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, July 28, 2010

This is the time of year when shorebird reports from South Beach in Chatham dominate the bird news, and this week is no different. Reported this week were 3 great egrets, 7 snowy egrets, 30 American oystercatchers, 46 piping plovers, 350 semipalmated plover, 45 black-bellied plover, 450 short-billed dowitchers, 29 Hudsonian godwits, 4 marbled godwits, 12 whimbrel, 60 willets, 55 greater yellowlegs, 2 white-rumped sandpipers, 2 dunlin, 35 red knots, 110 ruddy turnstones, 65 sanderling, 700 semipalmated sandpipers, 1 western sandpiper, 200 least sandpipers, a peregrine, 2 northern harriers, 30 roseate terns, 3 black terns, and 12 saltmarsh sparrows.

Tern Island in Chatham had 30 short-billed dowitchers, 17 red knots, 11 willets, 42 semipalmated sandpipers, 8 American oystercatchers, 5 semipalmated plovers, and 150 least terns, including many recently fledged chicks.

In miscellaneous sightings, the first migrant northern waterthrushes were at Wing Island in Brewster and Wellfleet Bay sanctuary and yellow warblers are acting migratory everywhere, 4 green-winged teal were at Frost Fish Creek in Chatham, 3 Hudsonian godwits and 20 whimbrel were at Lieutenant Island in Wellfleet, a red-throated loon was at Pilgrim lake in Truro, and 12 northern bobwhites were at Outermost Harbor 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, July 21, 2010

A royal tern and a red-necked phalarope were among the increasing numbers of shorebirds and terns at South Beach in Chatham over the weekend. A Hudsonian godwit that was banded on the wintering grounds in Chile was also seen and photographed, illustrating the distances some of these hemisphere-spanning shorebirds cover. The impressive list also included 2 surf scoters, 18 white-winged scoters, 12 black scoters, a long-tailed duck, a Cory's shearwater, a Manx shearwater, 5 Wilson's storm-petrels, 16 snowy egrets, a black-crowned night heron, a northern harrier, 290 black-bellied plover, 200 semipalmated plovers, 42 piping plovers, 18 American oystercatcher, 1 spotted sandpiper, 135 greater yellowlegs, 280 willets, 14 western willets, 26 lesser yellowlegs, 40 whimbrel, 46 Hudsonian godwits, a marbled godwit, 10 ruddy turnstones, 200 red knots, 280 sanderling, 3000 semipalmated sandpipers, 1000 least sandpipers, 3 western sandpipers, 2 white-rumped sandpipers, 7 dunlin, 3500 short-billed dowitchers, 8 roseate terns, 450 common terns, a black tern, an arctic tern, 14 horned larks, 2 northern rough-winged swallows, 110 tree swallows, and 7 saltmarsh sparrows.

Crane WMA in Falmouth continues to be a hotspot for uncommon birds of open country, with 3 northern bobwhites, 5 grasshopper sparrows, a blue grosbeak, 2 bobolinks, 12 orchard orioles, and an eastern meadowlark spotted this week.

At Wellfleet bay Wildlife Sanctuary this week sightings included 2 black-crowned night-herons, 25 short-billed dowitchers, a solitary sandpiper, 12 whimbrels, a Cooper's hawk, a great-horned owl, an eastern screech-owl, and a northern bobwhite.

Other sightings this week on the Cape include the continuing clay-colored sparrow at Marconi, 13 northern bobwhites in Pocasset, and 10 more in Harwich, a red-throated loon at Pilgrim Lake in Truro, and 2 black-billed cuckoos elsewhere in Truro.

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, July 14, 2010

The clay-colored sparrow was still singing at Marconi in Wellfleet this week.

At South Beach in Chatham birders reported a glossy ibis, 2 snowy egrets, 300 black-bellied plovers, 35 semipalmated plovers, 25 piping plovers, 3 killdeer, 25 American oystercatchers, 55 greater yellowlegs, 200 willets, 12 western willets, 4 lesser yellowlegs, 5 whimbrel, 17 Hudsonian godwits, a marbled godwit, 4 ruddy turnstones, 75 red knots, 3 sanderlings, 250 semipalmated sandpipers, 300 least sandpipers, a white-rumped sandpiper, 6 dunlin, 1200 short-billed dowitchers, and a red-necked phalarope. 

Seabirds noted from Race Point Beach this week included 6 Cory's shearwaters, 67 greater shearwaters, 23 sooty shearwaters, 15 Wilson's storm-petrels, and 4 northern gannets.

At Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary there were 12 whimbrels, many short-billed dowitchers, a black-crowned night-heron, an American woodcock, and several saltmarsh sparrows. The sanctuary butterfly garden is hitting its peak now, with monarchs, black and spicebush swallowtails, American ladies, 7 types of skippers, and many other species, plus ruby-throated hummingbirds and hummingbird clearwing moths visiting the various blooms in the garden.

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, July 07, 2010

The red-necked stint was last seen at South Beach in Chatham last weekend. Despite the missing rarity, some good birds were seen there this week including the hybrid dunlin/white-rumped sandpiper, a marbled godwit, 5 Hudsonian godwits, plus 4 greater yellowlegs, a ruddy turnstone, 10 red knots, black-bellied plovers, American oystercatchers including a few chicks, least and semipalmated sandpipers, dunlin, short-billed dowitchers, 20 piping plovers including several chicks, willets, and a spotted sandpiper.

A clay-colored sparrow was singing along the road to the Marconi site in Wellfleet this week. This once more rare species seems to be attempting to colonize Cape Cod as a breeder.

A whale watch trip to Stellwagen Bank this week produced 7 Cory's shearwaters, 78 greater shearwaters, 8 sooty shearwaters, a Manx shearwater, and 430 Wilson's storm-petrels, plus Atlantic white-sided dolphins, humpback whales, and fin whales.

The summer tanager continues in Brewster State Forest and blue grosbeaks plus up to 8 grasshopper sparrows are still being seen at Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth. Other sightings on the Cape this week included 2 continuing chuck-will's-widows in Orleans, an American woodcock at Hallet's Mill Pond in Barnstable, a hooded merganser in Chatham, 38 purple martins at New Seabury Golf Course in Mashpee, and a stilt sandpiper at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife 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.

 

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Eastern Massachusetts

Friday, July 30, 2010

Many adult shorebird species should be reaching near peak numbers for the year in the next week or ten days. Species likely to be seen in the greatest numbers during this period include Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Sanderling, and Semipalmated Sandpiper.  Also, expect to see the first juveniles of species such as Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, and Short-billed Dowitcher.  As more and more species begin to arrive, observers are encouraged to be on the lookout for color-banded individuals since the careful documentation of these leg-band patterns is of considerable value to shorebird researchers.  For information on what to do if you see a color-banded shorebird, see http://www.bandedbirds.org/

A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher originally seen a week ago at Sandy Point State Park at the south end of Plum Island was still present as recently as Wednesday.

Among the reports from the South Beach/Monomoy area of Chatham this week were a Peregrine Falcon, 200 Black-bellied Plovers, 46 Piping Plovers, a Killdeer, 30 American Oystercatchers, 80 Greater Yellowlegs, 60 Willets including 8 of the "Western" race, 17 Whimbrels, 42 Hudsonian Godwits, 3Marbled Godwits, 110 Ruddy Turnstones, 245 Red Knots, 500 Sanderlings, 2500 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 5 Western Sandpipers, 5 White-rumped Sandpipers, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, 2 Dunlin, a Stilt Sandpiper, 1500 Short-billed Dowitchers, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Arctic Terns, 27 Roseate Terns, and 2 Black Terns.

In Acton there was a report of a Red-shouldered Hawk, a Broad-winged Hawk, 3 Pileated Woodpeckers, 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches, and 4 Hermit Thrushes.

Observed at Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich were 2 Broad-winged Hawks, a Pileated Woodpecker, and 2 Winter Wrens, and at Crane's Beach in Ipswich a Peregrine Falcon and a Marbled Godwit were seen.

Whale watching trips out of Newburyport, Plymouth, and Provincetown are all continuing to report varying numbers of Cory's, Greater, Sooty, and Manx shearwaters, Wilson's Storm-Petrels, and Northern Gannets.

Miscellaneous reports include a Common Merganser in Watertown, a Red-throated Loon at Pilgrim Lake in Truro, a Northern Harrier in Halifax, a Piping Plover and 5 American Oystercatchers in Winthrop, 2 Stilt Sandpipers at Squantum, a very early Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth, and 4 Cliff Swallows in Haverhill.
 

Monday, July 26, 2010

The migration of adult shorebirds continues to increase in magnitude every day and several species including Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Red Knot, and Semipalmated Sandpiper are likely to reach their peak numbers for the year in the next week or ten days.  As more and more species begin to arrive, observers are encouraged to be on the lookout for color-banded individuals since the careful documentation of these leg-band patterns is of considerable value to shorebird researchers.  For information on what to do if you see a color-banded shorebird, see http://www.bandedbirds.org/

A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher originally seen last Thursday at Sandy Point State Park at the south end of Plum Island was observed again yesterday and today. Also seen at Sandy Point were a Royal Tern, a Black-headed Gull, and a Little Gull. 

At South Beach in Chatham, shorebirds tallied over the weekend included 290 Black-bellied, 250 Semipalmated, and 40 Piping Plovers, 18 American Oystercatchers, 150 Greater Yellowlegs, 280 Willets including 14 of the "Western" race, 14 Whimbrels, 10 Hudsonian Godwits, 3Marbled Godwits, 75 Red Knots, 300 Sanderlings, 1200 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 400 Least Sandpipers, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Dunlin, and 500 Short-billed Dowitchers. Also seen at South Beach were 24 RoseateTerns, and 5 Rough-winged Swallows.  In North Chatham, 300 Red Knots and 2500 Short-billed Dowitchers were also counted.

A report from Duxbury Beach included a Brant, 23 Wilson's Storm-Petrels, 2 American Kestrels, 335 Semipalmated Plovers, a Solitary Sandpiper, 39 Willets, a Marbled Godwit, 480 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 60 Least Sandpipers, and 250 Short-billed Dowitchers.

Observed at the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area in Hanson were 16 Great Egrets, a Snowy Egret, 1000 Tree Swallows, a Purple Martin, and 5 Orchard Orioles.  In Halifax there were 9 Great Egrets, a Glossy Ibis, a Solitary Sandpiper, 20 Least Sandpipers, and 4 Pectoral Sandpipers.

A whale watching trip out of Newburyport on Sunday reported seeing 2 Cory's, 195 Greater, 73 Sooty, and 2 Manx shearwaters, 535 Wilson's Storm-Petrels, 85 Northern Gannets, and 2 Black Terns.

Miscellaneous reports include a Common Merganser in Watertown, an American Golden-Plover and a Black-billed Cuckoo at Plum Island, and a Northern Waterthrush and a White-throated Sparrow from the Boston Fenway.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Shorebird migration continues to increase in magnitude every day, and in addition to some of the earlier migrant species such as Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, and Short-billed Dowitcher which are reaching peak numbers for the year right now, other species such as Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Red Knot, and Semipalmated Sandpiper should all be notably increasing in the next ten days or so.  As more and more shorebird species begin to arrive, observers are encouraged to be on the lookout for color-banded individuals since the careful documentation of these leg-band patterns is of considerable value to shorebird researchers.  For information on what to do if you see a color-banded shorebird, see http://www.bandedbirds.org/

At Sandy Point State Park at the south end of Plum Island a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was observed and photographed on Thursday, however the bird could not be relocated today.  Also seen at Plum Island were 16 Piping Plovers, a Hudsonian Godwit, a Red Knot, 2 Western Sandpipers, 3 Pectoral Sandpipers, 2 Stilt Sandpipers, and an American Woodcock.

Noted on Plymouth Beach recently were 19 Piping Plovers, 2 Whimbrels, 500 Sanderlings, 1300 Semipalmated Sandpipers, and 80 Short-billed Dowitchers.

At South Beach in Chatham, a shorebird count last weekend included 290 Black-bellied, 110 Semipalmated, and 42 Piping Plovers, 18 American Oystercatchers, 135 Greater Yellowlegs, 280 Willets including 14 of the "Western" race, 16 Whimbrels, 46 Hudsonian Godwits, 2 Marbled Godwits, 200 Red Knots, 280 Sanderlings, 2900 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 3 Western Sandpipers, 700 Least Sandpipers, 2 White-rumped Sandpipers, 7 Dunlin, and 2950 Short-billed Dowitchers, and a Red-necked Phalarope.  Also seen at South Beach was a Royal Tern.

In Boston Harbor, 40 Least Terns were tallied at Lovell's Island and on Sheep Island there were 6 Glossy Ibises and 7 American Oystercatchers.

Offshore on Stellwagen Bank birders on whale watching trips are continuing to regularly report small numbers of Cory's, Greater, Sooty, and Manx shearwaters, Wilson's Storm-Petrels, and small numbers of Northern Gannets.

Miscellaneous reports include a Red-throated Loon at Pilgrim Lake in Provincetown, a Wilson's Snipe at Great Meadows Refuge in Concord, 2 Monk Parakeets in East Boston, and the continued presence of a singing Clay-colored Sparrow at the Marconi Site in Wellfleet and a Blue Grosbeak at the Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Shorebird migration continues to increase in magnitude everyday and several species will soon be approaching their peak for the year, most notably Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, and Short-billed Dowitcher.  As more and more species begin to arrive in numbers, observers should take the opportunity to study the adult plumage of each species so they will more readily recognize the juveniles when they begin to appear in August.

At South Beach in Chatham, one of the premiere shorebird localities in Massachusetts, weekend tallies included 250 Black-bellied, 200 Semipalmated, and 40 Piping Plovers, a Killdeer, 25 American Oystercatchers, 100 Greater Yellowlegs, 275 Willets including 10 of the "Western" race, 40 Whimbrels, 30 Hudsonian Godwits, a Marbled Godwit, 200 Red Knots, 400 Sanderlings, 3000 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 3 Western Sandpipers, 1000 Least Sandpipers, 2 White-rumped Sandpipers, 4 Dunlin, and 3500 Short-billed Dowitchers.  Also seen at South Beach were an Arctic Tern and a Black Tern.

Reported from Belle Isle Marsh in East Boston were 26 Great and 31 Snowy egrets, a Peregrine Falcon, and a Willet.

Species noted at the Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth included 3 Northern Bobwhites, 8 Field Sparrows, 5 Grasshopper Sparrows, and the continued presence of a Blue Grosbeak.

At Duxbury Beach there was Brant, a Peregrine Falcon, 56 Willets including 2 of the "Western" race, and 200 Short-billed Dowitchers.

On the southern end of Stellwagen Bank whale watching boats are regularly reporting small numbers of Cory's, Greater, Sooty, and Manx shearwaters along with modest numbers of Wilson's Storm-Petrels.

Recent reports from the Parker River Refuge at Plum Island include increasing numbers of waterfowl, especially Mallards, Gadwalls, and Green-winged Teal, as well as a single Ruddy Duck.  Also conspicuous on the refuge are good numbers of Great and Snowy egrets and a scattering of Little Blue Herons and Glossy Ibises.  The best shorebirding on the island continues to be at Stage Island Pool and Sandy Point State Park, where Piping Plovers and good numbers of Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpipers, a few Stilt Sandpipers, and many Short-billed Dowitchers have been reported.

Miscellaneous reports include a Cattle Egret in Essex, 42 Killdeer and 2 Hudsonian Godwits in Newburyport, and 3 Monk Parakeets in East Boston.
 

Friday, July 16, 2010

Hot weather and the completion of nesting for many songbirds have made for a quiet week.  Nonetheless, shorebird migration is increasing in magnitude and several species should soon be approaching their peak for the year in the next couple weeks, most notably Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpipers, and Short-billed Dowitchers.  If you happen to live inland don't be discouraged, because this is also a good time to find interesting shorebirds near muddy pond and lake shores away from the coast.  At the same time that certain shorebird species are increasing in abundance, large numbers of fledgling terns will also soon be gathering on beaches adjacent to their nesting colonies, so this can be a good time to brush up on your tern identification skills, too.

Recent reports from the Parker River Refuge at Plum Island this week included 72 Gadwalls, 2 Blue-winged Teal, 36 Green-winged Teal, a Ruddy Duck, 30 Great and 130 Snowy egrets, 10 Glossy Ibises, 12 Piping Plovers, 155 Lesser Yellowlegs, 280 Least Sandpipers, 8 Stilt Sandpipers, 420 Short-billed Dowitchers, 2 Black-headed Gulls, a Black Skimmer, an Alder Flycatcher, 6 Willow Flycatchers, 360 migrating Bank Swallows, and 15 Bobolinks.

A tally of shorebirds at South Beach in Chatham last weekend included 300 Black-bellied, 5 Semipalmated, and 25 Piping Plovers, 2 Killdeer, 200 Willets including 12 of the "Western" race, 5 Whimbrels, 17 Hudsonian and 1 Marbled Godwit, 75 Red Knots, 250 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 300 Least Sandpipers, 6 Dunlin, 1200 Short-billed Dowitchers, and a Red-necked Phalarope.

At the Marconi Site in South Wellfleet, a Clay-colored Sparrow was still singing in the pines across the road from the large blue water tank as recently as last weekend.

Monday, July 12, 2010

An adult White-faced Ibis was discovered at the North Pool overlook at the Parker River Refuge on Plum Island last Tuesday was not reported over the weekend; however, on Sunday another White-faced Ibis was reported from Mosswetussett Hummock on East Squantum Street in Squantum. 

Reports from the Parker River Refuge at Plum Island over the weekend included a Hooded Merganser, a Ruddy Duck, a Little Blue Heron, 6 Glossy Ibises, a Stilt Sandpiper, and a Black-headed Gull.

A survey of the Boston Harbor Islands last week tallied of 313 Common Eider chicks, approximately 8-10 pairs of American Oystercatchers including several pairs with young and 35 pairs of Least Terns on Lovell's Island.  Also seen in the harbor were 3 summering Great Cormorants.

Observed at Revere Beach were 2 Surf Scoters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, and 8 Piping Plovers.

Shorebirds reported from South Beach in Chatham included 300 Black-bellied, 5 Semipalmated, and 25 Piping Plovers, 2 Killdeer, 200 Willets including 12 of the "Western" race, 5 Whimbrels, 17 Hudsonian and 1 Marbled Godwit, 75 Red Knots, 250 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 300 Least Sandpipers, 6 Dunlin, 1200 Short-billed Dowitchers, and a Red-necked Phalarope.

At Race Point in Provincetown observations included 6 Cory's Shearwaters, 67 Greater Shearwaters, 23 Sooty Shearwaters, and 15 Wilson's Storm-Petrels.

Miscellaneous reports included a Brant in Duxbury, a Red-throated Loon in Bourne, 2 Winter Wrens, 13 Hermit Thrushes, and 10 Black-throated Green Warblers in Beverly, and the continued presence of a singing Clay-colored Sparrow at the Marconi Site in South Wellfleet.

Friday, July 09, 2010

The Red-necked Stint present at South Beach in Chatham for over a week has not been reported since last weekend.

An adult White-faced Ibis was discovered at the North Pool overlook at the Parker River Refuge on Plum Island on Tuesday along with a group of 11 Glossy Ibises.  Observers should keep a sharp lookout for this rather cryptic species when looking at any flocks of Glossy Ibises over the weekend.  Also seen at Plum Island were a Ruddy Duck, a Least Bittern, a Peregrine Falcon, 2 Soras, increasing numbers of early shorebirds including an American Golden-Plover, 56 Lesser Yellowlegs, 275 Least Sandpipers, and 120 Short-billed Dowitchers, as well as a Black-headed Gull, and an Orchard Oriole.

A survey of the Boston Harbor Islands tallied of 313 Common Eider chicks, approximately 8-10 pairs of American Oystercatchers including several pairs with young and 35 pairs of Least Terns on Lovell's Island.  Also seen in the harbor were 3 summering Great Cormorants.

A report from Plymouth Beach featured 24 Piping Plovers, 13 Willets, a Red Knot, 30 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 16 Short-billed Dowitchers, 10 Bonaparte's Gulls, 350 Least Terns, 4 Roseate Terns, and 1600 Common Terns.

Observed on a whale watching trip out of Newburyport were 140 Cory's Shearwaters, 200 Greater Shearwaters, 75 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters, and 45 Wilson's Storm-Petrels.

Miscellaneous reports included 2 Solitary Sandpipers in Sudbury and a Stilt Sandpiper at the Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary in South Wellfleet,

 

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Western Massachusetts

Monday, July 26, 2010

Only a few species are still singing mostly indigo buntings, red-eyed vireos, song sparrows and Carolina wrens.
Now, patience is need to find mostly quiet woodland birds. Swallows and blackbirds are beginning to gather in large groups. However, few reports of migrating sandpipers have been received so far.

A migrating whimbrel was seen in the northern section of the Quabbin Reservoir on Sunday along with 10 common loons, two ospreys, four least sandpipers, three Bonaparte's gulls, a common tern and a blue-gray gnatcatcher.

Five hooded mergansers, three sharp-shinned hawks, an American woodcock, six ruby-throated hummingbirds, three alder flycatchers, three least flycatchers, 10 eastern kingbirds, a yellow-throated vireo, 11 red-breasted nuthatches, a Canada warbler and eight Baltimore orioles were seen in the central section of the Quabbin watershed.

Six eastern wood pewees, two great crested flycatchers and two least flycatchers were found in the southern section of the reservoir.

Two broad-winged hawks and an evening grosbeak were found in Tolland, a Cooper's hawk was in Westfield, a brown thrasher was seen in Belchertown and three fish crows were reported in Northampton

An alder flycatcher, a yellow-throated vireo, four Louisiana waterthruses and six eastern bluebirds were seen in Southwick.

 

Monday, July 19, 2010

Migrating shorebirds are already starting to arrive in the valley, but many resident birds are still working on second broods.

The redheaded woodpecker, previously reported at the Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, still being seen on Saturday. It is found on the main road going up the hill between the cemetery and sports field. Also heard overhead here were two evening grosbeaks.

Ten bald eagles, three peregrine falcons, 26 killdeer, 14 spotted sandpiper, two least sandpiper, and three Louisiana waterthrushes were also reported along the river in Deerfield..

A short-billed dowitcher, 15 common loons, two Virginia rails, a yellow-billed cuckoo, an alder flycatcher, and 700 tree swallows were found inn the northern Quabbin Reservoir area. The Caspian terns seen earlier have not been reported.

A mourning warbler was found on Mount Greylock, 23 common loons were counted in the eastern Quabbin Reservoir area, and a black-billed cuckoo and two Canada warblers were seen  in Pelham.

A semipalmated plover, 16 great blue herons, two green herons, two semipalmated sandpipers, five least sandpipers, six great crested flycatchers, and four willow flycatchers were reported in Longmeadow.

Two alder flycatchers, two great crested flycatchers, a blue-winged warbler, and seven Baltimore orioles were seen in the central area around the Quabbin Reservoir.

 

Monday, July 12, 2010

A Caspian tern, reported earlier in the north Quabbin Reservoir area, continues to be seen. Seen nearby were an osprey, six common loons, and a cerulean warbler.

A yellow-billed cuckoo, 17 common mergansers, two broad-winged hawks, an Acadian flycatcher, seven golden-crowned kinglets, and a cerulean warbler were reported on the west side of the Quabbin Reservoir.

Two hooded mergansers, a red-shouldered hawk, two broad-winged hawks, two ruffed grouse, an Acadian flycatcher, 10 alder flycatchers, 16 eastern kingbirds, a yellow-throated vireo, and 15 cliff swallows were seen in New Marleboro and Sandisfield.

A northern Parula was singing on the road to the top of Mount Holyoke in Skinner State Park.

Nesting common loons were reported on October Mountain in the town of Washington. A pine siskin was coming to a feeder in Amherst, two black-billed cuckoos and a Canada warbler were seen in Pelham and two American woodcock were found in Belchertown.

Four hooded mergansers, two broad-winged hawks, a black-billed cuckoo, an alder flycatcher, a winter wren, three purple finch, and two evening grosbeaks were seen in Plainfield.

Ten hooded mergansers, and 500 tree swallows were in the central area around the Quabbin Reservoir and 23 common loons and a Cooper's hawk were found on the east side of the Quabbin.

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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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