June 2011 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:
- 6/30/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston
- I went out to check on the status of the Wood Island/Tohanto Point Loon
platform at the Wachusett Reservoir this morning. I found the two adult
Loons and a single chick, swimming in the Kendall Cove "nursery" area. I
only saw one chick.
(report from Richard Beaudreau).
- 6/28/11 -- Wachusett Meadow Sanctuary, Princeton
- On
The 46th annual Forbush Bird Club
breeding bird census at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary was conducted
under conditions that were less than
ideal, resulting in low overall numbers. However, in spite of the conditions
there were some interesting sightings and surprisingly the establishment of
4 new record highs. Indigo bunting, Chipping sparrow and Red-winged
blackbird all exceeded their previous records by 1 bird. Pine warblers (11)
more than doubled their previous high of 5 which was recorded in'08, the
year of the last census. Most significant, however, the return of the
Prairie warbler after a 14 year absence. The Brown Hill management project
must be having an impact. Also of interest was the recording of a Willow
flycatcher, only the 7th record for the survey, and a Red-bellied woodpecker
for the 4th time. There were no new species recorded this year. Some
noteable misses included Hooded merg, several resident raptors due to
weather, Warbling vireo, Winter wren and both waterthrushes. Also
Nashville and Magnolia warbler, probably a sign of evolving habitats.
Here is the
detailed trip report.
(report from Dick Knowlton)
- 6/28/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston
-
I checked on the loon chicks on the Rt 140 side of Wachusett Reservoir
around 6pm today, and the 2 were frolicking about and being fed by
both parents. They were in South Bay and were seen from the old road on the
south shore.
(report from Jean Holm).
- 6/26/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston
- This morning at 7 AM I went to South Bay at the Wachusett Reservoir
to verify that the adult loon was still sitting on the nesting platform.
(I hadn't checked on the nest for several days.) I looked at the nest and
saw
that it was empty, and that no loons were visible in the area. Then I went to a
different vantage point and was very pleasantly surprised to see the
two
adult
loons swimming with two chicks! They had relocated to their "nursery" area
on
the other side of the very long shrubby island, away from Route 140.
(report and photo from Richard Beaudreau).
- 6/25/11 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
-
The
adult Little Blue Heron reported by Jessica Johnson was still at
Sterling Peat this morning at 11 a.m.
(report and photo from Alan Marble).
- 6/20/11 -- Sterling Peat, Sterling
-
I happened to stop by Sterling Peat today from about 8:20 - 9:00am.
There was an adult Little blue heron present. It was walking along the bank
and then perched on the snags in the pond. I was able to get this
photo.
(report and photo from Jessica Johnson).
- 6/18/11 -- Princeton
- A Northern bobwhite was calling in my backyard this morning (report
from Larry Pistrang)
- 6/17/11 -- Lancaster
-
I took this
picture of a Yellow crowned night heron
today in my backyard.
(report from Robert Lavergne).
- 6/15/11 -- Westminster
-
This afternoon a Black Vulture passed high over my back deck, headed north.
Its white wing tip pattern and ridiculously short tail on an all black bird
could be seen as it was gliding northward.
By the time I ran in the house and returned with the camera...it was too
late for a photo.
(report from Tom Pirro).
- 6/11/11 -- Dudley
-
I just saw what appeared to be a Bald Eagle fly over my house in Dudley. It
was flying pretty low so I got a good look at it and saw its very white head
and it looked huge ! I am not far from the Quabbin Resevoir and it could
have just come from there but it flew towards the woods going into Ardlock
Acres trails. (report from Sharlene North).
- 6/8/11 -- Paxton
- These pictures
(photo 1|
photo 2)
were taken by Chris DeVico today at a feeder in Paxton. Pretty sure it's a Saffron
Finch. Don't see too many of those around. [ed. note: see
Wikipedia reference].
(report from Colleen Morin).
- 6/7/11 -- Pinehill Road, Lancaster
-
Early this morning I saw a Grasshopper Sparrow calling from a signpost. He
had a green tag and a red one on one leg and a silver tag on the other leg.
One Vesper Sparrow landed on the ground near me while I was watching the
Grasshopper Sparrow and it provided great looks. On the way back I heard
another Vesper Sparrow singing.
(report from Peter Morlock)
- 6/7/11 -- Buffumville Lake, Oxford
- This morning on the southern section of Buffumville Lake, on the
Eastern shore, about halfway down the shore we came upon a
Barred
Owl,
and in the water close by was a DC
Cormorant (photo 1|
photo 2).
(report from Brian Mulhearn)
- 6/5/11 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre
-
The Forbush Bird Club trip to Barre Falls
Dam, in the Ware River Watershed IBA, resulted
in a total of 65 species recorded.
Here is the
detailed trip report.
(report from Dick Knowlton)
- 6/5/11 -- Wachusett Reservoir, Clinton
- I was checking out swamps with dead trees in the Wachusett Reservoir area
early this afternoon and found an
Osprey nest. This nest had been occupied
by Great Blue Herons for the past 3 or 4 years. Later in the afternoon from
gate 40, there was a Common Tern perched on a reddish buoy.
(report and photo from Bart Kamp).
- 6/4/11 -- Quabbin Park, Quabbin Reservoir
- Highlights of a Forbush Bird Club morning trip to Quabbin Park and
McLaughlin Fish Hatchery were:
Bald Eagle observed with 2 about to fledge, young still in
nest; Hooded Merg observed with 10 young; Homing/Racing Pigeon (banded legs)
also observed at Goodenough Dike.
Here is the
detailed trip report of the 70 species recorded.
(report from Paul Meleski)
- 6/3/11 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton
-
Seen on a morning trip to Bolton Flats today with Donna Schilling were: 2
Semipalmated Plovers, 1 Greater Yellowlegs and 1 White-rumped Sandpiper;
heard were 1 Common Moorhen and 1 Marsh Wren.
(report from Bart Kamp).
For previous sightings, see
May 2011 Archives or
Archive Index