Bird Sightings: The Voice of Audubon

30 Day Archive

Below are all bird sightings published within the last 30 days. To see only the most recently published sightings, click here.

Cape Cod

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

At Race Point, seabirds tallied this week included 420 red-breasted mergansers, 39 red-throated loons, 6 red-necked grebes, 2170 greater shearwaters, a sooty shearwater, 4 Manx shearwaters, 1800 northern gannets, a great cormorant, 330 black-legged kittiwakes, 400 Bonaparte's gulls, 70 common terns, 2 pomarine jaegers, 4 parasitic jaegers, 2 Atlantic puffins, 2 thick-billed murres, and 165 razorbills.

At First Encounter in Eastham there were 60 brant, 18 long-tailed duck, 380 red-throated loons, 3 common loons, a red-necked grebe, 800 northern gannets, 4 black-bellied plovers, 8 greater yellowlegs, 75 dunlin, 96 black-legged kittiwakes, 200 Bonaparte's gulls, 2 common terns, a thick-billed murre, and 35 razorbills.

And at Corporation Beach in Dennis, seabirds passing on Saturday included 550 common eider, 420 long-tailed ducks, 680 red-throated loons, 11 common loons, 15 red-necked grebes, 1050 northern gannets, a great cormorant, 230 Bonaparte's gulls, 56 common terns, and 69 razorbills.

In other sightings this week a rose-breasted grosbeak visited a feeder in Brewster, a red-necked grebe was at the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, and 7 northern bobwhites were at Wellfleet Bay sanctuary.

If you have questions about these sightings, or want to report a sighting, call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 or send e-mail to sightings@massaudubon.org.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings is sponsored by the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans and Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. The following sightings were reported between November 4 and November 11, 2009.

A Townsend's warbler was banded on Saturday at the Wing Island banding station at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster, and was then relocated associating with chickadees and other birds on Monday.

A Western kingbird has been very cooperative at Fort Hill in Eastham since last week, and on Saturday another was found behind the courthouse in Orleans, where 2 Baltimore orioles were also noted. Other birds at Fort Hill included 6 black-crowned night-herons, 2 northern harriers, a merlin, 65 greater yellowlegs, 250 dunlin, 2 Wilson's snipe, an American woodcock, 2 great-horned owls, a late yellow-billed cuckoo, 2 American pipits, 3 Nelson's sparrows, a seaside sparrow, and 8 eastern meadowlarks.

A prothonotary warbler was seen along the Cape Cod Canal at the Aptucxet Trading Post Museum on Saturday. Other birds in Bourne were 2 gadwall, a green-winged teal, a yellow-bellied sapsucker, 17 fish crows, 2 winter wrens, 4 hermit thrushes, 3 gray catbirds, and a fox sparrow, plus 3 Harlequin ducks at the Scusset Beach jetty.
A yellow-breasted chat was seen at the Bank St. bogs in Harwich, where a northern harrier, 2 Cooper's hawks, 12 northern flickers, 34 eastern bluebirds, 32 yellow-rumped warblers and 100 American goldfinches were also seen.

Seen along the ocean side of Wellfleet this week were 6 long-tailed ducks, 195 red-throated loons, 25 common loons, a red-necked grebe, 6000 greater shearwaters, a sooty shearwater, 2 Manx shearwaters, 3 Iceland gulls, 35 black-legged kittiwakes, a parasitic jaeger, and 100 snow buntings. Up to 10 minke whales, a fin whale, and a humpback whale were also noted from shore.

In miscellaneous sightings, a winter wren and a Wilson's snipe were in Sandwich, the Eurasian wigeon continues on the Mill Pond in Marstons Mills, northern pintails were seen in Wellfleet and Eastham, 42 ring-necked ducks and 2 yellow-bellied sapsuckers were in Falmouth, a Cory's shearwater at Herring Cove in Provincetown, and a late "western willet was seen near Eastward Ho golf course in Chatham.

If you have questions about these sightings, or want to report a sighting, call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 or send e-mail to sightings@massaudubon.org.

 

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

A possible western kingbird was reported from Fort Hill in Eastham this week.

Harlequin ducks have been spotted recently at the traditional spots at Nauset Beach and the canal entrance at Scusset Beach.

At First Encounter Beach in Eastham birders noted 100 greater shearwaters, hundreds of black-legged kittiwakes, 3 Forster's terns, an eastern meadowlark, and 50 snow buntings. Snow buntings, newly arrived from the arctic, were also noted from Skaket Beach in Orleans and Falmouth. Other birds noted around Falmouth included a redhead on Little Pond and a Virginia rail.

Seabirds noted off Cahoon Hollow in Wellfleet this week included 250 common eider, 75 surf scoter, 300 white-winged scoter, 10 black scoter, 25 red-throated loons, 4 common loons, a Cory's shearwater, 400 greater shearwaters, a Manx shearwater, 800 northern gannets, 30 black-legged kittiwakes, a laughing gull, an Iceland gull, 15 unidentified terns, an unidentified  jaeger, plus an American pipit.

At Wellfleet Bay sanctuary this week 2 great-horned owls, a Virginia rail, 50 fish crows, and a rusty blackbird were noted.

Other notables from around the Cape include a Eurasian wigeon at Mill Pond  in Cotuit a late osprey and long-billed dowitcher in Chatham, a great egret at the canal in Buzzards Bay, a white-rumped sandpiper at Sandy Neck in Barnstable, 2 American golden-plovers and a long-billed dowitcher at First Encounter Beach in Eastham, an American bittern at Fort Hill in Eastham, a glossy ibis at Herring Pond in Eastham, a northern pintail elsewhere in Eastham, a Baltimore oriole at the Highlands Center in Truro, and a northern shrike elsewhere in Truro.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

A male summer tanager surprised a resident of North Falmouth by showing up at their suet feeder this week.

It's the time of year when interesting waterfowl begin to show up on the Cape, and this week a redhead was found among both greater and lesser scaup on Little Pond in Falmouth.

Ducks found during a birding round-up in Barnstable on Tuesday included a gadwall, a Eurasian wigeon, 96 American wigeon, 3 blue-winged teal, a green-winged teal, 101 ring-necked ducks, a bufflehead, a hooded merganser, 5 common loons, 5 pied-billed grebes, plus a blue grosbeak found in Marstons Mills.

Seabirds continue to be plentiful off the Outer Cape, and noted at Race Point this week were 9 red-throated loons, 10 common loons, 17 Cory's shearwaters, 85 greater shearwaters, 1 sooty shearwater, 3 Manx shearwaters, 420 northern gannets, 95 black-legged kittiwakes, 40 Bonaparte's gulls, 50 laughing gulls, 1 Iceland gull, 140 common terns, and 8 parasitic jaegers.

The hawk watch on Morris Island in Chatham counted 157 sharp-shinned hawks, 21 Cooper's hawks, a merlin, 4 peregrine falcons, a great horned owl, 55 tree swallows, 187 yellow-rumped warblers, a snow bunting, and 30 monarch butterflies this week.

Birds noted in a Truro yard this week included 10 northern bobwhites, a white-crowned sparrow, and a purple finch, and seabirds in Truro included 5 common loons, 6 Cory's shearwaters, 600 greater shearwaters, 5 sooty shearwaters, 7 Manx shearwaters, and 45 black-legged kittiwakes.

If you have questions about these sightings, or want to report a sighting, call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 or send e-mail to sightings@massaudubon.org.

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Eastern Massachusetts

Monday, November 16, 2009

A Henslow's Sparrow was reported today from the Allens Pond Sanctuary in South Dartmouth, the Lark Bunting at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro was still there at least as recently as yesterday, and the Western Tanager that was first seen in the Boston Public Garden on Friday was also still present there at least as recently as yesterday. Also noted in the Garden was a Barred Owl.

The 7 Cackling Geese in the fields off Northgate Road in Ipswich were joined by an 8th individual on Saturday, and other weekend reports from the fields included roughly 1700 Canada Geese, 2 Green-winged Teal, 5 White-rumped Sandpipers, and 3 Wilson's Snipe.

A seawatch from Andrew's Point in Rockport on Saturday yielded 32 Harlequin Ducks, 470 Long-tailed Ducks, 374 Red-throated Loons, 44 Common Loons, 4 Red-necked Grebes, 4 Northern Fulmars, 1 Cory's Shearwater, 660 Greater Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1350 Northern Gannets, 283 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 3 late Laughing Gulls, 10 Pomarine Jaegers, 2 unidentified jaegers, 4 Common Murres, 97 Thick-billed Murres, 302 Razorbills, and 14 Black Guillemots.

Seen from Race Point in Provincetown on Saturday were 175 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Red-necked Grebes, 2170 Greater Shearwaters, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 1800 Northern Gannets, 330 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 230 Bonaparte's Gulls, 30 Common Terns, 2 Pomarine Jaegers, 2 Parasitic Jaegers, 2 unidentified jaegers, 2 Thick-billed Murres, 165 Razorbills, and 1 Atlantic Puffin, and seabirds noted at First Encounter Beach in Eastham later the same day included 380 Red-throated Loons, 800 Northern Gannets, 8 Greater Yellowlegs, 96 Dunlin, 2 Common Terns, 1 Thick-billed Murre, 35 Razorbills, and 265 unidentified murre/Razorbill-type alcids.

Weekend reports from Plum Island included 25 Northern Shovelers, 12 Greater Scaup, 18 Lesser Scaup, 14 Hooded Mergansers, 8 Northern Harriers, 2 Peregrine Falcons, 3 American Golden-Plovers, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 4 Greater Yellowlegs, 3 White-rumped Sandpipers, 24 American Tree Sparrows, and 1 Lark Sparrow, and miscellaneous reports included a Great Egret at Belle Isle marsh in East Boston, a Greater White-fronted Goose in Sharon, a very late Black-billed Cuckoo in Duxbury, a King Eider at Scusset Beach in Sandwich, 680 Red-throated Loons, 15 Red-necked Grebes, and 56 Common Terns at Corporation Beach in Dennis, and 1 Great Egret, 425 Brant, and 8500 Common Eider at Tuckernuck Island.

 

Friday, November 13, 2009

A Western Tanager was discovered today just to the west of the Lagoon in the Boston Public Garden, and other birds there included 1 Barred Owl and a late Black-throated Green Warbler.

Both the Townsend's Warbler at Wing Island in Brewster and the Lark Bunting at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro were last reported on Monday.

The 7 Cackling Geese that have been commuting between their roost site at Stage Island on Plum Island and their feeding area in the fields bordered by Northgate Road and Rt. 133 in Ipswich were still present in the Ipswich fields today.

Other reports from Plum Island this week included 25 Northern Shovelers, 30 Green-winged Teal, 15 Greater Scaup, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 6 White-rumped Sandpipers, 1 Northern Shrike, and 1 Lark Sparrow, and seen on a boat trip from Amesbury, down the Merrimac River, through Newburyport Harbor, and into the waters east of Plum Island were 3 Common Goldeneye, 8 Long-tailed Ducks, roughly 500 Common Eiders, 350 Black Scoters, 500 White-winged Scoters, 800 Red-throated Loons, 60 Common Loons, and 2 Horned Grebes.

Two-day totals of seabirds counted at Race Point in Provincetown on Wednesday and Thursday included 6 Red-necked Grebes, 430 Greater Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, roughly 2100 Northern Gannets, 65 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 665 Bonaparte's Gulls, 120 Common Terns, 3 Pomarine Jaegers, 6 Parasitic Jaegers, 2 Atlantic Puffins, 43 Razorbills, and 1 Thick-billed Murre.

Miscellaneous reports this week have included 4 Red-headed Woodpeckers in Lowell, an Orange-crowned Warbler in the Fenway section of Boston, a Vesper Sparrow in Middleboro, and single Western Kingbirds in Gloucester and at the Daniel Webster sanctuary in Marshfield.

 

Monday, November 09, 2009

A Townsend's Warbler that was captured and banded on Saturday at the Wing Island banding station behind the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster was seen there again today, the Lark Bunting at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro was still there at least as recently as yesterday, and the LeConte's Sparrow was also still present at the Cumberland Farms fields at least as recently as Saturday.

Other weekend reports from the Cumberland Farms fields included 5 Northern Harriers, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, roughly 250 American Pipits, 14 American Tree Sparrows, 3 White-crowned Sparrows, and a late Blue Grosbeak.

A flock of 7 Cackling Geese seen in the Stage Island area of Plum Island early Saturday morning was relocated later that day in the farm fields bordered by Northgate Road and Rt. 133 in Ipswich, and other weekend reports from Plum Island included 7 Northern Shovelers, 76 Northern Pintails, roughly 200 Red-breasted Mergansers, 55 Red-throated Loons, 1 American Bittern, 37 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Northern Shrike, and 5 Snow Buntings.

Seen at Nantucket were 75 American Wigeon, 6 Harlequin Ducks, 1 Black-headed Gull, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Glaucous Gull, 5 Red Knots, and 32 Snow Buntings, and miscellaneous reports from the weekend included 1 Long-tailed Duck and 145 Ruddy Ducks at the Cherry Hill Reservoir in West Newbury, 30 Harlequin Ducks and 2 Cory's Shearwaters in Rockport, a Black-headed Gull at Niles Pond in Gloucester, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers in Lowell, 2 Evening Grosbeaks in Athol, a Barrow's Goldeneye at the Sudbury Reservoir in Southboro, 30 Rusty Blackbirds in Wayland, 150 Snow Buntings in Saugus, 2 Cackling Geese at Franklin Park in Boston, roughly 300 Ruddy Ducks in Canton, 265 Ring-necked Ducks and 12 Common Mergansers in Braintree, a Greater White-fronted Goose in the fields along South Main Street in Sharon, an Iceland Gull, a House Wren, and an Orange-crowned Warbler in Fairhaven, a Prothonotary Warbler and a Fox Sparrow in Bourne, 3 Eurasian Wigeon and 95 American Wigeon at Forge Pond in Plymouth, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Nashville Warbler elsewhere in Plymouth, and single Western Kingbirds in North Andover, the Lanesville section of Gloucester, at Fort Hill in Eastham, and near the Route 6 rotary in Orleans.

Friday, November 06, 2009

A Lark Bunting discovered at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro on Wednesday was still there today, and other reports from the Cumberland Farms fields this week included a flyover Red-throated Loon, 6 Northern Harriers, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 4 Black-bellied Plovers, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Northern Shrike, 70 American Pipits, an Ipswich-type Savannah Sparrow, 12 White-crowned Sparrows, and 1 Blue Grosbeak.

Flocks of migrant Black Scoters were noted in numerous ponds and lakes across much of the state this week. Sample counts included 916 at Wachusett Reservoir, 38 at Flint Pond in Lincoln, 175 at the Cambridge Reservoir in Waltham, 28 at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, 18 in the Lower Mystic Lake in Medford, roughly 200 at Lake Massapoag in Sharon, and 150 at Lake Assawompsett in Lakeville. 

Reports from Plum Island this week have included 1 Cackling Goose, 20 Northern Shovelers, 2 late Stilt Sandpiper, a Northern Shrike, and 3 Snow Buntings, and noted from various points around Cape Ann were 1100 Greater Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 800 Northern Gannets, 110 Great Cormorants, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 5 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 4 Iceland Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Pomarine Jaegers, 1 Orange-crowned Warbler, and 2 Snow Buntings.  On Nantucket, reports included 12 Redheads, 6 Canvasbacks, 44 American Wigeon, 5000 Lesser Scaup, 15,000 Long-tailed Ducks, Orange-crowned and Nashville warblers, 3 Baltimore Orioles, 3 Snow Buntings and a Rusty Blackbird

Recent reports from the Great Meadows refuge in Concord included 20 Wood Ducks, 8 Northern Pintails, 22 Green-winged Teal, 8 Ring-necked Ducks, 10 Ruddy Ducks, 11 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, 9 American Coots, and 1 Northern Harrier, and at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, in addition to the aforementioned Black Scoters, there were 7 Canvasbacks, 125 Ring-necked Ducks, 22 Ruddy Ducks, and 8 Hooded Mergansers.

Seen on Tuesday at Race Point in Provincetown were 4 Cory's Shearwaters, 860 Greater Shearwaters, 9 Manx Shearwaters, 800 unidentified shearwaters, 1100 Northern Gannets, 410 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 120 Common Terns, 3 Pomarine Jaegers, and 7 unidentified jaegers, and miscellaneous reports this week have included 2 or 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers in Lowell, 2 Long-tailed Ducks at Lake Nagog in Acton, 2 Common Ravens in Concord, an Orange-crowned Warbler at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, 2 Cackling Geese and 4 Northern Shovelers at Franklin Park in Boston, a Greater White-fronted Goose in Sharon, and a late Yellow-billed Cuckoo and a Western Kingbird at Fort Hill in Eastham.

 

Monday, November 02, 2009

The LeConte's Sparrow at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro was still there at least as recently as yesterday, and other weekend reports from the Cumberland Farms fields included 4 Northern Harriers, 1 Northern Shrike, 5 American Pipits, 1 American Tree Sparrow, and 4 White-crowned Sparrows.

Weekend reports from Plum Island included 1 Cackling Goose, 30 Northern Shovelers, 2 American Golden-Plovers, 1 Lapland Longspur, and 35 Snow Buntings, and in Ipswich there were 5 Snow Geese, 1 Cackling Goose, 1 Great Egret, 1 Hudsonian Godwit, 21 White-rumped Sandpipers, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 50 Horned Larks, and 20 American Pipits.

Seen in the farm fields near the West Concord rotary were 1 Cackling Goose, 62 Killdeer, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, and 1 American Pipit, and at the Great Meadows refuge in Concord there were 2 Blue-winged Teal, 11 Northern Pintails, 4 Green-winged Teal, 4 Ring-necked Ducks, 1 Bufflehead, 3 Pied-billed Grebes, 12 American Coots, a late Spotted Sandpiper, and 3 American Tree Sparrows.

A report from Westport included 14 Red-throated Loons, 7 Pied-billed Grebes, 5 Great Egrets, 7 Harlequin Ducks, 8 Ruddy Ducks, 8 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, and 19 Laughing Gulls, and miscellaneous reports from the weekend included 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers in Dracut, 20 Ruddy Ducks and 3 Pied-billed Grebes in Melrose, a Common Raven in Lynnfield, 2 Common Goldeneye in Lincoln, 12 Common Mergansers and a Red-necked Grebe at the Cambridge Reservoir in Waltham, a Greater White-fronted Goose in Sharon, a Least Sandpiper in Scituate, a Northern Shrike and a Snow Bunting at the Daniel Webster sanctuary in Marshfield, and 2 Common Terns in Plymouth.

 

Friday, October 30, 2009

A hummingbird originally suspected of being a Rufous Hummingbird that has been present for two weeks at a feeder in Scituate was banded yesterday and conclusively identified as an adult female Allen's Hummingbird, only the second-ever record for Massachusetts and one of only a handful of reports for the East Coast. Birders are reminded that the homeowners have requested anonymity and are thanked for respecting their privacy.

The LeConte's Sparrow found at the Cumberland Farms fields in Halifax and Middleboro nearly two weeks ago was still present as recently as yesterday.  Also seen at the Cumberland Farms fields were 65 migrating Common Loons, a Rough-legged Hawk, 4 Black-bellied Plovers, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 6 Wilson's Snipes, 18 American Pipits, and a Pine Siskin.

A group of 5 Sandhill Cranes present for the past several weeks in Wareham was seen apparently departing yesterday in a southwesterly direction and was seen in both Rhode Island and Connecticut when last observed.

Hundreds of seabirds continue to be seen off Race Point in Provincetown, when the windy conditions mid-week produced tallies of 380 Northern Fulmars, 16 Cory's Shearwaters, 1650 Greater Shearwaters, 14 Sooty Shearwaters, 4750 Northern Gannets, 1000 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 25 Laughing Gulls, 30 Common Terns 7 Pomarine Jaegers, 2 Parasitic Jaegers, 31 Dovekies, and 4 Razorbills.

At Andrew's Point in Rockport, the same windy conditions produced totals of 222 Northern Fulmars, 625 Greater Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 890 Northern Gannets, 75 Black-legged Kittiwakes, a Pomarine Jaeger, 21 Razorbills, and 2 Black Guillemots.

At the Parker River Refuge on Plum Island there were 30 Gadwalls, 50 American Wigeon, 25 Northern Shovelers, 30 Green-winged Teal, 3 Great Egrets, 2 Peregrine Falcons, 2 Northern Shrikes, an Orange-crowned Warbler, a Lapland Longspur, and 65 Snow Buntings.

At the Great Meadows Refuge in Concord there were 19 Northern Pintails, 12 Green-winged Teal, 3 Pied-billed Grebes, a Lesser Yellowlegs, and one American Tree Sparrow. 
Reports from Nantucket included 2 Blue-winged Teal, a Northern Shoveler, 2 Great Egrets, 15 American Golden-Plovers, 18 Pectoral Sandpipers, 36 White-rumped Sandpipers, and a Long-billed Dowitcher.

Miscellaneous reports this week included 3 Canvasbacks, 97 Ring-necked Ducks, and 11 Ruddy Ducks at Fresh Pond in Cambridge; a Eurasian Wigeon and a Blue Grosbeak from Marstons Mills; a Common Raven in Mattapoisett; a Summer Tanager in North Falmouth; and Fox Sparrows in Lexington, the Boston Public Garden, and Duxbury Beach.

Monday, October 26, 2009

The LeConte's Sparrow found at the Cumberland Farms fields in Halifax and Middleboro last Tuesday was still present today.  Other reports from the Cumberland Farms fields included a Rough-legged Hawk, a Black-bellied Plover, a Solitary Sandpiper, several white-rumped Sandpipers, a Short-eared Owl, and 46 American Pipits.

Reported from Plymouth were 200 Brant, 15 Gadwalls, a Redhead, 9 Pied-billed Grebes, 3 Black-crowned Night-Herons, 6 Semipalmated Plovers, and an Iceland Gull.  In nearby Manomet there was a Eurasian Wigeon on Bartlett's Pond, an American Bittern, 45 Laughing Gulls, 2 Forster's Terns, and Orange-crowned Warbler, and a Bobolink.

Large numbers of shearwaters and other seabirds continue to be regularly observed between Race Point in Provincetown and Head of the Meadow Beach in North Truro, where this weekend tallies included 6 Northern Fulmars, 17 Cory's Shearwaters, 1400 Greater Shearwaters, several Sooty and Manx shearwaters, 420 Northern Gannets, 170 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 40 Bonaparte's Gulls, 50 Laughing Gulls, an Iceland Gull, 300 Common Terns, 2 Pomarine Jaegers, 8 Parasitic Jaegers, 13 unidentified jaegers, and a Dovekie.

A report from the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan included a Barred Owl, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a Red-eyed Vireo, 5 Fish Crows, and 3 Orange-crowned Warblers.  At nearby Franklin Park 4 Northern Shovelers were recorded.       

Observed at Nantucket were 13 Ruddy Ducks, an American Oystercatcher, 105 Laughing Gulls, a Black-headed Gull, 4 Pectoral Sandpipers, a Western Kingbird, and a Baltimore Oriole.

Miscellaneous reports included a Rufous Hummingbird at an undisclosed location in Scituate, the continued presence of 5 Sandhill Cranes in the cranberry bogs along Tihonet Road in Wareham, a Redhead in Falmouth, an Iceland Gull and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Parker River Refuge on Plum Island, a Yellow-breasted Chat in Belmont, a Dickcissel at the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield, and a Snow Bunting at Horn Pond in Woburn.

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Western Massachusetts

Monday, November 16, 2009

A few wintering songbirds are making brief visits to feeders throughout the region, but plentiful wild food supplies continue to keep them away for the most part. Migrating land birds are also being seen, including golden-crowned kinglet, brown creeper, red-breasted nuthatch, hermit thrush and fox sparrow, but northern finches are completely absent. Migrating waterfowl are making news for the fourth straight week.

Ducks found at the north end of Quabbin Reservoir included three gadwalls, four American wigeons, two blue-winged teal, three northern pintails, 17 green-winged teal, 69 ring-necked ducks, four greater scaup, three surf scoters, four black scoters, a long-tailed duck, six buffleheads and four common goldeneye.

Also seen were an osprey, a merlin, a peregrine falcon, a Wilson's snipe, a Bonaparte's gull, a white-crowned sparrow and 11 snow buntings.

A cackling goose, 25 common goldeneyes, an eastern screech-owl and an unprecedented late warbling vireo were found at Turners Falls..

A red-throated loon, three common loons and two horned grebes were reported in Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir. A bufflehead, seven ruddy ducks, a common loon and an American pipit were seen on Ludlow Reservoir.

American wigeon were reported in Chicopee and Agawam. A peregrine falcon, 120 horned larks and a Lapland longspur were found in the east meadows of Northampton. An eastern screen-owl and a purple finch were seen in Hadley and 10 green-winged teal and an American wigeon were reported in Longmeadow.

A bufflehead, three common goldeneyes, 80 common mergansers, two common loons, four horned grebes and four red-necked grebes were seen on Pontoosuc Reservoir in Pittsfield.

Two bufflehead, a red-breasted merganser, two common loons, a horned grebe, a red-necked grebe, a Bonaparte's gull and a pectoral sandpiper were found at nearby Onota Lake.

Ten snow buntings found were in Pittsfield and one in Cheshire. Two lesser scaup and six red-necked grebes were on Laurel Lake in Lenox and a redhead duck was seen in Sheffield.

A white-winged scoter, three red-breasted mergansers, four horned grebes, seven red-necked grebes, a merlin and a rusty blackbird were seen on Stockbridge Bowl.

A redhead duck, a bufflehead, nine common goldeneyes, four horned grebes, two red-necked grebes, a fish crow and a northern shrike were reported in Richmond.

 

Monday, November 09, 2009

Ducks continued to be the focus this week as they stop at area lakes on their way to coastal wintering grounds.  Flocks of various sparrows are now crowding feeders, fields and roadsides, including the first tree sparrows. Red-tailed hawks are flying past and settling in for the winter and flocks of kinglets, bluebirds and robins can be found in brushy areas.

Two white-winged scoters, two black scoters, a long-tailed duck, nine buffleheads, two common goldeneyes, a red-breasted merganser, 10 common loons, a red-throated loon, 16 horned grebes, two red-necked grebes, two Bonaparte's gulls, eight American pipits, a fox sparrow and four snow buntings were reported at Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir.

A greater scaup, 600 ring-necked ducks, 50 long-tailed ducks, 16 ruddy ducks, five bufflehead, a red-breasted merganser, a red-necked grebe and two horned grebes were found on Pittsfield area lakes.

A cackling goose was seen on two different days at Turners Falls. A lesser black-backed gull was present on one of the days.

A pied-billed grebe was found in Chicopee, two evening grosbeaks were reported in Athol, four American woodcock and four northern saw-whet owls were noted in the Ware area and a northern shrike was seen in Windsor.

A blue-winged teal, a black vulture, a northern shrike, 60 American pipits and 13 white-winged crossbills were seen in the Sheffield area.

Three golden eagles migrated over Granville this week. A merlin, three snow buntings and four purple finch were also seen.

A fish crow was found in Pittsfield. A fox sparrow was seen in Northampton. Three winter wrens and two rusty blackbirds were reported in Belchertown, an American wigeon in Agawam, and three green-winged teal, an American wigeon and two pied-billed grebes were seen in Longmeadow.

Monday, November 02, 2009

This is the surest time to find migrant ducks lingering on our ponds, lakes and rivers. They may be accompanied by seabirds, stopping briefly on their way to the ocean shore. Sparrows are still in the fields and visiting feeders in good numbers. Flocks of winter birds are beginning to show up in the open fields as well, while crows, robins, bluebirds, waxwings and blackbirds are gathering for the trip farther south that most, but not all, will take.

Two cackling geese, a gadwall, a golden plover, a short-eared owl, two Lapland longspurs, a snow bunting, seven white-crowned sparrows, 45 American pipits, and a palm warbler were reported in Hadley.

Three lesser scaup, three surf scoters, a white-winged scoter, a long-tailed duck, seven bufflehead, two common loons, an eastern phoebe, and an American pipit were seen in Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir.

A cackling goose was found in Egremont, two long-tailed ducks were on Richmond Pond, a Brant was on Onota Lake, and two gadwall were seen on Pontoosuc Reservoir.

The Berkshire lakes also produced nine common loons, a common goldeneye, 10 wood ducks, 600 ring-necked ducks, five ruddy ducks, five pied-billed grebes, an osprey, and a killdeer.

A northern goshawk, a golden eagle, a ruby-crowned kinglet, a fox sparrow, and two snow buntings were seen in Granville.

Three snow buntings, 100 horned larks, and 100 American pipits were seen in Northampton, and  eight red-necked grebes, three pied-billed grebes, and 36 wood ducks were found on Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke.

 

 

 

Monday, October 26, 2009

Ducks and late moving hawks are now beginning to come through our region in peak numbers, while the peak is past for sparrows and other late migrating songbirds. Blackbirds and crows are also gathering for migration and are often seen moving south during the day.

A scissor-tailed flycatcher found last week at the Orange Airport was last reported on Thursday afternoon.

A Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow and a Grasshopper sparrow were  seen in the Honey Pot in Hadley last Thursday and Friday. .

A dickcissel was found in the Aqua Vita section of Hadley on Friday. A blackburnian warbler,  167 killdeer, four Wilson's snipe, 90 American pipits,  a common yellowthroat, eight white-crowned sparrows, and a bobolink were also seen in Hadley.

Seen in Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir were 17 white-winged scoters, 31 black scoters, a surf scoter, three long-tailed ducks, nine common loons, an eastern phoebe, three American pipits, two palm warblers, and 5,000 common grackles.

Eight black scoters and 11 American pipits were reported in Northampton, nine American pipits were seen in Orange, a barred owl, three winter wrens, and two rusty blackbirds were found in Belchertown, and a broad-winged hawk was seen in New Salem.

Three ring-necked ducks, a redhead, three black scoters, and two pied-billed grebes were reported in Turners Falls.

A northern goshawk, two golden eagles, 68 red-tailed hawks, and a Lapland longspur were found in Granville.

Two common loons, an American coot, two black-bellied plovers, an eastern phoebe, two winter wrens, and a common yellowthroat were seen on the western side of the Quabbin Reservoir.

A blue-winged teal, three gadwall, two American wigeon, three northern shovelers, a green-winged teal, and a rusty blackbird were reported in Longmeadow

 

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About the Voice of Audubon

These bird sighting reports are transcripts of recorded messages from each of three regional "bird alerts" maintained by Mass Audubon, known as the Voice of Audubon. The phone number for the Voice of Audubon is (781) 259-8805. All three recorded reports from throughout the state are accessible through this number, and the transcripts are available anytime at www.massaudubon.org/voa). Not all sightings that are submitted are included in the VOA reports. Those that are included are intended to provide a "snapshot" of the current, noteworthy bird activity in each region within Massachusetts, and might include, for example, rarities, early/first-arriving migrants, late-departing migrants, high counts, unusual sightings (e.g., a seabird found on an inland lake), or simply those that represent exemplary sightings for the time and place.

The Boston Globe publishes one or more of the transcripts (with limited editing) each Sunday. To submit bird sightings call (781) 259-2150.

The Voice of Audubon is the oldest phone-based bird alert in the United States, first established on December 1, 1954 (original phone number, KEnmore 6-4050). See the original 1954 press release*.

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