July 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.

7/31/01 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling

I was at Sterling Peat with Bob Ricci this evening. All of the shore birds reported by Mark on Sunday (7/29/01) were still present along with 1 Great Egret. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/29/01 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling

An early evening check of Sterling Peat had the following: Green Heron (2, 1 imm); Canada Goose (35); Mallard (8); A. Black Duck (2); Killdeer (8); Spotted Sandpiper (3); Solitary Sandpiper (6); Least Sandpiper (6); PECTORAL SANDPIPER (1); Belted Kingfisher (2); Willow Flycatcher (1); Bank Swallow (20+); Barn Swallow (7); Lots of Boneset in bloom. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/29/01 -- Fisherville Pond, Grafton

A quick stop at Fisherville Pond, Grafton (Blackstone Corridor) revealed the water continues to drop. Best views still from behind Riverview Apartments. Only a few shorebirds were present: Great Blue Heron (1); Killdeer (7); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Least Sandpiper (37); Semipalmated Sandpiper (1); Chimney Swift (30+); Willow Flycatcher (1 still calling); E. Kingbird (1); Barn Swallow (20+); Tree Swallow (4). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/29/01 -- Kettlebrook Reservoir #4, Paxton

We condcuted another systematic survey of Kettlebrook Reservoir, one of the reservoirs of the City of Worcester two lines of resrervoirs. It is also part of the Blackstone River watershed. IMPORTANT: birders are reminded that city's reservoirs are absolutely OFF LIMITS with out written permits. Bird song was way down and we saw several newly fledged birds. It's starting to look like the intro to fall migration. BTW: water levels have started to drop.
COMMON LOON (1 ad br); Great Blue Heron (5, including what looked like a family group of 1ad+3 imm) ;Canada Goose (32); Killdeer (6); Solitary Sandpiper (2); Spotted Sandpiper (7); Ring-billed Gull (1 flyover); Chimney Swift (4); Belted Kingfisher (1); Downy Woodpecker (6); N. Flicker (2); E. Peewee (6); E. Phoebe (2); E. Kingbird (1); N. Rough-winged Swallow (1); Barn Swallow (1); Blue Jay (8); A. Crow (3); Black-capped Chickadee (17); Tufted Titmouse (7); Red-breasted Nuthatch (6); White-breasted Nuthatch (17); A. Robin (7); Gray Catbird (8); Cedar Waxwing (3); Blue-headed Vireo (2); Red-eyed Vireo (6); Blue-winged Warbler (1 still singing); Yellow Warbler (2 flying high overhead that were spished down); Chestnut-sided Warbler (5, 1imm); Black-throated Green (2: 1 imm); Yellow-rumped Warbler (3 singing m); Black and White Warbler (2); C. Yellowthroat (21); Canada Warbler (1imm); Scarlet Tanager (3); Indigo Bunting (1 imm); E. Towhee (5); Song Sparrow (18: several imm); Purple Finch (1); A. Goldfinch (11, including a pair seen copulating several times after which the male would then, apparently, feed the female); Red-winged Blackbird (41, all imm. or f at shore edge drinking); C. Grackle (10+). Also seen: (1) White-tailed Deer. At a small spillway over 1000+ young Green Frogs with four legs but still short tails, were gathered in the leafy water. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/29/01 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester

HIghlights this morning: Great Blue Heron (2 - both perched in trees); Broad-winged Hawk (1); BELTED KINGFISHER (1 - perched briefly on a wire no where near any water; this species is only occasionally recorded at BMB, passing through or overhead); Hairy Woodpecker (4); Northern Flicker (10); Eastern Wood-Pewee (8); Willow Flycatcher (3); Eastern Phoebe (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Eastern Kingbird (12); Red-eyed Vireo (3); Barn Swallow (7 - all in group heading SSW over power lines); Carolina Wren (7 - including family group of 5); House Wren (1); Hermit Thrush (1); Wood Thrush (6); Gray Catbird (38); European Starling (73+ , most were found roosting with a huge flock of blackbirds); Cedar Waxwing (7 - two active nests were found the day before); Yellow Warbler (2); Black-and-white Warbler (2); Common Yellowthroat (15); Scarlet Tanager (1); Eastern Towhee (29); Chipping Sparrow (2 immatures); Field Sparrow (12); Song Sparrow (29); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Red-winged Blackbird (107+ , big roost of blackbirds); Common Grackle (240+ , big roost of blackbirds); Brown-headed Cowbird (2); Baltimore Oriole (3). (report from John Liller).

7/29/01 -- High Ridge WMA, Gardner

Hilite from a walk into the Smith Street Gate of High Ridge WMA this morning between 8 and 10:30: Great Blue Heron 3; Black-Crn Nightheron 1 imm.; American Bittern 1 great looks!; Virginia Rail 1 seen in flight near the AMBI; Turkey Vulture 2; Alder Flycatcher 2; Belted Kingfisher 2; Winter Wren 1; Indigo Bunting 4; Tree Swallow ~200; Barn Swallow ~10-20; Bank Swallow 2; Cliff Swallow 1; Solitary Sandpiper 2; (report from Tom Pirro).

7/28/01 -- Burrillville, RI

Continuing monitoring the Blackstone Corridor and garnering records for nomination as an IBA, we hit two areas in Burrillville this AM, the extreme NW corner of RI. The first was a WMA called Buck Hill and the other was the Casimir Pulaski SP. Buck Hill, gated, we did a short hike into. But at Pulaski you can drive a network of dirt roads. In that respect, Pulaski is like Barre Falls Dam ,but much, much smaller. Bird song was a fraction of what it had been a month before and landbirds were tough to come by. The first number is BUCK HILL, the second: PULASKI:
Great Blue Heron: 3 almost fledged young still in the nest/1; HOODED MERGANSER: 0/1 imm. We had 3 imm. at this small pond in June. Rare breeder in RI.; Broad-winged Hawk : 1/0; Solitary Sandpiper: 2/0; Least Sandpiper: 2/0; Downy Woodpecker: 7/5; Hairy Woodpecker: 2/2; N. Flicker: 3/2; E. Wood Peewee: 9/18; E. Phoebe: 3/1; Great Crested Flycatcher: 1/1; E. Kingbird: 6/4; Barn Swallow: 15+/0; Blue Jay: 3/12; A. Crow: 4/0; Black-capped Chickadee: 21/101; Tufted Titmouse: 10/23; Red-breasted Nuthatch: 0/4; White-breasted Nuthatch: 8/15; House Wren: 0/1; Winter Wren:0/2 (1 still singing); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: 0/10; E. Bluebird: 2/0; Veery: 1/0; Hermit Thrush: 10/25; Wood Thrush: 1/0; A. Robin: 12/14; Gray Catbird: 11/0; Cedar Waxwing: 10/6; Blue-headed Vireo: 0/10; Yellow-throated Vireo: 1/2; Red-eyed Vireo: 10 (1 feeding newly fledged Cowbird)/17;

WARBLERS: Blue-winged: 0/1; Chestnut-sided: 0/2; Yellow-rumped: 0/16; Black-throated Green: 0/9; BLACKBURNIAN: 0/4 (including 1 newly fledged young that took me a while to positively ID); Pine: 0/10; Prairie: 1/0; Black and White: 8/11; A. Redstart: 0/1; Ovenbird: 3/8; Nothern Waterthrush: 0/1; C. Yellowthroat: 1/5;

Scarlet Tanager: 8/15; E. Towhee: 9/40; Chipping Sparrow: 0/51; Song Sparrow: 7/0; Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 0/6; Brown-headed Cowbird: 1 imm/0; Baltimore Oriole: 3/1; Purple Finch: 0/1f; A. Goldfinch: 11/10.
There were lots of odes and butterflies, including good numbers of Ebony Jewelwings at Pulaski. At Buck Hill we came across a group illegally camping and reported it at Pulaski. Mosquitoes and deer flies were still a problem. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/28/01 -- West Hill Dam/Park, Uxbridge

Continuing work for a possible IBA in the Blackstone Corridor, I went to the West Hill Dam in Uxbridge this morning and walked the entire Woodland Trail. I recorded the following:
Great Blue Heron (4); Wood Duck (2); Broad-winged Hawk (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Rock Dove (1); Mourning Dove (37); Chimney Swift (2); Bleted Kingfisher (1); Downy Woodpecker (8); Hairy Woodpecker (3); Northern Flicker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (4); Eastern Phoebe (4); Eastern Kingbird (7); Warbling Vireo (2); Red-eyed Vireo (4); Blue Jay (9); American Crow (4); Northern Rough-winged Swallow (4); Barn Swallow (4); Black-capped Chickadee (30); Tufted Titmouse (9); White-breasted Nuthatch (17); Brown Creeper (3); Hermit Thrush (4); Wood Thrush (8); American Robin (4); Gray Catbird (14); Cedar Waxwing (13); Yellow Warbler (2); Black-throated Green Warbler (2); Pine Warbler (2); Northern Waterthrush (1); Common Yellowthroat (9); Scarlet Tanager (10); Eastern Towhee (22); Chipping Sparrow (13); Song Sparrow (11); Northern Cardinal (9); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Red-winged Blackbird (6); Common Grackle (10); Baltimore Oriole (1); Purple Finch (2); House Finch (4); American Goldfinch (24); House Sparrow (5); (report from John Liller).

7/27/01 -- Paradise Pond, Princeton

Evening kayak/birding on Paradise Pond, Princeton: Turkey Vultures 2, American Robins 7 and several immatures, Baltimore Oriole 5, Scarlet Tananger 1, Least Flycatchers 20 + , Kingbird 10, Blue Jay 3, White Breasted Nuthatch 3, Towhee 1, Downey Woodpeckers 2, Tree Swallows 50 +, Cedar Waxwings 20+, Red-Winged Blackbirds 5, Black-Caped Chickadees 10, Black and white warbler 1, Catbird 6, Great Blue Heron 1. Large playful muskrats feeding on water lillies - 2., Common Yellowthroat heard calling but nor visualized 1. Time spent locating birds 1.5 hours., temperature 65 degrees, wind calm. (report from Cheryl and Jean-Pierre Boissy).

7/26/01 -- Sterling Peat/Fisherville, Sterling/Grafton

On 7/25 evening at Sterling Peat I saw 8 Killdeer, 1 Semi-palmated Plover, 1 Solitary Sandpiper. 1 Spotted Sandpiper and 14 Least Sandpipers. The water is now down to a point where it is flowing from the east side to the west side.
On 7/26 evening at Fisherville Pond in Grafton I saw 5-10 Semi-palmated Sandpipers, 70-80 Least Sandpipers and 1 Solitary Sandpiper. There are dozens of huge fish in the river. Their backs are out of the water as they feed . I think they are Carp.
At the Northbridge filter beds I saw 10 Killdeer, 8 Spotted Sandpipers, 24 Least Sandpipers and 21 Solitary Sandpipers. Many of the filter beds contain water with shorebirds found in several of them. A lot of construction going on. Go there after work hours.
At Rice City POnd in Uxbridge I saw 3 Green Herons,14 Least Sandpipers and 2 Osprey. The mud flats contain a lot of vegetation. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/25/01 -- Durfee Hill WMA, Glocester, RI

Continuing work on scouting out the Blackstone Corridor in preparation for nominating it as an IBA (Important Birding Area), I recorded the following, with the help of Howard Shainheit, at the western section of the Durfee Hill WMA in Glocester, Rhode Island:
Great Blue Heron (1); Killdeer (1); Greater Yellowlegs (1); Solitary Sandpiper (4); Spotted Sandpiper (3); Least Sandpiper (3); Mourning Dove (6); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Downy Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (3); Least Flycatcher (1); Eastern Phoebe (5); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); Eastern Kingbird (3); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Warbling Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (1); Blue Jay (3); American Crow (4); Barn Swallow (6); Black-capped Chickadee (17); Tufted Titmouse (9); Red-breasted Nuthatch (4); White-breasted Nuthatch (3); Wood Thrush (2); American Robin (13 - including several immatures); Gray Catbird (7); Cedar Waxwing (3); Yellow Warbler (6); Yellow-rumped Warbler (1); Black-throated Green Warbler (2); Pine Warbler (3); Common Yellowthroat (3); Scarlet Tanager (3); Chipping Sparrow (10); Song Sparrow (6); Northern Cardinal (3); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Red-winged Blackbird (25 - including several immatures); Common Grackle (5); Purple Finch (2); American Goldfinch (8). (report from John Liller).

7/22/01 -- Blackstone Corridor

We started in Grafton, MA at Fisherville Pond. The water here has been low for so long, grasses have grown over much of the muddy edge. Still, it is attractive to shorebirds. We walked the power lines down from Rt. 122, but the best viewing spot is from behind the Riverview Apartments: Red-tailed Hawk (3); Merlin (1); Killdeer (12); Semipalmated Plover (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Least Sandpiper (73); Semipalmated Sandpiper (1); Mourning Dove (112: this spot always attracts huge #s of this species); Belted Kingfisher (1); Willow Flycatcher (4); E. Kingbird (4); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Indigo Bunting (2); Field Sparrow (2); Bobolink (2).
At INDIA POINT at high tide, at the end of the corridor, in Providence RI: Double-crested Cormorant (18); Great Blue Heron (1); Great Egret (6); Snowy Egret (1); Black-crowned Night Heron (6ad+3imm: some roosting on pilings); Mute Swan (4ad+7yng); Brant (2); Mallard (15); Osprey (3); Peregrine Falcon (1imm put on a real show zooming all over this end of Providence Harbor chasing terns, gulls and shorebirds); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Least Sandpiper (6); Black-headed Gull (1adS); Common Tern (7).
At nearby Watchemoket Cove, NOT in the Corridor: Great Egret (8); Snowy Egrey (1); Mute Swan (17); Osprey (2); Common Tern (20).
Back in the Corridor at the Turner Reservoir, E. Providence RI: Black-crowned Night Heron (1ad); Mute Swan (2); Mallard (144); Turkey Vulture (2);
Seekonk River RI, Blackstone Corridor: Double-crested Cormorant (31); Great Egret (5); Black-crowned Night Heron (1imm); Osprey (2 pair bringing sticks to 2 diff. nesting platforms); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Spotted Sandpiper (3); Least Sandpiper (flock of 30 heading up the Blackstone River for points north!); LAUGHING GULL (2 1stS: new bird for us for the Corridor. These birds were with Ringies and Herring Gulls).
It is obvious that Great Egrets and night herons are in posrt-breeding dispersal mode, and Worcester County birders should be on the lookout for these species. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/21/01 -- Ware River Watershed, Barre/Hubbardston

This morning we counted birds along two dirt roads in Barre and Hubbardston (Gilbert and Granger) that are part of the greater Ware River Watershed. Total legnth of dirt road was ~10 miles. Habitat was mixed forest with some nice hemlock stands and some bits of wooded marsh and nice river overlook. This area is adjacent to the same parcel of the MDC property I have been monitoring for over a decade now called Barre Falls Dam/Rutland State Park.
Bird song has already decreased for many species, especially Ovenbirds. We got to see many newly fledged warblers and family groups. In a few cases, multi-species flocks were starting to form, much like what we see in these parts in fall migration. The bugs, per usual, were pretty bad with a plethora of mosquities and biting deer flies.
Wood Duck (1f); Broad-winged Hawk (3 newly fledged young that were hanging out together. They could fly, but would not fly far and were very confiding. They called constantly, making me think the parent may have still been around); Belted Kingfisher (3); Downy Woodpecker (12); Hairy Woodpecker (2); N. Flicker (2); Plieated Woodpecker (1); E. Wood Peewee (28); Alder Flycatcher (4); E. Phoebe (4); E. Kingbird (3); Tree Swallow (26); Barn Swallow (30+); Blue Jay (17); A. Crow (9); Black-capped Chickadee (97); Tufted Titmouse (31); Red-breasted Nuthatch (17); White-breasted Nuthatch (33); Winter Wren (2); House Wren (3); Veery (17); Hermit Thrush (68); Wood Thrush (4); A. Robin (6); Gray Catbird (28); Cedar Waxwing (26); Blue-headed Vireo (28); Red-eyed Vireo (105).

WARBLERS: Yellow (4); Chestnut-sided (19); Yellow-rumped (34); Prairie (1); Magnolia (1); Black-throated Green (52); Black-throated Blue (20); Pine (38); Blackburnian (3); BAY-BREASTED (brM. We watched this bird closely for 7+ minutes as it feed, gleaning small caterpillars. It was in the presence of a group of Yellow-rumps and Blue-headed Vireos that included several young birds. It never uttered a sound, not even a chip. Though I have seen July Tennessees in MA, this is the first time we have recorded Bay-breasted in July in MA); Ovenbird (11); Louisiana Waterthush (2ad); C. Yellowthroat (46); Canada (3);

Scarlet Tanager (34); E. Towhee (18); Chipping Sparrow (19); Song Sparrow (6); Swamp Sparrow (6); White-throated Sparrow (12); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Indigo Bunting (1); A. Goldfinch (14); Evening Grosbeak (3). One small swmpy pool in the middle of the forest held many hundreds of Green Frog tadpoles, ALL with their back legs.
In nearby Rutland along the major road: (Turkey Vulture (1); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1ad); Broad-winged Hawk (1ad). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/19/01 -- Fisherville Pond, Grafton

At Fisherville today there were 6 Killdeer, 1 Semi-palmated Plover, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Spotted Sandpiper and 82 Least Sandpipers. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/17/01 -- High Ridge WMA, Gardner

This evening I took a walk into the Smith Street gate of High Ridge WMA. The following were the hilites: Gr. Blue Heron 2; Blk-cr Night Heron 1 imm; Wood Duck several; Solitary Sandpiper 2; Am. Woodcock 1; Veery 3; Alder Flycatcher 2; Wood thrush 1; Ovenbird 1 doing the evening flight display; Indigo Bunting 1. (report from Tom Pirro).

7/15/01 -- Fisherville Pond/Seekonk River, Grafton/Providence

We hit two places in the Blackstone Corridor today. At FISHERVILLE POND, GRAFTON, there were Killdeer (2); Spotted Sandpiper (5); Least Sandpiper (22).
Then in Providence along the short span from the Seekonk River to India Point, we had: Double-crested Cormorant (41); Great Blue Heron (2); Great Egret (7: apparently, individuals of this species travel al the way up from here along the Blackstone River and well into Worcester County) Black-crowned Night Heron (1ad: see comment above); Mute Swan (13ad+5yng); BRANT (2 off India Point on some rocks at low tide, seems unusual for RI in July); Mallard (264); Red-breasted Merganser (1f); Osprey (4); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Peregrine Falcon (1 perched near nesting box in downtown Providence); Killdeer (2); Spotted Sandpiepr (4); Greater Yellowlegs (2); Least Sandpiper (26); Common Tern (9: We watched 3 fly north along the river well up past the Seekonk and up into downtown Pawtucket); Monk Parakeet (1 seen flying north up along the edge of the inner harbor and past India Point); Belted Kingfisher (1ad+3 nelwy fledged young); Fish Crow (1); Carolina Wren (6); Orchard Oriole (1adM). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/13/01 -- Wachusett Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton

Peg & I have just come in (7:17 am) from watching a yellow-billed cuckoo right here at the cottage. Great looks in the early morning light. Bird is very active singing constantly. Seems to prefer the North Meadow side of the sanctuary. A very unusual visitor for this area. (report from Dick Knowlton).

7/12/01 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester

Highlights this morning: Broad-winged Hawk (1); Ruffed Grouse (6 - probably a hen and her young, though the young birds are nearly adult sized); Hairy Woodpecker (3); Willow Flycatcher (1); Great Crested Flycatcher (3); Carolina Wren (3); House Wren (4); Wood Thrush (7); Gray Catbird (32); Brown Thrasher (1); Cedar Waxwing (1); Yellow Warbler (2); Black-and-white Warbler (1); Ovenbird (1); Common Yellowthroat (24); Scarlet Tanager (2); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3); Baltimore Oriole (10). (report from John Liller).

7/9/01 -- Fisherville Pond, Grafton

At Fisherville Pond this afternoon I saw 30 Killdeer, 1 Semi-palmated Plover, 6 Least Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs and 2 Spotted Sandpipers. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/8/01 -- Fisherville Pond, Grafton

A quick peek at Fisherville this afternoon revealed 16 Least Sandpipers, a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, and a "Traill's type" empid. Bob Stymeist reported to me meeting a birder in Dudley this past week who reported THREE BLACK VULTURES flying over his house. Bob grilled him and he knew the difference between Black and Turkey Vulture and had seen the former while living in PA. Birders should be on the lookout and report all sightings to this web site. (report from Mark Lynch).

7/6/01 -- Richardson WMA, Brookfield

This morning, I did some scouting of the Richardson WMA in Brookfield as part of work on establishing the Quaboag area as an IBA. Highlights: Wood Duck (1); Hairy Woodpecker (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Veery (5); Hermit Thrush (1); Wood Thrush (2); Brown Thrasher (1); Cedar Waxwing (1); Chestnut-sided Warbler (1); Black-throated Green Warbler (2); American Redstart (2); Ovenbird (5); Common Yellowthroat (9+); Scarlet Tanager (3); Eastern Towhee (1); Swamp Sparrow(1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Baltimore Oriole (4);

I also did a quick check on the Quaboag Marshes and recorded the following highlights in the marsh and on the trail through part of the Quaboag WMA: Wood Duck (1); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Marsh Wren (4); Veery (3); Wood Thrush (1); Yellow Warbler (2); Ovenbird (1); Common Yellowthroat (8); Swamp Sparrow (6); (report from John Liller).

7/4/01 -- Ware River Watershed, Barre

Continuing to survey areas as part of the IBA project, we hit a good sized chunk of MDC land that is adjacent to and contiguous with the Barre Falls Dam/Rutland SP parcel we run the migratory and BBS route on. Most of these birds were seen along Gilbert Road north of Rt. 62 along an old gated trail and old railroad grade and along the gated dirts roads along Granger Rd., south of Rt. 62 south to Rt. 122. These roads. like those at Barre Falls Dam, are ungated in summer. These spots are part of the same Ware River Watershed watershed area of Barre Falls Dam/Rutland Sp. Canada Goose (6ad+7yng); Ruffed Grouse (1) ; Killdeer (1 overhead) ; A. Woodcock (1 flushed off the road and watched closely on the forest floor); Mourning Dove (4); BARRED OWL (1) ; Downy Woodpecker (7); Hairy Woodpecker (3) ; Pileated Woodpecker (1) ; E. Wood Peewee (15) ; Least Flycatcher (6) ; Alder Flycatcher (1) ; E. Phoebe (5) ; E. Kingbird (6);
VIREOS: Blue-headed (8); Warbling (1) ; Red-eyed (63) ; Blue Jay (13) ; A. Crow (22) ; Black-capped Chickadee (72); Tufted Titmouse (13) ; Red-breasted Nuthatch (4) ; White-breasted Nuthatch (8); House Wren (2) ; Winter Wren (5) ; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2) ; Veery (26) ; Hermit Thrush (50) ; Wood Thrush (1) ; A. Robin (32) ; Gray Catbird (3) ; Cedar Waxwing (6) ;
WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1); Nashville (1) ; Yellow (8) ; Chestnut-sided (19); Magnolia (2) ; Yellow-rumped (17) ; Black-throated Blue (8); Black-throated Green (40); Blackburnian (1: seemed very low for this type of habitat); Pine (13); Prairie (4); Black and White (1: low); A. Redstart (4) ; Ovenbird (57) ; C. Yellowthroat (48) ; Canada (1) ; Scarlet Tanager (22) ; E. Towhee (6) ; Chipping Sparrow (7) ; Song Sparrow (18) ; Swamp Sparrow (5) ; White-throated Sparrow (6) ; Rose-breasted Groasbeak (5); Indigo Bunting (3) ; Red-winged Blackbird (45+) ; Purple Finch (3) ; A. Goldfinch (6) ; EVENING GROSBEAK (10) ; Song is starting to quite down. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/4/01 -- Fisherville Pond, Grafton

The water is down at Fisherville Pond exposing some nice mud flats. There were 3 Least Sandpipers there today. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/3/01 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester

Highlights this morning: Red-tailed Hawk (2 adults perched together on power pole); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Northern Flicker (7); Eastern Wood-Pewee (5); Willow Flycatcher (1); Wood Thrush (6); Gray Catbird (24); Brown Thrasher (1); Yellow Warbler (2); Ovenbird (3); Common Yellowthroat (17); Scarlet Tanager (5); Eastern Towhee (21); Baltimore Oriole (5). Also: White-tailed Deer (1 female). (report from John Liller).

7/1/01 -- Wachusett Reservoir and Clinton Land Fill

On a very hot an humid morning, 14 Forbush Bird Club members made the 2.5 mile round trip hike from gate 35 to Tahanto Pt. The main object of the trip was to see the Common Loons that nest at the reservoir. In Sterling the pair that nests on Crescent Is. lost their nest an two eggs to the rising water level by the end of May. They renested an we saw one bird on the nest an the mate near by. They are presently due to hatch their second clutch of eggs about the middle of July. At Tahanto Pt. in Boylston we saw the Loon incubating on the artificial nesting raft. This pairs eggs are due to hatch this week. From Rt. 140 in Boylston, at the section of the reservoir called South Bay we were able to see the adult loons with the small chick that they had hatch on June 24.

Complete list

(report from Fran McMenemy).

7/1/01 -- Quinapoxet Reservoir, Holden

WE conducted a fairly thorough BBS of Quinapoxet Reservoir today, hiking in all trails. NOTA BENE: This area is off limits except with permits from the Worcester Water Dept. Weather was warm and (surprisingly) breezy. Water levels (as expected) are very high. Compared to Kettlebrook Reservoir #4, Quinapoxet host a greater variety and number of birds:

Complete list here

(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

For previous sightings, see June 2001 Archives or Archive Index