January 2014 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

Bird Sightings:

1/30/14 -- Uxbridge Community Gardens

Karin Nelson and I had an immature Northern Harrier at the Uxbridge Community Gardens. Obviously not the Gray Ghost that has been seen there on and off for quite a while. (report from Alan Marble).

1/28/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir

Today I saw 2 White-winged Scoters at Mile Hill Road in Clinton and a Horned Grebe at River Road in West Boylston. (report from Peter Morlock).

1/28/14 -- Worcester

We had 10-12 cedar waxwings at our crabapple tree on Oak Ave today. They typically come in large numbers around this time each year and clean out the fruit in a matter of a day or two. (report from Paul Dufault).

1/27/14 -- Holden

At 8:00 am in our yard we had 3 Carolina wren, 1 fox sparrow, 1 common raven, 22 house finch, 1 red breasted nuthatch, and 3 American robin. (report from Scott Corazzini).

1/26/14 -- Oakham

This afternoon there was a golden crowned kinglet moving quickly and eating at the remains of the golden delicious apples on our trees. It was in the midst of the regular birds that come to our feeders. (report from Kathy Van Schoick).

1/26/14 -- Winimusset WMA, New Braintree

This morning we had 45 plus Horned Larks and 70 plus Snow Buntings. The Snow Buntings were in the fields beyond Winimusset across from the 1610 mailbox. We tried to find a Lapland Longspur, boy was it chilly. No luck. (report from Bob and Diane Abbott).

1/26/14 -- West Millbury

This morning at my feeders, I had a male Red-winged Blackbird. (report from Alan Marble).

1/25/14 -- Sterling

At our feeder in Sterling, we have had a Fox Sparrow for the last 3 days. (report from Fred Paine).

1/25/14 -- Creeper Hill Road, South Grafton

While checking out the ducks that were swimming in the open water I heard then saw a Gray Catbird. (report from Peter Morlock).

1/25/14 -- Holden

In our yard, 3 Am. Crows were observed harassing a C Raven. Also observed was a Fox Sparrow around our feeders, and a N. Mockingbird. (phone report from Scott Corazzini).

1/24/14 -- West Millbury

At my suet feeder, I continue to get a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, usually on the coldest days. A pair of Northern Flickers are regular visitors. (report from Alan Marble).

1/23/14 -- downtown Worcester

Forwarded from Tom French:

Subject: Peregrine injured in Worcester

Everyone:

I just spoke with a man in Worcester who described seeing a Red-tailed Hawk
attack a Peregrine Falcon this morning, grabbing it by the head and taking
it to the ground on Front Street.  The Red-tail flew off and the man
approached the falcon close enough to see a silver-colored band on one leg
and a two-colored band on the other.  He was close enough to read numbers,
but did not write them down and did not remember what they were.  He said
that the falcon was bleeding from one eye and he thought the eye was
punctured.  However the falcon flew off.

If you, or anyone else you want to share this with, can watch this pair over
the next week to ten days, it would be appreciated.  This is almost
certainly one of the adults that nests on the 8th floor of 120 Front Street.
The male, 3/7 (black over green), is nine years old, and the female, 96/AD
(black over green) is about three.

If this bird is seriously injured, it might come to the ground over the next
several days.  It would be good if someone could locate it in the next day
or two to see how bad it appear to be injured.

Thanks.
Tom

Thomas W. French, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
100 Hartwell Street
West Boylston, MA 01583
508-389-6355 - office

(submitted by Mark Lynch).

1/21/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir

We found a SNOWY OWL perched on the ice well out from the dike in Gate 36 (off Rt.110) at 9:30AM. It was still there 45 minutes later. We did notify someone from DCR. Sheila got some distant shots. Also present was an adult Bald Eagle, 3 Mute Swans and 195 Canada Geese that flew out heading NW. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

Note from Ken MacKenzie, added 12:15 pm: Was just out there looking for it at about noon and did not see the owl in the immediate area.

Ken MacKenzie
Senior Wildlife Biologist
DCR- Division of Water Supply Protection

1/20/14 -- South Bay, Wachusett Reservoir

Late this afternoon I watched the gulls in South Bay at Wachusett Reservoir with Bob Abbott. There was one juvenile Iceland Gull and one juvenile Glaucous Gull. When the Glaucous Gull was not on the ice it was feeding on a deer carcass on the peninsular where the loon raft is stored. (report from Bart Kamp).

1/18/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir

A morning trip to Wachusett Reservoir was cut short by the increasing snow, which really hampered visibility. We only managed to cover River Road, a bit of the Rail Trail, the dike, the dam and South Bay. We had the following: Mute Swan (2ad+1imm); Mallard (8); Bufflehead (2f); Common Goldeneye (36); Hooded Merganser (11); Common Merganser (14). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

1/17/14 -- Scar Hill Bluff, Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston

Late this afternoon I went to the north end of Scar Hill Bluffs. Usually the gulls that bath and rest between here and Wood Island come in from the north. There were about a thousand gulls. There were no white-winged gulls but there was a first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. An adult Bald Eagle briefly flushed them when it landed on the ice. (report from Bart Kamp).

1/17/14 -- South Bay, Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston

Birds at South Bay today included 58 Common Goldeneye, 2 Barrow's Goldeneye, 9 Hooded Mergansers, 46 Common Mergansers, 3 Common Loons, 1 White-winged Scoter, and 1 Greater Scaup. (phone report from Dave Grant).

1/17/14 -- Worcester State University, Worcester

Worcester State: At the patch of woods behind the athletic fields there were many common birds including Carolina Wren, and a pair of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. There was a flock of House Finches, and many Gold Finches, including this one feeding on a crab apple. They were all flushed by a Coopers Hawk.

Leesville Pond, Worcester: There were 8 Mallards, 2 Common Mergansers, 32 Hooded Mergansers including a male and a female swallowing a fish, 1 Common Goldeneye , and a Belted Kingfisher.
(report from Brian Mulhearn)

1/17/14 -- Wachusett Resevoir, Boylston

From Scar Hill Bluffs this morning there was a drake Canvasback. Also there were 7 Common Mergansers and 3 Mute Swans. (report from Alan Marble).

1/16/14 -- Oakham

My husband saw a towhee feeding on the ground with titmice and juncos. (report from Kathy Van Schoick).

1/16/14 -- Scar Hill Bluffs, Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston

I returned to Scar Hill Bluffs today and struck out on uncommon gulls. However there was a feeding frenzy of a raft of ducks that included 1 male White-winged Scoter, 6 Hooded Mergansers, 8 Common Mergansers, at least 12 Red-breasted Mergansers and 30-40 Common Goldeneye. 2 Common Loons were feeding near the ducks. (report from Bart Kamp).

1/15/14 -- Wachusett reservoir, Boylston

Among more than three thousand gulls at Wachusett Reservoir between 4:30 PM- 5:00 PM this afternoon were 2 third winter Glaucous Gulls. They were resting on ice between Scar Hill Bluffs and Sholan Point. Most of the gulls were already on the ice when I got there. (report from Bart Kamp).

1/14/14 -- Worcester

Today while checking out the birds feeding in my backyard, there was a male Eastern Towhee feeding with House and Song Sparrows. (report from Peter Morlock).

1/14/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir

A quick tour of Wachusett Reservoir in the rain had the following: Common Loon (1); Mute Swan (3ad); Canada Goose (18); Gadwall (3f); A Black Duck (20); Bufflehead (2f); C Goldeneye (10); Hooded Merganser (12); Common Merganser (2f); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Ring-billed Gull (47)

Passerines were typical but there was a N Flicker, a Carolina Wren and (36) Cedar Waxwings at the Country Club.
(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

1/13/14 -- Powder Mill Pond, Barre

At 3:30 pm there were 3 Iceland Gulls (1 first year, 1 second year and 1 adult) and a second year Glaucous Gull on the ice below the landfill. All the gulls (about 75 total) flew away to the east before I could finish looking them over. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

1/12/14 -- Holden

There was a raven perched and preening in an oak tree in my yard today. After 10 minutes or so, it was escorted away by four of the local crows.  (report from Denis Mahoney).

1/10/14 -- Shewsbury

I spotted a bald eagle that flew overhead as I was driving to work today on Route 20 in Shrewsbury by Lake Quinsigamond. (report from Stephen Baker).

1/9/14 -- Auburn

As I was driving down route 12 in Auburn, MA on January 9 around 11:30AM, much to my surprise a bald eagle flew following the road for half a mile. A great sight. (report from David Hall).

1/9/14 -- Charlton

Orlando's Farm lower pond still has some water left to it. Hundreds of Mallards and some American Black Ducks scattered amongst
(report from Justin Lawson).

1/8/14 -- Millbury/Uxbridge

On the grounds of the Upper Blackstone Water Treatment plant I was scanning the ducks in the tanks. 1 Male Gadwall was in with the mallards that posed nicely for some photos. Also a few American Black Ducks mixed in.

Uxbridge: 1 Male Northern Harrier was at theUxbridge Soccer Fields.
(report from Justin Lawson).

1/8/14 -- All Faiths Cemetery, Worcester

I was rewarded on this cold morning by observing a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I don't recall seeing one in January before. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

1/8/14 -- Brookfield

I was amazed to see a male Red-breasted Merganser in a very small section of open water on the Quaboag River. The water is barely open at the bridge on Rt. 148. The rest of the river there is frozen. (report from Rodney Jenkins)

1/7/14 -- Baldwinville,Templeton

Hi-lights from a lunch time walk near work yesterday: Sharp-shinned hawk 1; American Robin 100+; Gray Catbird 1 (very uncommon for winter in the hill town's on North Worcester County);
(report from Tom Pirro).

1/5/14 -- Gardner

This female Cooper's Hawk made her kill early a.m. and stayed with us until just before sunset, never leaving her catch. She provides good pigeon control -- not particularly effective for squirrel control. Here is how to pluck a pigeon. She definitely had a full crop. (report from Dick Knowlton).

1/5/14 -- Douglas

While walking in the woods in the vicinity of Cross Street and Mumford Road in Douglas this morning, I heard a pair of pileated woodpeckers calling, and then saw them. They were too far away for the zoom on my cell phone, unfortunately, but I saw them flying from tree to tree. (report from Mary Sughrue-Yacino)

1/5/14 -- Barre, New Braintree, Hardwick

This afternoon we birded various locations in Barre and Hardwick, and also checked the expanses of cornfield stubble at Winimussett WMA in New Braintree. Besides expected species--although we only found one Mourning Dove all day--highlights were a flock of ~ 400 Horned Larks at Winimussett (Alan will check a photo and try to get an accurate count with a photo software tool); 2 Field Sparrows at a powerline strip in South Barre; 9 White-throated Sparrows at another powerline cut; two different Cooper's Hawks, and a Northern Flicker at Mandell Hill in Hardwick. (report from Wendy Howes & Alan Rawle)

1/5/14 -- Northborough

I had 3 Blue Birds at my feeder, as well as a Carolina Wren and a Red-belled Woodpecker. (report from Henry Squillante)

1/4/14 -- Rutland

A Cooper's Hawk just crashed the party at the post storm bird feeder party here in Rutland. (report from Ted Purcell).

1/2/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir, West Boylston

At 4 pm along rt.12 north there were 2 Common Loons on the reservoir. (phone report from Eric Johnson).

For previous sightings, see December 2013 Archives or Archive Index