July 2015 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:

7/31/15 -- Hadwen Park, Worcester
There was an Osprey flying over Curtis Pond early in the afternoon. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

7/27/15 -- Sterling Meadows wetlands, Sterling
Green Heron seen atop a dead tree top behind unit E Sterling Meadows. Also Great Blue Herons nesting across from Sterling Meadows unit A, 2 in nest, 2 adults and 2 juveniles close to tree lines. (report from Anita Griffis).

7/23/15 -- Downtown Worcester
At The Worcester Common, I was watching the weekly Thursday concert when a Peregrine Falcon appeared and landed on City Hall, on a ledge just below the clock on the tower, at 12:45pm. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

7/19/15 -- Leicester
Birding highlights recorded by trip participant Dave Grant on the Forbush Bird Club trip (Birds & Butterflies, with Massachusetts Butterfly Club) included Cooper's Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, American Kestrel, and Bobolinks. (report from Donna Schilling fide Deb Berard)

7/19/15 -- Ware River Watershed IBA
Today we birded the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA, concentrating mostly on Gilbert and Granger Roads. The bird list is a bit askew as song has really dropped off in many species.
  • Highlights: Great Blue Heron (4imm: that were sitting on their nests till they saw me. Then they flew easily to nearby dead trees only to eventually return to the nests. They are ready for the bigger world); Black Vulture (2 flying tight circles together); Turkey Vulture (1); Hooded Merganser (1imm); Red-shouldered Hawk (2imm); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Belted Kingfisher (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (4); Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Wood Peewee (7); Alder Flycatcher (2); Blue-headed Vireo (7); Warbling Vireo (4); Red-eyed Vireo (56); Tree Swallow (13 over 1 marsh); Winter Wren (4 still singing); E Bluebird (4); Veery (11); Hermit Thrush (38); Wood Thrush (1);
      WARBLERS: Chestnut-sided (7); Black-throated Blue (7); Yellow-rumped (8); Black-throated Green (20); Blackburnian (1); Pine (18); Prairie (2: feeding on ants in the middle of a dirt road); Ovenbird (6 still singing); C Yellowthroat (17)
    Scarlet Tanager (10); E Towhee (16); Swamp Sparrow (10); Dark-eyed Junco (1); Baltimore Oriole (3).
  • Among the butterflies counted there was (1) Bog Copper. We also found both Northern White-fringed and Purple-fringed Orchis.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 7/18/15 -- New Braintree
    Today we birded a few stops in New Braintree and the Brookfields. Highlights were few, but we saw:
  • New Braintree: Alder Flycatcher (2); Willow Flycatcher (3); Blue-headed Vireo (1); Warbling Vireo (2); Red-eyed Vireo (4); Veery (7); Hermit Thrush (7); Warblers: Chestnut-sided (6);; Black-throated Blue (1);; Yellow-rumped (1);; Black-throated Green (1);; Black and White (1);; A Redstart (2);; C Yellowthroat (8);. E Towhee (8); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4); Indigo Bunting (8);.
  • Later, in WEST BROOKFIELD, at the horse farm: Wild Turkey (pair w/7 very yg birds); Eastern Bluebird (14 just fledged yg); Savannah Sparrow (6);
  • In BROOKFIELD: Wild Turkey (4 ad w/31yg!);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 7/17/15 -- Bolton Flats WMA and Oxbow NWR
    Today we birded Bolton Flats WMA and Oxbow NWR. None of the trails in Bolton Flats have been mowed yet, and may not be until close to the hunting season, so this means birders can be expected to get wet in waist high or higher grasses and should take all precautions against ticks (we got them). At the Rt.110 "barn" entrance, the river has flooded the area just beyond the bridge and you will need wellies or higher to keep your feet dry. We did what we could. Highlights, such as they were:
  • Bolton Flats: American Bittern (1 seen flying); Great Blue Heron (1); Osprey (1); Killdeer (1); Red-bellied Woodpecker (3: 1 still sticking it's head out of the nest hole); Willow Flycatcher (7); Bank Swallow (12); Marsh Wren (3 heard); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (6); Yellow Warbler (6); Swamp Sparrow (17); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2);
  • OXBOW NWR: Green Heron (2); Wood Duck (3); American Woodcock (3 right along the main road just past the gate); Great Crested Flycatcher (7); Yellow-throated Vireo (2); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1); Veery (6); Yellow Warbler (4); A Redstart (2); Baltimore Oriole (9 just fledged);
  • At PINE HILL Road conservation area: American Kestrel (2: 1adM+1imm peeking out from box); Hermit Thrush (4); Prairie Warbler (1); Eastern Towhee (9); Field Sparrow (5); Vesper Sparrow (3 seen); Grasshopper Sparrow (5 seen); NB: please stay on the main road so as to not disturb these state listed species.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    • 7/12/15 -- Central mass Loons
    I visited several known loon breeding locations this morning with the following results: 
    Bickford Pond (Hubbarston): 2 adult/ 0 young
Mare Meadow Reservoir (Westminster): 2 Adults/ 0 young
Wachusett Lake (Westminster): 2 adults/ 0 young
NoTown Reservoir (Leominster): 1 adult/ 0 young only viewed from
     Palmer Road off Rte 2
Haynes Reservoir (Leominster): 2 Adults / 0 Young
Paradise Pond (Princeton): 0 Adults/ 0 young  (I don't think loons
     have nested here for several years);.
    (report from Tom Pirro).

    7/11/15 -- Berlin
    For the past week now my fiancé and I have been calling in at least one if not two barred owl into our backyard here in Berlin.  He/she was just here (2311hrs) tonight.  We often hear it late at night or early (0200-0300) morning.  The four great horned owls that I had frequenting the area have all left, and it's good to know the barred is still here. (report from Randy Langer).

    7/6/15 -- Winchendon-Royalston
    Today we birded the Otter River SP-Birch Hill Dam parcel that straddles the Winchendon and Royalston border. Highlights included: Great Blue Heron (5); Red-shouldered Hawk (1); Broad-winged Hawk (2); Spotted Sandpiper (3ad+1yg); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1); Belted Kingfisher (3); Least Flycatcher (6); Blue-headed Vireo (10); Red-eyed Vireo (39); Barn Swallow (5 heading southeast high overhead. That was it was swallows!); Winter Wren (2); Veery (10); Hermit Thrush (32); Scarlet Tanager (2); White-throated Sparrow (19: they breed here); Purple Finch (7)
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    7/4/15 -- Ware River Watershed
    Today we birded the western part of the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. The weather was overcast and birdsong has just started to drop off. Highlights included: Great Blue Heron (2 occupied nests in a rookery in the woods with 5 almost fledged yg); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (4); Alder Flycatcher (2); Willow Flycatcher (2); Least Flycatcher (7); Blue-headed Vireo (3); Warbling Vireo (3); Red-eyed Vireo (41); Tree Swallow (12); Barn Swallow (33); Red-breasted Nuthatch (8); Winter Wren (3); Veery (32); Hermit Thrush (15); Scarlet Tanager (12); Swamp Sparrow (9+1ad feeding just fledged yg);. Purple Finch (4).
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    For previous sightings, see June 2015 Archives or Archive Index