Important Bird Area: Central Berkshire Lakes

Five major lakes/reservoirs and one smaller water body (Mud Pond) are situated in the Berkshires' central valley. The six (from north to south) are Hoosic Lake (500 acres) in Cheshire (aka Cheshire Reservoir), Pontoosuc Lake (470 acres) in Lanesborough and Pittsfield, Onota Lake (617 acres) in Pittsfield, Mud Pond/Marsh (100 acres) in Richmond, Richmond Pond (217 acres) in Pittsfield and Richmond, and Stockbridge Bowl (372 acres) in Stockbridge. These lakes annually host considerable species of geese, ducks, loons, grebes, coots, gulls, and other water-loving species of birds during migration, especially fall. A combined total of at least 32 species of swans, geese, and ducks have been found on these lakes, as well as 3 species of loons, 3 species of grebes, the Double-crested Cormorant, and the American Coot. The lakes represent an important stopover point for waterfowl migrating along the Housatonic River valley. In 1946 the late Bartlett Hendricks and the Hoffmann Bird Club inaugurated an annual waterfowl census of these lakes (and other smaller water bodies south to the town of Sheffield) that continues to this day. Significant numbers of geese, dabbling ducks, diving ducks, loons, and grebes are counted annually. There have also been many records of species that are considered rare or casual in western New England. Among these are King Eider (1993), Pacific Loon (1964, 1985), Parasitic Jaeger (1970), Greater White-fronted Goose (1991), Barrow's Goldeneye, (1946, 1984), Wilson's Storm-Petrel (1985), Leach's Storm-Petrel (1985), Franklin's Gull (1997), Little Gull (1946), 2 Black-legged Kittiwakes (1997), and Lesser Black-backed Gull (1992, 1996). In addition, associated marshlands provide breeding habitat for locally uncommon marsh birds such as the Marsh Wren.