Massachusetts Bird Sightings — Friday, March 3, 2023
Increasingly small flocks of early-migrating Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds are beginning to be reported from various areas, and lingering rarities include Greater White-fronted Geese in several areas, wintering Eared Grebes in Gloucester and Marblehead, small numbers of Bohemian Waxwings in Williamstown, a Townsend’s Solitaire on Martha’s Vineyard, a Varied Thrush in Longmeadow, and a flock of 6 Ross’s Geese in Marion.
Cape Cod birds of note this week were a Glaucous Gull at Dowses Beach in Osterville, a Black-headed Gull at Eugenia Fortes Beach in Barnstable where there was also a Semipalmated Plover, a Pacific Loon at Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown, a Thick-billed Murre at MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown, a continuing Eurasian Green-winged Teal at High Head in Truro, and a Clay-colored Sparrow near the Cape Cod Playhouse in Dennis.
Bristol County luminaries were 2 Greater White-fronted Geese on Shaw Road in Fairhaven, a Snow Goose in Acoaxet, a Barrow’s Goldeneye West Island Town Beach in Fairhaven, 5 Wilson’s Snipes on Shaws Cove Road in Fairhaven, and a Clay-colored Sparrow on East Horseneck Road in Westport.
Plymouth County was graced by a visit from 6 Ross’s Geese and a Greater White-fronted Goose at the Kittansett Club golf course in Marion, 4 Sandhill Cranes in fields on Bedford Street in Whitman, 3 more Sandhill Cranes at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, and a continuing Clay-colored Sparrow at Nemasket Trail in Plympton.
Norfolk County highlights were a Barrow’s Goldeneye at Black Rock Beach in Cohasset, a Redhead and a Tufted Duck at Lake Pearl in Wrentham, and an Orange-crowned Warbler at Squantum Point Park in Quincy.
Suffolk County notables were a Barrow’s Goldeneye at Castle Island in Boston Harbor, 2 Redheads at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Boston, a Pied-billed Grebe at Jamaica Pond in Jamaica Plain, a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Revere Beach, and 2 Pileated Woodpeckers at the Stony Brook Reservation in Boston.
Essex County hosted single Canvasbacks on the Merrimack River in Haverhill and off River Road in West Newbury, lingering Eared Grebes at the Little Private Beach in Marblehead and Niles Beach in East Gloucester, 5 American Pipits at Braces Cove in East Gloucester, 3 Virginia Rails at Sidney’s Pond in West Peabody, a Baltimore Oriole in Middleton, and 10 Red Crossbills on Plum Island.
Middlesex County observers spotted 2 Northern Shovelers at Horn Pond in Woburn, a Rough-legged Hawk, 25 Tree Swallows, and a Palm Warbler at Great Meadows Refuge in Concord, a continuing Thick-billed Murre at Draw 7 State Park in Somerville, and an Orange-crowned Warbler at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.
Berkshire County continued to host a somewhat fragmented flock of Bohemian Waxwings in the Cole Avenue area of Williamstown and elsewhere on the Williams College campus, 37 Evening Grosbeaks on Frost Road in Washington, a Redhead on Lake Pontoosuc in Pittsfield, a Cackling Goose at Corbin’s Neck in Ashley Falls, and an Osprey in West Stockbridge.
Hampshire County sightings of note were 4 Black Vultures in Easthampton and a Lapland Longspur in the East Meadows on Northampton.
Hampden County continued to host a Varied Thrush at the Fannie Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow, a Greater White-fronted Goose and a Snow Goose at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow, and 4 Canvasbacks at the Congamond Lakes in Southwick.
Worcester County continued to host 4 Trumpeter Swans in the vicinity of Riverdale Road in Northbridge, along with 2 Sandhill Cranes in Lancaster, 59 Evening Grosbeaks in Royalston, 3 Black Vultures in Webster, and a Canvasback at gate 40 on the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton.
Martha’s Vineyard continued to host a Townsend’s Solitaire in the vicinity of the Corellus State Forest Headquarters, a Great Egret at Eel Pond in Edgartown, an American Oystercatcher at Sylvia State Beach in Edgartown, and 3 Common Ravens at the Wasque Reservation on Chappaquiddick.
Nantucket were pleased with a continuing Tufted Duck a Hummock Pond, 10 Northern Shovelers and a Common Gallinule Miacomet Pond, 6 Snow Geese at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 34 Red Crossbills at Low Beach, and a continuing Willet on the Nantucket Harbor flats.