July 2008 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:

7/27/08 -- northeast Quabbin Reservoir
We spent the morning atlasing the two blocks in northeast Quabbin, from Gate 39 to Gate 35. The weather was overcast with rumbles of thunder fast approaching as we left after noon. Breeding behavior was still very much evident, with a number of species feeding just fledged young or still tending nests. But song, other than vireos and peewees, has dropped off dramatically. One of the real mysteries of bird life in central and western forests in mid-July is what happens to all the Ovenbirds. They cease singing by mid-July, and after that, no amount of spishing, screech-owling or just careful searching will turn up an Ovenbird UNTIL fall migration begins in earnest. They have to be around somewhere in late July! Most of the birds we recorded were still either nesting or tending fledged young. Many more birds have fledged and are wandering the forest canopy. There was no indication of any movement of any warblers, vireos or thrushes. We recorded most of the birds where we have been noting them through the breeding season. Common Loon (4: two pairs, no sign of nesting, no sign of young at least in this area. According to sources at DCR, a loon with single young has been reported well south of this atlas area. Throughout Central MA, loons are having a terrible nesting season, though yesterday Fran McMenemy reported a loon with a chick at Wachusett Reservoir, the bird having re-nested on a floating platform.)

Turkey Vulture (1); Wood Duck (1 yg); Hooded Merganser (4 fledged young still hanging together. We have actually followed this group this year beginning with the parent pair nesting.); Bald Eagle (1ad+1imm); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1ad: water levels have risen again at Quabbin, making this area less attractive to migrant shorebirds); Ring-billed Gull (8); Herring Gull (2); Mourning Dove (9); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (pair); Barred Owl (1imm); Chimney Swift (1 hunting in and among the deeper forested area. This could be one of those non-chimney nesting swifts); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2); Downy Woodpecker (10); Hairy Woodpecker (4); N Flicker (5); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Wood Peewee (6); E Phoebe (4); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Eastern Kingbird (17); Yellow-throated Vireo (2); Blue-headed Vireo (8); Red-eyed Vireo (41); Blue Jay (18); A Crow (11); C Raven (3); Tree Swallow (5: no significant movements today); Barn Swallow (4); Black-capped Chickadee (27); Tufted Titmouse (4); White-breasted Nuthatch (2); Veery (3); Hermit Thrush (8); Wood Thrush (2); A Robin (60); Gray Catbird (27); Cedar Waxwing (52: small flocks all along the power lines, feasting on various berries, but we only saw adults, no young birds);

Scarlet Tanager (8); E Towhee (28); Chipping Sparrow (11); Field Sparrow (12); Song Sparrow (11); Swamp Sparrow (3); White-throated Sparrow (2); Red-winged Blackbird (6: still tending young/nests in marsh); Baltimore Oriole (2); American Goldfinch (9); PLUS: Eastern Coyote (1); all the usual mid-summer blooms, but an especially nice showing of WOOD LILLIES; (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/27/08 -- Worcester Airport
En route to Quabbin this morning, we stopped off along the Mulberry Street (Leicester) side of the Worcester Airport, to look for the UPLAND SANDPIPER found by Fran McMenemy and the Forbush Bird Club trip yesterday. We dipped on that bird but did have Great Blue Heron (1); Red-tailed Hawk (2); American Kestrel (3); Killdeer (9); Lesser Yellowlegs (2); Tree Swallow (30+); Barn Swallow (50+); Savannah Sparrow (29); Bobolink (28); Eastern Meadowlark (5);. Returning from Quabbin, we tried again before the storms hit and also dipped. BUT: birder's should keep on trying, looking both from the Mulberry Street side (standing on the small grassy rise on the other side of the road from the runway); OR checking with a good scope from the Rt. 56 overlook. Late afternoon light is the best, but there is more bird activity at dawn. Typically when Uplands are seen here, they remain fro several days, but can easily disappear in the grasses along the runways, so several trys may be needed. (report from Mark Lynch).

7/26/08 -- Route 56 Overlook of Worcester Airport, Leicester
Highlights of a joint Forbush Bird Club / Massachusetts Butterfly Club trip to the fields on the Route 56 side of Worcester Airport were an Upland Sandpiper and three American Kestrels at the Worcester Airport, and an Osprey and Indigo Bunting at the Leicester landfill. Here is the complete trip list of the 34 bird species observed. (report from Alan Marble fide Joan Gallagher)

7/26/08 -- ponds in northern MA
I checked some of the loon nesting areas in Central Mass. this week. At Upper Naukeag Lake in Ashburnham, two loons, but no chicks. At Wachusett Lake in Westminster, two loons, but no chicks. At Hy-Crest Pond in Sterling, no loons. At Bickford Pond in Hubbardston ,one loon, but no chicks. At Bickford Pond it looks like the former nesting site is cover by fallen branches. At the Wachusett Reservoir two loon nest were being incubated in late May and early June. One nest in Boylston (South Bay) and one in Sterling (Crescent Is.). Both nest were swamped by rising water levels in early June. A re-nesting attempt was made by the pair in Sterling on the new raft that had been put in place by the DCR this year. This past week a single chick was hatched from this raft nest. It can be seen by walking in at gate 35, or with a scope from the causeway on Rt. 110 in Sterling.

Also, this morning on the FBC's "Birds and Butterflies" trip an Upland Sandpiper was found in Leicester, between Mulberry St. and the end of the airport runway.
(report from Fran McMenemy).

7/26/08 -- Wachusett Meadows Sanctuary, Princeton
A record 13 Great egrets have shown up in the beaver swamp at Wachusett Meadow. Our records indicate 6 was the previous high 9 years ago. (report from Dick Knowlton).

7/21/08 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
There was a Greater Yellowlegs present. Other highlights included: Wood Duck (1), Green Heron (2), Cooper's Hawk (1, carrying food item while being mobbed. I haven't found a nest this year.), Red-tailed hawk (1imm), Killdeer (3), Spotted Sandpiper (4, 1imm), Solitary Sandpiper (1), Least Sandpiper (1), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2), Willow Flycatcher (5, 1 carrying food). (report from Kevin Bourinot).

7/20/08 -- northeast Quabbin
We spent the morning and the early afternoon atlasing in the northeastern section of QUABBIN. We spent most of the time in one block, SHUTESBURY 10 but also did a small bit in the adjacent block BARRE 1. Shutesbury 10 is an interesting block that covers most of the water between Gate 35 on the east and Gate 22 on the west and includes the northern end of Mount L. Today we were especially interested in the nesting success of the Common Loons of the area. According to recent posts by birders like Tom Pirro, Kevin Bourinot and Fran McMenemy posted on Rick Quimby's CENTRAL MASS BIRD UPDATE, this year Common Loons are having a tough time nesting in Central Massachusetts. Much of the reason may be changes in water levels at reservoirs and ponds, but there may be other causes too. Through this atlas season, we have been observing several pairs of Common Loons in Shutesbury 10, and even had birds attempting to nest on one of the small islands. So today, we returned to find out if the loons had any success and "upgrade" some other species to the "Confirmed" breeding status. The Deer Flies, Horse flies and mosquitoes were of "Biblical proportions" today. Hikers beware.

Common Loon (7 birds seen, all adults. 2 pairs well out in water away from any nests, constantly preening, plus three "loners". No evidence yet of nesting or young.); Double-crested Cormorant (3ad); Great Blue Heron (3); Canada Goose (57); Hooded Merganser (2 just about fledged young); COMMON MERGANSER (1f w/24 ducklings. This may seem like a lot of ducklings. According to the Birds of North America On-Line, clutch sizes for Common Mergansers range from 6-17 eggs, with 9-12 eggs being the most common. BUT brood parasitism ("egg dumping"); both intraspecific (among same species); and interspecific (between similar species); is common in both European ("Goosander"); and North American populations. Since the young all looked exactly the same, this was likely a case of INTRASPECIFIC BROOD PARASITISM. Bald Eagle (1ad); Red-shouldered Hawk (1); Broad-winged Hawk (2 just fledged young screaming and screaming); Wild Turkey (4 young birds plus 2 adults w/9 poults); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Ring-billed Gull (13); Mourning Dove (7); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); Belted Kingfisher (2); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3: all just fledged birds of the year); Downy Woodpecker (6); Hairy Woodpecker (9); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Eastern Wood Peewee (22: we had 1 bird attending a nest with very young birds in it, nowhere near fledging); Least Flycatcher (18); Eastern Phoebe (5); Eastern Kingbird (4); Yellow-throated Vireo (2); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (140: a number of just fledged birds begging food from adults); Blue Jay (9); A Crow (20); Common Raven (5); TREE SWALLOW (500++: almost all around and on the large "phragmite island" at dawn, perched on the reeds or even on the small sandy shore. By mid-morning, they were almost completely gone from the area); Bank Swallow (2 passing by); Black-capped Chickadee (63); Tufted Titmouse (4); White-breasted Nuthatch (11); Veery (6); Hermit Thrush (12); Wood Thrush (3); A Robin (11); Gray Catbird (29); Cedar Waxwing (9);

Scarlet Tanager (15); E Towhee (54); Chipping Sparrow (33); Field Sparrow (6); Song Sparrow (4); Swamp Sparrow (2); N Cardinal (5); Indigo Bunting (2); Red-winged Blackbird (4); Baltimore Oriole (1); A Goldfinch (8); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/19/08 -- Worcester
I was startled by the call of this bird as I walked out of my house this morning. I ran for the camera which was in the trunk of my car. I managed to snap 5 pictures before the bird flew off. The attached is the best one. I'm sure everyone will recognize it as a Bobwhite. It called at least 6 times from this perch. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/19/08 -- Princeton
This afternoon I made a last atlasing visit to the Sterling 8 block, visiting the "hotspot" areas of Houghton, Bullard, and Coalkiln Roads, where the bulk of my atlasing was done in this block. I was fortunate in having two nearly "drive-by" confirmations of species that are notoriously difficult to confirm as breeders. First, as I was coming down Houghton Rd and just about to park and walk, I saw a small bird hopping on the side of the road. I stopped to look, and it was a BT Green Warbler carrying a green caterpillar! It flew up to a branch 8 feet from the car window, then flew down next to the car to hunt for another insect or two before flying off with the worm. Then when I drove away after my walk, a bird flew across the road in front of me, so again I stopped. It was a pewee, and it proceeded to catch a moth and fly off with it. Confirmed! I pulled over to watch more, and located a pair of pewees, but they seemed wary of doing anything while I was present, so I left. Also today I finally confirmed YB Sapsucker, after hearing and seeing them plenty from April-June. Finally, at the powerline cut on Coalkiln Rd, I heard what I believe was a moose tromping through a dense wooded, brushy swamp. It wasn't too far, though I never could see it, but the crashing brush made it sound like a pretty large animal. I already suspected the presence of moose, having found a pile of moose droppings nearby on 6/28, and a swath of flattened swamp grass. Here are highlights of the 48 species recorded: Wood Duck 1 heard; Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 ad; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 (adult accompanied by a fledgling at Coalkiln Rd powerlines, same area where I've had adults all season; Eastern Wood-Pewee 4 ; Eastern Phoebe 3 incl. one feeding a Cowbird fledgling Eastern Kingbird 2 ; Blue-headed Vireo 1; Red-eyed Vireo 15; Tree Swallow 2; Barn Swallow 37 most actually at the farm in S-9; Brown Creeper 1; House Wren 1; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4; Eastern Bluebird 2; Veery 1; Wood Thrush 1; Cedar Waxwing 4; Black-throated Blue Warbler 1; Black-throated Green Warbler 1; Pine Warbler 2; Common Yellowthroat 2; Scarlet Tanager 3; Eastern Towhee 3; Indigo Bunting 1; Eastern Meadowlark 5 in Sterling-9 block, extensive meadows along ? Rd (extension of Coalkiln); Baltimore Oriole 1; (report from Steven Sutton).

7/19/08 -- Brookfields
We spent the morning atlasing in WARREN 8, a block in the Brookfields that includes most of Lake Quabog and Lake Quacumquasit (South Pond);. Because of the time of the year, we were able to "Confirm" the breeding status of most of the species. Great Blue Heron (6); Canada Goose (22); Wood Duck (4: including some just fledged young); Mallard (24); Hooded Merganser 91 just about fledged young bird); Osprey (1: over South Pond SEE NOTE BELOW); Broad-winged Hawk (2 just fledged young; screaming constantly); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Wild Turkey (2 young birds); Ring-billed Gull (2); Rock Pigeon (25); Mourning Dove (15); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); E Screech Owl (1); Chimney Swift (4); Belted Kingfisher (2); Downy Woodpecker (3); Hairy Woodpecker (2); N Flicker (1); Eastern Wood Peewee (5); Willow Flycatcher (2); E Kingbird (17: including several just fledged young); Yellow-throated Vireo (1); Warbling Vireo (16); Red-eyed Vireo (30); Blue Jay (11); A Crow (20); Tree Swallow (12: all considered staging for migration); Barn Swallow (23: some still at the nest site); Black-capped Chickadee (55); Tufted Titmouse (26); White-breasted Nuthatch (12); Carolina Wren (3); House Wren (10); Eastern Bluebird (pair); Veery (12); American Robin (59); Gray Catbird (54); E Starling (22); Cedar Waxwing (13); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Yellow Warbler (8); Chestnut-sided Warbler (5); Pine Warbler (6); C Yellowthroat (27); Scarlet Tanager (8); E Towhee (7); Chipping Sparrow (32); Song Sparrow (27); Swamp Sparrow (19); N Cardinal (31); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3); Indigo Bunting (6); Red-winged Blackbird (62); C Grackle (23); Baltimore Oriole (8); House Finch (3); A Goldfinch (35); House Sparrow (51); PLUS: Among the non-bird attractions we found was the rather uncommon but spectacular ELDERBERRY LONGHORN BEETLE . AFTERWARDS: we went to Wild Bird Crossing and got to see the OSPREY NEST found by Ian Lynch and Bill Cormier in STURBRIDGE. This is in a microwave relay tower between the Mass Pike and Rt. 20, just west of WalMart. We had the pair of adults still tending 2 just about fledged young in the nest. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/17/08 -- North County ponds
While atlasing over the past few weeks, I have checked on a few territorial Common Loon pairs. To date I have yet to find any young, hear is a brief summary:
  • Lake Wompanoag (Ashburnham/Gardner) 2 adults NO young, I paddled around the lake on 7/13.
  • Paradise Pond (Princeton) NO loons adult or young in several visits, I recall there was none last year. It appears the pair has vacated this body of water.
  • NoTown Reservior (Leominster) 2 and 3 adults (a few visits, the last being 7/12) NO young.
  • Hayes Reservior 7/13 (Leominster) 2 adult NO young
  • Mare Meadow 7/17 (Westminster) 1 adult NO young, this adult was banded by I could not tell what colors as it was dusk).
  • Bickford Pond 7/17 (Hubbardston) 1 adult NO young, it was getting dark and there could have been another on the pond that I didn;t see.

    My inital reaction is its has been a poor reproductive year for the waters that I have checked this year. Perhaps the string strong thunder storms and associated rain had a negative impact on some of these birds. Usually between Bickford, Wompanoag, Notown and Paradise there would sign of a few young. Personally I have never seen young on Hayes or Mare Meadow, so no young is perhaps "no news" on those bodies of water. I have not checked Upper Naukeg (Ashburnham) or Fitchburg Reservior (Ashby, Middlesex County) this year.
    (report from Tom Pirro).

    Note added from Kevin Bourinot:
    To add to Tom's post on breeding Common Loons in the area, I've been checking out Hy-Crest Pond (Princeton), West Waushacum Pond (Sterling) and Heywood Reservoir (Leominster) for the atlas. All have one adult present, but no young or evidence of breeding. I'm going to be checking these bodies of water more frequently in the weeks to come for fledged chicks.

    7/14/08 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
    There were 11 Least Sandpipers and 1 Solitary Sandpiper this evening. (report from Kevin Bourinot).

    7/14/08 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    At noon there were 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron (ad), 7 Mute Swan (2 ad, 5 imm), 5 Killdeer, 8 Least Sandpiper, and 1 Common Yellowthroat (singing). (report from Rick Quimby).

    7/13/08 -- West Hill Dam/Park, Uxbridge
    Highlights while atlasing in UXBRIDGE7: Great Blue Heron (1 - actually in Rice City Pond when we drove by); Eastern Kingbird; Yellow-throated Vireo (1 - singing); Warbling Vireo (3 - including adult feeding young); Red-eyed Vireo (1 - singing); Brown Creeper (1 - found in same location as several weeks ago); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (4 - including adult feeding young); Eastern Bluebird (1); Veery (3); Hermit Thrush (1 - singing); Cedar Waxwing; Yellow Warbler; Black-throated Green Warbler; Pine Warbler; Ovenbird; Common Yellowthroat (including a definite pair); Scarlet Tanager (1 - singing); Eastern Towhee; Field Sparrow (3 - adult feeding young); Indigo Bunting (1 - very agitated male when we passed); Baltimore Oriole (including female feeding young); (report from John Liller).

    7/6/08 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Gate 35 and Clinton Landfill
    The Forbush Bird Club trip was led by Fran McMenemy. There were eleven participants, and 55 species recorded. The weather was Hazy, Hot, and Humid. This yearly trip usually counts on seeing newly hatch Loon chicks. This year the only two attempted nestings by loons were destroyed by the water level of the reservoir, which was raised significantly in June. Therefore there was no chance to see loon chicks this year. Surprisingly, the loon pair at Crescent Island re-nested on the new loon raft that the DCR had provided. We were able to see and hear this pair at the end of our walk-in at Gate 35. Here is the complete list of species recorded. (report from Fran McMenemy).

    7/6/08 -- Oakham-Warren
    We spent several hours this morning atlasing two new blocks. The first, NORTH BROOKFIELD 11, is in OAKHAM as well as NORTH BROOKFIELD and features lots of forest, some farm and fields, the inevitable suburbia and Saint Joseph's Abbey. We will be atlasing this block in earnest in 2009. THEN, we atlased in block WARREN 4, which is in West Brookfield and Warren. This includes the southern third of Lake Wickaboag; some of the Quabog River and marshes, and a small part of the Quabog WMA. We only scratched the surface of that block and racked up 55 species, a nice "head start" for whoever takes this block eventually.
    OAKHAM block / WARREN block: Double-crested Cormorant (2imm); Great Blue Heron (0/1); Hooded Merganser (2 almost fledged young/0); COOPER'S HAWK (2 just fledged young in Oakham. These birds were first seen sitting in the middle of a road. They weakly flew up to a tree, and here ran along branches, and flew to the roof of a nearby house set in the woods. There is little doubt judging by their performance that they JUST left the nest.); Broad-winged Hawk (1 / pair); Wild Turkey (3ad w/11yng / 0); Rock Pigeon (0/19); Mourning Dove (4/13); Black-billed Cuckoo (0/1); Barred Owl (1/0); Chimney Swift (0/1); Belted Kingfisher (1/1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (3 / 2); Downy Woodpecker (17 / 13); Hairy Woodpecker (3/0); N Flicker (1 ad feeding 2 fledged yg / 5); E Wood Peewee (17/8); Least Flycatcher (6/0); Eastern Phoebe (12 / 3); Great Crested Flycatcher (0/1); Eastern Kingbird (0/10); Yellow-throated Vireo (6/1); Blue-headed Vireo (5/0); Red-eyed Vireo (49/11); Blue Jay (17/6); A Crow (10 / 21); Tree Swallow (0 / 20+ staging for migration over the Quabog); Barn Swallow (0 / 18); Black-capped Chickadee (36 / 34); Tufted Titmouse (21 / 3); White-breasted Nuthatch (12 / 11); Brown Creeper (2 / 0); Carolina Wren (0 / 1); House Wren (2 / 9); Marsh Wren (0 / 2); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (4 / 0); Eastern Bluebird (0 / 1); Veery (18 / 5); Wood Thrush (11 / 4); A Robin (65 / 39); Gray Catbird (31 / 22); N Mockingbird (0 / 2); E Starling (30+ / 45+); Cedar Waxwing (6 / 6);
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (0 / 1); Yellow (0 / 7); Chestnut-sided (12 / 0); Black-throated Blue (1 / 0); Black-throated Green (12 / 0); Blackburnian (1 / 0); Pine (10 / 2); Black and White (1 / 1); A Redstart (14 / 2); Ovenbird (17 / 0); N Waterthrush (2 / 0); C Yellowthroat (17 / 10); Canada (1 / 0);
    Scarlet Tanager (16 / 4); Chipping Sparrow (19 / 39); Savannah Sparrow (0 / 2); Song Sparrow (18 / 34); Swamp Sparrow (0 / 38); N Cardinal (11 / 21); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (9 / 2); Indigo Bunting (9 / 1); Bobolink (0 / 6); Red-winged Blackbird (6 / 120+); Common Grackle (13 / 43); Brown-headed Cowbird (2 / 4); A Goldfinch (4 / 9); House Sparrow (35 / 88); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/5/08 -- East Brookfield/Spencer
    We spent a few hours this morning atlasing our two blocks in East Brookfield and Spencer. This included hiking in a bit along the new rail trail in Spencer, south of Rt.9, which goes to a very nice pond and a section of the Spencer SF. Combined list for the two blocks: Great Blue Heron (6); Canada Goose (14); AMERICAN BLACK DUCK (5 almost fledged young. Amazingly, we were able to document the nesting of Black Ducks in Worcester County this year in a marsh); Mallard (1ad w/4yg); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1ad); Cooper's Hawk (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (1imm mobbed relentlessly by a kingbird even though it was soaring VERY high overhead); Wild Turkey (1ad w/3yg+2ad w/5yg); Virginia Rail (1); Killdeer (2); Ring-billed Gull (2); Rock Pigeon (2); Mourning Dove (5); Chimney Swift (10+); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Belted Kingfisher (6: including several newly fledged young attended by adults); N Flicker (1); E Kingbird (15); Yellow-throated Vireo 91); Blue-headed Vireo (2); Warbling Vireo (2); Red-eyed Vireo (13); Blue Jay (15); A Crow (13); Bank Swallow (30+ still active colony); Barn Swallow (16); Black-capped Chickadee (13); Tufted Titmouse (20); White-breasted Nuthatch (10); House Wren (4); Veery (13); Hermit Thrush (3); A Robin (56); Gray Catbird (13); E Starling (23); Cedar Waxwing (4);
      WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1); Yellow (7); Chestnut-sided (2); Black-throated Green (2); Pine (5); Black and White (1); Ovenbird (10); C Yellowthroat (27);
    Scarlet Tanager (9); Eastern Towhee (2); Chipping Sparrow (41); Song Sparrow (24); Swamp Sparrow (25); N Cardinal (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3); Indigo Bunting (2); Bobolink (2); Red-winged Blackbird (320+); Common Grackle (41); House Finch (5); A Goldfinch (13); House Sparrow (16); PLUS: (2); Northern Pearly-eye (butterfly);. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    For previous sightings, see June 2008 Archives or Archive Index