June 2005 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:

6/30/05 -- Ashby / Leominster
  • NoTown Resevior: this morning I checked NoTown Resevior in Leominster and was fortunate to see the Common Loon pair out with two newly hatched chicks. The chicks did very little swimming, close to the nearest parent, and then climbed aboard and settled under the parent's wings.
  • Fitchburg Resevior: Yesterday evening (6/29) I checked Fitchburg Resevior in Ashby (Middlesex County), and the territorial pair of Common Loons were present but no chicks were apparent. Both birds dove for substaintial length dives on a few occasions and no young were detected. (report from Tom Pirro).

    • 6/29/05 -- Paradise Pond, Princeton
    This morning I observed 1 adult common loon and one chick at Paradise Pond in Princeton. It appears there is only one chick but due to the distance and my low power binoculars It was hard to tell. No other adult was seen. (reported by Matthew Pearson)

    6/28/05 -- Upper Naukeg Lake, Ashburnham
    This morning I checked Upper Naugket Lake in Ashburnham, and a pair of Common Loons were present with a single young chick, which was enjoying a ride on a parent's back. The other adult fed the youngster twice in the 10 minutes I watched, once the chick remained on the parent's back. For the other feeding it took a brief swim to get the tiny fish from the other parent's bill, did a quick "wing stretch" and returned to its ride. (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/27/05 -- Lake Wompanoag, Gardner/Ashburnham
    This evening I checked Lake Wompanoag on the Gardner/Ashburnham line. One adult Common Loon was present. This is color banded bird, yellow over red(left leg) and a metal band (right leg). I was told a few years back this is the female. I did not its mate, perhaps it was incubating on the nest (hopefully). (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/26/05 -- Wachusett Meadow Sanctuary, Princeton
    Our regular Sunday birdwalk recorded the following highlights on a very warm,"sticky" and relatively bird-free morning. Great blue heron(18) including nestlings,Canada Goose(9),Wood duck,Hooded merganser(9), Chimney swift, Ruby-throated h'bird(2),Northern flicker,Eastern wood- pewee,Eastern phoebe(3),Great-crested flycatcher, White-breasted nuthatch(6)including family of 4,Brown creeper(2),House wren(2),Winter wren(1),Veery(3),Hermit thrush(2), Red-eyed vireo(6),Blue-winged warbler,Yellow warbler(2),Chestnut-sided warbler,Pine warbler,American redstart(4),Black-throated blue warbler,Ovenbird(4),Common yellowthroat(2),Scarlet tanager(2),Rose-breasted grosbeak(2), Brown-headed cowbirds(16)ugh!,Baltimore oriole(3),Purple finch. (report from Dick& Peg Knowlton).

    6/26/05 -- Purgatory Chasm, Sutton
    The morning was warm, but not warm enough to keep us from birding Purgatory Chasm. Visbilty was clear in the mixed wood habitat. Highlights from 6:30am-9:30am were: Pileated Woodpecker (1); E Wood Peewee ; E Phoebe; Warbling Vireo; Blue-headed Vireo; Red-eyed Vireo; Veery; Hermit Thrush ; Eastern Towhee; Pine Warbler; A Redstart; Ovenbird; C Yellowthroat; Scarlet Tanager (2 males/1 female with insect); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2 young); Baltimore Oriole; (report from Nicole Wenger/ Beth and Paul Milkie/ Nancy DeMers).

    6/26/05 -- Quabbin Park, Quabbin Reservoir
    Even though temps were a bit uncomfortable, it was still a good day to bird the roads around Quabbin Park and note some newly fledged birds about to make their way in the world. Long-distance visibility was not great due to heat haze. Double-crested Cormorant (1); Great Blue Heron (3); Canada Goose (4ad+5yg); Wood Duck (1f w/5yg); Mallard (3); Hooded Merganser (1f); Turkey Vulture (3 roosting on a radio tower); Wild Turkey (1); Virginia Rail (5); Spotted Sandpiper (2); Ring-billed Gull (1); Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2); Chimney Swift (3); Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2: While Sheila was close to some flowers attempting to photograph a swallowtail, a fearless male hummer zipped in right in front of her nose to also nectar); Downy Woodpecker (12); Pileated Woodpecker (3); E Wood Peewee (8); Least Flycatcher (1); E Phoebe (4); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); E Kingbird (5); Tree Swallow (26); N Rough-winged Swallow (2); Barn Swallow (2); Warbling Vireo (3); Yellow-throated Vireo (9); Red-eyed Vireo (48); Black-capped Chickadee (8); Tufted Titmouse (7); White-breasted Nuthatch (3); Blue Jay (11); A Crow (8); Common Raven (pair w/what looked like 4 newly fledged young. These guys were hilarious. The young, completely fledged and rather huge, perched in a loose flock in the trees and just CONSTANTLY and loudly screamed/squawked, begging for food. I mean :ALL the time. The adults would respond by flying in and vocalizing with a variety of better known raven calls, but nothing shut these young birds up. You could hear them some distance away. Those birds needed a "time out"!); House Wren (1); Veery (13); Wood Thrush (3); A Robin (29); Gray Catbird (26); Cedar Waxwing (7); Scarlet Tanager (12); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1); Indigo Bunting (4); Eastern Towhee (20); Chipping Sparrow (32); Field Sparrow (4); Song Sparrow (8); Bobolink (1 overhead); Red-winged Blackbird (20+); C Grackle (12); Baltimore Oriole (9); A Goldfinch (7);
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    6/26/05 -- Coys Brook, West Brookfield
    We stopped by the small Coys Brook overlook off Rt. 9 this AM on our way to South Quabbin. This area is part of the Quabog IBA. The water levels are still very low here, likely because of beaver activity leaving many muddy flats exposed. As we stepped out of our car we immediately noticed an AMERICAN BITTERN perched on a completely bare flat about 15 feet in front of us. The bittern immediately assumed a "freeze" posture, bill up in the air, and held it for most of the time we were there. Eventually after c. 15 minutes, he crossed over to the grassy side of the brook and out of sight. While we were enjoying this bittern, another bittern flew across the road and began to actively seek food on the flats too. This bird took no notice of us, so we had the pleasure of watching him feed our views being unobstructed by grasses of cattails. All the while it stalked over the mudflats, it's tail constantly twitched: either up and down, from side to side or actually like it was rotating the tail. It was hunting frogs, Green and Bull and we watched it closely as it downed a huge Bullfrog. As it did so, it's neck and head feathers ruffled up in an extreme fashion as it scrunched it's neck down spastically while swallowing the frog. In between downing amphibians, it walked quickly over the flats in a low posture, halting periodically when it noticed something moving and then purposely heading over to that area to check. Bitterns are sometimes seen at Coys Brook, especially in spring, but this year the frequency of sightings seems to indicate that they are nesting closeby. Ceratinly numbers of bitterns nest along the Quabog Marshes south of Rt. 9.
    Also there: Canada Goose (10); Mallard (1); Belted Kingfisher (1); E Phoebe (2); Warbling Vireo (pair w/4 young in the nest. It was quite entertaining watching this pair feeding these 4 still rather young birds. Two still had thier eyes shut. They were still a bit naked in areas, though down was covering a lot of thier bodies and the pin feathers were coming in. When the male approached the nest, it first would perch about 2 feet away and sing and then approach the nest with food. The other bird, (presumably the female) would begin a series of loud coarse buzz notes as she got within 15 feet of the nest and would gradually work her way to the nest site. We tried to see what the adults were feeding the young but all we could make out was that they were fairly large bodied insects with substantial clear wings. I first thought odes, but they were definitely NOT odes. Whatever they were, the adult vireos were finding them in the crowns of small maples.); Veery (3); Gray Catbird (10); Blue-winged Warbler (2); Prairie Warbler (1m flew in, landed on the top of a small tree, sang a few times, then moved on); Swamp Sparrow (3); Song Sparrow (4); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    6/25/05 -- Rhodes Rd, Princeton
    At about 5:30 pm, a male E grosbeak appeared in the road on Rhodes Rd, Princeton along the dirt section bordering the Fitchburg Reservoir property(Bickford Pond). Further exploration Sun evening did not produce any additional sightings. (report from Dick Knowlton).

    6/25/05 -- River Bend Farm- Blackstone Heritage and Canal State Park, Uxbridge
    The morning was very warm and steamy. Visbilty hazy in meadow/deciduous bordering habitat. Highlights from 8AM-1015AM were: Great Blue Heron 1; Green Heron 1 (fly over); Osprey 1 (scanning over the canal waters); Common Flicker; Eastern Kingbird; Great-crested Flycatcher 1; Eastern Phoebe; Flycatcher sp. (Willow ?); Eastern Bluebird; Warbling Vireo; Yellow Warbler; Pine Warbler; Blue-winged Warbler; Common Yellowthroat; Baltimore Oriole; Orchard Oriole (nest w/ 2 fledges) It was awesome to see the nest with both parents and see the fledges being fed by female); Brown-headed Cowbird; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Swamp Sparrow. (report from Nicole Wenger/ Beth and Paul Milkie/ Nancy DeMers).

    6/23/05 -- Worcester/Shrewsbury
    There are 2 Kestrels and I'm almost sure a fledged chick on Marion Ave. in Worcester, behind the old St.Vincents Hospital. Also, on Flint Pond in Shrewsbury an Osprey flew over with a fish, heading down toward Grafton. (report from John Shea).

    6/20/05 -- Worcester Landfill
    As part of MAS's interest in grassland species, Sheila and I conducted a quick but rather thorough count of grassland species today atop the Worcester Landfill. This area is now STRICTLY OFF LIMITS as the Phase One of the re-capping process has begun. This means a huge area has already been dug up and we had to enter the site with DPW personnel and wear hard hats and reflective vests the entire time we were there. BTW: the DPW staff have been great and extremely helpful and co-operative. Despite the ongoing presence of bulldozers, front-end loaders et, we had the following grassland species: SAVANNAH SPARROW (at least 20 singing males); GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (at least 4 singing males and one other bird seen, likely a female near a nest. One singing bird was watched against a background of working heavy equipment.); RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (at least 8 singing males atop the landfill. More were seen in the marshes near the landfill); EASTERN MEADOWLARK (2 singing males); ALSO SEEN: Red-tailed Hawk (hunting around the construction site); Wild Turkey (4); Song Sparrow (7) as well as Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat. (15) Double-crested Cormorant flew over as well as (8) Mallards. The landfill was loaded with hundreds of butterflies: Least Skippers and Common Ringlets mostly.

    This wonderful spot is very much under the gun at the moment. First of all, it has to survive the years of the recapping process. Then, Broad Meadow would love to see it turned into a grasslands educational park: with trails around the periphery, a viewing platform and interpretive signs educating folks about the variety of life in a grassland. This would both save the grassland and the grassland species, BUT open up the area to limited and controlled viewing by the public. That said, competing plans are for a mall here, a soccor field or a transfer station. These are the ONLY Grasshopper Sparrows that breed in the ENTIRE Blackstone National Corridor (MA and RI) and this small area is one of the few grasslands in the national park. The only other significant one being Worcester Airport. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    6/19/05 -- High Ridge WMA, Westminster
    Birds tallied from the Westminster side of High Ridge WMA from 6:30AM until 10:30AM: Double-crested Cormorant 7 (a group of 5 passing overhead); Great Blue Heron 5; Canada Goose 22 (including a flock of 21 passing overhead); Mallard 1; Turkey Vulture 3; Broad-winged Hawk 3( 1 imm. in heavy molt headed NE); Mourning Dove 6; Black-billed Cuckoo 1; Chimney Swift 4; Common Flicker 3; Downy Woodpecker 3; Piletaed Woodpecker 1; Eastern Kingbird 2; Great-crested Flycatcher 2; Eastern Phoebe 2; Alder Flycatcher 3; Least Flycatcher 3; Eastern Wood Peewee 3; Tree Swallow 22; Barn Swallow 2; Blue Jay 9; Amercian Crow 5; Black-capped Chickadee 13; Tufted Titmouse 4; White-breatsed Nuthatch 1; Red-breasted Nuthach 1; Brown Creeper 1; House Wren 8; Gray Catbird 13; Am. Robin 14; Wood Thrush 4; Veery 4; Eastern Bluebird 1; Cedar Waxwing 5; Starling 10; Red-eyed Vireo 15; Warbling Vireo 2; Yellow Warbler 6; Black-throated Green Warbler 2; Yellow-rumped Warbler 2; Chestnut-sided Warbler 11; Pine Warbler 1; Ovenbird 8; Common Yellowthroat 19; Am. Redstart 2; Bobolink 22; Red-winged Blackbird 12; Baltimore Oriole 13; Common Grackle 5; Brown-headed Cowbird 3; Scarlet Tanager 2; Northern Cardinal 1; Rose-breasted Grosbeak 7; Indigo Bunting 6; Am. Goldfinch 10; Chipping Sparrow 11; Swamp Sparrow 5; Song Sparrow 10.
    Total: 58 Species/ 366 individuals
    I had a nice look at two buck White-tails in velvet grazing in one of the hay fields, one was an 8 point while the was a 4 point. Totals between 6/18 and 6/19 were 71 species and 773 individuals, I was able to cover about 75% of the WMA and but did get a decent sampling of habitat types. (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/19/05 -- Seekonk River, RI
    We conducted a standard point-count survey of this southern end of the Blackstone National Corridor: Double-crested Cormorant (40); Great Blue Heron (1); Great Egret (1); Turkey Vulture (3); Mute Swan (68); Canada Goose (1); Mallard (311: as is typical at this time of the year, numbers of Mallards moult and hang along the eastern shore near the waste-water facility); BUFFLEHEAD (1m: rare anywhere in RI at this time of the year); OSPREY (pair feeding two young in nest by wastewater facility PLUS another pair perched on the empty (bare); nest platform PLUS another 3); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Peregrine Falcon (1-2 adults: as we were driving across the RT. 195 bridge, an adult came zooming low over the bridge, seemingly right at us, but actually in hot pursuit of a Rock Pigeon. Later we had one perched near the nest box.); Greater Yellowlegs (1); Ring-billed Gull (29); Herring Gull (181); Great Black-backed Gull (36 PLUS one on nest on Cormorant Platform); Common Tern (minimally 8, around the wooden structure off Bold Point. Some appeared to be on nests); PLUS: Yellow-billed Cuckoo (3); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Tree Swallow (30+); N. Rough-winged Swallow (4); Wood Thrush (1); Yellow Warbler (9); Chipping Sparrow (c.20; 1 bird was seen feeding a young cowbird); Orchard Oriole (1m); Baltimore Oriole (while we were in Swan Point Cemetery, we started to hear these anxious "peeping" noises coming from several areas up in trees, but spread over a large section of the cemetery. It took us awhile to track them down, but they were at least 6 newly fledged BALTIMORE ORIOLES, still with some down and yellow gapes being fed by anxious adults. They could fly a bit, a least from branch to branch.); NOTA BENE: ATVs and dirt bikes on the East Providence side are waaaaaay out of control all along the train tracks and the shore. It's obvious NO ONE cares. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    6/18/05 -- High Ridge WMA, Gardner
    Birds tallied from the Gardner section (only) of High Ridge WMA this morning from 6:30AM until 12:30PM: Double Crested Cormorant 1; Great Blue Heron 2; Green Heron 1; American Bittern 1 calling from the 1st hay field on the left just inside the Smith Street Gate; Mallard Duck 5 (1 hen with 4 young); Hooded Merganser 2 hens; Broad-winged Hawk 1 carrying prey; Mourning Dove 6; Black-billed Cuckoo 1; Belted Kingfisher 1; Common Flicker 2; Downy Woodpecker 4; Hairy Woodpecker 5; Eastern Kingbird 1; Great-crested Flycatcher 3; Eastern Phoebe 2; Alder Flycatcher 3; Eastern Wood PeeWee 6; Tree Swallow 9; Blue Jay 16; American Crow 14; Black-capped Chickadee 18; Tufted Titmouse 10; White-breasted Nuthatch 4; Red-breasted Nuthatch 1; Brown Creeper 1; House Wren 8; Winter Wren 1; Gray Catbird 15; American Robin 17; Wood Thrush 14; Veery 7; Eastern Bluebird 2; Cedar Waxwing 9; Blue headed Vireo 3; Red-eyed Vireo 23; Black and White Warbler 8; Yellow Warbler 8; Black-throated Blue Warbler 2; Black-throated Green Warbler 4; Yellow-rumped Warbler 2; Blackburnian Warbler 1; Chestnut-sided Warbler 3; Ovenbird 42; Northern Waterthrush 1; Common Yellowthroat 21; Canada Warbler 1; American Redstart 5; Bobolink 14; Red-winged Blackbird 11; Northern Oriole 3; Common Grackle 12; Brown-headed Cowbird 4; Scarlet Tanager 6; Northern Cadinal 1; Rose-breasted Grosbeak 6; Indigo Bunting 5; Purple Finch 1; American Goldfinch 11; Chipping Sparrow 3; Swamp Sparrow 2; Song Sparrow 11;
    62 species, 407 Individuals
    (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/18/05 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    The 15th Annual Breeding Bird Survey was conducted this morning at the Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary (Worcester). Complete species count here.

    Here are some photos taken by Bruce deGraaf during the bird count:
    Great Blue Heron
    Baltimore Oriole
    Black-capped Chickadee

    (report from John Liller).

    6/17/05 -- Merril Rd., Sterling
    At a stop along Merril road in Sterling last evening there were 3 Bobolinks and an Eastern Meadowlark. There was a also nice buck White-tailed Deer with a nice rack in velvet, grazing and then laying down in the hayfield. (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/16/05 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    Kim Kastler and I recorded the following highlights today while conducting a point count: Green Heron (2); Mallard (female with 4+ young roosting on a muskrat lodge); Broad-winged Hawk (2 - one bird on nest); Ruffed Grouse (1); Wild Turkey (1); Virginia Rail (2); Sora (1); Belted Kingfisher (3); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Eastern Wood-Pewee (4); Willow Flycatcher (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (5); Eastern Kingbird (1); Warbling Vireo (1); Red-eyed Vireo (11); Tree Swallow (2); House Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (1); Veery (1); Wood Thrush (2); Cedar Waxwing (2); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Yellow Warbler (5); Prairie Warbler (5); Ovenbird (3); Common Yellowthroat (9); Scarlet Tanager (6); Eastern Towhee (13); Song Sparrow (14); Roes-breasted Grosbeak (3); Brown-headed Cowbird (3); Baltimore Oriole (8); (report from John Liller).

    6/16/05 -- downtown Worcester
    Here is a photo of one the downtown Peregrines taken recently. (photo by Richard Johnson).

    6/14/05 -- Raymond Road, Gardner
    Hilights from a few road-side stops off Raymond Road in Gardner this morning: Common Loon 1 on Lake Wompanoag (have nested here, with decent success rate, since 1995); Veery 1; Red-eyed Vireo 2; Blue-headed Vireo 2; Nashville Warbler 2; Black-Thr. Green Warbler 1; Yellow-rumped Warbler 1; Balck and White Warbler 1; Canada Warbler 1; Scarlet tanager 1; Indigo Bunting 2; White-throated Sparrow 1; Purple Finch 1; Bobolink 1; (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/13/05 -- Ashburnham
    A few species seen and/or heard from a 5 minute stop at the junction of Rte101 and Rte 119 in Ashburnham: Black-billed Cuckoo 1; Rose-breasted grosbeak 1; White-throated Sparrow 2; (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/11/05 -- Leominster
    Hilights from Mt Elam Road in Leominster this late this morning: Red-tailed Hawk 1; Hairy Woodpecker 1; Eastern Wood PeeWee 3; Alder Flycathcer 1; E. Kingbird 3; E. Phoebe 2; Red-eyed Vireo 5; House Wren 1; Cedar Waxwing 5; Yellow Warbler 2; Chestnut-Sided Warb. 3; Yellow-rumped Warb. 2; Pine Warb. 1; Ovenbird 2; C. yellowthroat 4; Scarlet Tanager 5; E. Towhee 12; Field Sparrow 2; Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1; Balt. Oriole 2.
    I did not see the Common Loons, but they could have been easily hidden in a cove or behind an island or hopefully one is on the nest. The loon raft had washed up near the dam. A few dozen Ebony Jewelwing damselflies were present. A Garder Snake had a toad in it mouth on the walk in (about 1/3 of the way "down the hatch")...I saw the same snake on the way out, about 25 minutes later and only about 1/2 the toad's foot was showing from the snake's mouth.

    Hilight from conservation property off Granite Street in Leominster: E. WoodpeeWee 3; R.E. Vireo 5+; Ovenbird 10; Black-throated Blue Warbler 3; Canada Warbler 1; E. Towhee 1.
    (report from Tom PIrro)

    6/10/05 -- Gate 33, Quabbin Reservoir
    The MAS "Western Mass Birding" class took an evening hike (starting at 6PM); into Gate 33 Quabbin (New Salem). As one can imagine, the mosquitoes were fierce. It was quite hot and muggy, with threatening thunder storms, but when we finally got to the shore of the "big water" it was quite breezy, even windy and cool. For those of you who have never hiked this Gate, it's a short hike through forest, past a pond, a power-line cut-through and some marshy areas. At the end of the hike, we birded along Blackington Road a bit for Whip-Poor-Wills.
    Double-crested Cormorant (flight of 28 birds in small groups directly north and out of Quabbin at dusk); Great Blue Heron (1); Canada Goose (1); A Black Duck (pair Athol); Hooded Merganser (pair); Common Merganser (1f at Quabbin, 2 in Athol); Whip-Poor-Will (7); Hairy Woodpecker (1); N Flicker (1); Pileated Woodpecker (pair feeding two young in the nest: spectacular views); E Wood Peewee (1); Least Flycatcher (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (3); E Kingbird (2); Red-eyed Vireo (17, plus 1 ad sitting tight on a very low nest); Tree Swallow (2); Blue Jay (2); A Crow (8); Black-capped Chickadee (8); Red-breasted Nuthatch (1); Brown Creeper (2); Veery (9); Gray Catbird (3); Cedar Waxwing (4); Chestnut-sided Warbler (4); Black-throated Blue (3); Black-throated Green Warbler (2); Blackburnian Warbler (3); Pine Warbler (4); Prairie Warbler (3); Ovenbird (7); C. Yellowthroat (9); Eastern Towhee (7); Swamp Sparrow (2); Song Sparrow (4); Dark-eyed Junco (1); Red-winged Blackbird (80+ going to roost on phragmite island in north Quabbin); PLUS: Porcupine; zillions of Gray Tree Frogs, Green Frogs, Peepers; Bunchberry; Ladyslippers, et.
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll)
    (photos by Bruce deGraaf)

    6/10/05 -- off Salisbury St., near Park Ave, Worcester
    A PILEATED WOODPECKER passed through here this morning, calling up a storm as well. Though this is certainly rare IN the city of Worcester away from Cascade/Boynton Parks, it is not unprecidented. Shortly after moving here some years back, we had a Pileated also put in a brief appearance. Perhps they are unmated or newly fledged birds looking for territories. (report from Mark Lynch).

    6/10/05 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    The heavy thunderstorms of Wednesday evening caused the Nashua and Still Rivers to overflow and reflood Bolton Flats. This morning in addition to the dozens of killdeer and spotted sandpipers, there were 2 short-billed dowitchers. (report from Bart Kamp).

    6/9/05 -- Gardner Airport, Templeton
    I had a nice visit to the Gardner Airport last evening, a side trip on the way to pick up a milk and ice cream. The following are hilights from 8:30 to about 9PM: American Bittern 1 calling for the marsh at the south end of the runway; American Woodcock 2 heard and seen form the north end of the runway; Whip poor will 1; Horned Lark 3 singing males; Veery 2; Hermit thrush 1; Eastern Towhee 2; Savanah Sparrow 2; White-throated Sparrow 1. Distant but nice view of a woodcock in display flight as it flew across the face of the moon and was sillouetted against the fading brightness of the western sky. (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/9/05 -- Downtown Worcester
    A Peregrine falcon was perched outside of one of our windows on the 17th floor of the Mechanics Tower facing Flagship Bank. Our marketing coordinator had her digital camera and took some pictures of the falcon. They are a little on the dark side because she did not want to use the flash so the bird would not get frightened. (report from Jo-Ann Ferrie).

    6/8/05 -- Gardner Airport, Templeton
    Hilights from the Gardner Airport this evening just before a thunder storm moved in: Killdeer 2; Bank Swallow ~20; Horned Lark 4 ( 3 adults and 1 Juv.); Brown Thrasher 1; Veery 1. (report from Tom Pirro).

    6/6/05 -- Fitchburg
    JP was slightly startled to see this Monk Parakeet perched on the Hummingbird feeder pole and then on the Maple Tree. We live in a very heavily populated part of the city (Cleghorn), and have never seen anything like this! The bird was here today at 8:30 AM and at 4 PM and probably during the day but we were not at home to verify. (report from Cheryl and JP Boissy).

    6/6/05 -- Institute Park, Worcester
    Highlights at noon included a Pied-billed Grebe and a Great-crested Flycatcher. The grebe has been present since June 3. (report from Rick Quimby).

    Here is a photo of the grebe, taken by Richard Johnson on 6/6 at 1 pm.

    6/6/05 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    Highlights of a late morning walk into Bolton Flats were 1 least sandpiper, 8 semi-palmated sandpipers, 1 semi-palmated plover. Feeding with the shorebids were 2 great blue herons and 2 turkey vultures. A barred owl called several times. (report from Bart Kamp).

    6/5/05 -- Monson
    While waiting to give a lecture on "The Birds of Monson" at the Keep Homestead Museum, Monson, we noted the following from only the parking lot from 12:30PM-1PM: Mourning Dove (2); Black-billed Cuckoo (1); Chimney Swift (3); E Wood Peewee (1); E Phoebe (1); Great Crested Flycatcher (1); Red-eyed Vireo (6); Tree Swallow (2); Blue Jay (1); Common Raven (1); Wood Thrush (1); Brown Thrasher (2); A Robin (3); Blue-winged Warbler (1); Chestnut-sided Warbler (1); A Redstart (1); Ovenbird (1); C Yellowthroat (5); Scarlet Tanager (2); Chipping Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (1); Baltimore Oriole (2); A Goldfinch (1); Nota Bene: The Keep Homestead Museum is a very interesting small museum, staffed by volunteers, that is part antique house, part button collection and part natural history site (they have over 75 acres of fields and woods with trails);. It is an especially nice place for birding AND butterflying. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    6/5/05 -- Forbush Bird Club Trip to Barre Falls/Rutland State Park
    16 observers spent the morning at Barre Falls/Rutland State Park and points in between. Weather was warm(70's & 80's), sunny and very little wind, ideal birding weather for a change. 63 avian species and others were observed including 2 state listed species of turtle. Complete trip report here. (report from Peg & Dick Knowlton).

    6/4/05 --Joseph Allen Skinner State Park, Hadley
    Devil's Football, Halfway House, Conglomerate Rock, and Taylor's Notch Trails 4:00 A.M.-10:30 A.M.

    Complete trip narrative and bird list here. (report from Chris Ellison).

    6/4/05 -- Ware River IBA
    The MAS (Broad Meadow Brook); "Birding Western Massachusetts" Class had a "morning only" field trip to the southern section of the Ware River IBA (Rutland, Oakham, Barre et);. We only made a few stops at select locations (including a hike over the three Army Corps of Engineers flood control dikes, where at dawn mosquitoes were FIERCE);. Because we covered so little territory in this IBA numbers are nowhere near as high as when we do one of our point counts. We also spent a good amount of time looking at things that were not birds. Birds numbers seemed lower than typical for some species, and there was NO evidence of any migration: so it was all breeders/all day, but still it was a really GREAT day.

    BIRDS: American Bittern (1); Great Blue Heron (12 still active nests w/16 yng); Turkey Vulture (3); Virginia Rail (4); Killdeer (1); Mourning Dove (14); Black-billed Cuckoo (2); Downy Woodpecker (2); Hairy Woodpecker (2); N Flicker (6); Pileated Woodpecker (pair); E Wood Peewee (6); Alder Flycatcher (7); Willow Flycatcher (2); Least Flycatcher (4); E Phoebe (2); E Kingbird (5); Yellow-throated Vireo (2); Blue-headed Vireo (12); Warbling Vireo (5); Red-eyed Vireo (51); Blue Jay (6); A Crow (2); Common Raven (2); Tree Swallow (32: low); Black-capped Chickadee (21); Tufted Titmouse (12); Red-breasted Nuthatch (8); White-breasted Nuthatch (3); Brown Creeper (16: a higher than typical number: lots of song); Eastern Bluebird (1); Veery (20); Hermit Thrush (9); Wood Thrush (8); A Robin (29); Gray Catbird (14); Brown Thrasher (1: this bird was tossing up leaf litter along a stream in a parcel of dense forest, about the least likely habitat for this species I have seen in MA. This species is very uncommon anyway here, found typically only at the Prison Camp area); E Starling (2 overhead: uncommon species here); Ceadr Waxwing (16);

    Scarlet Tanager (15); E Towhee (17); Chipping Sparrow (37); Field Sparrow (6); Song Sparrow (13); Swamp Sparrow (7); White-throated Sparrow (4); Rose-breasted Grosbeak (11); Bobolink (6); Red-winged Blackbird (120+); C Grackle (30+); Brown-headed Cowbird (15+); Baltimore Oriole (6: low); Purple Finch (1); A Goldfinch (16);

    OTHER STUFF; There was so much happening, you had to look at other stuff. We had (11); species of butterflies including Pine Elfin and Cobweb and Hobomok Skippers; (6); species of ID'd odes, with a real show of newly emerging odes, flying up out of marshes. We even closely watched one large specimen slowly crawl out of it's nymphal form ; (10); species of herps including great LOOKS at Gray Tree Frog in a stunning color pattern; numerous wildflowers like Foamflower, One Flower Cancer Root, Fringed Polygala and Sarsaparilla. Finally great looks at the STATE LISTED BRIDLED SHINER (we did some documentation of this newly discovered population);. It was the kind of day where every where you looked there was something new and interesting to draw your attention.

    Here are some photos taken by Bruce deGraaf during the trip: Virginia Rail
    Hermit Thrush
    Alder Flycatcher
    (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

    6/3/05 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
    Shorebirds at Bolton Flats this afternoon were 1 least sandpiper, 1 solitary sandpiper, 1 greater yellowlegs and 1 semi-palmated plover. (report from Bart Kamp).

    6/3/05 -- Wachusett Mountain Princeton
    I watched a couple of Juncos foraging near the summit, and I could hear a couple more singing. Maybe they breed here? (report from Brian Mulhearn)

    6/3/05 -- Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary, Worcester
    Howard Shainheit and I recorded the following this morning while conducting a point count survey for Mass. Audubon. Complete list: Great Blue Heron (2); Green Heron (3); Mallard (6 + the strange hybrid that has been present all spring); Broad-winged Hawk (1 - on nest); Wild Turkey Virginia Rail (1); Sora (1); Least Sandpiper (1); Mourning Dove (2); YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (1 calling); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); Downy Woodpecker (8); Hairy Woodpecker (1); Northern Flicker (3); Eastern Wood-Pewee (7); Willow Flycatcher (3); Eastern Phoebe (2); Great Crested Flycatcher (4); Eastern Kingbird (5); Warbling Vireo (6); Red-eyed Vireo (6); Blue Jay (11); American Crow (10); Tree Swallow (4); Black-capped Chickadee (6); Tufted Titmouse (14); White-breasted Nuthatch (2); House Wren (1); Eastern Bluebird (2); Wood Thrush (4); American Robin (13); Gray Catbird (20); European Starling (7); Cedar Waxwing (2); Blue-winged Warbler (3); Yellow Warbler (5); Prairie Warbler (2); Ovenbird (1); Common Yellowthroat (11); Scarlet Tanager (9); Eastern Towhee (7); Chipping Sparrow (1); Field Sparrow (1); Song Sparrow (13); Northern Cardinal (9); Roes-breasted Grosbeak (5); Red-winged Blackbird (41); Common Grackle (22); Brown-headed Cowbird (3); Baltimore Oriole (8); House Finch (7); American Goldfinch (12); House Sparrow (10); (report from John Liller).

    6/1/05 -- Bird banding station, Auburn
    Today Gary Hetel captured and banded an Orange Variant Scarlet Tanager. Dr. Larry Reich snapped some photos that I posted on the bird banding web site. (report from Colleen Morin).

    For previous sightings, see May 2005 Archives or Archive Index