Massachusetts Bird Sightings — Friday, May 19, 2023
Lots of migration this week all over the state, with some of the highlights being 2 Swallow-tailed Kites, several Yellow-throated Warblers, several Hooded Warblers, 2 Kentucky Warblers, 2 Prothonotary Warblers, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Little Gull, and Chuck-will’s-widows calling in a couple locations. A great week to be out birding!
Cape Cod enjoyed a fine week of birding, with lots of birds and lots of birders out looking for them. Among the many warblers seen on the Cape this week were single Yellow-throated Warblers in Orleans and the Provincetown Beech Forest, single Prothonotary Warblers at Elbow Pond in Brewster, and Santuit Pond in Mashpee, 3 Worm-eating Warblers in the Falmouth State Forest, and a Hooded Warbler at West Pond in Barnstable. Other highlights were single Swallow-tailed Kites at Bearberry Hill in Truro and Johns Pond in Mashpee, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Gull in Nauset Marsh below Tomahawk Trail in Eastham, a Sandhill Crane in flight in Provincetown, single Summer Tanagers in Chatham, Snake Hill in Provincetown, and the Eastham stump dump, a Blue Grosbeak at Dennis Pond in Yarmouth, a calling Chuck-will’s-widow on Elaine Avenue in North Falmouth, a Caspian Tern at Dowses Beach in Osterville, and 3 Dovekies and a Pomarine Jaeger on the southwest corner of Stellwagen Bank off Race Point in Provincetown.
Plymouth County was graced by a Yellow-throated Warbler at the Manomet Bird Observatory, 5 Sandhill Cranes and a Caspian Tern at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, a Whimbrel and 3 Red Knots at Plymouth Beach, and 2 Clapper Rails at Green Harbor in Marshfield.
Norfolk County highlights featured a Hooded Warbler and an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Moose Hill Sanctuary in Sharon, an Acadian Flycatcher at King Philip’s Rock in Sharon, a Least Bittern at the marsh on Causeway Street in Medfield, a Gray-cheeked Thrush at Squantum Point, a Blue-winged Teal at the pond on the Cohasset Golf Course, and a Little Blue Heron at Weymouth Back River.
Suffolk County luminaries 37 Purple Sandpipers at Winthrop, 7 Great Cormorants on the Boston Harbor Islands, a Philadelphia Vireo in the Boston Public Garden, and Upland Sandpiper and a Kentucky Warbler in Franklin Park, a Mourning Warbler in the Arnold Arboretum, single Hooded Warblers at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Boston, the Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston, and the Evergreen Cemetery in Brighton, a Black-billed Cuckoo, a Yellow-throated Vireo, and 2 Willow Flycatchers at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, and 2 Least Bitterns at the Belle Isle Reservation in East Boston.
Middlesex County birders were pleased to find single Prothonotary Warblers at the Little Bedford Conservation Area in Bedford and Torbet McDonald Park in Medford, single Hooded Warblers at Horn Pond in Woburn, Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Nahanton Park in Newton, and the Newtown Hill Conservation Area in Littleton, and an Acadian Flycatcher at Great Meadows Refuge in Concord where there was also a Least Bittern and a Common Gallinule. At the Heald Street Orchard in Pepperell there was a Golden-winged Warbler, and a Kentucky Warbler was spotted at Drumlin Farm Sanctuary in Lincoln.
Essex County bright lights were a White Ibis seen on Monroe Road in Salem, a Philadelphia Vireo at Marblehead Neck Sanctuary in Marblehead, a Kentucky Warbler at Nahant Thicket in Nahant, 12 Solitary Sandpipers at the Topsfield Fair Grounds in Topsfield, a Black Vulture in Newburyport, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers on Scotland Road in Newbury, and a Stilt Sandpiper, a Philadelphia Vireo, a Hooded Warbler, and a Yellow-breasted Chat at Plum Island.
Berkshire County was visited by 2 Hooded Warblers at Dry Hill in New Marlborough, a Worm-eating Warbler in Egremont, 3 Willow Flycatchers at Canoe Meadows in Pittsfield and another at Bartholomew’s Cobble in Ashley Falls, 2 Alder Flycatchers in Williamstown, and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Jug End Reservation in Egremont, and single Grasshopper Sparrows the Pittsfield Airport and Canoe Meadows in Pittsfield.
Franklin County continued to host a Yellow-throated Warbler at Cranberry Pond in Sunderland, and 4 Red Crossbills were tallied at the Montague Plains WMA.
Hampshire County hosted single Hooded Warblers at Skinner State Park in Hadley, and a second Hooded Warbler elsewhere in Hadley, and still a third individual in Easthampton. Other county notables were 2 Northern Shovelers at Arcadia Sanctuary in Easthampton, a Brewster’s Warbler on the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Amherst, and an Orange-crowned Warbler at Quabbin Park in Ware.
Hampden County birders found 2 Acadian Flycatchers in Granville, a Hooded Warbler at Grace Robson Sanctuary in Westfield, and a Dunlin at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow.
Worcester County logged 9 Glossy Ibises and 2 Wilson’s Phalaropes at the Bolton Flats WMA in Bolton, 11 Grasshopper Sparrows on Pine Hill Road in Lancaster, a Philadelphia Vireo in Petersham, a Blue Grosbeak on Pleasant Street in Leominster.
Martha’s Vineyard luminaries were 42 Black Skimmers Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary in Edgartown, an American Golden-Plover at Norton Point, a Yellow-throated Warbler on John Hoft Road in Vineyard Haven, and another near the Biodiversity Works headquarters, a Horned Grebe at Wasque Point in Edgartown, 2 Chuck-will’s-widow’s calling on Bridge Road on Chappaquiddick, and a Cerulean Warbler at Great Rock Bight Preserve in Chilmark.
Nantucket hosted several lingering species including a Glaucous Gull at Great Point, 4 Northern Shovelers at Coskata, an American Coot at Consue Springs, and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos.