an eagle in Massachusetts from Jan. 4 to Jan. 18 to report it.
• 1/15/12 -- Forbush Bird Club members are reminded that annual bird sighting reports are due for 2011. Please send to Chuck Caron at caronenv@aol.com

Bird Sightings:

1/31/12 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton

There was a flock of about 550 Red-winged Blackbirds and 300 Common Grackles in the vicinity of Bolton Flats on the south side of 117. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

1/30/12 -- West Millbury

At my feeders this morning I had 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds. (report from Alan Marble).

1/30/12 -- Institute Park, Worcester

Highlights at noon on Salisbury Pond were 2 Mute Swan, ~150 Canada Geese, 3 Green-winged Teal (2m, 1f), 1 Gadwall (m), 12 Hooded Merganser, and 14 Common Merganser. (report from Rick Quimby).

1/29/12 -- Worcester

Early this morning, around 1:00 AM, we heard a great horned owl hooting frantically outside our window, near Broadmeadow Brook Sanctuary. Apparently, it wanted to get "social" with the plastic owl tied to our roof. After much scuffling and banging, the plastic owl was tossed to the ground outside our bedroom window. (report from Joe Giumentaro).

1/27/12 -- Sutton

At 3.45 on Putnam Hill road Sutton near the bad curve at Tucker Pond I observed an adult Bald Eagle .It was perched overlooking the open water no doubt watching the Mallards that were there. (report from Michael Joubert).

1/26/12 -- Whalom Lake, Lunenburg

Hilights from Whalom Lake in Lunenburg, late this afternoon 4:00 to 5:15 -- the gull "roost" continued. However, with only one small patch of open water, near houses along the shore, about 2/3's of the total gull lifted off after congregating on the ice and headed east...Lake Nagog?  

Birds: Canada Goose 2 (one sick bird that has been in the same spot on the ice for over a week, this evening it moved very little and then proceeded to stand on one leg for an HOUR. The other CAGO was slumped over near a small inlet pipe apparently quite dead! Even mild winters cull the weak); American Black Duck 1; Mallard  ~75; Hooded Merganser 1 fly over male; Herring Gull ~500 (including one that hasn't moved since yesterday afternoon, but it was still holding its headup); Great Black-backed gull ~100; Iceland Gull 2 (1 2nd cycle, one adult).  

A few photos are on my blog. (report from Tom Pirro).

1/25/12 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester/Auburn

There was an adult Bald Eagle flying around the pond scaring the ducks and geese. Other high lights were, 3 Northern Pintails, 1 Pr. Common Merganser, 36 Hooded Mergansers, 12 Black Ducks, 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Northern Mockingbird, 4 White-throated Sparrows, including this one eating a berry. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

1/24/12 -- Webster

At 2 PM today, I was driving on Route 16 in Webster when I noticed a large bird circling over the Commerce Insurance buildings. As I drove closer, I could see that it was a bald eagle. From its coloring, I'd say it was a third-year sub-adult. This was my 4th bald eagle sighting in less than a month! (report from Mary Sughrue-Yacino).

1/24/12 -- Institute Park, Worcester

Today at noon there were 1 GB Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Green-winged Teal (2m, one in transitional plumage), 1 Gadwall (m), 4 Common Mergansers (3m, 1f), and 1 Belted Kingfisher (f). (report from Rick Quimby).

1/23/12 -- Institute Park, Worcester

At noon highlights were 1 GB Heron, 2 Mute Swan, and 3 Green-winged Teal. Each teal was a different plumage: 1 male, 1 female, and one in a transitional plumage with head like male, but sides like female. This latter showed a very faint vertical stripe on sides also. (report from Rick Quimby).

Note added: Garry Kessler took these photos (photo 1 |photo 2) at Salisbury Pond on 1/8/12, of a GW Teal that might be the same bird in transitional plumage that I saw today. This was one of two such male teal seen by Garry that day -- one in north Quinsig (seen also by Bruce Degraaf) and one at Institute Park.

1/22/12 -- Worcester Airport

Went up to visit with Fran's flock and was not disappointed. Found at least nine horned larks and 2-3 dozen snow buntings. The snow buntings were very skiddish, alighting only for a few minutes at a time. The larks were more cooperative, posing for this photo. On the way home stopped at Fish and Wildlife in Westboro and was treated to a view of a red fox hunting in the snow. (report from Garry Kessler).

1/21/12 -- Northboro

During the snow storm highlights at my feeders and bird bath were a White Crowned Sparrow and a Carolina Wren. (report from Henry Squillante).

1/21/12 -- Oakham

This morning during the snowfall, there was a single male Red-winged Blackbird at my bird feeder. (report from Josh Gahagan).

1/19/12 -- Whalom Lake, Lunenburg

This evening, Whalom Lake was about 95% iced over but a significant congregation of large gull were near the open water. I saw nothing other than the 3 "common" gull species, Mallards and Canada Geese:   Herring Gull 600-700; Great Black-backed Gull 141; Ring-billed Gull   less than 20.   I did not see the previously reported Lesser Black-backed, Iceland ("Kumlien's) or the Glaucous, all reported in the last few weeks, despite carefully scanning the flock for nearly an hour. The number of Great Black-backs were off for this evening; I do try to carefully count these, though that's not to say more birds didn't arrive after I left about 5:30. (report from Tom Pirro).

1/18/12 -- Lake Whalom, Lunenburg

I bumped into Bart Kamp late this afternoon, At Lake Whalom in Lunenburg, and we "picked" through the gulls. The lake was about 30-40% open, so roosting fowl and gulls continue!

Canada Goose ~100; Mallard 1250 +/- a rough count; American Black Duck ~15-20; Herring Gull 600; Great Black-backed Gull 160; Iceland Gull 2 (1 adult and 1 immature first cycle a darkish individual); Lesser Black-backed (1 immature first cycle).

Before I arrived Bart had seen at an adult Bald Eagle harrassing a lone goose on the ice (before the numbers of roosting birds arrived).
(report from Tom Pirro).

1/16/12 -- Hubbardston

A lone Snow Bunting was foraging in exposed dead grass alongside a quiet commercial building parking lot. Perhaps that means a flock nearby. . . (report from Wendy Howes)

1/16/12 -- Institute Park, Worcester

The water remains open in the usual place, near the back where the stream comes in. Present today at 1:30 were 2 Mute Swans, 2 Green-winged Teal (m/f), 1 Gadwall (m), and 10 Hooded Mergansers. (report from Rick Quimby).

1/14/12 -- Nelson Park, North Grafton

My friend and I were walking along the road next to Nelson Park in North Grafton, when a pair of bald eagles flew over us. One was larger and had adult plumage, and the other was slightly smaller and did not yet have adult plumage. (report from Mary Sughrue-Yacino).

1/15/12 -- West Millbury

Today was a good day to bird by looking out the windows at my feeders. I had a rare day with 5 woodpeckers: Red-bellied, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy, Hairy and Northern Flicker. All visited the suet on and off during the day. Sapsuckers used to be regulars here, but today's female was the first in over a year. All the usual suspects were there including Brown creeper, Carolina Wren and White-throated Sparrows . A Red-tailed Hawk sat in the Red Maple for a while eyeing a Gray Squirrel. Unfortunately he wasn't hungry enough. Checked all the American Goldfinches for Pine Siskins or Common Redpolls, but to no avail. (report from Alan Marble).

1/14/12 -- Worcester Airport

This morning there were 50 Snow Buntings along with the Horned Larks at the Worcester Airport. (report from Fran McMenemy).

1/14/12 -- North Lake Quinsigamond, Shrewsbury/Worcester

This morning I saw a duck that I couldn't ID. It was small like a Hooded Merganser. It was a diver, Blue/gray bill, Brown head down to the eye (Black) and Nape.The Earcoverts and Lores were white. The Throat and Breast were white. Light gray Flanks with darker gray Back. It seemed to be around the 6 or so Hooded Mergansers. Could this be a Hooded Merganser/Bufflehead Hybrid? Any help or comments (to me at morlockap@charter.net) would be appreciated. (report from Peter Morlock).

1/12/12 -- Worcester Airport

At noon, there were 30 Horned Larks in the parking lot South of the terminal at the Worcester Airport. (report from Fran McMenemy).

1/8/12 -- Shrewsbury/Worcester

At the north part of Lake Quinsigamond just off I-290, I was able to positively identify the puzzling Green-winged Teal that I first saw on January 1st, as the American subspecies.  On January 5 and again on the 7th, I found the bird feeding in the same area where I saw it on the 1st (north of Main Street, Shrewsbury, bridge).  The bird still has a way to go before its plumage fully fills-in, however, the vertical white bars on both sides are now clearly evident although it is most pronounced on the bird's right side which it seldom showed while I was there.  I have concluded from studying this bird that the darker-brown head coloring, especially on its forehead, seems to be a good indicator throughout the molting process of its ID, even if the vertical side bars have not yet emerged.  Here is a link to a gallery of photos taken of the Green-winged Teal showing its emerging markings and a few other birds that were present at the same spot. Here is a photo that shows the bird's right side where its marking is more pronounced.

With the help of Garry Kessler, I also found three American Green-winged Teal at Institute Park in Worcester, including a pair of adults and a juvenile with plumage similar to the Lake Quinsigamond bird.  The vertical white bar on the Institute Park bird is evident on one side but not the other.  Fortunately, I got some closeup shots of both sides of the bird showing its emerging plumage in detail.  Here are some links to the photos take at Institute Park: a series of three closeup photos of the Am. Green-winged Teal showing off its red Mohawk, and a series of two photos of the adult birds.

There was also an adult male Gadwall at Institute Park that provided some great photo opportunities in the late afternoon light, particularly today ( January 8th).  I was able to photograph the Gadwall under the varying winter lighting conditions that in some cases yielded some interesting, almost surrealistic water patterns.  I also took some photos of the bird after it crawled onto the ice -- in the water it appears so sleek and stream-lined, but what a blob when its on the ice! Here is a series of photos taken on January 7th, and a a photo showing the Gadwall out of the water. Here is a   series of photos taken on January 8th showing variations in the lighting of the water & the bird (some of the later photos in the gallery are my favorites).

As always, there were also lots of Mallards and Canada Geese present at Institute Park.  There was a wide variation in the sizes of the Canada Geese -- I photographed one of the smaller ones which based on its bill size appears to be a Lesser Canada Goose (comments are welcomed).  I also happened to notice the differences in the Mallards that were present.  The males in breeding plumage are easy to ID, however, I also noticed and photographed what appeared at first to be a female with a bright orange bill.  After reviewing my Sibley Guide I now think is probable a male in nonbreeding plumage, although it has an unmarked buffy throat that is indicative of a Mottled Duck.   It was so close, that I could only fit its head in the photo.

On January 7th I also visited the South Bay of Wachusett Reservoir in Boylston and was able to easily find three Barrow's Goldeneyes, two females and one male along with 13 Common Goldeneye.  I was able to get a few distant shots of the birds that show all three Barrow's.  The male and female swam close together much of the time I viewed them.  While I was there, the group flushed after a pair of Common Mergansers took off, with Common and Barrow's taking different flight plans. 

Lastly, for those interested, here's a link to a single photo of a partial leucistic House Finch that occasionally visits my yard in Shrewsbury.  It has a pink head with some white wing and back feathers.
(report from Bruce deGraaf).

1/8/12 -- Muddy Pond Conservation Area, Westminster

We saw one Turkey Vulture soaring over Muddy Pond Conservation Area in Westminster. (report from Wendy Howes & Alan Rawle)

1/8/12 -- Town Farm Rd, Sutton

Just before noon, there was a large flock of 71 Wild Turkeys feeding in the corn stubble field on Town Farm Road in Sutton. (report from Alan Marble).

1/8/12 -- Mumford river, Sutton

Around 6.45 on the Mumford River in Sutton I had a belted Kingfisher chasing a Coopers Hawk .About 6.50 I noticed a lot of Crows in the trees and flying around the area making a lot of noise. I tried to get close to see what they were interested in when a Common Raven flew out with the whole mob on it's tail.Around 7.15 farther down stream I came across a GreatBlueHeron perched high up in a tree along the river. Along the river I had a number of Mallards with 1 Black Duck and 1 Common Merganser. At my home feeders my female Yellowbellied Sapsucker is still around also have 1 PineSiskin showed up yesterday; aside from that, feeder birds in general have been very sparse. (report from Michael Joubert).

1/8/12 -- Whitinsville

I sighted a Pileated Wood Pecker today around 3:00, and also Thursday 1/5/12 in my backyard on Hill Street. Blue birds are at feeders everyday this winter. (report from Russ Falardeau).

1/8/12 -- Woonsocket, RI

This morning we watched the increasing vulture roost in Woonsocket RI, right on the MA border along Rt. 122. We have been monitoring Turkey Vultures throughout the Blackstone National Corridor for over a decade and had noted a gradual build up of over wintering TVs starting in the 1990s typically focused on the wastewater treatment facility and capped landfill on the Millbury/Worcester line along Rt. 146. Beginning some years back, vultures had begun to also over winter regularly near the factories north of Cold Spring Park, Woonsocket RI, just over the border from MA. This was in conjunction with good numbers of wintering gulls: Herring, Ring-billed and a good number of Great Black-backed. Over recent years we have now had Iceland Gull here several times here and Lesser Black-backed Gull once. Last winter, the vulture roost began to really build up in Woonsocket and on a very cold morning on 1/23/11 we recorded (19) vultures sitting on nearby chimneys, warming their bare parts.

This winter the roost has increased dramatically. We recorded (37) TURKEY Vultures on 12/3 along with (4) Black Vultures. They were viewed perched atop the factory buildings from Cold Spring Park, but even better from the other side of the river: From Rt. 122, take Singleton Street over the bridge to Canal Street. North of the junction of Canal and Singleton is a rough grassy patch, perfect for viewing the birds as they come and go. Where they are going to is to the NORTH SMITHFIELD TRANSFER STATION just north on Canal Street. Here the vultures are often found roosting in the trees and on the buildings and on the piles of trash in the building (open at one end). Gulls are also typically swarming here as well as hundreds of starlings and a Red-tailed or two , likely feeding on rats.

Today we recorded well over (60) Turkey Vultures and still had (4) Black Vultures, 1 at the transfer station, and three perched together on the factory. The birds disperse widely from this general area throughout the day, some flying north into Worcester County and some south deeper into Rhode Island. On 12/3, we had 3 of the 4 Black Vultures fly in from Massachusetts and Sheila got some dramatic close photos.

OK, it certainly is not an attractive area to bird, especially the transfer station, and the Blackstone River here has been channeled by the Army Corps of Engineers. Still, some wintering ducks can be seen in winter mostly Canada Geese and Common and Hooded Mergansers. And the patient birder can tick Black Vulture for both states in one sitting.
(report from Mark Lynch).

1/7/12 -- Wauchusett Reservoir, Boylston/West Boylston

This morning there were ~20 Common Goldeyes and 3 Barrows (1m, 2f) on South Bay in Boylston. Under the power lines south of the 140 causway in West Boylston there were 75 Scaup. (report from Jean Holm).

1/7/12 -- Brookfield

At 12:35 there was a Bald Eagle soaring in a NW direction, spotted at my location, town of Brookfield, corner of rt 148 and Mill St. near the Quaboag river. (report from Marvin St.Onge)

1/7/12 -- Lake Chauncy, Westboro

I saw 8 Mute Swans on Lake Chauncy in Westboro today. I was glad to see that some of the swans survived after reading about the 21 dead Mute Swans on Mill Pond in Westboro. I also spotted Loons and Mallard Ducks. (report from Henry Squillante).

1/6/12 -- Institute Park, Worcester

At noon there was more open water than yesterday, and more birds: 2 Mute Swan, 3 Green-winged Teal (2m 1f), 3 Black Duck, 1 Gadwall (m), and 2 Hooded Merganser (f). (report from Rick Quimby).

1/5/12 -- Dudley/Barre

This afternnon I saw the 2 adult Mute Swans  who have been living on Mosquito Pond in Dudley since last spring ,when thay had a young one. I haven't seen the cygnet since June.

On the way home from NH, on route 32 in Barre, just before the Petersham line, there were 7 Wild Turkeys, 6 by the side of the highway and 1 in the middle of the road. Not exactly exciting sightings but better than nothing while riding in a car. 
(report from Joan Zumpfe).

1/5/12 -- Institute Park, Worcester

At 2:00 pm highlights were 4 Mute Swans (2 standing on the ice) and 3 Black ducks. Only open water is in the back where the stream comes in, and there were no other "interesting" ducks. (report from Rick Quimby).

1/3/12 -- Lake Whalom, Lunenburg

An impressive waterfowl/large gull sp. roost continues on Whalom Lake, Lunenburg, this evening: Canada Goose 600 (rough est.), Mallard 1,000 (rough est.), Hooded Merganser ~20, Common Merganser 5-10, Great Blue Heron 1, Herring Gull ~500, Great Black-backed Gull 80, Ring-billed Gull ~10 very very few, Iceland "kumlien's" Gull 1 first cycle, a darkish bird, Glaucous Gull 1 first cycle. Most birds arrive after dusk and tonight most arrived WELL after dusk making it tough to ID and "pick though" the Mallards for oddities or out of season fowl. Fortunately the white-winged gulls arrived with reasonable light still showing. The lake remains 90% open, but one or two cold and calm nights will likely sent the the gulls to Wachusett Res. or points east. (report from Tom Pirro).

1/2/12 -- Wachusett Reservoir and vicinity

East Waushacum: 2 Mute Swans and 2 Common Loons

Coachlace Pond: 100 Canada Geese and 4 Hooded Mergansers

South Bay of Wachusett Reservoir (Boylston): 1 pair Barrow's Goldeneye with 18 Common Goldeneye and 2 Ring-necked Ducks

power lines near the route 140/12 causeway: 46-53 hard to count Greater Scaup, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 7 Common Mergansers and 2 soaring Bald Eagles.
(report from Bart Kamp).

1/1/12 -- Worcester

The Forbush Bird Club held its annual New Year's Day bird trip in Worcester, with highlights of a Red-tailed Hawk devouring a Chipmunk while perched on a telephone pole, a Merlin seen from Lake Park, a Hooded Merganser gulping down a fish and a Peregrine Falcon sitting on a window ledge just below the People's Bank sign on the old Mechanics Bank building. Here is the complete trip list. (report from Joan Zumpfe, photos from Joan Gallagher).

1/1/12 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston

Our last stop on a day that started well before dawn (owling Ware River Watershed), was SOUTH BAY, WACHUSETT RESERVOIR (Boylston) on Rt. 140. We had GREAT looks at a drake and duck BARROW'S GOLDENEYE with 18 Common Goldeneyes, very close to the road. Nice way to end the day. Here is a photo taken by Sheila on 1/2/12. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

1/1/12 -- Downtown Worcester

A Peregrine Falcon was perched on the bank sign overlooking the common. I think there was a band on it's right leg. I think this is a large Falcon, so maybe a female? (report from Brian Mulhearn)

1/1/12 -- Sutton

Around 3.30 while photographing at Shaw's farm right before Blackstone Golf course in Sutton I observed a Shrike dining on what appeared to be a Sparrow. (report from Michael Joubert).

1/1/12 -- Lake Quinsigamond, Shrewsbury/Worcester

Green-winged Teal ... American or Eurasian?

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon checking out Lake Quinsigmond in Shrewsbury/Worcester, targeting the female Barrow's Goldeneye that I had first found during the December 17th Worcester CBC and relocated on 12/22. Unfortunately there were no Goldeneye present on the lake today.

As consolation prizes though, I did find a male Wood Duck near the dam and also an unusually plumaged Green-winged Teal, Great Blue Heron, Gadwall, Hooded Mergansers, and Belted Kingfisher all just north of Main Street in Shrewsbury. The Green-winged Teal seemed to be in some form of transitional plumage, possibly from juvenile to adult. When I first viewed the bird, I thought it was a Eurasian Green-winged Teal (Common Teal) since it seemed to be missing the vertical white bar. However, after looking at the photos I'm uncertain of its ID and would appreciate comments.

Here is a series of photos that I took of the Green-winged Teal.
(report from Bruce deGraaf).

1/1/12 -- Institute Park, Worcester

At Institute Park in Salisbury Pond there were: 1 Great Blue Heron, 2 Mute Swans, 50 Canada Geese, 3 Mallards, 2 Black Ducks, 1 drake Gadwall, 2 Green-winged teal, 5 Hooded Mergansers and 6 Common Mergansers. (report from Bart Kamp).

1/1/12 -- Holden

My husband and I saw about a half dozen Blue Birds in our back yard today. We have two suet feeders. One blue bird was on that one, and the second suet feeder had a Downy Woodpecker on it. The remaining blue birds were feeding on the ground under the feeder with the woodpecker on it. It was quite a scene. This went on for about 10 minutes, until a squirrel came and all the birds took off. This is first sighting ever in the 16 years since we have lived at the house. I would describe the area as heavily wooded. We have not quite a half acre of open lawn. We were so very surprised and pleased. (report from Pamela Berg).

For previous sightings, see December 2011 Archives or Archive Index