June 2010 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:
- 6/25/10 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Clinton
- Alone on 6/22 and with Donna today I checked the loons at Wachusett
Reservoir. From the Clinton Dam I could see 3 and a half pairs of Common
Loons. One pair was near Cunningham Ledge; one pair was near Cemetery Island
and 1.5 pairs were near Prescott Cove. While I was watching all 7 loons
converged in the center of the Reservoir. The loon raft in South Bay and at
Wood Island were occupied; the raft in Prescott Cove and at Cemetery Island
were not occupied.
Non loon highlights were an endlessly calling Yellow-billed Cuckoo at gate
32, a female Black Duck with 4 ducklings near gate 39 and from the Clinton
Dam both young Bald Eagles could be seen stengthening their wings at the
edge of their nest.
(report from Bart Kamp).
- 6/23/10 -- Pine Hill Road, Lancaster
-
This was a great place. I recorded 39 species (* means confirmed breeding) from 8:00-10:15AM, with
highlights:
Great Blue Heron 1;
Killdeer 6 *;
Eastern Kingbird 2;
Warbling Vireo 2;
Red-eyed Vireo 1;
Tree Swallow 4;
Bank Swallow 2;
Barn Swallow 6;
House Wren 1;
Eastern Bluebird 1;
Veery 1;
Brown Thrasher 2;
Yellow Warbler 2;
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1;
Prairie Warbler 9 *;
Black-and-white Warbler 1;
Ovenbird 2;
Common Yellowthroat 6 *;
Eastern Towhee 12 *;
Chipping Sparrow 6 *;
Field Sparrow 4 *;
Vesper Sparrow 2;
Savannah Sparrow 1;
Grasshopper Sparrow 2 * juv. photographed;
Song Sparrow 4 *;
Swamp Sparrow 2;
Scarlet Tanager 3;
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2;
Indigo Bunting 5;
Baltimore Oriole 3 *.
(report from Bob Stymeist).
- 6/23/10 -- Bolton Flats WMA, Bolton
- I recorded 25 species (* means confirmed breeding), with highlights of:
Wood Duck 1;
Broad-winged Hawk 1;
Virginia Rail 2;
Killdeer 2;
Spotted Sandpiper 2;
Willow Flycatcher 1;
Yellow-throated Vireo 2 * (aggitated enough to confirm a nest);
Barn Swallow 2;
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1;
Yellow Warbler 6 *;
Common Yellowthroat 4 *;
Song Sparrow 4 *;
Swamp Sparrow 2;
Scarlet Tanager 1;
Red-winged Blackbird 18 *;
Baltimore Oriole 1.
(report from Bob Stymeist).
- 6/22/10 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
- Here are some sightings from today, seen with Jeff Offermann and Ryan
Schain.
- Pine Hill Road, Bolton (0650-0740):
Hermit Thrush 1;
Brown Thrasher 3;
Prairie Warbler 8 Likely many more;
Field Sparrow 5;
Vesper Sparrow 1 *Local. Possibly two birds, both seen in flight and
then landed, right where the road forks for the first time on the dirt
portion;
Savannah Sparrow 1 Singing at the furthest large short field;
Grasshopper Sparrow 2 *Local. Calling and seen amazingly well at the
furthest short field. Photos at:
www.flickr.com/photos/uropsalis/4725227412;
Indigo Bunting 4.
- Bolton Flats WMA, north side of 117 (0745-0850):
No luck on the COMO or LEBI, but without playback there wasn't much chance.
Wood Duck 2;
American Bittern 1 *Unusual. Awesome look at a bird flying out of
the grassy meadow back into the marsh, surely feeding out there, probably on
frogs;
Great Blue Heron 1;
Virginia Rail 3 Always nice to see these guys;
Sora 1 *Local. Personal FOY;
Spotted Sandpiper 2 Doing a fantastic display flight and display
dance, first time I'd personally seen that;
Willow Flycatcher 3;
Least Flycatcher 1;
Tree Swallow 12;
Bank Swallow 5;
Swamp Sparrow 3.
(report from Ian Davies).
- 6/20/10 -- northeast Quabbin Reservoir
-
Atlasing the northeastern area of Quabbin (GATES 35-39) today, looking
for specific species to upgrade, we had the following:
Common Loon (13 ad+1 1st yr: no chicks. The first year bird was a unique
looking bird with a complete light back of the neck from top of the head to
the back and a darker line running down the midline of the neck on both
sides. When the bird first flew in to feed, quite far out, it briefly looked
like a Red-throated or something else, but close study of bill size, length,
head shape et, proved it was just a very odd looking young Common. Dale
Monette of DCR has reported seeing the same bird);
Great Blue Heron (2);
Canada Goose (flock of 18);
Wood Duck (2adF; 1adM plus 1F w/8yg);
Mallard (3);
Bald Eagle (adult pair on breeding island plus another adult that flew off
from Mount L);
Broad-winged Hawk (1ad+1 just fledged bird that was still learning how to
best use its wings);
Ruffed Grouse (1ad w/3chicks);
Killdeer (1);
Ring-billed Gull (4);
CASPIAN TERN (2ad hanging around and perching on phragmite island, then
feeding around the area);
Mourning Dove (11);
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2);
Belted Kingfisher (2);
Hairy Woodpecker (3);
Pileated Woodpecker (1);
E Wood Peewee (7);
Least Flycatcher (10);
E Phoebe (1);
Yellow-throated Vireo (3);
Blue-headed Vireo (2);
Red-eyed Vireo (55);
Blue Jay (11);
Tree Swallow (18);
Black-capped Chickadee (21);
White-breasted Nuthatch (11);
Veery (26);
Hermit Thrush (8);
A Robin (5);
Gray Catbird (13);
European Starling (1: amazingly, a new atlas species for this block!);
Cedar Waxwing (7);
WARBLERS:
Yellow (6);
Chestnut-sided (22);
Magnolia (1);
Black-throated Blue (19);
Yellow-rumped (8);
Black-throated Green (5);
Blackburnian (3);
Pine (20);
Prairie (10);
Black and White (4);
A Redstart (24);
Ovenbird (32);
C Yellowthroat (26);
Scarlet Tanager (21);
E Towhee (18);
Chipping Sparrow (16);
Field Sparrow (2);
Song Sparrow (4);
White-throated Sparrow (1);
Indigo Bunting (1);
Red-winged Blackbird (48);
Brown-headed Cowqbird (4);
Baltimore Oriole (4);
Purple Finch (3);
PLUS: Mink and an amazing showing of Calico Pennant along the shore.
(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).
- 6/18/10 -- South Douglas
-
I did some "block wrangling" in South Douglas, part of UXBRIDGE 03,
yesterday morning. Highlights included:
Canada Goose (pair with 4 young);
Wood Duck;
Ruby-throated Hummingbird;
Red-bellied Woodpecker;
Downy Woodpecker (including adult feeding young);
Eastern Wood-Pewee;
Eastern Phoebe;
Great Crested Flycatcher;
Eastern Kingbird;
Tree Swallow (including birds entering holes in snags);
Barn Swallow;
Red-breasted Nuthatch;
Brown Creeper (2 singing);
Carolina Wren;
House Wren;
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher;
Veery;
Hermit Thrush;
Wood Thrush;
Cedar Waxwing;
Blue-winged Warbler;
Yellow Warbler;
Black-throated Green Warbler;
Pine Warbler;
Prairie Warbler;
American Redstart;
Ovenbird;
Northern Waterthrush;
Common Yellowthroat (including female carrying food);
Scarlet Tanager;
Eastern Towhee;
Northern Cardinal (including immature with adults);
Indigo Bunting;
Baltimore Oriole;
Purple Finch;
(report from John Liller).
- 6/16/10 -- Upper Charles Trail, Milford
-
My wife, Kim Kastler, and I took a walk on the Upper Charles Trail in
Milford, part of [Breeding Bird Survey block] MILFORD 12, this morning.
Highlights included:
Canada Goose (2 pairs, one with 4 young);
Wood Duck (2 females with young);
Killdeer;
Spotted Sandpiper (3 adults);
Eastern Phoebe;
Eastern Kingbird (pair);
Yellow-throated Vireo;
Warbling Vireo;
Red-eyed Vireo;
Carolina Wren;
House Wren;
Cedar Waxwing;
Yellow Warbler;
Pine Warbler;
American Redstart;
Ovenbird;
Scarlet Tanager;
Indigo Bunting;
Brown-headed Cowbird;
Baltimore Oriole.
BLOCK TOTALS: 70 Species, 88% Probable+Confirmed => COMPLETED BLOCK!
(report from John Liller).
- 6/14/10 -- Uxbridge
-
I recorded the following highlights this morning while "block wrangling"
in the UXBRIDGE 02 block of the Breeding Bird Survey.
Canada Goose (adults w/ young);
Mallard (female w/ young);
Cooper's Hawk;
Chimney Swift;
Belted Kingfisher;
Eastern Wood-Pewee (including two birds agitated by a Blue Jay in their
territory);
Eastern Phoebe;
Great Crested Flycatcher;
Eastern Kingbird;
Warbling Vireo;
Red-eyed Vireo;
Carolina Wren;
House Wren;
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher;
Veery;
Wood Thrush;
Yellow Warbler;
Pine Warbler;
Prairie Warbler;
Black-and-white Warbler (including bird carrying food);
American Redstart;
Ovenbird;
Common Yellowthroat;
Scarlet Tanager;
Eastern Towhee;
Field Sparrow;
Song Sparrow;
Rose-breasted Grosbeak;
Baltimore Oriole;
(report from John Liller).
- 6/12/10 -- Upton
-
I recorded the following highlights this morning while "block wrangling"
in the Peppercord
Hill area of Upton, part of [Breeding Bird Survey] MILFORD 11.
Hairy Woodpecker;
Northern Flicker;
Pileated Woodpecker (1 calling briefly);
Eastern Wood-Pewee;
Eastern Phoebe;
Eastern Kingbird;
Yellow-throated Vireo;
Red-eyed Vireo;
Barn Swallow;
Carolina Wren;
Cedar Waxwing;
Blue-winged Warbler;
Yellow Warbler;
Pine Warbler;
Prairie Warbler;
Ovenbird (including a very agitated pair);
Common Yellowthroat;
Scarlet Tanager;
Eastern Towhee;
Rose-breasted Grosbeak;
Indigo Bunting;
Brown-headed Cowbird;
Baltimore Oriole;
(report from John Liller).
- 6/9/10 -- Grafton
-
I had not seen any activity in my owl box from late February [see 2/19/10 post] until mid May,
when the blue jays started mobbing the box again. I took this photo of a
baby screech owl a couple of weeks ago. The bird has since fledged and I haven't
seen any sign since.
(report and photo from Scott Jordan).
- 6/9/10 -- downtown Worcester
-
Three of the Peregrine Falcon Chicks have fledged and spending most of
their time flying in the immediate area of the nest box at the Unum
Building. The other chick appears to have fallen off of the ledge this
past weekend and is at Tufts University where it has both a fracture in
its mandible and hip. I will provide more details as I get them.
(report from Kimberly Allen).
- 6/6/10 -- Bolton Flat, Bolton
-
While I "missed" the Least Bittern, recently reported from Bolton
Flats, I did hear several other marsh bird species this evening
both before and after an early evening rain storm, including
Pied-billed Grebe 1 calling, American Bittern 1 calling, Sora,
Virginia Rail 2, Common Moorhen 1 and Marsh Wren 2. A nice surprise
was a singing Yellow-bellied Flycatcher just north of the "stream
crossing" (now dried up) north of the parking area off rte 117. I
heard this bird on my way in, but not on the way out, I did hear one
Least Flycatcher in the area too. As previously mentioned hip are
most helpful to get into some areas. Long gone are the days when Bart
Kamp used to carry in a lawn chair to hawkwatch from the near the
round farm pond where he rescently found the Least Bittern!
(report from Tom Pirro).
- 6/6/10 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre
-
Highlights of the Forbush Bird Club trip included a Brown Creeper that was
apparently nesting somewhere close by giving us some very close up looks and
the recently fledged Common Ravens that were very raucous and hungry as they
begged noisily for food. Here is the
complete list of the 41 species seen or heard.
(report from Dick Knowlton fide Joan Gallagher).
- 6/5/10 -- South Quabbin Park, Quabbin Reservoir
-
Highlights of the Forbush Bird Club trip included a Pileated Woodpecker and 10
species of warblers, including Cerulean. Here is the
complete list of the 55 species seen or heard.
(report from Susan LaBree fide Joan Gallagher).
- 6/3/10 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
-
Following up on Bart Kamp's post about the Least Bittern, I went to Bolton
Flats and got a couple of pictures
(
image 1|
image 2). As Bart mentions, hip boots are
required and it is not an easy spot to get to.
(report and photos from Alan Marble).
- 6/3/10 -- Whitensville
-
At 3:25 today while heading to Walmart in Whitensville I had 9 Vultures over
by the wooded area west of the parking lot pulled in and started glassing
them, to find one to be a BLACK VULTURE. I had a good 2-3 minute look at these
birds before they slowly drifted off to the south. This bird appears to be
the same bird seen at the bike path Saturday by Bart Kamp and myself, as this
bird had a number of missing flight feathers from both wings. Also had a
coopers hawk being mobbed by house sparrows .
(report from Michael Joubert).
- 6/2/10 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
- This morning Donna Schilling and I waded down the trail that goes to the
right at the end of the trail from the Route 117 parking lot. Hip boots are
required. There were 3 o r 4 Virginia Rails and the Pied-billed Grebe was
calling while we were there. On the east side of the farm pond is a beaver
lodge. North of the beaver lodge is an area of cattails. A LEAST BITTERN
flew in and landed along the edge of the cattails. We watched it for
several minutes until it disappeared into the cattails. We also saw an
Orchard Oriole singing in the trees at the east end of the farm pond.
(report from Bart Kamp).
- 6/1/10 -- Webster Square, Worcester
-
I saw an Osprey flying over the Webster Square area of Worcester near Curtis
Pond (intersection of Main St and Stafford St) this morning at
11:45 AM. Being a little late for migrants, perhaps there is an osprey
nest in the vicinity?
(report from Phil Guerin).
- 6/1/10 -- downtown Worcester
-
The Dept of Fish & Wildlife will NOT be doing the banding today in
downtown Worcester due to the size of the young falcons and fear they
will fall off the nesting platform.
Also, Emily was able to see a fourth chick today. It is much bigger
than the other three so there are definitely FOUR healthy Peregrine
Falcons this year.
(report from Kimberly Allen).
For previous sightings, see
May 2010 Archives or
Archive Index
