March 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:

• 3/26/05 -- Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge opens to the public
• 3/29/05 -- 10-week class: Birds of Massachusetts (Mass Audubon)
• 4/3/05 -- Radio Program: Mark Lynch interviews Donald Kroodsma on birdsong

Bird Sightings:

3/31/05 -- Upper Church Street, Petersham / Taylor Hill and Jackson Roads, Hardwick

I squint into the sun, nudging my pruning shears higher into the graceful arc of new growth. A cascade of apple suckers falls gently to earth, revealing more of an icy blue sky materializing from the softening, depthless purple of the night sky fading with the sunrise. My boots, caked with a gently pungent pudding of chocolate mud, descend slowly from the height of the ageless ladder. I realize I am not the only one relishing this morning, permeated by a dull riot of icterids streaming steadily overhead. Banking effortlessly into the rapidly shifting winds, they alight noiselessly amongst the forlorn, haggard branches of the hickories and oaks lining the road, struck dumb by the brilliance of prolonged sunshine. Their feathered shapes are in ceaseless motion, and I succumb to my desire to investigate them in earnest.

Bringing optics to bear on the glossy tumult shifting from tree to tree reveals a broad assortment of Common Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Starlings, and a characteristically paltry number of Rusty Blackbirds. The resident Red-tailed Hawk looks on, unperturbed by the cacophony.

Waterfowl ply the air with a boisterous grace and purpose, drawn by the steady pull of biology, eagerly seeking out and exploiting the meager but rapidly expanding areas of open water. Their stalwart shapes muscle through the buffeting winds on their way elsewhere, or alight upon the variegated ripples of the beaver pond. Several Gadwall land abruptly. Their feeding commences with a peripatetic bobbing of anvil-gray mandibles and aristocratically peaked foreheads. This soon gives way to their heads plunging completely beneath the water^Òs surface, savoring the succulent vegetation flourishing just out of view. Six Common Mergansers noiselessly glide by, their incandescent white sides a startling contrast to the sere brown and gray of the beaver pond shoreline.

An elegant pair of Fox Sparrows methodically probes the soggy leaf litter. Their russet-tinged heads intermittently snap to attention, their curiosity seemingly piqued by the emphatic, staccato call of a distant Carolina Wren. The plaintive cries of Wood Ducks fill the air, a remote corner of the pond erupting into motion as they hurl themselves aloft, taking advantage of the potent northwest wind which also propels a flock of vocal Canada Geese steadily eastward.

I decide to follow. Exiting my car at my next destination, my gaze is drawn downwards towards the steady stream of meltwater carving its way along the ebony sheen of asphalt. My gaze alights upon a peculiar aubergine coloration haphazardly stretching its way along the edge of a snow bank. Closer examination reveals it to be a concentration of Snow Fleas. My eyes follow them to the edge of a stone wall, their irregular movements to the very edge of the receding snow and back resembling an inkblot incapable of deciding whether it wants to defy gravity, dripping out of sight off the icy edge.

My attention is drawn away by three disembodied black, tan, and white shapes skittering along the pockmarked ground. Moments later, a trio of Killdeer materialize in my scope, exploiting the newly-softened earth of a farmer's cornfield. They zig-zag crazily away, taking flight at the wind's urging. The earth's surface becomes a kaleidoscope of alternating patches of sun and shade, the outlines of cumulus clouds overhead racing over the ground. The clouds' shapes balloon and darken as they collide with the outlines of the trees and shrubs at the field's periphery. The sun emerges again, revealing a quartet of Eastern Bluebirds clinging tenaciously to the stark branches of a distant birch. Realizing I have become overly transfixed by their azure outlines, I glance at my watch, stow my gear, and reluctantly chart a course taking me home, and, eventually, to work.

Complete list: American Goldfinch 6; American Robin 24; Black Duck 3; Brown Creeper 2; Brown-headed Cowbird 75; Canada Goose 14; Carolina Wren 1; Cedar Waxwing 4; Chipping Sparrow 5; Common Grackle 276; Common Merganser 6; Dark-eyed Junco 1; Downy Woodpecker 2; Eastern Bluebird 4; Fox Sparrow 2; Gadwall 7; Gray Catbird 1; Great Blue Heron 2; Great Horned Owl 1; Green-winged Teal 3; Hairy Woodpecker 1; Hooded Merganser 7; Killdeer 3; Mallard 2; Northern Cardinal 1; Northern Mockingbird 1; Northern Pintail 2; Pileated Woodpecker 1; Red-bellied Woodpecker 1; Red-tailed Hawk 1; Red-winged Blackbird 52; Rock Pigeon 63; Rusty Blackbird 5; Song Sparrow 3; Starling 127; Tree Sparrow 8; Turkey Vulture 4; White-breasted Nuthatch 5; Wood Duck 5. (report from Chris Ellison).

3/31/05 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre

Raptors migrating today:

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Species            Day's Count    Month Total   Season Total
------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
Black Vulture                0              0              0
Turkey Vulture               3             13             13
Osprey                       1              2              2
Bald Eagle                   1              5              5
Northern Harrier             2              2              2
Sharp-shinned Hawk           3             18             18
Cooper's Hawk                0              9              9
Northern Goshawk             1              1              1
Red-shouldered Hawk          4             12             12
Broad-winged Hawk            0              0              0
Red-tailed Hawk              9            106            106
Rough-legged Hawk            0              0              0
Golden Eagle                 0              0              0
American Kestrel             0              1              1
Merlin                       2              2              2
Peregrine Falcon             0              1              1
Unknown                      0              3              3

Total:                      26            175            175
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Observations: Our first harriers and merlins. The Bald Eagle was an adult. Also, 2 Great Cormorants heading north. (report from Bart Kamp).

3/31/05 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton

I went out to Bolton Flats this morning with a group from Drumlin Farm to look for the Barnacle Goose. We had a tip from a birder we met in Lincoln as to the current location. It was NORTH of Rte 117 and west of the usual parking. We went in the gate for the garden plots. We walked to the right, crossing a stream, heading toward a birder with scope. The birder was David Sibley and he showed us where the goose was. [ed: see note below] It was definately a scope bird and seemed to face away from us much of the time. I got a good look at it, but didn't get a good look at the hybrid which was with it. (report from Laura Lane).

Note added by David Sibley (from Massbird):
I went to Bolton Flats this morning [3/31] and saw the Barnacle Goose north of Route 117 as others have reported. The hybrid that Mark Lynch saw last night was always within about 20 feet of the Barnacle and often much closer, they are clearly staying close together and I did not notice any other birds associating with them. The hybrid is a classic Barnacle x Canada by plumage (limited white on forehead, dark gray-brown breast, etc) but it is larger than the Barnacle and nearly as large as the Canadas. Other hybrids I have seen in the US have been small, and must have involved smaller geese, presumably B. h. hutchinsii now known as Cackling Goose, which is about the same size as Barnacle. So it is interesting that this hybrid is apparently the result of a Barnacle x Large Canada cross.

Also interesting is that from what I could see the hybrid is an adult (although so far away that I couldn t be sure of the age) and the two birds acted like a mated pair, not a family unit. In other words this Barnacle Goose might not be the parent of the hybrid, and the two may have found each other by chance (or may have escaped together from a waterfowl collection).

None of this means much in the debate over origin of the birds. Large Canada Geese have recently been nesting and increasing in southern Greenland, so the potential for natural hybridization exists. Either way it s an interesting bird.

Note added from Bart Kamp (3/31): I took the attached picture on Tuesday when I found THE goose. I aimed the digital camera through the end of the telescope and by dumb luck the picture came out.

Note added from Barry Van Dusen:

I sketched the Barnacle Goose at Bolton Flats on Wednesday (3/30) afternoon, at the same time Mark Lynch and Tom Pirro were present. I got poor looks, (and did not sketch) the hybrid goose that was found nearby. At the time I was there the two birds were in the same vacinity but not side-by-side.

3/31/05 -- Westboro Ponds

This morning one of the Ospreys showed up on their nest at Mill Pond. The Great Horned Owl was still on its nest but seemed to be agitated and was looking around alot. Also there were 9 Ring-necks, 2 Bufflehead, 1 C. Goldeneye, 7 H. Mergansers, 8 Wood Ducks and about a half dozen Tree Swallows. For mammals: 1 mink and a muskrat. Also in the lower retention pond at Westboro Reservoir, the Ring-necked Ducks now number 54. Along with a pair of C. Mergs that have been there all week. (report from Nickilas Paulson).

3/30/05 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton

We went out to look for the BARNACLE GOOSE that Barton Kamp found at Bolton Flats yesterday, also seen by Fran McMenemy. The flats are very flooded and birds have to be scoped from small pulloffs along the very busy Rt. 117. We were joined by Barry van Dusen and Tom Pirro. Totals from 4:30-6PM were: Canada Goose (643) BARNACLE GOOSE (1: nicely seen and studied on the south side of the road. We had to view it though from the pulloff for gardens on the north side. While we were studying the bird, I found ANOTHER bird that at first look seemed to be a BarnacleXCanada hybrid. Our views of this bird were quite obscured by looking through bushes. Barry, who only caught it briefly, thought it MIGHT be a Canada variant with a white forehead, illustrated in Sibley's. In later conversations with Fran, he felt that it was most likely a BarnacleXCanada, also shown in Sibley's. He had clear views of both birds next to each other.)

If you go looking for the Barnacle Goose, please realize your parking options are very limited along a road (Rt. 117) that is very busy and is a dangerous stretch of road to drive slow on and walk along.

You will be looking in an area WEST of the intersection of RT. 110 and Rt.117 in between the "usual" parking lot for Bolton Flats (now flooded and unusable) and the small bridge over the Nashua River. The Barnacle and the hybrid were seen among a large flock of geese and ducks on the SOUTH side of the road (to your left when driving west from Rt. 110 and 117 Intersection). There is a small (2 car) pulloff to the gardens on your right (North). We parked here and scoped from here across the road and had great views of the Barnacle. Just a bit down the road there is another puloff on the left (South). This is where Fran had the bird Tuesday night. But the bird was further east Wednesday and not visible from the pulloff. The fields are VERY wet and muddy, and even you have wellies, caution is advised because you could get mired pretty easily. If you are not sure of the places, make a pass once in your car to check out where these palces are. PULL COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD.

Wood Duck (53); Gadwall (2); Green-winged Teal (32); Mallard (262); A Black Duck (60); N Pintail (2); Ring-necked Duck (18); Red-tailed Hawk (3); Killdeer (2); Ring-billed Gull (330+ feeding on earthworms, most AdS); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

Note added from Bruce deGraaf: For reference purposes I posted two pictures of a Canada Goose with the forehead plumage variation described by Sibley. I photographed this bird on Saturday, 3/26, at Institute Park in Worcester. I believe that a Barnacle x Canada Goose would be very similar but have a smaller bill. These pictures can be seen at the following addresses:
picture 1| picture 2

3/30/05 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre

Raptors migrating today: Turkey Vulture 3 ; Osprey 1 ; Bald Eagle 1 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 ; Cooper's Hawk 2 ; Red-shouldered Hawk 1 ; Red-tailed Hawk 10 ; American Kestrel 1 .
Observations: The first Osprey and Kestrel of the season. The Bald Eagle was and adult. The pair of Bluebirds and 3 Tree Swallows inspected the nest boxes. 8 Killdeer flew by. The first butterfly a Mourning Cloak was seen. (report from Bart Kamp).

3/30/05 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton

This morning Joan Zumpfe an I went to Bolton Flats to see the Barnacle Goose. We found it, still on the South side of Rt. 117. Unfortunately we found it in association with another small goose that was obviously a Barnacle X Canada Goose hybrid. This second goose is very similar to the one pictured in Sibley's Guide. The original goose is still a very good example of a Barnacle Goose but its wild origin is seriously in doubt.

The Great Horned Owl is still on its nest at SuAsCo in Westboro. No sign of the Ospreys yet.

A pair of Blue-winged Teal was at Leesville Pond today. (report from Fran McMenemy).

3/30/05 -- Institute Park, Worcester

Highlights at noon included 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 7 Hooded and 11 Common Mergansers. (report from Rick Quimby).

3/29/05 -- Bolton Flats, Bolton

The corn fields on both sides of route 117 at Bolton Flats are under water. There were 100's of ducks and geese there. On the south side at the turn off just east of the bridge there was an adult BARNACLE GOOSE. I know inland sightings of them are suspected escapees; but this one sure looked wild swimming with the dozens of Canada Geese in the flooded corn field in fresh plumage. The only uncommon duck there was a pair of Gadwall. Other waterfowl were Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, Blacks, Mallards and Ringnecks. (report from Bart Kamp).

3/29/05 -- Institute Park, Worcester

Birds of note at noon included 3 Hooded and 11 Common Mergansers. Perhaps the most remarkable sighting, however, was clear signs of beaver activity, including gnawed and downed trees (freshly cut), and the (apparent) beginning of a dam across the inlet stream that goes around the island. If this continues, it could get quite interesting. (report from Rick Quimby).

3/29/05 -- Grafton

This morning at Grafton Conservation Area Miscoe Brook I had my first Phoebe and my first Field Sparrow of the year, both singing. Also 5 Bluebirds on Soap Hill Road. The biggest surprise was seen while driving home on North Street in Upton a 1/4 mile from Westboro Rd. Two Hummingbirds flew in front of my car. I could not make out which species while driving but this is extremely early for Ruby-throated, so I don't know for sure except that they where definitely Hummers. (report from Nickilas Paulson).

3/27/05 Ramshorn Pond, Millbury

This morning a lone Tree Swallow was seen flying over the frozen pond. It did rest on our nesting box which has been successful for the past 2 years fledging Tree Swallows. Good sign of Spring! (report from Dan & Deb Berard)

3/27/05 -- Blackstone National Corridor

To check out the "lay of the land" (or in this case: "water"); in preparation for next weekend's Corridor-wide waterbird census, Sheila and I censused several ponds and waterways in several sections of the Corridor both in MA and RI. Most inland ponds and lakes are STILL mostly ice-covered, though I expect this to dramatically change with this week's predicted rains. Along oxbows of rivers and at the southern end of the Corridor, water was open.

FISHERVILLE POND, GRAFTON MA: this area was mostly open, but edges were icy. ALSO: the short stretch of dirt road to the overlook of the oxbow (as opposed to the boat launch); looks like it will be extremely muddy after rain. Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (462); Mallard (152); A Black Duck (14); Ring-necked Duck (13); Hooded Merganser (4); Common Merganser (10); Killdeer (3); PLUS: as we pulled into the oxbow overlook a large EASTERN COYOTE just stood there and checked us out for a few minutes before continuing hunting along the shore.

WHITIN POND, UXBRIDGE MA: 85% ice FREE Canada Goose (2); Wood Duck (6); Mallard (6); Ring-necked Duck (53); Hooded Merganser (4); Common Merganser (6);

RICE CITY POND, UXBRIDGE MA: we checked from the road only. Surprsingly few ducks. 99% ice FREE Mallard (2); A Black Duck (2); Hooded Merganser (4); Common Merganser (2);

DIAMOND HILL/ARNOLD'S MILLS RESERVOIRS, CUMBERLAND RI: 95% still ice COVERED. Mute Swan (2 standing on ice); Canada Goose (23: most on ice); Common Goldeneye (11 in small open area); Common Merganser (8: ditto); Red-tailed Hawk (1);

CENTRAL POND/TURNER RESERVOIR EAST PROVIDENCE RI: almost completely ice FREE Great Cormorant (7); Mute Swan (16); Canada Goose (17); Mallard (25); A Black Duck (2); Ring-necked Duck (104); Lesser Scaup (57); Greater Scaup (10); Bufflehead (5); Hooded Merganser (4); Common Merganser (65); Ruddy Duck (12); A Coot (1); Fish Crow (7);

SEEKONK RIVER, E. PROVIDENCE-PROVIDENCE RI: since only last week, the numbers of most specie shave fallen, including numbers of gulls. Great Cormorant (9); Double-crested Cormorant (1); Mute Swan (53); Canada Goose (7); A Wigeon (2); Mallard (39); A Black Duck (79); Lesser Scaup (1); Greater Scaup (10); Bufflehead (119); Common Goldeneye (27); Common Merganser (7); Red-breasted Merganser (11); OSPREY (2 at nest); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Ring-billed Gull (245); Herring Gull (71); Great Black-backed Gull (19); Red-bellied Woodpecker (1); PLUS: Harbor Seals: (2); lolling on old timbers off Bold Point.

WOONSOCKET RESERVOIR, SMITHFIELD: This important body of water was 99% ice COVERED, but we had the bizarre sighting of (12); Great Blue Herons standing on the ice. (2); Killdeers were at the horse farm. PLUS: (2); Mourning Cloaks, my first butterflies in New England this year. One was spotted flitting across the ice covered reservoir. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

3/27/05 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre

Raptors migrating today: Turkey Vulture 3 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 7 ; Cooper's Hawk 4 ; Red-shouldered Hawk 2 ; Red-tailed Hawk 7 ; (report from Bart Kamp).

3/27/05 -- Asnebumskit Hill, Paxton

At the Heron Rookery, the Herons are finally on their nests, with almost all of the 25 nests occupied by 1 or 2 Great Blue Herons. They arrived here about 2 and a half weeks later than last year, most likely due to the lingering winter conditions. The beaver pond where the Rookery is located is still 95% ice covered, and over the winter, 6 nests fell from the trees. The Ravens are nesting on the tower at the summit again.
Also, at Leesville Pond, All Faiths Cemetery, there was a new arrival on the pond, Susan Sachs pointed out a Ruddy Duck. A couple other new arrivals were the pair of Killdeer, and an Eastern Phoebe. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

3/26/05 -- Forbush Bird Club Brookfields Trip

The Forbush Bird Club held a trip in the Brookfields. Rodney Jenkins met 11 club members at Lake Quaboag, and from there we went to Slab City, Coy Brook, Brookfield Station, Wickaboag Pond and West Brookfield Station. The locations mentioned were about 90% frozen. The weather was very calm and comfortable in the mid-40's. The highlight involved observing the adult pair of Bald Eagles arranging their new nest. Other highlights were the large numbers of Ring-necked Ducks and Common Mergansers, and a Northern Harrier on Route 9.
Complete trip list here (report from Joan Zumpfe).

3/26/05 -- Greenbriar/Hodges Village Dam, Oxford

Highlights on a hike thru Greenbriar and the Hodges Village Dam: Great Blue Heron (1), Common Merganser (6), Hooded Merganser (22), Wood Duck (8), Green Wing Teal (2), Ring Neck Duck (1), Hairy Woodpecker (1), Brown Creeper (1), (report from Michael Walker).

3/26/05 -- Notre Dame Cemetery/Flint Pond, Worcester/Grafton

There were 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL at Notre Dame. At Flint Pond I saw 4 N.Pintail, 8 Green- winged Teal, 18 Wood Duck, 56 Ring- neck Duck, 17 Common Goldeneye, 2 Bufflehead, 22 Common Merganser, and 3 Hooded Merganser. (report from John Shea).

3/26/05 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre

Raptors migrating today: Turkey Vulture 2 ; Bald Eagle 1 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 ; Red-shouldered Hawk 2 ; Red-tailed Hawk 21 ; Observations: Redtails flying high against the bright blue sky. Also, 9 Ravens, 1 Bluebird checking out the nest box, 1 Tree Swallow. (report from Bart Kamp).

3/26/05 -- Institute Park & Leesville Pond, Worcester

I spent a couple of hours on a beautiful Saturday afternoon birding Institute Park and Leesville Pond (Swedish Cemetery); in Worcester. Highlights:

Institute Park: Great Blue Heron (2); Hooded Mergansers(2 males); Mute Swan (2);

Leesville Pond Ring-necked Duck (1 pair); Hooded Merganser (3 pairs); Common Merganser (28 mostly males); Bufflehead (2); Wood Duck (1 pair); Canada Geese (18+); Black Duck (1 pair); (report from Bruce deGraaf).

2/26/05 -- New Braintree/Westboro/Grafton

We started this morning owling at a few spots in the WARE RIVER WATERSHED IBA. Owling was extremely slow and we heard only: Great Horned Owl (1); N. Saw-whet Owl (1).

Then we birded along some of the fields of NEW BRAINTREE from just before dawn. Canada Goose (1); Hooded Merganser (1 flyover); BROAD-WINGED HAWK (1ad: we found this bird perched near New Braintree Center and watched it for awhile. Then it flew, perched again and then flew again low and to the south. This is an EXETREMELY early record for this species in spring, but not a state record, which according to Peterson and Veit is MARCH 23 1975 in Boxboro.); Wild Turkey (3, including two toms in full display); A Woodcock (3: along streams. The fields were pretty frozen and our starting temp here this morning was 18 degrees); Red-bellied Woodpecker (2); A Tree Sparrow (53); Song Sparrow (58); Dark-eyed Junco (62); N Cardinal (42); Red-winged Blackbird (61); C Grackle (16); E Meadowlark (2);

We briefly stopped by SuAsCo in Westboro and found the GREAT HORNED OWL still on the nest, plus: Mallard (4);. The water was still 95% ice covered.

We hiked around the WESTBORO WMA and had: Wood Duck (11); Mallard (30); A Black Duck (9); Hooded Merganser (5); Red-tailed Hawk (1); Killdeer (3); A Robin (105); Gray Catbird (1); N Mockingbird (4); A Tree Sparrow (20); Song Sparrow (40); Dark-eyed Junco (18); N Cardinal (13); Red-winged Blackbird (160+); C Grackle (50+); Rusty Blackbird (4); Nota bene: Chauncy Lake and Little Chauncy Pond were still 95+% ice covered.

BARTLETT POND, NORTHBORO was also 98% ice covered but still had 2 PAIR of Mute Swans on the ice.

We then birded around the Sudbury Reservoir in Southboro. The reservoir proper was still 96% frozen and most of the ducks were in areas of feeder streams or near where the Assabet River runs into the reservoir: Canada Goose (49); Mallard (11); Ring-necked Duck (2); Bufflehead (3m); Hooded Merganser (7); Common Merganser (3); Red-tailed Hawk (2);

Finally, we birded FLINT POND, GRAFTON off Creeper Hill Road. Here it was a BONANZA plain and simple: Pied-billed Grebe (2); Mute Swan (4); Canada Goose (8); Wood Duck (19); Gadwall (3); Green-winged Teal (8); Mallard (43); A Black Duck (53); N Pintail (3); Ring-necked Duck (81); Bufflehead (4); Common Goldeneye (25); Hooded Merganser (6); Common Merganser (253);
Which indicates watefowl are trying to migrate and are only finding a few small open araes of water inland.
(report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

3/25/05 -- Lake Ripple, Grafton

Recorded on a walk around Lake Ripple in Grafton this evening: 11 Hooded Mergansers (3 male, 8 female), 13 Ring-necked Ducks (8 male, 5 female), 8 pairs of Mallards, 1 pair of Canada Geese, 1 Hermit Thrush, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, lots of robins, chickadees, and starlings, 4 beavers. (report from Elliott Garber).

3/25/05 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre

Raptors migrating today: Bald Eagle 2 ; Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 ; Red-tailed Hawk 14 ; Observations: Both eagles were adults (report from Bart Kamp).

3/25/05 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester

There were: 23 Common Mergansers, 3 Buffleheads, 2 Hooded Mergansers, 10 Wood Ducks, 2 Black Ducks, 7 Ring-necked Ducks, 5 Green-winged Teals, 2 Mute Swans, Juncos, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Song Sparrows, and Robins. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

3/23/05 -- Mill Pond, Westboro

This Morning at Mill pond in Westboro there were 2 Hooded Mergansers, 11 Wood Ducks (on the marsh side of the train bridge), and also 1 Tree Swallow flying around near the heron nests above the still mostly frozen pond. It's a strange sight to see a swallow flittering along the ice. (report from Nickilas Paulson).

3/22/05 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester

I saw 5 Green winged Teal,6 Hooded Merganser, 38 Common Merganser and 1 Bufflehead. (report from John Shea).

3/22/05 -- Westboro WMA, Westboro

I took a walk around the Westboro Wildlife Management area today. It was quite warm; shirt sleeve weather! The two Chauncey Ponds are still frozen solid, but the wetlands in between them is nearly all open water now and the numbers of ducks is growing. Highlights included a Redtailed Hawk, a Turkey Vulture, at least 25 Mallards, 6 Wood Duck (3m, 3f), 2 Green-winged Teal (1m, 1f), an Eastern Bluebird, and a Cedar Waxwing taking a bath in a mud puddle on the road. There are large numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles making a racket as well. (report from Laura Lane).

3/22/05 -- Barre Falls Dam, Barre

Raptors migrating today: Turkey Vulture 2 ; Cooper's Hawk 2 ; Red-shouldered Hawk 1 ; Red-tailed Hawk 35 . Observations: A Redtail day. Most birds seen from 12- 2, some were very high. (report from Bart Kamp).

3/22/05 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester

The 2 Male Bufflehead Ducks were still present. Also, 36 Common Mergansers, 6 Hooded Mergansers, and 5 Wood Ducks. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

3/22/05 -- Quabbin Park, Quabbin Reservoir

We took our oldest grand-daughter out to South Quabbin/Quabbin Park this morning and had the following: Mallard (4); Turkey Vulture (9); Bald Eagle: (2ad+1imm at the State Trout Fram+1 ad perched on Ram. The birds at the fish farm were VERY vocal and perched in trees right at the edge of the back pool offering stunning views even for a young person just learning to use bins); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Killdeer (3 at Trout Farm); Common Raven (pair gathering sticks for the nest at the spillway who were very vocal+ 3 in a flight display over Ram); E. Bluebird (2); A Robin (22);
ALSO: At the Miniature Horse farm in West Brookfield, where we also stopped: Pileated Woodpecker (1m). (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll/Samantha Carroll [age 5]).

3/21/05 -- Grafton

I heard two screech owls trilling to each other this evening at about 8:30, from Oak Street and Sartell Road near Grafton Center. (report from Scott Jordan).

3/20/05 -- Quabog IBA/Quabbin Park, Bookfields/Quabbin Reservoir

We started in the morning birding the area of the Quabog IBA in the Brookfields. Most of the ponds, large and small, were still ice covered. SUVs and vans were still being driven out onto Lake Quabog and other ponds, even though a small open area was present where the river runs in. Most waterfowl were along the Quabog River and other moving water. Great Blue Heron (4); Mute Swan (1); Canada Goose (38); Wood Duck (8); Mallard (61); A Black Duck (6); N Pintail (1m); Ring-necked Duck (8); Hooded Merganser (87); Common Merganser (69); Belted Kingfisher (2); Red-bellied Woodpecker (4); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Passerine highlights: Carolina Wren (2); Northern Shrike (1ad); Red-winged Blackbird (121); C Grackle (82); Rusty Blackbird (2); Brown-headed Cowbird (6); Nota bene: we looked for the Bald Eagles at Quabog but saw none in the nest or in the area.

QUABBIN PARK/SOUTH QUABBIN: Quabbin is still 99% ice covered. Highlights: Mallard (3); Turkey Vulture (3); Wild Turkey (5); KILLDEER ( 3: at the trout farm: always the first place they show up in the Quabbin area); E Screech Owl (1); Pileated Woodpecker (4); Red-breasted Nuthatch (3); Common Raven (1: though NOT at the spillway nest, where we did not see any activity...yet); E Bluebird (4); Red-winged Blackbird (12: with the Rt. 9 marsh still ice overed and the cat tails thin and stubby, this is a great time to watch Red-winged territorial behavior. For 15+minutes, We watched two males in hormone overdrive battling out who was going to sing from one dead snag: they exposed their epaulets, wildly vibrated same, leap-frogged each other up branches on the snag, on the ground they hunched over dragging wings and tail chasing after each other, they also adopted a very different erect posture while on the ground with bill almost pointed to the sky, and made quite a racket. Several times it came to direct blows. PLUS: Eastern Coyote (2 crossing the ice from the Aministration Building overlook);; White-tailed Deer (3);.

PELHAM OVERLOOK: Turkey Vulture (16); Osprey (1 heading north); Bald Eagle (2imm); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1ad); Common Raven (1);

RT. 202, SHUTESBURY: Wild Turkey (9);

BARRE: Ruffed Grouse (1 fresh road kill); (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

3/20/05 -- northern Worcester County

At Turner's Falls, at the canal, there were: Around 300+ Canada geese(and growing in numbers as more arrived), many obviously paired, a very vocal group; several pairs of Hooded Mergansers, many displaying; a small group of Ring-necked Ducks; a dozen Black Ducks circling overhead; 1 Mute Swan; a few pairs of Common Goldeneyes.

Barton's Cove held small groups of Hooded Mergs and a few C. Goldeneyes

At a brief stop in the Northfield Mountain parking lot, we looked up and saw a very high-soaring raptor. I got the scope onto it as it was culminating its circular soaring pattern and starting to fly northwest. It's going down on my Massachusetts list as a GOLDEN EAGLE. I have more experience with Balds, and this bird was unlike a Bald in shape (shorter neck) and lacked light/white plumage, was almost completely dark. The wings were held at a slight dihedral. Only wish I could have had a longer look! (WH)

A walk at Northfield Farms turned up 6 Horned larks, 1 A. Kestrel, a pair of E. Bluebirds, C. Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds here and there, a Dark-eyed Junco, and a few A. Tree Sparrows. We were in perfect Killdeer country, but there were none found. (report from Wendy Howes).

3/19/05 -- Gardner/Templeton/Royalston

Hilites from birding on the Gardner area Saturday morning, still fairly heavy snow cover, froxen lakes and pond while streams and the Otter River are mostly open.

Gardner: Wood Duck 2; Hooded Merganser 6; Wild Turkey 13 (3 males displaying to females); Red-bellied Woodpecker 2; Pileated Woodpecker 1; Fox Sparrow 1;

Templeton: Great Blue Heron 1; Turkey Vulture 1; Coopers Hawk 1 moving north; Common Raven 3; Horned Lark 4 (local breeders at the Airport); Common Grackle 2;

Royalston: Turkey Vulture 1; Red-bellied Woodpecker 1; Evening Grosbeak 12;
Red-winged Blackbird amd Common Grackles appear to fairly wide spread but in limited numbers in the area on Saturday. (report from Tom Pirro).

3/19/05 -- Leesville Pond/Flint Pond, Worcester/Shrewsbury

The Bufflehead was still at Leesville Pond. On Flint Pond:10 Ring-neck Duck, 145 Common Merganser, most of them south of Stringer Dam, 15 Hooded Merganser, 17 Common Goldeneye and 1 Woodcock flushed on the way into the Irish Dam. (report from John Shea).

3/19/05 -- All Faiths (New Swedish) Cemetary, Worcester

Highlights included 18 Common Merganser, 6 Hooded Merganser, 8 Wood duck, 2 Bufflehead, 1 Great Blue Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 8 Redwinged Blackbirds, 3 Grackle, 5 Song Sparrow, (report from Susan Sachs).

3/18/05 -- downtown/Leesville Pond, Worcester

The 2 Peregrine Falcons were on the Flagship Bank this morning. Also, at leesville Pond I saw 1 m Bufflehead, 1 Great Blue Heron and 11 Common Merganser. At the bike trail along the Blackstone: 1 Great Blue Heron, 2 Hooded Merganser,15 Turkey Vultures, 4 Red tail Hawk and 2 Bluebirds. (report from John Shea).

3/17/05 -- Leesville Pond, Worcester

There were 16 Common Mergansers, 6 Hooded Mergansers, 6 Black Ducks, 7 Wood Ducks, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Great Blue Heron, and 1 Grackle. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

3/16/05 -- Institute Park, Worcester

Around 4 PM I saw and heard 3 Red-Winged Blackbird males in the trees near the south shore. (report from Nathaniel Freedman).

3/16/05 -- Hadwen Park/Curtis Pond, Worcester

There were the usual Black Ducks, Mallards, Canadian Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 1 pr. Hooded Mergansers, a few Wood Ducks, 2 Turkey Vultures, 70 common Gulls, 150+Rock Doves, 4 White-breasted Nuthatches, and 1 Great Blue Heron. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

3/15/05 -- Westboro WMA

I took a walk around the Westboro Wildlife Management Area this afternoon. The snow was very soft making walking quite a workout, despite the fact that the trails were well packed by snowmobiles. Red-winged Blackbirds were everywhere and were singing! There were also at least 13 Mallards and 2 Canada Geese in the wetlands where there is now some open water. Other than Robins, Mourning Doves and Rock Pigeons, land birds were mostly absent. Some spishing brought in a bunch of Chickadees, a White-breasted Nuthatch, a couple A. Tree Sparrows and a GREY CATBIRD (my first one this season!). (report from Laura Lane).

3/14/05 -- Sterling

I was surprised to see this barred owl checking out my bird feeding area, in broad daylight, in my Sterling yard (report and photo from Richard Spedding).

3/14/05 -- Portland Street, downtown Worcester

This morning while I was waiting to get into the radio station in the Printer's Building, an adult Red-tailed Hawk flew down the street and perched atop a building facing the Commons. This was quickly followed by an immature Sharp-shinned Hawk who harassed the hawk. The only raptor missing were the Peregrines. Though the Peregrines have nested close by and I have seen them often in the vicinity, the Red-tails are almost daily now in this area. (report from Mark Lynch).

3/13/05 -- Flint Pond, Grafton

Yesterday at the southern end of Flint Pond there were 9 Ring-necked Ducks, 56 Common Mergansers, 7 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Mute Swans, 4 Black Ducks, 12 Mallards, 2 Canada Geese and 2 Bald Eagles (1 Adult, 1 Imm). The Eagles came from up the river to the pond about 10 seconds apart. The adult was 1st and caused a flock of Mallards to flee. It circled the pond and came towards me. It had a fish in it's talons and eventually headed towards Lake Quinsig. The Immature landed on the ice to the left and appeared to be eating something small (probably a fish). It eventually headed in the same direction. (report from Peter Morlock).

3/13/05 -- Seekonk River/Turner Reservoir

We did a standard point count of the Seekonk River this morning. This very short stretch of river is the southern terminus of the Blackstone National Corridor. It was high tide and a lot of debris was on the river in the aftermath of the storm. For the most part our counts of the common gulls and landbird have been left off this list. Red-throated Loon (5: all from Bold Point); Great Cormorant (44); Mute Swan (14); Canada Goose (239); Gadwall (2); A Wigeon (24); Mallard (122); A Black Duck (47); Ring-necked Duck (2); Greater Scaup (1m: only one here now, but thousands just a few miles south); Bufflehead (167); Common Goldeneye (58); Hooded Merganser (65); Red-breasted Merganser (25); Common Merganser (51); Sharp-shinned Hawk (1ad); Red-tailed Hawk (2); PEREGRINE FALCON (1ad perched in downtown Pawtucket); KILLDEER (1); BLACK-HEADED GULL (2adW transitioning into adS. These birds were perched in a flock of Ring-billed Gulls on the sward at Bold Point offering killer close looks); PLUS: Harbor Seal (1 up the Seekonk by the permanently drawn up bridge. Harbor Seals this year have wandered as far north as the outflow of the Ten Mile River. In years past several have been seen as far north as the vicinity Henderson bridge. This one today had caught a HUGE fish which appeared to be a herring species.);

JAMES TURNER RESERVOIR/CENTRAL POND: E. PROVIDENCE (also part of the Corridor);: only about 20% ice free: Mute Swan (5); Canada Goose (92); Mallard (64); Redhead (3m); Ring-necked Duck (75); Hooded Merganser (1f); Common Merganser (26); Ruddy Duck (5); A Coot (6);

PLUS: on the way down we had an adult COOPER'S HAWK fly low across Rt. 146 in North Smithfield. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

3/13/05 -- Rt. 146, Worcester

On the way down to the Seekonk River in Rhode Island, we had one tough GREAT BLUE HERON flying south and low along Rt. 146 by the capped landfill. Eventually it put down along the Blackstone River by the new section of the bike path. This undoubtably one of the birds that has survived all this winter has wrought along this section of the Blackstone. In the same area were 200+ American Robins, 50+ Grackles and 10+ Red-winged Blackbirds. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

3/13/05 -- Morss Property, Hardwick

Three Horned Larks were observed in the corn fields of the East Quabbin Land Trust's Morss Property at the intersection of Ridge and Barre Roads, Hardwick. (report from Chris Buelow)

3/11/05 -- Worcester

I had an early Hermit Thrush today around 1:00 pm. (report from Howard Shainheit).

3/11/05 -- Grafton/Douglas

This morning there was a flock of approx. 100 robins off Sartell Road in Grafton, and a pair of pileated woodpeckers at the Gunmere Woods Conservation Land off Wheeler Road in Grafton. Also, yesterday (3/10) I had a red shouldered hawk off Southeast Main Street in Douglas. (report from Scott Jordan).

3/7/05 -- Marlboro

When I looked out at my feeders this morning there was a Common Grackle at one of the feeders. It's the first one I've seen this year. A little later I saw a flock of 16 Red-winged Blackbirds in the back yard, all male. It's also my first Red-wings locally this year. (report from Laura Lane).

3/6/05 -- Gardner

Highlights today: Red-tailed Hawk 2 (1 Ad. / 1 Imm.); Wild Turkey 13; Pileated Woodpecker 1; Brown Creeper 1; Carolina Wren 1; Cedar Waxwing 22; Am. Robin ~15; Northern Shrike 1 imm. perched on top of a suet feeder (not feeding on suet just perched) in a back yard off Stone St.; Song Sparrow 1; Purple Finch 1; (report from Tom Pirro).

3/6/05 -- Blackstone National Corridor: Blackstone/Northbridge/Uxbridge/Grafton

We checked just a few scattered locations in the MA section of the Blackstone National Corridor this morning, paying particular attention to waterbirds: Highlights:

UXBRIDGE: GREAT CORMORANT (3: 2ad br in the river/1imm in Whitin Pond perched on ice. Great Cormorants are very uncommon to rare in Worcetser County (Bradbury considers them an "Irregular Vagrant" on his County List); but single birds typically turn up in a variety of pond and reservoir locations in migration. This may be the most Great Cormorants I have seen in one town in Worcester County); Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (84); Wood Duck (1m); Mallard (55); A Black Duck (20); Ring-necked Duck (2); Hooded Merganser (6); Common Merganser (7); Red-tailed Hawk (1);

BLACKSTONE (town of);: Mute Swan (2); Canada Goose (66); Mallard (8); A Black Duck (4); Hooded Merganser (2); RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (1 perched in cemetery); E Bluebird (2); COMMON RAVEN (pair with nest once again in microwave tower easily watched from Daniel's Farm);

NORTHBRIDGE: LINWOOD POND: Mute Swan (1); Wood Duck (6m); Mallard (17); A Black Duck (7); C Goldeneye (1f: seems to have survived entire winter here); Common Merganser (8); Turkey Vulture (1);

FLINT POND: GRAFTON/SHREWSBURY: Mute Swan (10); Canada Goose (1); Mallard (48); A Black Duck (33); Common Goldeneye (8: 7m+1f); Hooded Mergnaser (14); Common Merganser (46); Red-tailed Hawk (2); Iceland Gull (2: 1stW+1 going into adS); Lesser Black-backed Gull (1adW); Red-winged Blackbird (4 m on territory); Nota bene: most of the waterfowl and the gulls were seen well from the vicinity of the "Irish Dam"in Grafton. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

3/6/05 -- Millbury

At 5:30PM tonite we had a spread out flock of 52 TURKEY VULTURES putting down to roost. (report from Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll).

3/2/05 -- Rutland Prison Camp, Rutland

On the Prison Camp Road, near the old prison camp, a Northern Shrike was perched atop a tree at almost the same location I saw a Shrike on 3/23/03, so maybe it will remain here a couple more weeks. On our way there we drove by Worcester Airport where 20 Turkeys were feeding at the crabapple trees. Two of the crabapple trees had 5 Turkeys perched on the branches while they were feeding. (report from Brian Mulhearn)

3/1/05 -- downtown Worcester

There were 2 Peregrine Falcons on the Flagship Bank, one in the letters and one on the ledge where last years nest was. (report from John Shea).

For previous sightings, see February 2005 Archives or Archive Index