Friday, July 28, 2023
The unequivocal rarity of the week was the continued presence of a Mountain Plover on Long Beach in Centerville that was enjoyed and photographed by many admirers for most of the week.
Cape Cod continued to host the Massachusetts rarity of the summer with the Mountain Plover on Long Beach in Centerville where it was enjoyed by many dozens of admirers since its discovery on July 21. Other notable sightings on the Cape included single Black Skimmers at Race Point in Provincetown and Great Sippewisett Marsh in Falmouth, a Black-headed Gull at Wing Island in Brewster, 3 Blue Grosbeaks at the Crane WMA in Falmouth, 2 Long-billed Dowitchers at Nauset Beach in Eastham, and a Little Blue Heron at the Pogoreic Sanctuary in West Barnstable.
Plymouth County luminaries were 5 Sandhill Cranes at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, 2 Upland Sandpipers at the Plymouth Airport, a Peregrine Falcon at Duxbury Beach, a Sora at Daniel Webster Sanctuary in Marshfield, 3 Merlins at Myles Standish SF in Plymouth, and an Acadian Flycatcher at Wompatuck SP in Hingham.
Norfolk County highlights included 3 Piping Plovers at Sandy Beach in Cohasset, 3 Ruddy Ducks at the Neponset Reservoir in Foxborough, a Clapper Rail at the Squantum Marshes in Squantum and a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Squantum Point Park. A Sharp-shinned Hawk was noted at Moose Hill Sanctuary in Sharon, and a Louisiana Waterthrush was identified on the campus of the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham.
Middlesex County was visited by 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons in Kearney Square in Lowell and another one at Castco Creek in Everett.
Essex County birders were pleased with observations of single Royal Terns at Crane Beach in Ipswich and Plum Island, where 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, a Least Bittern, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Long-billed Dowitchers, and 26 Stilt Sandpipers were also seen. Other notable sightings were a Black Guillemot and a Caspian Tern at Crane Beach, a Sandhill Crane at Appleton Farm in Ipswich, and a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron off Salem Street in Peabody.
Berkshire County notables were a Short-billed Dowitcher in Sheffield, and single Merlins in Pittsfield and Lenox.
Franklin County was visited by 3 Sandhill Cranes off Pleasant Street in Ashfield, and 5 Semipalmated Plovers on Christina Lane in Whately.
Hampshire County birders were pleased by sightings of 4 Sandhill Cranes off Central Street in Plainfield, a continuing Blue Grosbeak on Aqua Vitae Road in Hadley, 18 Greater Yellowlegs and 2 Sanderlings in the East Meadows in Northampton, and 3 Red Crossbills at Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir in Ware.
Worcester County sightings of interest were a Bonaparte’s Gull and an Acadian Flycatcher at Quabbin Reservoir’s gate 35 in Petersham, 4 Sandhill Cranes at Canterbury Brook Marsh in Hardwick, 2 Black Vultures in Fitchburg, 2 Cliff Swallows at Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, and a Sora at Bolton Flats WMA in Bolton.
Martha’s Vineyard’s sighting of note was a Common Raven at the Corellus SF.
Nantucket reports of interest were 2 Merlins at Nantucket State Forest and another single in the vicinity of Stump Pond, 3 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and a Clapper Rail at the UMass Field Station marsh, a continuing American Coot on the Nantucket Harbor flats, and a Royal Tern at Muskeget Island.