July 2014 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:

• ONGOING -- Asian Longhorned Beetle Information
• June-July -- Requesting sightings of breeding Common Loons and American Kestrels
• 7/15/14 -- Sheila Carrol's photography displayed at the Worcester Center for Crafts: "THE NATURE OF CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND", through the end of July.
• 7/30/14 -- Mark and Sheila will be giving a slide show at the Worcester Center for Crafts at 7:30, on THROUGH A YEAR OUTSIDE IN CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS.

Bird Sightings:

7/30/14 -- Ware River Watershed

Today we birded a loop in the southern section of the Ware River Watershed IBA. Bird song has now been reduced to primarily the vireos, empids and pewees and Hermit Thrushes. A few snippets of warbler song were still heard here and there. Most of the passerines we saw were just fledged young, some still in loose "family" groups. Mixed species flocks showed up in several places, a sign that staging for fall migration is underway.

Complete list: Great Blue Heron (2); Canada Goose (7); Wood Duck (13); Broad-winged Hawk (7); Solitary Sandpiper (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Least Sandpiper (2); Mourning Dove (2); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); Downy Woodpecker (7); Hairy Woodpecker (3); N Flicker (6); Pileated Woodpecker (2); E Wood Pewee (10); Alder Flycatcher (6); Willow Flycatcher (3); E Phoebe (17); Great Crested Flycatcher (2); E Kingbird (16); Yellow-throated Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (65); Blue Jay (23); A Crow (9); Tree Swallow (14); Barn Swallow (5); Black-capped Chickadee (57); Tufted Titmouse (5); Red-breasted Nuthatch (7); White-breasted Nuthatch (33); House Wren (8); Veery (9); Hermit Thrush (39); A Robin (68); Gray Catbird (32); Cedar Waxwing (13);

WARBLERS: Nashville (1); Yellow (4); Chestnut-sided (9); Magnolia (2); Yellow-rumped (1); Black-throated Green (8); Pine (9); Black and White (11); A Redstart (2); Ovenbird (4); C Yellowthroat (45); Canada (4);

Scarlet Tanager (3); E Towhee (53); Chipping Sparrow (6); Song Sparrow (21); Swamp Sparrow (11); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (9); Indigo Bunting (6); Bobolink (9); Red-winged Blackbird (26); C Grackle (63); Baltimore Oriole (2); Purple Finch (6); A Goldfinch (8)
(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/26/14 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling

Shorebirds seen at Sterling Peat this afternoon were 4 Least Sandpipers, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper and 1 Solitary Sandpiper. Only a trickle of water connects the east side with the west side. The beavers if they are still there have not attempted to stop the flow. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/23/14 -- Barre

I went to Barre and stopped at the Ware River Old Coldbrook Rd rest area around 4:45pm. I then went a bit further north down Rt 122 and looked across the river at the only dead tall tree on that side of the river, near the control facility. There was a black bird at the top calling away. Its behavior struck me as a bit unusual so I stopped, parked my car, and walked across the street, crossing over a chain across the old dirt entrance for the water control facility. Me and a friend were standing in the open field there, when suddenly another large black bird came flying in from towards the Long Pond area, but this bird was bellowing out the infamous awk awk awk of the Common Raven. The second bird landed in the dead tree with the other. The first bird then jumped up and back in the tree further away from us, and started to play with twigs and branches like it was arrainging them on a nest....   It was fun watching these two birds and was an enjoyable surprise.   (report from Scott Ricker).

7/21/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir

Today we did a quick tour around WACHUSETT RESERVOIR including River Road, Scar Hill, and Gate 17 and had the following: Common Loon (7+1ad w1yg off Gate 17); Double-crested Cormorant (17); Canada Goose (19); Mallard (16 molting); Osprey (1); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Wild Turkey (5); Killdeer (1); Hermit Thrush (4); Black-throated Blue Warbler (1 still singing where it has been all season); E Meadowlark (6: at least 2 young birds); Swallows are staging for migration. We saw mostly Tree and Barn, but were also able to note a few Bank and Rough-wings. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/20/14 -- Worcester

On June 27th the bird house in my yard was empty. A few days later there was a House Wren nest in it. Today there were 5 eggs in the nest. I watched the female wren fly into the bird house while the male was scolding nearby. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/19/14 -- Saint Johns Cemetery, Worcester

There were 4 Great Blue Herons flying in a loose group kind of low over the cemetery near The Middle River. Also, there was a young Red-tailed Hawk screeching to be fed. Later, at Hope Cemetery, there was another young Red-tailed Hawk calling out and we did see a parent Hawk deliver a food item. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

7/18/14 -- Winchendon to Ryalston

Today we birded the complex of dirt roads from OTTER RIVER SP and BIRCH HILL DAM, in Winchendon and Royalston. Bird song has certainly dropped off, but there is still SOME song. We saw many just fledged warblers, still being fed by adults.

Total list: Great Blue Heron (4); Turkey Vulture (2); Canada Goose (4); Mallard (1f with a domestic duck); Broad-winged Hawk (8); Solitary Sandpiper (1); Spotted Sandpiper (1); Mourning Dove (3); Barred Owl (1); Chimney Swift (4); Belted Kingfisher (6: including 2 young birds); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1); Downy Woodpecker (5); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Alder Flycatcher (4); E Phoebe (6); E Kingbird (13+ 2ad feeding 3 fledged young)

• The young were all sitting high on a dead tree. At one point a Red-eyed Vireo flew up to one young bird and began to viciously attack it, even at one point, hanging upside down while it continually jabbed at the bird. Then an adult flew in and viciously attacked the vireo, driving it to the ground and out of sight.

Blue-headed Vireo (9); Red-eyed Vireo (43); Blue Jay (17); A Crow (3); Tree Swallow (14); N Rough-winged Swallow (6); Barn Swallow (7); Black-capped Chickadee (61); Tufted Titmouse (10); Red-breasted Nuthatch (27: including a number of young birds); White-breasted Nuthatch (18); Brown Creeper (3); House Wren (1); Winter Wren (4); Golden-crowned Kinglet (3); Veery (1); Hermit Thrush (27); A Robin (34); Gray Catbird (19); Cedar Waxwing (20);

WARBLERS: Nashville (2 singing); Yellow (1); Chestnut-sided (13); Black-throated Blue (2); Yellow-rumped (9); Black-throated Green (21: many still singing); Pine (25); Ovenbird (16); MOURNING (1m)
• This bird continues where it has been since mid-May. We watched it for over 30 minutes, standing quietly and just observing. It sang a number of times, but chipped often, almost every 2-3 seconds. It foraged in the same small area we have seen it in all summer, mid-low in trees and low in bushes and even deep in ferns. Several times it actively chased Chestnut-sideds and Yellowthroats that came too close to a bush in the center of its territory. At 1 point it caught a large green caterpillar, went down into a bush where we had thought MAYBE it could have been nesting, and at that point we heard some young birds begging, BUT: most warblers are now out of the nest now, and in the immediate vicinity there were young Chestnut-sideds and Common Yellowthroats with parents and they had fledged. We saw NO young Mournings, just this vocal active male. I think most likely this was a territorial male that never found a mate. But you never know. Best continual views I have had of this species in the County.
C Yellowthroat (49)

Scarlet Tanager (4); E Towhee (11); Chipping Sparrow (24); Song Sparrow (31); Swamp Sparrow (15); White-throated Sparrow (31: including 10+ young birds with breasts streaked with short dark lines. This area may be THE spot for breeding White-throats in the County); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Indigo Bunting (6); Red-winged Blackbird (26); C Grackle (18); Brown-headed Cowbird (1); Baltimore Oriole (3 young birds); Purple Finch (3); A Goldfinch (23)
(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/14/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir

This morning we did a quick survey of WACHUSETT RESERVOIR, hiking all the way through Gate 17; out to Scar Hill Bluffs; and the usual walks on the west side. We did not have time to hike out Greenhalge Point or any of the other long hikes, so our numbers are much more modest than the fine survey done by Forbush and reported by Kevin Bourinot. Here are some of our totals:

Common Loon (11 adults: we searched South Bay twice for the young bird that had been there only yesterday and did not see it, though we had obviously seen it on previous visits); Double-crested Cormorant (5); Great Blue Heron (2); Red-tailed Hawk (1); A Kestrel (1 at the box); Wild Turkey (4+3yg); Spotted Sandpiper (3); Ring-billed Gull (52); E Wood Peewee (3); E Kingbird (4); Red-eyed Vireo (10); Tree Swallow (40+: with 30+ perched on an island at Gate 17); N Rough-winged Swallow (15+: most off Gate 17); Cliff Swallow (1: perched); Barn Swallow (20+); Hermit Thrush (2); Wood Thrush (3); Black-throated Blue Warbler (1m); Pine Warbler (4); Ovenbird (4); C Yellowthroat (1); Scarlet Tanager (3); E Towhee (8); Savannah Sparrow (2); E Meadowlark (5+: we have been following these birds for some time and DCR is to be thanked for leaving a large area of meadow unmowed. Last week we had 4 fledged birds following and begging food from adults);

Plus: At Gate 17: 1 of the 2 large RED-EARED SLIDERS was basking on the booms; White-tailed Deer (1);; all over the reservoir: large numbers of Calico Pennants and among them: Prince Baskettails. We also had small numbers of Powdered Dancers.
(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/13/14 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling

Late this afternoon at Sterling Peat there was a Least Sandpiper. About a 3 foot wide channel connects the east side to the west side. (report from Bart Kamp).

7/13/14 -- Ware River Watershed

This morning we birded along the western edge of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA, basically Gilbert and Granger Roads. Breeding season is rapidly winding down. We saw a number of just fledged birds and bird song is not as frequent or as much as it was just a week ago.

Complete list: Great Blue Heron (5)

We hiked into the small hidden rookery and found 1 adult bird in the water and 4 "ready to fledge" young still in the nest, standing at attention. As we watched, the young all took off from the nest: 1 flew around and went back to the nest; 2 flew to tree in the marsh and another circled and left. It was a thrill to see these birds take their first flights from the nest.

Broad-winged Hawk (1 just fledged); Ruffed Grouse (1); Wild Turkey (1 hanging out with a White-tailed Deer); Mourning Dove (4); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1); Belted Kingfisher (family group of 4 with at least 2 just fledged yg); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2+1 ad w/3 just fledged birds); Downy Woodpecker (4); Hairy Woodpecker (5); N Flicker (2); E Wood Pewee (5); Alder Flycatcher (5); E Kingbird (6); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (35); Blue Jay (18); Tree Swallow (4); Barn Swallow (20+: many fledged birds); Black-capped Chickadee (39); Tufted Titmouse (1); Red-breasted Nuthatch (6); White-breasted Nuthatch (10); Brown Creeper (3); Winter Wren (1 still singing away); E Bluebird (3); Veery (29); Hermit Thrush (16); Wood Thrush (2); A Robin (17); Gray Catbird (9); Cedar Waxwing (3);

WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (14); Black-throated Blue (6); Yellow-rumped (8); Black-throated Green (20); Pine (12); Black and White (1); Ovenbird (18+ group of 5 birds that included at least 3 just fledged yg); C Yellowthroat (21);

Scarlet Tanager (9); E Towhee (5); Chipping Sparrow (9); Song Sparrow (3); Swamp Sparrow (4); N Cardinal (1); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Indigo Bunting (1); Red-winged Blackbird (14); C Grackle (7); A Goldfinch (3);

PLUS: butterflies included Eyed Brown, N Pearly-eye and Great Spangled Fitillary (7);; dragonflies included Fawn Darner; Unicorn Clubtail and Powdered Dancers on the Burnshirt. Rattlesnake Plantain, an orchid, is just starting to come up.
(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

7/13/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir: Forbush Bird Club Annual Breeding Bird Count

This morning the Forbush Bird Club had an excellent trip around Wachusett Reservoir to monitor breeders. Complete list of 56 species recorded: Canada Goose (20); Mallard (5); Wild Turkey (23 - 6 fledglings with adult); Common Loon (16 - 11 adults, 2 non-breeding plumage, 3 fledglings; 2 in the North proper with adult pair and 1 in South Bay with 1 adult); Double-crested Cormorant (18); Great Blue Heron (1); Green Heron (1); Turkey Vulture (1); Bald Eagle (3 - 2 adults, 1 young on nest); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Spotted Sandpiper (9); Ring-billed Gull (39); Mourning Dove (4); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Chimney Swift (3); Downy Woodpecker (5); Northern Flicker (3); American Kestrel (2 - 1 in nest box ); Eastern Wood-Pewee (4); Eastern Phoebe (3); Eastern Kingbird (11); Red-eyed Vireo (18); Blue Jay (32); American Crow (28); Tree Swallow (27); Bank Swallow (1); Barn Swallow (4); Black-capped Chickadee (24); Tufted Titmouse (8); Red-breasted Nuthatch (1); White-breasted Nuthatch (2); Veery (2); Wood Thrush (4); American Robin (8); Gray Catbird (9); European Starling (15); Cedar Waxwing (16); Ovenbird (5); Black-and-white Warbler (1); Common Yellowthroat (4); Pine Warbler (13); Eastern Towhee (3); Chipping Sparrow (21); Savannah Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (17); Scarlet Tanager (5); Northern Cardinal (6); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2); Indigo Bunting (1); Red-winged Blackbird (14); Eastern Meadowlark (4); Common Grackle (16); Brown-headed Cowbird (5); American Goldfinch (8); House Sparrow (10).
(report from Kevin Bourinot).

7/9/14 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Clinton

Out by the north dike of the Wachusett Reservoir is a Kestrel box. I caught one adult in a tree and a head popping out of the box. According to Mass Fisheries and Wildlife, they should be fledging later this week.
(report from Emily Eaton).

7/9/14 -- Dead Horse Hill, Leicester

There was a Black Vulture flying over the hill this morning. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

For previous sightings, see June 2014 Archives or Archive Index