July 2004 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:

7/31/04 -- Northboro
There's a family of nesting Cooper's Hawks in the woods right behind my house in Northboro. One of them seems to like to come and hang out on the railing of my deck. I took this photo from the doorway, only about 10' away. It's pretty cool having them around, I see them almost every day. (report and photo from Bruce Harmon).

7/31/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
The Ruddy Turnstone was still at Sterling Peat this afternoon, along with 1 Great Blue Heron, 15 Canada Geese, 2 Turkey Vultures, 15 Killdeer, 5 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 3 Least Sandpipers, a Gray Catbird, a Northern Mockingbird, 5 Song Sparrows and 4 American Goldfinch. (report from Stan Selkow).

7/30/04 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Clinton
Late this afternoon on the Clinton Dike there was 1 Upland Sandpiper. It was flushed several times by joggers and was last seen flying north. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/30/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
Shorebirds seen by Franny and I this evening at Sterling Peat not in Bruce's earlier report were 1 Semi-palmated Sandpiper, 3 Solitary Sandpipers, 3 Lesser Yellowlegs and 1 Greater Yellowlegs. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/30/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
Here is a picture that I took this morning of the Rudy Turnstone at Sterling Peat that Fran McMenemy first reported on 7/28. I also saw numerous Least Sandpipers and Killdeers, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 10 Canda Geese, 8 Mallards, 1 Eastern Kingbird, 2 Red-winged Blackbirds, 2 Great Blue Herons, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Broad-winged Hawk and 2 Rock Pigeons. I also heard Scarlet Tanagers, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrows, and a Field Sparrow. (report and photo from Bruce deGraaf).

7/28/04 -- Fort Devens, Harvard
This evening there was 57 Killdeer on the "quad" area of Devens, in Harvard and one Cooper's Hawks. (report from Tom Pirro).

7/28/04 -- Salisbury Pond, Worcester
The Forbush Bird Club held an evening bird walk at Salisbury Pond (Institute Park) on July 28, 2004. Bob Aiello led 3 members in a search for herons, specifically Black-crowned Night Herons. Among the 28 species seen or heard were: Wood Duck 1 drake; Great Blue Heron 1; Green Heron 1; Black-crowned Night Heron 2 ( 1 adult, 1 sub-adult); Red-tailed Hawk 2; Spotted Sandpiper 1; Yellow Warbler 1. Complete trip report here. (report from Joan Zumpfe).

7/28/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
Shore birds at Sterling Peat Wednesday evening were: Killdeer 4, Greater Yellowlegs 1, Lesser Yellowlegs 1, Solitary Sandpiper 3, Spotted Sandpiper 1, RUDDY TURNSTONE 1, Semipalmated Sandpiper 4, Least Sandpiper 36, Pectoral Sandpiper 1, and Short-billed Dowitcher 1. (report from Fran McMenemy).

7/26/04 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Gate 39
The following are hilites from gate 39 this evening: Common Loon 5 (1 adult, 1 chick, 3 ist summer); Bonepart's Gull 2 adults. (report from Tom Pirro).

7/24/04 -- Sterling Peat/Wachuset Reservoir, Sterling/Clinton
As soon as the rain stopped, we headed out to Sterling Peat and had the following: Great Blue Heron (2); Great Egret (1); Mallard (1); Virginia Rail (1); Semipalmated Plover (4); Killdeer (4); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Greater Yellowlegs (3); Semipalmated Sandpiper (9); Least Sandpiper (29); Belted Kingfisher (1); Willow Flycatcher (5); E Kingbird (7); Bobolink (29); Red-winged Blackbird (27);
Later, after a few quick stops at Wachuset Reservoir we tallied: Common Loon (4ad+1 imm); Double-crested Cormorant (6); Great Blue Heron (1); Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (16); Turkey Vulture (3); Bald Eagle (1ad); Killdeer (15: Clinton HS); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Bank Swallow (1); Barn Swallow (40+); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/24/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
New arrivals at Sterling Peat today were 10 Semi-palmated Sandpipers and 4 Semi-palmated Plovers. The heavy rain did not raise the water levels. It did increase the flow from the east side to west side. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/23/04 -- Flint Pond, Shrewsbusy
I went on a sunrise cruise on Flint Pond this morning and saw: 1 Osprey, 6 Least Sandpiper, 3 Spotted Sandpiper, 5 Killdeer and many Tree and Barn Swallows. (report from John Shea).

7/23/04 -- downtown Worcester
An adult PEREGRINE FALCON was watched sitting on a corner of a building for 10+ minutes on Main Street amost right across from the Chatham St. intersection at 7:45AM. (report from Mark Lynch).

7/21/04 -- Rt. 2, Lancaster
This morning I saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly past the car carrying prey....to a nest?.....or just a better location to eat? I don't know. (report from Tom Pirro).

7/20/04 -- Upper Naukeg Lake, Ashburnham
This evening I stopped by the lake on the drive home and finially got a look at the Common Loon family -- two adults and two chicks ( appeared about 2+ weeks old) were seen. (report from Tom Pirro).

7/19/04 -- Wachusett Reservoir and Sterling Peat, Clinton/Sterling
Hilites this evening at Gate 39, Wachusett Reservoir: Common Loon 3 (1 adult and 2 chicks); Osprey 1;
At Gate 36 (with Fran Mcmenemy): Common Loon 1 adult; Great Blue Heron 3; Great Egret 1; Eastern kingbird 5 (1 adult 4 fledglings); Balt. Oriole 2;
At Sterling Peat (Also With Fran): Spotter Sandpiper 2; Great Egret 1; Greater Yellowlegs 1; Least Sandpiper 23 minimum; Short-billed Dowitcher 5. (report from Tom Pirro).

7/19/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
New arrivals seen at Sterling Peat today were 1 Great Egret and 4 Short-billed Dowitchers. The water level on the west side is now lower than the level on the east side. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/18/04 -- Mt. Watatic, Ashburnham
Hilites from a walk up Mount Watatic late this morning, mostly for blueberry picking: Wood Duck 1 female heard calling; Turkey Vulture 2; Red-tailed hawk 1; Red-eyed Vireo 4; Blue-headed Vireo 1; Winter Wren 1; Hermit thrush 5; Veery 1; Red-breasted Nuthatch 2; Brown Creeper 1; Black-throated Blue Warbler 2; Black-throated Green Warbler 8; Blackburnian Warbler 3; Yellow-rumped Warbler 5; Ovenbird 2 seen ... none calling; Eatsern Towhee 2; Scarlet Tanager 2; Indigo bunting 1 female; Song Sparrow 2; Dark-eyed Junco 8.
Also, a single Common Loon was observed on Upper Naukeg lake in Ashburnham. (report from Tom Pirro).

7/18/04 -- Worcester Airport and environs
This morning we birded the fields and woodlots from behind Worcester Airport to Rt. 56. Common Loon (1ad on Kettlebrook#1); Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (5); Mallard (3); Wild Turkey (1f w/6 very small young); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Downy Woodpecker (7); N Flicker (3); Alder Flycatcher (2); E Phoebe (5); E. Kingbird (8); Tree Swallow (2); Barn Swallow (8); Black-capped Chickadee (24); White-breasted Nuthatch (7); Red-breasted Nuthatch (12); Veery (6); Wood Thrush (8); Cedar Waxwing (3); Gray Catbird (13); Brown Thrasher (1); Red-eyed Vireo (7); Blue-winged Warbler (2); Yellow Warbler (2); Chestnut-sided Warbler (4); Pine Warbler (2); Black and White Warbler (3); A Redstart (2); C Yellowthroat (19); Scarlet Tanager (3); Indigo Bunting (4); E Towhee (14); Field Sparrow (4); Savannah Sparrow (25); Song Sparrow (30); A Goldfinch (21); Bobolink (47); Red-winged Blackbird (1); E Meadowlark (7, including one still carrying food to a nest); Baltimore Oriole (1); Later we spent some time downtown looking for Peregrines and came up empty handed despite some searching. We did have (1); Red-tailed in the old Worcester Commons. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/18/04 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Sterling/Boylston
At the Wachusett Reservoir there were 5 Great Egrets feeding in the bushy islands that can be seen from gate 36 in Sterling. Also, at the reservoir on 7/16, in South Bay, there was an adult Bonaparte's Gull and an adult Common Tern. (report from Fran McMenemy).

7/17/04 -- Lake Wompanoag, Gardner
Saturday evening I stopped by Lake Wompanoag and saw that the Common Loon pair had successfully hatched a chick. It appeared to be about 2 weeks old. I observed the color bands on one adult (yellow over red on the left leg and the right appeared to be yellow over a metal band). The chick was fed a small sunfish (approx. 2" long). (report from Tom Pirro).

7/17/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
At noon there were 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 3 Solitary Sandpipers and 16 Least Sandpipers. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/17/04 -- Blackstone Corridor
We did some checking this morning in a few of the RI and MA sections of the Blackstone National Corridor to see if any shorebirds were starting to show up.
  • WOONSOCKET RES.:water levels just starting to drop Mallard (1 f w/6yng); Killdeer (13); Least Sandpiper (4); Purple Martin (at least 4 from the road); plus: (2); White-tailed Deer
  • DIAMOND HILL/ARNOLD'S MILLS RES, CUMBERLAND: water levels in Arnold's Mills JUST starting to lower. Double-crested Cormorant (3); Canada Goose (8); Mallard (1f w/10 yng +4); PLUS: a stunning Juniper Hairstreak that landed right in front of us and stayed for 15+ minutes while Shiela took shots of it. ALSO: 1 guy wading in the water fishing with his dog and a small boat tethered under some trees. For a reservoir that supposedly levels heavy fines for tresspassing, no one seems to care.
  • RESURRECTION CEMETERY, CUMBERLAND RI: typically good for post breeding Killdeer, but not many here today. Red-tailed Hawk (2); Killdeer (4); E Bluebird (2);
  • SNEETCH POND, CUMBERLAND RI: open again after post 9-11 closure. Great Blue Heron (4); Canada Goose (51); Wood Duck (1ad+6yng); Mallard (13 yng birds);
  • FISHERVILLE POND, GRAFTON MA: Nota bene: the water has been low since spring so the flats are very grassy leaving only a thin muddy edge for shorebirds. Osprey (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Killdeer (1); Spotted Sandpiper (3ad+1 ad w/2yng); Least Sandpiper (1); Willow Flycatcher (1); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 7/16/04 -- Flint Pond, Shrewsbury
    There are 6 Least Sandpipers on Flint Pond. They can be seen from the left side of the bridge ,just down from the Flint pond boat ramp, after Dunken Donuts on rt. 20. Scope helps. (report from John Shea).

    7/16/04 -- Worcester Airport
    Here is a photo of an imm. Red-tailed Hawk perched on a lightpole this afternoon. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    7/16/04 -- downtown Worcester
    Arriving at the radio station (Chatham/Main) at 7:45 this morning, we heard then saw two Peregrine Falcons screaming as they zipped by just over the rooftops heading towards City Hall. One bird was a juvenile the other was undetermined. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/16/04 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Of note at noon was a juv plumage Black-crowned Night-Heron. (report from Rick Quimby).

    7/15/04 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    I stopped at Broad Meadow Brook after Work, in two hours I saw 28 spieces. Some hilites: 1 Green Heron on a dead tree with a Kingbird nest in it. The Kingbird was not happy. 1 f. Wood Duck with at least 2 young, 2 Rose breasted Grosbeak fledglings, 1 R.T. Humming bird and 1 Red tail Hawk. Also 2 Muskrats and 1 Beaver. (report from John Shea).

    7/15/04 -- Downtown Worcester
    Arriving at the radio station this morning at 7:30AM we were treated to an adult Peregrine Falcon chowing down on a Rock Pigeon it had just caught on the corner of a building on Main Street. Periodically we have been searching for the fledged Peregrines downtown and have so far have had no sightings whatsoever. Have other birders seen these newly fledged falcons? I want to encourage all sightings of Peregrines to be posted on this site with details of age and behavior. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/14/04 -- Saint Gobain, Worcester
    Red-tailed Hawkes have been nesting near the Saint Gobain buildings (formerly Norton Co.) in the Greendale section of Worcester. Workers at the plant have enjoyed watching one of the birds which perches just outside an upper story window, and have taken some photos.
    Photo 1 was taken by Rich Resta, and looks west toward I-190.
    Photo 2 was taken by Art Zorge. (photos submitted via Tom Keil).

    7/11/04 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    We spent the morning walking what is left of the trails in several sections of Bolton Flats. It should be noted that the secondary trails have not been maintained this year (like the one to the oxbow of the Still River);, so if you venture in here be prepared for a lot of bushwhacking and to get fairly wet. Some of the growth has gotten incredibly tall and some of the trails are now very tough to follow. It is EXTREMELY difficult to get any kind of views of the oxbow of the Still now. Birds were in good numbers but of a very narrow variety. Certain species like Catbirds, Yellowthroats and especially Red-winged Blackbirds were represented by many young/newly fledged birds. Missing entirely were Yellow-throated Vireos (typically several would be heard/seen in the riparian forest areas in mid-summer); and a variety of warbler species. Great Blue Heron (5 minimally: we watched birds that seemed like they were coming and going to the flooded forest in the middle of the Flats. Try as we might, we could not see any sign of a rookery in there, but access was very limited). Green Heron (7); LEAST BITTERN (1 calling far, far in along Still River); Canada Goose (5); Wood Duck (7 and 1f/ w14 young: Victim of egg dumping); Mallard (8); Red-tailed Hawk (2 imm); Virginia Rail (1); Killdeer (13 in the newly plowed field); Black-billed Cuckoo (3); Belted Kingfisher (2); Downy Woodpecker (6); Hairy Woodpecker (1); N Flicker (10); Willow Flycatcher (16); Least Flycatcher (1); E. Phoebe (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); E. Kingbird (16); Tree Swallow (5+); Barn Swallow (10+); Black-capped Chickadee (6); Tufted Titmouse (7); White-breasted Nuthatch (9); House Wren (2: peripheral areas); MARSH WREN (3 calling birds in a loose group); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (9); E Bluebird (1); Veery (2); Wood Thrush (1); A Robin (63); Gray Catbird (71); N Mockingbird (1); Warbling Vireo (9); Red-eyed Vireo (5); Yellow Warbler (47); C Yellowthroat (55); Scarlet Tanager (2); N Cardinal (5); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4); Indigo Bunting (6); Chipping Sparrow (2); Song Sparrow (72); Swamp Sparrow (26); A Goldfinch (37); Bobolink (4 m flying overhead); Red-winged Blackbird (186: flocks of imm birds in grasses and marshes); C Grackle (39); Baltimore Oriole (7); ALSO: Red Fox, E Cottontail, E Garter Snake, many: Green Frogs, Bull Frogs, Pickerel Frogs. Lots of Spotted Joe-Pye Weed about to bloom and some sizeable patches of common blooms like Blue Vervain, Arrowhead, et (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll)

    7/10/04 -- Seekonk River
    We conducted one of our surveys of this southern end of the BLACKSTONE NATIONAL CORRIDOR. The tide was low. Double-crested Cormorant (65); Great Egret (4); Green Heron (1); Black-crowned Night Heron (5 all sub-ads); Mute Swan (104); Canada Goose (7); Mallard (567 plus 1f with 5 newly hatched ducklings); A Black Duck (3); Turkey Vulture (2); Osprey (pair at nest w/2 almost fledged young + a apir at a nest that seemed to have nothing in it. Failed?); Peregrine Falcon (2imm zooming all over downtown Providence and seen well from Bold Pt); Killdeer (7ad+1imm); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Great Black-backed Gull (26 + pair w/2 fat chicks on "cormorant platform); Common Tern (10+ 2 nests on wooden structure off Bold Pt. UNFORTUNATELY while we were there we saw 1 downy chick fall into the water, bob and paddle a bit and then scramble up on a wooden support structure while the parents called frantically. We saw no nearby boats we could hope to entice to try to rescue the bird, though I then would have no idea how they would then get it back atop the rotten wooden structure where the nest was); Fish Crow (1); Tree Swallow (40+); N Rough Winged Swallow (20+); Barn Swallow (2);
    We always talk to local fishermen to find out about what occurs in the Seekonk. We have been hearing that schools of bait fish (typically Menhaden); that often make there way up into the Seekonk have been largely absent this year, and have been scant south through the Providence River, so Bluefish et have also been off in the Seekonk this year as well as herons, egrets and terns, all of which are attracted to the bai fish. We shall see what the rest of the summer brings. It is amazing the species of fish that find themselves this far up into the Blackstone National Corridor: Stripers, Alewife, Hogchokers (Trinectes maculatus: a small flatfish);, American Eel. Horshoe Crabs ARE found in the Seekonk as well as Blue Crabs. Today we saw huge schools of small fry, unidentified.
    Earlier we hiked the Limerock Nature Preserve in Lincoln and had: Double-crested Cormorant (1 in small pond); Mallard ( ditto); E Wood Peewee (4); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Carolina Wren (1); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1); Wood Thrush (4); Red-eyed Vireo (6); Scarlet Tanager (1); ALSO: Red-backed Salamander, and plenty of Indian Pipe. VERY DISTURBING were the destructive tracks of ATVs down the trails of this fragile Nature Conservancy area known for important local concentrations of interesting calcareous loving plants. A habitat rare in RI. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/10/04 -- off Salisbury near Park Ave, Worcester
    We woke up at 4:30 with a chorus of mobbing jays, robins and titmice in the tree in front of our house. This is the same tree in which a gray phase Eastern Screech Owl was seen for several days earlier. We could not make anything out, and left for birding. Returning home around 11AM, we found TWO gray phase Eastern Screech Owls sitting cheek to jowl high up in the tree, visible from a very narrow field of view. We managed to get them in the scope. We left for the Decordova art museum and returning about 4PM, found only one still perched high up there, though the other likely was either perched nearby (lost among the thick leaves); or in the nest hole. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/8/04 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston
    Last night (7/7), the much photographed and watched loon in South Bay at the Wachusett Reservoir, was killed and the two eggs were eaten by a predator. It has been apparent from the beginning that this nest was in jeopardy, because there is only a very small amount of water separating this island from the mainland. (report from Fran McMenemy).

    7/3/04 -- Forbush Bird Club Trip, Wachusett Reservoir
    On July 3, 2004, the Forbush Bird Club held a trip at Wachusett Reservoir. Francis X. McMenemy led 14 club members into Gates 35 in Sterling and 38 in Clinton as well as along route 140 in Boylston. The main theme of the trip was to observe Common Loon nesting sites and a Cooper's Hawk nest with young in it. The temperatures ranged from the low 60's to the high 70's. Complete trip list and photos here (report from Joan Zumpfe).

    7/3/04 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    Fall migration has begun. There was one Greater Yellowlegs at Sterling Peat today. (report from Bart Kamp).

    7/1/04 -- Wachusett Meadows Sanctuary, Princeton
    Pine siskins continue to appear sporadically at the thistle feeder by the parking lot. Wed. (6/30) 1 male and today 2 females. (report from Dick Knowlton).

    7/1/04 -- Woodruff Farm, Lunenburg
    I made my annual lunch time visit to Woodruff Farm (Private Property) in Lunenburg this noon to check on the Cliff Swallow Colony. A total of 39 active nests were counted....similar to what has been counted in previous years. Dozens of Cliff Swallows were seen flying in the area. The old barn, which holds 34 of the nest, is still standing...but looks a little more "ricketty" every year. (report from Tom Pirro).

    7/01/04 -- NoTown Reservoir, Leominster
    This morning I was able to confirm the NoTown Reservior Common Loon pair have successfully hatched 2 chicks. One adult fed the the young (the other was close by) a small fish at least times while I watched (for about 20 minutes), these yg appeared to get the meal "down the hatch" very quickly on the first try. Other birds seen and/or heard: Double-crested Cormorant 1 1st yr; Canada goose 5 (2 Ad and 3yg); Eastern Wood PeeWee 1; Eastern Phoebe 3; Eastern Kingbird 4; Red-eyed Vireo 3; Veery 2; Praire Warbler 2; Chestnut-sided Warbler 2; Common yellowthroat 3; Ovenbird 2; Eastern Towhee 3; Balt. Oriole 3 (1 being fed by an adult male); (report from Tom Pirro).

    For previous sightings, see June 2004 Archives or Archive Index