Friday, November 3, 2023

An interesting assortment of unusual sightings this week included 3 continuing Pink-footed Geese in the Amherst/Whately area, a Barnicle Goose in Longmeadow, a Greater White-fronted Goose in Sheffield, single Ash-throated Flycatchers in Rockport and Truro, and a Le Conte’s Sparrow in Quincy. The cool weather late this week also seemed to move a lot of waterfowl into Massachusetts wetlands and coastal areas too.

Cape Cod highlights included a Tufted Duck at Big Station Pond on South Monomoy, single Yellow-headed Blackbirds on Shore Road in Provincetown and the Old North Cemetery in Truro where a Lark Sparrow was also seen, and Ash-throated Flycatcher at High Head in Truro, a Pacific Loon at Race Point in Provincetown, 3 Willets at Forest Beach in Chatham, a Rough-legged Hawk in East Dennis, a White-eyed Vireo at the New Seabury Country Club in Mashpee, and a Lark Sparrow in the Harwich Community Garden.

Bristol County notables at the Ocean View Farm Reserve in Dartmouth included a Stilt Sandpiper, a Prairie Warbler, a Nashville Warbler, 2 Yellow-breasted Chats, an Indigo Bunting, and a Bobolink.  Elsewhere a Eurasian Wigeon continued to be seen at the Miller Street Pond in Seekonk, a Red-headed Woodpecker and 124 Tree Swallows at Horseneck Beach in Westport, 3 Willets at the Little Bay Conservation Area in Fairhaven, and a Sora at the Egypt Lane Ponds in Fairhaven.

Plymouth County luminaries featured 11 Sandhill Cranes at the Cumberland Farms fields in Halifax and 3 more cranes in West Bridgewater, a lingering Hudsonian Godwit at Plymouth Beach where 14 Forster’s Terns and a late Black Tern were also seen, 3 Solitary Sandpipers were tallied at the West Meadows Wildlife Area in West Bridgewater, a late Philadelphia Vireo at Leland Farm in East Bridgewater, 2 Marsh Wrens at Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Manomet, and 300 Tree Swallows at Duxbury Beach.

Norfolk County continued to host a Le Conte’s Sparrow, a Clay-colored Sparrow, and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Passanaganset Park at the Broad Meadows Marsh in Quincy, a Wilson’s Warbler at Hall’s Pond in Brookline, and a Grasshopper Sparrow at the Charles River Peninsula in Needham.

Suffolk County bright lights were a Marsh Wren, a Clay-colored Sparrow, and a Dickcissel at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, a Lesser Yellowlegs, a Pectoral Sandpiper, Lark Sparrow, and 5 Nelson’s Sparrows at the Belle Isle Reservation in Boston, a Northern Saw-whet Owl at the Arnold Arboretum, 4 Lapland Longspurs at Winthrop Beach, and a Green Heron at Chandler Pond in Brighton.

Middlesex County highlights were 4 lingering Lesser Yellowlegs at the Arlington Reservoir, single Clay-colored Sparrows at the Lexington Community Garden, Draw 7 Pier in Somerville, and Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, a late Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Lookout Farm in Natick, a Purple Gallinule at the Captain Sargent Conservation Land in Stow, single Lincoln’s Sparrows at Danehy Park in Cambridge and on Fitch’s Bridge Road in Groton, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.

Essex County luminaries included an Ash-throated Flycatcher, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and a late Indigo Bunting at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, and another gnatcatcher at Lane’s Farm Way in Rockport.  Other Essex County highlights were a Rough-legged Hawk and a late Yellow Warbler at Bear Creek Park in Saugus, a Little Gull at Andrews Point in Rockport, and single Common Gallinules at Plum Island and Salem Woods Park in Salem.

Berkshire County hosted 4 Red-throated Loons, 3 Redheads, and a Northern Shoveler at Lake Pontoosuc in Pittsfield, a Greater White-fronted Goose and a Cackling Goose at the Hubbard Brook Wildlife Area in Sheffield, another Cackling Goose at Davis Pond in Great Barrington, and a Lincoln’s Sparrow at Linear Park in Williamstown.

Franklin County was visited by 3 Pink-footed Geese at Tri-Town Beach in Whately which very likely the same group of 3 geese that have also been spending time on the UMass campus pond in Amherst.  Other notable sightings were a Red-throated Loon at Barton Cove in Gill, a Brant at the Orange Wildlife Area in Orange, 4 Dunlin in the North Meadows in Deerfield, and a lingering Green Heron   on Round Pond Road in Deerfield.

Hampshire County birds of note were a group of 3 continuing Pink-footed Geese that seem to be moving back and forth between the UMass campus pond in Amherst at Tri-Town Beach in Whately, 18 Brant and a Red-throated Loon near the Quabbin Reservoir Visitor’s Center in Belchertown, 7 Black Vultures in the air over South Maple Street in Hadley, a Clay-colored Sparrow at the Honey Pot in Hadley, a White-rumped Sandpiper in the East Meadows in Northampton, a Wilson’s Warbler on the campus of Mt. Holyoke in South Hadley, and a Lincoln’s Sparrow at the Hickory Ridge Conservation Area in Amherst.

Hampden County was graced by a Tufted Duck at the Whiting Reservoir in Holyoke, 3 Black Vultures in Palmer, and a Barnicle Goose, 2 Cackling Geese, and 4 Blue-winged Teal at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow.

Worcester County hosted a Black-bellied Plover at Bartlett Pond in Northborough, a Spotted Sandpiper at White Pond in Lancaster, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at the Westboro Wildlife Area in Westborough.

Martha’s Vineyard notables were 2 Sedge Wrens, 60 Tree Swallows, a Nashville Warbler, and a Red-eyed Vireo in the Gay Head/Aquinnah area.

Nantucket luminaries were 3 Cattle Egrets in the Bartlett Farm area, 3 Common Gallinules at Miacomet Farm, 2 Sedge Wrens at an undisclosed area, 4 Redheads at Hummock Pond, a Northern Shoveler at Sesachacha Pond, a Black-throated Blue Warbler at Jackson Point.