January 2015 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:

1/31/15 -- Sterling
Marion Larson and Scott handler observed a Belted Kingfisher in Sterling flying over rte 12 a half mile south of the junction at Rte I 190 (near Dunkin Donuts). (report from Marion Larson).

1/31/15 -- Worcester
For the last two days a HERMIT THRUSH has been coming to my feeder briefly in the late afternoon, feeding on seed on the ground and sometimes suet. Also in the feeder area: an immature COOPER'S HAWK and 2 Red-tailed Hawks trying to pick off squirrels. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

1/28/15 -- Gardner
1 Common redpoll at our feeder this a.m. Had breakfast and hasn't been seen since. Plenty of Goldfinches and Pine siskins though. (report from Dick Knowlton).

1/27/15 -- Worcester
During the storm we had a juvenile Yellow -bellied Sapsucker at our suet feeder. It was showing some red on the crown, but we did not get a clear view of the throat to see if male or female. It has been heard occasionally since December but first time seen at the feeder. Also interesting to note size comparison between Downy and Hairy also sharing the feeder. (report from Lisa Hennin).

1/27/15 -- Sturbridge
It was a busy day at the feeders: Northern Cardinal (1m, 1f), Carolina Wren (2), White-Breasted Nuthatch (3), Downey Woodpecker (1f), Hairy Woodpecker (1m, 1f), Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (1m), Mourning Dove (2), Blue Jay (2), numerous Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, American Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos. Surprise was the Cooper's Hawk who sat in the pine tree just above the feeders and eventually left without having had lunch. (report from Naomi Lacasse).

1/26/15 -- Rt. 2, Devens
Had a bald eagle (adult, full white head and tail, unmistakable) fly right in front of me on Rt. 2 (westbound, on the Nashua River crossing at exit 37 (Jackson Rd., Devens) at 4:25 PM today.  It was only about 12'-15' above the road, flying left to right, northwards.  Big bird!  Person in the left lane next to me slammed on their brakes, must have been startled! (report from David Daly).

1/25/15 -- Worcester
Today at about 2:30 pm I was leaving Worcester on 290 east, crossing the lake Quinsig and a bald eagle flew over headed north. (report from Beverly Chorbajian).

1/22/15 -- Millbury
I happened to be crossing Grafton St via Riverlin St going by Goretties Supermarket as it was getting dark, and viewed multiple ducks flying into the canal (Blackstone River) that runs through this area. It was too dark to ID any of them but there had to be fifty that came in during the few minutes I was there. (report from Scott Ricker).

1/22/15 -- Worcester
On the ground under my feeders this morning, there was a Hermit Thrush. It was less than 5 feet from my window. (report from Bart Kamp).

1/18/15 -- South Quabbin Reservoir
We spent the morning birding QUABBIN PARK/SOUTH QUABBIN. We left just in time: part of Rt. 9 (West Brookfield-Ware) was closed due to icing.
  • Birds recorded: Common Loon (4); Red-necked Grebe (2); Mallard (1m); A Black Duck (3); C Goldeneye (7); Hooded Merganser (2f); Common Merganser (1f);
      Bald eagle (2ad: we watched 1 eagle, perched about 15 off the ground in a tree, at the edge of some ice. Directly below were 4 River Otters, which were periscoping up and getting on the ice and looking in the eagle's direction. We watched as several times the eagle made a swoop down right at the otters, and the results were always the same: the otters dove into the water, the eagle flew back up into the tree and immediately the otters came back out again. We watched this go on for about 15 minutes. It honestly looked like the otters were taunting or playing with the eagle. Then an otter caught a big fish, dragged it up on the ice and the eagle immediately swooped down landing on the ice. BUT the otter dove back in, with the fish. The eagle began to walk around on the ice and the otters came out on the ice RIGHT NEXT TO IT, on either side. The eagle finally left and so did the otters. I have NO idea what was going on, but they were definitely interacting.
    Red-tailed Hawk (1); Landbirds were typical, but we did have a Pileated Woodpecker.
  • Then we birded along the Swift River and had: Wood Duck (3); Mallard (14); Hooded merganser (8); Common Merganser (2);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 1/17/15 -- Lake Chauncey, Westboro
    I observed a Northern Mockingbird here this morning. (report from Henry Squillante)

    1/14/15 -- Swift, Ware and Quabog Rivers
    Today we checked out 3 rivers in western Central MA to see if we could find any waterfowl. We started with the SWIFT RIVER, following it south from Quabbin Reservoir to the Three Rivers area of Palmer. The river was 90% ice covered, more so than last winter and we had the following: Mallard (30); Black Duck (5); Belted Kingfisher (1);
  • We then followed the WARE RIVER northeast from Three Rivers to the town of Ware. Like the Swift, the Ware River was mostly ice covered except in areas where there are rapids, which is not attractive to waterfowl. We found NO ducks.
  • Finally we checked a few spots on the QUABOG RIVER in the Brookfields. Here the river was 85% ice covered. We had: Mallard (4); A Black Duck (20); Hooded Merganser (7); Red-tailed Hawk (1).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 1/14/15 -- Gardner
    A flock of 20+ siskins is now regular at our feeders. Had a 2nd hand report of redpolls in Ashburnham but not able to confirm. (report from Dick Knowlton).

    1/13/15 -- Worcester
    This morning there were 3 Goldfinches, 1 Carolina Wren and 1 Pine Siskin on the same feeder at the same time. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/11/15 -- Gardner
    11 Pine siskins at our feeders this morning. Here for a few moments, then gone not to be seen again. (report from Dick Knowlton).

    1/10/15 -- SUASCO, Westboro
    Today on Arch St I saw the following "Half Hardy Birds" : Sharp-shinned Hawk; Belted Kingfisher; Swamp Sparrows 2; Eastern Phoebe. (report from Peter Morlock).

    1/9/15 -- Westboro
    Four snow geese flew by the MassWildlife Field Headquarters during the snow showers this morning. (report from Marion Larson).

    1/7/15 -- Leominster
    There was an adult Bald Eagle fishing Monoosnoc Brook behind the Sears Town Mall, Leominster. Flying in from direction of Lunenburg. (report from Susan LaBree).

    1/7/15 -- West Millbury
    As expected, when the first real cold weather arrives. On my tree-mounted suet cage, a female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. (report from Alan Marble).

    1/6/15 -- Lake Whalom, Lunenburg
    Early this afternoon at Lake Whalom in Lunenburg there was a juvenile Glaucous Gull resting on the ice. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/5/15 -- Eagle Lake, Holden
    At 3:30 pm there was an immature Bald Eagle moving about on the ice at Eagle Lake. (report from Denis Mahoney).

    1/5/15 -- Millbury
  • Woolshop Pond - 8 Gadwalls continue on Woolshop Pond. 8 have been here off and on since 12/26.
  • Millbury Bike Path - 1 female American Wigeon on the Blackstone River since 1/3
    (report from Justin Lawson).

    • 1/3/15 -- Westborough WMA, Westborough
    I heard, then saw, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in a tree at the boat ramp to Chauncy Lake (Big Chauncy) at 11:20 AM today. Nice look at a young bird with much brown plumage on breast and head. (report from Ed Kittredge).

    1/3/15 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Early this morning in the pond at Institute Park there was a Greater White-fronted Goose among the 200-300 Canada Geese. 30-40 of the Canada Geese took off and the Greater White-fronted Goose went with them. They were last seen heading southwestward in "V" formation. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/3/15 -- Lake Quinsigamond-Flint Pond, Shrewsbury
    Today we birded several water bodies along the Blackstone River and ended with a count of waterfowl around the LAKE QUINSIGAMOND-FLINT POND complex and had the following: Mute Swan (16); Canada Goose (510); Mallard (325); A Black Duck (62); N Pintail (1f); Common Goldeneye (37); Hooded Merganser (173); Belted Kingfisher (1); Fish Crow (1). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    1/2/15 -- May St., Worcester
    This evening the crow staging area in Worcester was at the Fairlawn Hospital on May Street . There you could hear the Fish Crows calling with the Common Crows. (report from Bart Kamp).

    1/2/15 -- Indian Lake, Worcester
    I saw a bald-headed eagle here at 7:45 a.m. It landed in a tree behind the Y then flew off across the lake towards Holden St. (report from Eve Rifkah).

    1/1/15 -- Sudbury Reservoir, Southboro
  • At sudbury Reservoir: highlights were 350+ Ring-necked Ducks, 5 Greater Scaup. 1 Lesser Scaup. and 2 REDHEADS.
  • Westborough WMMA: On Big Chauncey there were 4 AMERICAN COOTS and 1 ICELAND GULL
  • Yesterday (12/31/2015), in Millbury at Dorothy Brook (runs into Blackstone): 4 Northern Pintails.
    Photos of all birds on my flickr
    (report from Justin Lawson).

    • 1/1/15 -- New Year's Day in Worcester County IBAs
    Today we birded 5 IBAs in Worcester County, beginning well before dawn at the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. In about 45 minutes we tallied (1) Great Horned Owl; (1) Barred Owl and (2) N Saw-whet Owls and a spectacular night sky.
  • We then headed over to BOLTON FLATS WMA (part of an IBA), intending to owl there before dawn, but discovered hunters (in the dark) on site. So we owled around the area and managed (1) E Screech Owl and (3) Great Horned Owls. At dawn, we donned our hunters orange and headed in the main (Rt. 117) entrance, bumping into the two hunters on their way out. They were in total camo (including face) carrying rifles and a bag of "stuff". Raccoon hunting? Birders should realize that though the deer season is over, PLENTY of hunting continues through this month on Wildlife Management Areas. So if you venture into places like Bolton Flats on any day except Sunday, WEAR SOME ORANGE. Also seen at Bolton Flats was the following: Red-tailed Hawk (3); (1) Northern Shrike at dawn which flew off towards Rt.117 never to be seen by us again; (4) Eastern Bluebirds; (2) Swamp Sparrows and (3) Red-winged Blackbirds.
  • Then we headed to WACHUSETT RESERVOIR (part of an IBA), where there were some nice concentrations of waterfowl. We had: Common Loon (5); Mute Swan (4); Canada Goose (598: a huge flock was on the playing fields of Clinton HS and we were studying them, when a jogger thought it would make a great picture to run into the flock, flush them and take a picture of them in flight); Mallard (80); A Black Duck (4); N Pintail (2m+1f: small pond adjacent to Coachlace Pond, Clinton); Wild Turkey (23); Greater Scaup/scaup sp (55); Lesser Scaup (at least 1); Ring-necked Duck (1); LONG-TAILED DUCK (1); Common Goldeneye (42); Hooded Merganser (64); Common Merganser (47); Ruddy Duck (2).
  • Then we drove over to SUDBURY RESERVOIR (an IBA), in Southboro, which has really started to ice over. We didn't do any of the longer walks in, but covered the entire periphery, so just around the edges we had: Mute Swan (5); Canada Goose (197); REDHEAD (2m); Greater Scaup/scaup sp (21); Lesser Scaup (1); Ring-necked Duck (353); Bufflehead (3); Common Goldeneye (18); Hooded Merganser (20); Ruddy Duck (2); My guess is that by tomorrow MOST of this reservoir will be ice-covered.
  • Then we did a series of small ponds in Northboro and Westboro, which were mostly ice-covered. But on each one we had MUTE SWANS: Bartlett (4 on ice); Little Chuancy (5 on ice); Chauncy (6); SuAsCo still had some open water and there were (57) swans there. For a long time birder in Worcester County, this Mute ubiquity is still amazing. Before the mid-1990s, swans were still noteworthy in Worcester County and tough to get on your year list. Now: they are all over eastern Worcester County, found in areas along the Blackstone River, in and around the city and small numbers are found in the Brookfields.
  • We ended the day with a visit to tiny INSTITUTE/SALISBURY POND (part of the BLACKSTONE NATIONAL CORRIDOR IBA), just 2 blocks from my house, across from WPI. Among the numerous geese, swans, Mallards and other stuff, we found a single GADWALL and a Belted Kingfisher.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 1/1/15 -- All Faiths cemetery, Worcester
    There was a strange Goose at All Faiths today -- it had the body of a Canada and the head of a Snow geese. We saw it on the Forbush Trip, and that was the best we could come up with. It was on the left side on the ice with about 100 Canada Geese. If anyone sees it I would like to hear what you think. (report from John Shea). [johnshea.1@verizon.net]

    1/1/15 -- Northbridge
    I had a Eastern Screech Owl on Castle Hill rd, responding to my screech owl call at 9:30a, and also had an adult Bald Eagle soaring along the Blackstone River headed north in Northbridge across from the Rockville Saloon. (report from Scott Ricker).

    For previous sightings, see December 2014 Archives or Archive Index