July 2003 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:

7/31/03 -- Mt. Wachusett Community College, Gardner
  • Hilite from birding this evening near the Mount Wachusett Community College campus pond: Green Heron 1 adult; Hooded Merganser 1 female flew in from an unknown location; Eastern Kingbird 2; Barn Swallow 27; Bank Swallow 2; Bobolink 1; E. Starling 1500+; C. grackle 200+; Red-wing Blackbird 50+ including one female feeding young fledglings;
  • At Lake Wompanoag I saw 1 Common Loon chick but no adults (or the other chick which was present a few weeks back), I stayed about 20 minutes to scan carefully for the adults but they were at large. The chick appeared a little larger than 1/2 size, with a little down still polking through the feathers on its back and rump area. (report from Tom Pirro).

    • 7/31/03 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Bob Aiello led 7 members of the Forbush Bird Club on an evening walk to look for herons. Highlights included 3 Green Herons and 3 Black-crowned Night-herons. Complete trip list here (report from Joan Zumpfe).

    7/31/03 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    The following photos were taken by Bob Ricci at various times during the past year.

    Bank Swallow chicks occupy many of the nesting holes on Sandy Hill Island at Muddy Pond. Older swallows have already fledged their nest and perch on the small bushes that grow nearby. Many other birds are also attracted to the tiny island, including Crows, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk and even roosting Canada Geese. (report and photos by Bob Ricci).

    7/31/03 -- South Bay, Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston
    On an after supper trip to South Bay at Wachusett Reservoir (off rt. 140 near junction with rt. 70) the adult Common Loon with it's 2 young were seen actively feeding. They moved from the western most to the eastern most part of the bay during the short time that I was there. A SNOWY EGRET landed on the raft for a short time. It was chasing insects while there. It was last seen flying towards the 12/140 causeway. I met someone who told me that the Egret was seen on the sandy point earlier in the day. (report from Bart Kamp).

    7/31/03 -- Fisherville Pond , Grafton
    Early this afternoon I found some excellent shorebird (until the next rain) habitat and a few shorebirds: 1 Semi-palmated Plover, 7 Killdeer, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 1 Solitary Sandpiper and 20-25 Least Sandpipers. (report from Bart Kamp).

    7/29/03 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    I recorded the following highlights this morning: Great Blue Heron (1 - flushed from brook); Green Heron (2 - I also had young birds on a nest; this is a new confirmed breeder at BMB); Ruffed Grouse (1 adult and 4+ young); Virginia Rail (2); Sora (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Chimney Swift (4); Belted Kingfisher (1); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (2); Willow Flycatcher (1); Eastern Kingbird (4); Warbling Vireo (2); House Wren (4); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1 - a post-breeder); Eastern Bluebird (6 - a group of immatures feeding together; I saw several flycatching); Wood Thrush (4); Brown Thrasher (5); Cedar Waxwing (4); Yellow Warbler (2); Common Yellowthroat (13); Eastern Towhee (9); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Baltimore Oriole (3); (report from John Liller).

    7/29/03 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    At noon there were 3 species of herons: Great Blue (1), Green(1 imm standing on the Wood Duck boxes), and 1 Black-crowned (1 ad). Also noted were Warbling Vireo (1), and Yellow Warbler (2). (report from Rick Quimby).

    7/27/03 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
  • At Sterling Peat this morning: Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (12); Bald Eagle (1 1st yr); Killdeer (8); Wilson's Snipe (1); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Least Sandpiper (2); Willow Flycatcher (3); Tree Swallow (25+); Bank Swallow (60+: some young birds still in the nest holes); Barn Swallow (20+); Brown Thrasher (1); Bobolink (4);
  • Elsewhere in Sterling: Green Heron (1); Turkey Vulture (3 perched on phone pole).
  • Later, at SOUTH BAY, WACHUSETT RESERVOIR: Common Loon (pair w/2 yng); Double-crested Cormorant (4); Ring-billed Gull (30+); Belted Kingfisher (1); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 7/27/03 -- Worcester Airport, Worcester
    An early morning survey of the fields behind Worcester Airport to Rt. 56 and had: Alder Flycatcher (1); E. Phoebe (2); E. Kingbird (1); Tree Swallow (1); Barn Swallow (13); Veery (4); A. Robin (98); Gray Catbird (15); Red-eyed Vireo (8); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Yellow Warbler (7); Pine Warbler (3); Ovenbird (1); C. Yellowthroat (17); E. Towhee (12); Field Sparrow (1); Savannah Sparrow (16); Song Sparrow (24); Indigo Bunting (1); Bobolink (5); E. Meadowlark (3); Baltimore Oriole (1); A. Goldfinch (22). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/26/03 -- Seekonk River, Blackstone Corridor
    We conducted a standard survey of the southern end of the Blackstone National Corridor from Bold/India Points to the Pawtucket border during a falling tide. We talked to some fishermen who were trying their luck for Blues. It is amazing to me that stripers and blues are found with regularity in this very scruffy urban river, but they are, obviously following the bait fish upriver.
    Double-crested Cormorant (86); Great Blue Heron (1); Great Egret (4); Snowy Egret (1); Green Heron (1); Black-crowned Night Heron (6ad+5imm: all off Bold Point); Mute Swan (42+a pair with two cygnets); Canada Goose (75); Wood Duck (1); Mallard (320ad+ 16 ducklings); A. Black Duck (2); BUFFLEHEAD (1f: we watched this bird closely for some time as it continually preened. Oiled?); BLACK SCOTER (1m: this bird remains off Bold Pt, having been here most of the summer. We watched it dive and feed, but I have to believe it is injured or not well. Scoters are RARE anywhere in the Corridor even during typical migration periods); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Killdeer (2); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Semipalmated Sandpiper (45); Least Sandpiper (13); Ring-billed Gull (89); Herring Gull (56); Great Black-backed Gull (48: nota bene: no sign of the young gull chick on the "cormorant platform" which could have fledged by now); Common Tern (4); The only down side of the morning, was the presence of See-dos both off Bold Point and along the Seekonk. I the latter area, zipping by the poor crew scullers. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/23/03 -- Hayne Resevior, Leominster
    This evening I walked into Hanyes Res. in Leominster to check on a pair of Common Loons, that have successfully nested here in the past. There was a pair of Loons but NO young, both birds were out and about actively diving for about 30 minutes while I was present. (report from Tom Pirro).

    7/20/03 -- Pulaski SF, Burrillville/Glocester RI
    We did a late breeding season survey of this area, part of the Blackstone National Corridor. Bird song has severely dropped off and only some BT Greens and some thrushes, and the usual persistant late-in-the-season singers (peewees and vireos) sang at all. This that interesting time when for many species it is post-fledging and pre-migration A few species are still feeding young or are double-brooded. As a matter of fact, with a lot of screech-owling and spishing we brought in many birds that did not even chip!! We saw a good number of newly fledged birds and many species that do breed here in small numbers (Winter Wren, Canada Warbler, Northern Waterthrush) were not found because song has so diminished. For those of you that have not been to this location: it is criss-crossed by dirt roads and is mostly oak/conifer upland forest with a few stands of hemlocks. These stands of hemlocks are being ravaged by wooly adelgid.
    Great Blue Heron (1); Red-shouldered Hawk (1); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Mourning Dove (7); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (3); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Downy Woodpecker (4); E. Wood Peewee (22); Great Crested Flycatcher (4); E. Kingbird (4); Tree Swallow (5); Barn Swallow (10); Blue Jay (18); A. Crow (2); Black-capped Chickadee (122); Tufted Titmouse (30); White-breasted Nuthatch (11); Brown Creeper (6); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (5); Veery (38); Hermit Thrush (36); Wood Thrush (8); A. Robin (28); Gray Catbird (20); Cedar Waxwing (6); Blue-headed Vireo (7); Red-eyed Vireo (34); Scarlet Tanager (29); N. Cardinal (1); Indigo Bunting (2); E. Towhee (43); Chipping Sparrow (74); Field Sparrow (4); Song Sparrow (4); C. Grackle (9); Brown-headed Cowbird (4); Baltimore Oriole (2); Purple Finch (1); A. Goldfinch (18); ALSO: (3) White-tailed Deer; Green and Wood Frogs and butterflies included: Black, Tiger and Spicebush Swallowtails, C. Wood Nymph, and Red-spotted Purples. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/19/03 -- Gate 45, Quabbin Reservoir
    We spent the morning hiking this Gate of Quabbin in Hardwick. The habitat is mostly deep mixed forest with several small fields in various stages of regrowth and two small mashy ponds. By hiking in far enough, eventually you get to an amazing view of the central southern shore of the main body of Quabbin overlooking the Prescott with the tower of Quabbin Park just visible far to the south. This area is below the fishing boat line, so other than the very occasional patrol boat, the water is devoid of human traffic. Acadian Flycatchers used to breed in this gate in an area of hemlocks along a stream. Nowadays, these hemlocks are in very sorry shape due to wooly adelgid. Biting insects (deer flies, mosquitoes) were pretty fierce especially early in the AM. Arriving back at the car, we found ourselves with a goodly number of DOG Ticks. Countless Red Efts and tiny American Toads on the trail made hiking slow going, but entertaining. Bird song has dropped off considerably especially for species like Redstart and Black and White.
    Common Loon (1); Wood Duck (10); Hooded Merganser (2 birds of the year); Turkey Vulture (4); Broad-winged Hawk (2); A. Woodcock (1 flushed from alongside the trail); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1m on territory); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (14: this has to be my highest single-day count from Quabbin for the summer. Several young birds); Downy Woodpecker (7); Hairy Woodpecker (1); N. Flicker (3); Pileated Woodpecker (5); E. Wood Peewee (29); Least Flycatcher (6); E. Phoebe (3); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); E. Kingbird (4: 1 seen still attending a nest); Tree Swallow (18); N. Rough-winged Swallow (1); Black-capped Chickadee (29); Tufted Titmouse (4); White-breasted Nuthatch (10); Brown Creeper (4); Blue Jay (8); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2); Veery (23); Wood Thruush (16); A. Robin (10); Gray Catbird (28); Cedar Waxwing (11); Yellow-throated Vireo (5); Red-eyed Vireo (41); Scarlet Tanager (13); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (8); Indigo Bunting (2); E. Towhee (29); Chipping Sparrow (3); Song Sparrow (3); Red-winged Blackbird (36); C. Grackle (20); Brown-headed Cowbird (4: all newly fledged yng); Baltimore Oriole (4); Purple Finch (2); A. Goldfinch (15). PLUS: a MINK working the shore and an amazing variety of fungi. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/18/03 -- Paradise Pond, Princeton
    Friday evening I observed 2 adult Common Loons with 2 chicks doing well. These birds hatched in late June as reported by Fran McMenemy and Joan Zumpfe. This is a small, shallow and weedy pond with only light canoe and fishing traffic. (report from Tom Pirro).

    7/17/03 -- Flint Pond, Shrewsbury
    Kayaking around Flint pond I saw a Kingfisher feeding a young bird. Its the first Kingfisher I've seen on the lake this year I didn't think they breed on the lake. I also saw 11 Cedar Waxwings, 12 Kingbirds, 4 Killdeer, 5 Least Sandpiper, 2 Solitary Sandpiper ,2 Green Heron, and 16 Wood Ducks. (report from John Shea).

    7/16/03 -- Hadwen Park, Worcester
    There was a pair of Mute Swans with 1 young one. Also, the beavers have started constructing a dam near the big Weeping Willow tree they've been chewing on at the bend of the river between the park and Notre Dame Cemetery.(report from Brian Mulhearn)

    7/13/03 -- Lake Wompanoag, Gardner
    Last evening the Lake Wompanoag pair of Common Loons were present with 2 chicks, which appear to be approx. 2 weeks old. Two weeks ago I had only observed one adult Loon ...the other may have still been at the nest. (report from Tom Pirro).

    7/13/03 -- Blackstone National Corridor
  • We started at the NORTHBRIDGE SEWER BEDS, MA: Great Blue Heron (1 flyover); Wood Duck (5); Mallard (22 subAd+1f w/10yg and another f w/11yg. How these young are raised in filter beds I have no idea.); A. Black Duck (2); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Killdeer (1); Spotted Sandpiper (4); Solitary Sandpiper (3); Least Sandpiper (31); Nota bene: with the high water levels currently at Quabbin, Wachuset and Quinapoxet Reservoirs, THIS may be the only place in Worcester County to catch some of the first waves of adult shorebirds); N. Flicker (2); E. Wood Peewee (1); E. Phoebe (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (3); E. Kingbird (1); Tree Swallow (70+); Bank Swallow (15+); N. Rough-winged Swallow (10+); Barn Swallow (2); Nota bene: The swallows were almost all juveniles, staging for leaving central MA. Many perched on the chain-link fence around the outflow building and offered great studies for telling these "brownish" swallows apart. Wood Thrush (3); Yellow-throated Vireo (2); Red-eyed Vireo (2); Yellow Warbler (2); Pine Warbler (3); Scarlet Tanager (2); Song Sparrow (16); Purple Finch (1); Indigo Bunting (4); Red-winged Blackbird (60+); Baltimore Oriole (3);
  • THEN, we went to FORT MEADOW RESERVE, a RI Audubon sanctuary in North Smithfield. This is the only RI Audubon property in the Corridor. Like Broad Meadow Brook, Fort Nature Reserve is a very small, narrow sanctuary surrounded by private property and houses. Fort Nature is much smaller and narrower than Broad Meadow but is in less of an urban setting, so there are more adjacent woodlots. Like Broad Meadow, Fort Nature has a power lines cutting through the sanctuary. Unlike Broad Meadow, there are lots of conifers: Red and White Pine stands as well as several dense stands of hemlock.
    Wood Duck (1); Turkey Vulture (1); Downy Woodpecker (6); Hairy Woodpecker (1); N. Flicker (3); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); E. Wood Peewee (4); E. Kingbird (2); Blue Jay (7); Black-capped Chickadee (40); Tufted Titmouse (9); White-breasted Nuthatch (6); House Wren (1); Veery (10+1newly fledged yng); Wood Thrush (9); A. Robin (13); Gray Catbird (7); Brown Thrasher (3); Yellow Warbler (1); Pine Warbler (6); Black and White Warbler (2); Ovenbird (8+2 newly fledged birds following an adult); C. Yellowthroat (6); Scarlet Tanager (5); N. Cardinal (4); E. Towhee (7); Song Sparrow (3); A. Goldfinch (7); Red-winged Blackbird (4); Baltimore Oriole (4);
  • Finally, we did a standard survey of the SEEKONK RIVER from Bold and India Points to the Woonsocket line, about 2 miles of VERY urban river: Double-crested Cormorant (20); Great Blue Heron (2); Great Egret (8); Black-crowned Night Heron (1imm and 1subAd. This is my first immature, bird born this year, so birds should be moving up the Blackstone NOW); Mute Swan (72: all way up in the Seekonk); Canada Goose (12); Mallard (122); A. Black Duck (3); BLACK SCOTER (1m continues at Bold Pt); Turkey Vulture (3); Osprey (1pair w/3 almost ready to fly yng still in the nest and another pair that are hanging around a nest box but we have yet to see any young in that platform); Laughing Gull (2adS+1 1stS:all the way to the Woonsocket line. These have just started a post-breeding move up into the Corridor); Ring-billed Gull (171: many adults now); Herring Gull (169: many adults); Great Black-backed Gull (98: many adults. 1 large chick remains on the small cormorant platform: the only gull born this year in the entire Corridor); Nota bene: During a typical year, the lowest numbers of gulls found on the Seekonk is during the first half of Summer when Great Black-backs and Herrings are breeding on islands in southern Naragansett Bay and Ring-billed Gulls are up in the Great Lakes and L. Champlain. At this time, non-adult/non-breeding plumages predominate by far along the Seekonk. Now we are starting to see some post-breeding wandering of adults following the "bait fish" up the Seekonk and some movement of Ring-billeds south from thier breeding areas. Fish Crow (4); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 7/12/03 -- Cold Brook Rd, Barre Falls
    This afternoon while short-cutting thru the Barre Falls/Cold Brook/Ware R. area I spotted 2 recently fledged Evening grosbeaks still being fed by an adult (female). This was along Cold Brook Rd. somewhat north of the area where they have been known to breed in past years. I was approx. 2/10ths of a mile south of the Reuben Walker intersection. I haven't seen any previous records of E Grosbeaks except a report from Rutland last month. Good to see at least one breeding success. (report from Dick Knowlton)

    7/9/03 -- Fisherville Pond, Grafton
    On a Wednesday evening trip to Fisherville Pond in Grafton I saw a dozen adult and young of both Killdeer and Spotted Sandpipers, 3 Solitary Sandpipers and 25-30 Least Sandpipers. The vegetation will grow in rapidly now that the water's gone down. Then I went to the Northbridge filter beds. There were 4 Killdeer, 4 Spotted Sandpipers, 2 Solitary Sandpipers and 10 Least Sandpipers all in the same filter bed. 75% of the filter beds are full of water and 20% are completely empty. Only 2 filter beds have the right amount of water for shore birds. (report from Bart Kamp).

    7/7/03 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    HIghlights this morning: Green Heron (2 - one I flushed off the nest); Virginia Rail (1); Chimney Swift (6); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (2); Eastern Kingbird (4 - including two adults were bringing food to 3+ young on a nest); Warbling Vireo (4); Red-eyed Vireo (2); House Wren (5); Wood Thrush (6); Cedar Waxwing (2); Yellow Warbler (4); Prairie Warbler (1); Common Yellowthroat (10); Scarlet Tanager (1); Eastern Towhee (6); Field Sparrow (3); Song Sparrow (14); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (5); Baltimore Oriole (1); (report from John Liller).

    7/6/03 -- Seekonk River, Providence RI
    We conducted a count of this area in Providence/E. Providence RI which is the southern end of the Blackstone National Corridor from Bold and India Points to the Pawtucket border. Among the birds we had were: Double-crested Cormorant (24); Great Blue Heron (1); Great Egret (6); Black-crowned Night Heron (5: no immatures yet); Mute Swan (57); Canada Goose (6); Mallard (130 and 1f w/7ducklings); A. Black Duck (2); BLACK SCOTER (1adM just off Bold Pt. We watched it dive and feed); Osprey (1 pair with three growing yng in one nest. We watched as the adults fed these almost fledged young. The other nest looks like it may have failed but the pair were still present on an adjacent platform, but no young could be seen); Peregrine Falcon (1ad zoomed over the interstate to hit a Rock Dove right at India Pt); Ring-necked Phaesant (1m); Killdeer (1); Greater Yellowlegs (1); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Least Sandpiper (2); GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL (the nest on the "cormorant platform" had 1 very large chick which was being looked for by 1 adult. This chick was old enough to be freely walking around the platform, though still downy); Common Tern (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/4/03 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    A quick tour of Sterling Peat had the following: Canada Goose (36); Killdeer (minimally 11: several fledged young); Spotted Sandpiper (6: several doing extreme distraction displays indicating hidden young nearby); Solitary Sandpiper (1); Willow Flycatcher (5); Least Flycatcher (1); E. Kingbird (2); Bank Swallow (60+); Tree Swallow (6); Gray Catbird (13); Brown Thrsher (2); Warbling Vireo (9); Red-eyed Vireo (1); Yellow Warbler (8); Prairie Warbler (2); Black and White Warbler (1); Scarlet Tanager (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Bobolink (6). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/2/03 -- Worcester area
    I found the Night Heron at Institute Park this morning. From there I went looking for the Peregrine and found two of them on the antenna of the Performing Arts building (downtown Worcester). Also there has been an Osprey and a Killdeer at Flint Pond (Shrewsbury) for the last two days. The Osprey gets harassed by every Kingbird on the lake. The Killdeer has a chick running around the boat ramp parking lot. (report from John Shea).

    7/1/03 -- Wilder Brook, Sterling
    I heard one Louisiana Waterthrush singing.  Also noted were 4 Wood-Pewee, 4 Eastern Phoebe, 2 Least Flycatcher, 8 Red-eyed Vireo, 8 Wood Thrush, 4 Gray Catbird, 2 Black-throated Green Warbler, 6 American Redstart, 8 Ovenbird, 2 Scarlet Tanager,  4 Baltimore Oriole and 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  (report from Richard Spedding).

    7/1/03 -- Mount Wachusett Community College, Gardner
    Hilites from the campus pond at Mount Wachusett Community College in gardner last evening: American Bittern 1; Green Heron 1; Willow Flycatcher 1; Black-billed Cuckoo 2 adult feeding a fledgling; Tree Swallow ~15; Barn Swallow 3; Cedar Waxwing ~5; Yellow Warbler 1; E. Starling 500+; Common Grackle ~100 many feeding young; Red-winged Blackbird ~50; Brown-headed Cowbird ~25; Bobolink 1 male .
    This pond has "grown" over in recent years due to Beaver activity. There is a nice stand of cattails with some marshy areas and a stand of fragmities(at the north end) which attracts a modest (compaired with Joe Hogan's Methuen roost) number (upwards of 5,000) of blackbirds. This was the first time I had a Bittern here. The Black-billed Cuckoo made several trips to and from , each time returning with food and eventually I was able to see one young fledgling being fed....its wings appeared more reddish than the parent and the tail had not reached full length. (report from Tom Pirro).

    For previous sightings, see June 2003 Archives or Archive Index