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, February 03, 2010

The Townsend's solitaire continued to make appearances this week at the edges of the golf course in the King's Way neighborhood in Yarmouthport.

Despite the cold snap and decreasing areas of open water on ponds, uncommon ducks were still being reported from Falmouth this week, including 4 redheads, 4 green-winged teal, and a Eurasian wigeon at Perch Pond, 2 wood ducks at White's Landing Rd. in East Falmouth, plus 4 canvasbacks, 9 ring-necked ducks, 85 greater/lesser scaup, all three species of merganser, and 2 American coot elsewhere in town.  Some non-ducks were also seen in Falmouth, including a turkey vulture, a northern harrier, a Bonaparte's gull, a belted kingfisher, a brown creeper, 2 red-breasted nuthatches, 4 eastern bluebirds, 2 hermit thrushes, 2 gray catbirds, and an eastern towhee.

Birds at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary this week included 2 northern bobwhites, 2 red-breasted nuthatches, a field sparrow, 2 swamp sparrows, 4 yellow-rumped warblers, 100 red-winged blackbirds, and 4 brown-headed cowbirds.

Among the 21 species reported from a Truro yard for Cornell's Project Feederwatch were an encouraging 19 northern bobwhites, plus a field sparrow, 2 northern flickers, and 2 yellow-rumped warblers.

Miscellaneous reports this week included a glaucous gull at Race Point in Provincetown, 2 harlequin ducks in Provincetown Harbor, a hermit thrush in Orleans, and 2 horned larks at Scusset Beach in Sandwich.

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, January 27, 2010

The Townsend's solitaire continued this week in the King's Way neighborhood in Yarmouthport.

The ivory gull has moved on, but Pacific loons are still being seen at Race Point in Provincetown, along with large numbers of razorbills, and the occasional common and thick-billed murres.

Ducks in Falmouth this week included 3 redheads and 700 greater/lesser scaup at Little Pond, a Eurasian wigeon at Mill Pond, and 5 canvasbacks at Perch Pond.

Bald eagles continue to be reported from Mashpee-Wakeby Pond in Mashpee, and other sightings from the Mashpee area included a northern shovelor, 124 mute swans, and a northern harrier.

It may seem early, but red-tailed hawks are starting to work on nests, including a pair at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary that has been bringing sticks in to a new nest site behind the visitor's center all week. Other birds seen at the sanctuary include 4 northern bobwhites, a sharp-shinned hawk, a field sparrow, 2 swamp sparrows, and 8 eastern bluebirds.

Miscellaneous reports this week included 16 eastern bluebirds at Bank Street Bogs in Harwich, a Wilson's snipe at the fish hatchery in Sandwich, a black-crowned night-heron in Falmouth, 2 black-headed gulls and a Bonaparte's gull in Osterville, a northern shrike continuing at Crane MWA in Falmouth, a snow goose and a merlin in Mashpee, and 8 purple sandpipers on the jetty at Scusset Beach.

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, January 20, 2010

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 January 13 and January 20, 2010.
The ivory gull at Race Point in Provincetown was last seen on Sunday. Also seen there this weekend were 2 Pacific loons, 40 red-throated loons, 150 black-legged kittiwakes, 16 Iceland gulls, a lesser black-backed gull, a glaucous gull, 3 common murres, a thick-billed murre, and 1000 razorbills.

A Townsend’s solitaire seen briefly last week in King’s Way in Yarmouthport was rediscovered on Tuesday.

The painted bunting was still being reported from Harbor View Lane in Orleans this week as was the summer tanager at a private home nearby. Out of season shorebirds at nearby Town Cove in Orleans included a willet, a semipalmated sandpiper, and 2 killdeer, plus a Wilson’s snipe and 4 wood ducks.

Miscellaneous sightings this week included a northern shrike in Truro and another at Crane WMA in Falmouth, a fish crow in Wellfleet Harbor, a northern bobwhite at Wellfleet Bay sanctuary and 10 more at a feeder elsewhere in Wellfleet, 3 seaside sparrows and a saltmarsh sparrow at Fort Hill in Eastham, , purple sandpipers and ruddy turnstones at Dowse’s Beach in Osterville, a brown thrasher elsewhere in Osterville, a Virginia rail in Cotuit, a northern saw-whet owl and a northern shovelor in Mashpee, 2 bald eagles at Mashpee Pond in Mashpee,  a redhead and a Eurasian wigeon on Great Pond in Falmouth and a clay-colored sparrow elsewhere in Falmouth , a king eider in the Cape Cod Canal at Mass Maritime, and 3 harlequin ducks at the other end of the canal at Scusset Beach.

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, January 13, 2010

An amazing assortment of rare, out-of-range birds are on Cape Cod during this bleakest time of the year, including an Allen's hummingbird, native to coastal California, visiting a feeder in Harwich apparently since October. The bird got ice on its wing over the weekend and was taken to a wildlife rehabilitator, where it is being cared for. Other rarities included a Townsend's solitaire which visited a neighborhood in Yarmouth on Tuesday, a white-winged dove that visited a feeder in Chatham for two days, and the continuing painted bunting and summer tanager visiting feeders in Orleans. Lastly, a varied thrush, normally found in the Pacific Northwest, was found dead outside a home in Wellfleet after apparently colliding with a window earlier this month.

Four bald eagles were seen and photographed at Mashpee Pond in Mashpee from the viewing point at Attaquin Park on Lake Ave., and another was seen at Long Pond in Brewster/Harwich.

The Upper Cape area continues to be excellent for ducks, and sightings this week included 4 redheads, a canvasback, and a Eurasian wigeon at Perch Pond in Falmouth, another redhead in the canal at Buzzard's Bay, and king eiders in the canal at both Scusset Beach and near the railroad bridge in Buzzard's Bay.

Birds seen at Dowses beach in Osterville included 21 ruddy turnstones, 4 purple sandpipers, and an American pipit.

In other bird reports this week were an American woodcock in Orleans, two Wilson's snipe at Dutchman's Ditch in Falmouth, 3 pine warblers at a feeder in Yarmouth and 3 more in Brewster, fox sparrows at feeders in Harwich and Yarmouth, an increase in reports of eastern bluebirds visiting feeding stations, a field sparrow and a swamp sparrow at the feeders at Wellfleet Bay sanctuary, 9 red-winged blackbirds and a brown-headed cowbird at feeders in Falmouth, and a chipping sparrow and 13 northern bobwhites at feeders 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.

 

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Eastern Massachusetts

Monday, February 08, 2010

The Tufted Duck that's been frequenting the Sudbury River between the Rt. 20 and Rt. 27 bridges in Wayland was still present today, and other recent reports from the area have included 10 Mute Swans, 2 Lesser Scaup, 9 Common Goldeneyes, 12 Hooded Mergansers, 14 Common Mergansers, and 1 Common Raven.

The Townsend's Solitaire in Yarmouth was last reported on Thursday.

A report from Race Point in Provincetown included 12 Iceland Gulls, 30 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 220 Razorbills, and 1 Common Murre, and seen at Nantucket were 3 Wood Ducks, 1 Northern Shoveler, 23 Ring-necked Ducks, 6 Redheads, 10 Harlequin Ducks, 1 Barrow's Goldeneye, 1 Common Moorhen, 1 Black-headed Gull, 118 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 38 Iceland Gulls, 3 Pine Warblers, 1 White-crowned Sparrow, and 30 Snow Buntings.

Miscellaneous reports from the weekend included a Bald Eagle and a Snowy Owl at Plum Island, 2 Barrow's Goldeneyes on the Merrimac River in Dracut, a Red-headed Woodpecker in Lowell, a King Eider and a Barrow's Goldeneye in Gloucester, a Bald Eagle and 2 Peregrine Falcons in Boston, a Bald Eagle in Cambridge, 2 Common Ravens in Lincoln, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in Newton, 2 Common Ravens at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, a Bald Eagle and a Rough-legged Hawk in Quincy, 2 Barrow's Goldeneyes on the Charles River in Dover, 3 Rough-legged Hawks at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro, and a Northern Shrike in Barnstable.

On Saturday, March 6, Mass Audubon and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences will cosponsor the 18^th annual Massachusetts Birders Meeting. For further information or registration, visit our website at massaudubon.org or call 781-259-2150.

 

Friday, February 05, 2010

A Tufted Duck discovered on Wednesday was still present today on the Sudbury River just north of Rt. 20 in Wayland and just south of Rt. 27 in Sudbury. Other reports from that portion of the river included 7 Mute Swans, 2 Lesser Scaup, 9 Common Goldeneyes, 12 Hooded Mergansers, 18 Common Mergansers, and 1 Bald Eagle.

A Pacific Loon was seen on Wednesday off Race Point in Provincetown, the Townsend's Solitaire was still in Yarmouth at least as recently as yesterday, and 2 Barrow's Goldeneyes were present today on the Charles River, just below the falls near the intersection of South and Mill Streets in Dover.

Miscellaneous reports this week included 2 Bald Eagles and 1 Snowy Owl at Plum Island, 1 Northern Pintail, 5 Bald Eagles, and 1 Iceland Gull in Newburyport, a Red-headed Woodpecker in Lowell, 21 Ring-necked Ducks, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 4 Fish Crows in Waltham, 5 Carolina Wrens in the Fenway section of Boston, a Northern Shrike, roughly 2200 Common Grackles, and 1900 Red-winged Blackbirds at Bolton Flats, 17 Horned Larks at Duxbury Beach, a Eurasian Wigeon in Plymouth, a Bald Eagle at the Allens Pond sanctuary in South Dartmouth, 3 Black-headed Gulls and 1 Northern Shrike in Barnstable, a Glaucous Gull, 1 Thick-billed Murre, and 5 Common Murres in Provincetown, and 1 American Bittern, 1 Glaucous Gull, and 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers at Nantucket.

Monday, February 01, 2010

The Slaty-backed Gull was last reported last Thursday and the Townsend's Solitaire was still in Yarmouth today.

A report from the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro included 1 Northern Harrier, 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 4 Rough-legged Hawks, 40 Horned Larks, 4 American Pipits, 7 Swamp Sparrows, roughly 200 Red-winged Blackbirds and 40 Brown-headed Cowbirds, and seen at Nantucket over the weekend were 1 Northern Shoveler, a Eurasian Wigeon, 14 Canvasbacks, 8 Redheads, 25 Ring-necked Ducks, 12 Harlequin Ducks, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, 1 Common Moorhen, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Barn Owl, and 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Miscellaneous reports from the weekend included 8 Bald Eagles, 5 Northern Harriers, and 1 Snowy Owl at Plum Island, a Dovekie in Rockport, a Bald Eagle in Gloucester, 1 Turkey Vulture in Ipswich, 3 Turkey Vultures and a Brown Thrasher in Essex, a Northern Shoveler and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Nahant, a Bald Eagle in South Boston, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in Newton, 4 Fish Crows and 1 Winter Wren at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Hermit Thrush in Lincoln, 3 Barrow's Goldeneyes in Dover, 4 Iceland Gulls in Lakeville, a Eurasian Wigeon in Plymouth, and 2 Eurasian Wigeons in Falmouth.

On Saturday, March 6, Mass Audubon and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences will cosponsor the 18th annual Massachusetts Birders Meeting. For further information or registration, visit our website at massaudubon.org or call 781-259-2150.

 

Friday, January 29, 2010

The Ivory Gull that was found in Westport last Saturday was seen again on Wednesday in Middletown, Rhode Island, but it has not been seen again on the Massachusetts side of the state line.

Both the Slaty-backed Gull in East Gloucester and the Townsend's Solitaire in Yarmouth were still present at least as recently as yesterday.

Seen this week at Nantucket were 40 Canvasbacks, 1 Barrow's Goldeneye, roughly 200,000 Long-tailed Ducks, 7 Turkey Vultures, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Common Moorhen, 35 Iceland Gulls, and 65 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and miscellaneous reports this week included 2 Snowy Owls at Plum Island, 2 Bald Eagles in Newburyport, 35 Razorbills and 1 Dovekie in Rockport, a Fox Sparrow in the Fenway section of Boston, 2 Bald Eagles in Somerville, 1 Bald Eagle at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, a Common Raven in Lincoln, 2 Common Ravens in Sudbury, 30 Brown-headed Cowbirds in Littleton, a Winter Wren in Framingham, 9 Common Grackles in Marshfield, 9 Harlequin Ducks at Manomet Point in Plymouth, a Bald Eagle and an Eastern Phoebe elsewhere in Plymouth, and 7 Northern Shovelers in Fall River.

On Saturday, March 6, Mass Audubon and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences will cosponsor the 18th annual Massachusetts Birders Meeting. For further information or registration, visit our website at massaudubon.org or call 781-259-2150.

 

Monday, January 25, 2010

A Slaty-backed Gull was discovered today at Niles Pond in East Gloucester, and an Ivory Gull was seen on Saturday at Richmond Pond in the Acoaxet section of Westport. The Ivory Gull was also seen just across the Rhode Island state line at Quicksand Pond in Little Compton. It was not relocated on Sunday.

A possible Wood Stork was reported from the Cotuit section of Barnstable on Friday, but there have been no reports since.

The Sage Thrasher in Salisbury and the Mew Gull in East Gloucester were both last reported on Wednesday, and the Townsend's Solitaire in Yarmouth was still there yesterday.

Other weekend reports from Westport included 26 Turkey Vultures, 3 Red-shouldered Hawks, 26 Carolina Wrens, 1 Brown Thrasher, 4 Eastern Towhees, 4 Fox Sparrows, 8 Red-winged Blackbirds, and 40 Common Grackles, and seen in Provincetown were 1 Pacific Loon, 200 Razorbills, 1 Common Murre, and 1 Thick-billed Murre.

Miscellaneous reports from the weekend included a Bald Eagle, 1 Short-eared Owl, and 2 Snowy Owls at Plum Island, 2 Bald Eagles in Newburyport, a King Eider, 1 Thayer's Gull, and 4 Lapland Longspurs  in Gloucester, a Red-headed Woodpecker in Lowell, a Brown Thrasher in Woburn, 7 Wood Ducks in Weston, 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, 4 Northern Flickers, and 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in Newton, a Wilson's Snipe, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and a Fox Sparrow at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, an Orange-crowned Warbler at the Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain, 9 Rusty Blackbirds and 200 Red-winged Blackbirds in Milton, 27 Harlequin Ducks in North Scituate, 80 Red-winged Blackbirds in Marshfield, a Eurasian Wigeon and a Northern Shrike in Falmouth, a Snow Goose in Mashpee, and 2 Common Moorhens and 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Nantucket.

 

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Ivory Gull at Race Point in Provincetown has not been reported since last Sunday, but the Sage Thrasher at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation was still there at least as recently as Wednesday, and the Townsend's Solitaire at a private residence in Yarmouth was seen again today.

A Mew Gull, probably the same individual that has been seen sporadically since November, was noted at Niles Pond in East Gloucester on Wednesday. Also there were a minimum of 50 Iceland Gulls, 1 Thayer's Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 4 Glaucous Gulls.

A report from Millennium Park in West Roxbury included 6 Common Mergansers, 1 Northern Harrier, 1 Iceland Gull, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 3 Swamp Sparrows, 5 Snow Buntings, 40 Red-winged Blackbirds, and 4 Common Grackles, and miscellaneous reports this week included 1 Snowy Owl, 1 Short-eared Owl, and 1 American Pipit at Plum Island, 55 Harlequin Ducks in Rockport, a King Eider, a Bald Eagle, and 4 Pine Warblers in Gloucester, 2 Common Mergansers in the Fenway section of Boston, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and 1 Hermit Thrush at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, 30 Red-winged Blackbirds at Nine-acre-corner in Concord, 20 Snow Buntings at the Great Meadows refuge in Concord, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in Newton, 2 Common Ravens in Milton, and 2 Black-headed Gulls in the Osterville section of Barnstable.

On Saturday, March 6, Mass Audubon and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences will cosponsor the 18th annual Massachusetts Birders Meeting. For further information or registration, visit our website at massaudubon.org or call 781-259-2150.

 

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Both the Ivory Gull at Race Point in Provincetown and the Sage Thrasher at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation were last reported on Sunday, and a possible Arctic Loon was also seen on Sunday off Long Island in Boston Harbor. The Townsend's Solitaire that was seen in a private community in Yarmouth on Tuesday was seen again today, and the Painted Bunting that's been visiting a feeder at 7 Harbor View Road in Orleans since early December was still there over the weekend.

Other reports from Provincetown included 40 Red-throated Loons, 2 Pacific Loons, 60 Northern Gannets, 150 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 16 Iceland Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Glaucous Gull, 3 Common Murres, 1 Thick-billed Murre, roughly 1000 Razorbills, and 3000 unidentified murre/Razorbill-type alcids, and weekend reports from Nantucket included 2 Tundra Swans, 1 Northern Shoveler, 2 Eurasian Wigeon, 52 Canvasbacks, 16,000 Common Eider, 2 Barrow's Goldeneyes, and 1 Glaucous Gull.

Miscellaneous reports included a Bald Eagle, 2 Rough-legged Hawks, and 2 Snowy Owls at Plum Island, 40 Black-legged Kittiwakes and 75 Razorbills in Salisbury, 7 Brant, 73 Harlequin Ducks, and 13 Razorbills in Rockport, a Merlin and 2 Red-headed Woodpecker in Lowell, a King Eider in Marblehead, a Northern Shoveler in Nahant, 30 Red-winged Blackbirds in Stow, 40 Red-winged Blackbirds in Burlington, 150 Red-winged Blackbirds in Concord, a Greater White-fronted Goose in Sharon, 3 Harlequin Ducks at Scusset Beach in Sandwich, a King Eider in Bourne, an out-of-season Willet in Orleans, and a Northern Shrike in Truro.

Friday, January 15, 2010

An Ivory Gull discovered yesterday at Race Point in Provincetown was still there today, the Sage Thrasher that was found in the Campground at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation on Monday was last reported there on Wednesday, and a Townsend's Solitaire that appeared in Yarmouth on Tuesday has not been seen since.

Reports from Plum Island this week included 1 Bald Eagle, 3 Rough-legged Hawks, 8 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 2 Iceland Gulls, 35 Razorbills, and 1 Snowy Owl, and at the Cumberland Farms fields in Middleboro there were 3 Northern Harriers, 1 Red-shouldered Hawk, 2 Rough-legged Hawks, 1 Merlin, 40 Horned Larks, 2 Vesper Sparrows, 8 White-crowned Sparrows, and 30 Red-winged Blackbirds.

Seen recently at Nantucket were 2 Tundra Swans, 1 Northern Shoveler, 1 Barrow's Goldeneye, 2 Common Moorhens, and 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and miscellaneous reports this week included 1 Thick-billed Murre and 1 Dovekie in Rockport, 3 Glaucous Gulls, 14 iceland Gulls, and a Common Raven in Gloucester, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers in Lowell, a Merlin in Nahant,
flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds in West Boylston, Northboro, Concord, and Framingham, an Eastern Towhee in Lincoln, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in Newton, and a Bald Eagle in Plymouth.

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Western Massachusetts

Monday, February 08, 2010

A glaucous gull,  26 mute swans, a two Iceland gulls, and two lesser black-backed gulls were seen in the Turners Falls area.

Two northern shrikes were reported in Windsor, including an adult in the Moran Wildlife Management Area and an immature at Notchview Reservation. A flock of 25 pine grosbeaks was also seen in Windsor.

A barred owl, 150 American robins, 135 cedar waxwings, and four red-winged blackbirds were found in Florence.

Five common mergansers, a yellow-bellied sapsucker, a northern flicker, five golden-crowned kinglets, and 15 American robins were reported in West Springfield.

A northern shrike was seen in Lenox, two red-breasted nuthatches were found in Hinsdale, another red-breasted nuthatch was seen in Savoy, and a barred owl was reported in Cummington.

A great horned owl, a barred owl, two northern saw-whet owls, a northern flicker, a pileated woodpecker, 22 red-breasted nuthatches, six brown creepers, 28 golden-crowned kinglets, and 32 purple finches were seen in the Ware River watershed.

A green-winged teal was on the campus pond at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and six eastern bluebirds were also seen in Amherst. A merlin was reported in Northampton, and two eastern bluebirds and 20 cedar waxwings were seen in Conway. A northern flicker was found  in Hadley, 35 cedar waxwings were seen in Westfield, and a rough-legged hawk was reported in Deerfield.

A pileated woodpecker, four eastern bluebirds, 75 American robins, a gray catbird, and an eastern towhee were seen in Southwick.

 

Monday, February 01, 2010

After a brief warm-up last week, the deep freeze over the weekend has kept birders home and driven many birds farther south or into hiding.

The large flocks of snow buntings that invaded the Hadley and Northampton area a week ago have all disappeared. Carolina Wrens are coming to feeders more often, but even they can find food in the wild due to the spotty snow cover.

An eastern towhee, 25 wild turkeys, six eastern bluebirds, a field sparrow, and a common redpoll were seen in Southwick.

A wood duck and four ring-necked ducks were reported at Forest Park in Springfield.

A great horned owl, a field sparrow and a red-winged blackbird were found in Shutesbury.

A common goldeneye, a ring-necked duck, and 134 cedar waxwings were seen in Cheshire.

A northern goshawk and two evening grosbeaks were found in the town of Florida.

Eight eastern bluebirds were reported in Warren, a barred owl was found in Florence, and two brown-headed cowbirds and a red-winged blackbird were seen in Great Barrington.

 

Monday, January 25, 2010

Large numbers of wintering robins continue to be reported as well as many sightings of bald eagles and pileated woodpeckers. Red-winged blackbirds are either lingering very late or returning very early and snow buntings are being driven from areas farther north, where snows are deep, to our relatively snow-free region.

Three northern harriers, a belted kingfisher, a savannah sparrow and two flocks of snow buntings totaling about 1,500 birds were seen in Hadley.

A rough-legged hawk, a northern harrier, a northern flicker, three white-crowned sparrows, 180 snow buntings, and two Lapland longspurs were reported in Northampton.

An adult golden eagle was seen from Field Farm in Williamstown.

An eastern towhee, 11 hooded mergansers, 33 common mergansers, and 3,400 American robins were found in Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir.

Two fish crows were reported in Chicopee, an Iceland gull and three great horned owls were seen in Agawam, and two red-winged blackbirds were in Longmeadow.

A great horned owl, a northern flicker, a northern shrike, eight red-breasted nuthatches, 12 golden-crowned kinglets, and a hermit thrush were seen at Gate 8 of the Quabbin Reservoir.

A lesser black-backed gull was found in Turners Falls, a flock of 500 snow buntings was seen in Montague, and three red-breasted nuthatch and 250 red-winged blackbirds were reported in New Salem.

A great horned owl, a winter wren, and 48 red-winged blackbirds. were reported in Belchertown

A great horned owl, a northern flicker, and 12 eastern bluebirds were seen in Southwick.

 

 

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Two adult lesser black-backed gulls were found on the ice at Barton's Cove on the Connecticut River in Gill.

Four pileated woodpeckers were calling and engaging in territorial displays in the Florence section of Northampton.

More than 411 American crows were counted coming in to a roost in downtown Pittsfield. A Cooper's hawk was also seen.

An adult peregrine falcon was found perched on a light pole on the Mueller Bridge over the Connecticut River linking South Hadley and Holyoke.

Large flocks of juncos, horned larks and snow buntings have been reported.  A flock of 150-to-200 snow buntings was seen in the east meadows of Northampton, and a flock of 100 horned larks was found in the honey pot section of Hadley. An immature Northern Harrier, 45 tree sparrows, 12 snow buntings and two Lapland longspurs were also found in the honey pot area of Hadley.

A snow goose was reported with a large flock of Canada Geese on the Connecticut River near the Calvin Coolidge Bridge in Northampton.

A pileated woodpecker, five hairy woodpeckers, two downy woodpeckers, 20 blue jays, two common ravens, three red-breasted nuthatches, two golden-crowned kinglets, seven white-throated sparrows and 250 red-winged blackbirds were reported in New Salem.

Two red-winged blackbirds, a northern mockingbird and a robin were seen in Granby.

 

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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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