Friday, April 12, 2024

Several notable highlights this week featured a Ruff and a Prothonotary Warbler in Marshfield, a continuing Western Grebe in Winthrop, a continuing Say’s Phoebe in Belchertown, a Yellow-throated Warbler in Wellfleet, a Black-throated Gray Warbler in Clinton, several good-sized flocks of Bohemian Waxwings in Methuen, Lowell, and Turner’s Falls, a scattering of Sandhill Cranes in several area.  Also some early migrants showed up this week including Blue-headed Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Louisiana Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Scarlet Tanager.

Cape Cod standout sightings this week included a continuing Western Kingbird on Meeting House Road in Eastham, a Yellow-throated Warbler at a feeder near Gull Pond in Wellfleet, an Indigo Bunting near the Wellfleet fire tower and another one at Fort Hill in Eastham, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in Truro, a Clapper Rail at the Herring River in Wellfleet, a Black Vulture feeding on a deer carcass on Old County Road in Wellfleet, a Manx Shearwater at Race Point in Provincetown, a “Black” Brant (the West Coast race of the Brant) at the Sandwich Marina, a Thick-billed Murre at Quissett Harbor in Falmouth, 2 Black-headed Gulls at Dowses Beach in Osterville, and an Ovenbird singing at the Bells Neck Conservation Area in Harwich.

Bristol County luminaries were a Summer Tanager at the Caratunk Wildlife Refuge in Seekonk, 5 Clapper Rails at the Egypt Lane Ponds in Fairhaven, 3 Lesser Yellowlegs on Shaw Road in Fairhaven, a White-eyed Vireo at the Southeastern MA Bioreserve on Brightman Path in Fall River, House Wren in the Freetown State Forest in Fall River, and a Semipalmated Plover at West Island in Fairhaven.

Plymouth County highlights were a Prothonotary Warbler and a Ruff at the Daniel Webster Sanctuary in Marshfield, 40 American Pipits in a field on Vaughn Hill Road in Rochester, 2 Sandhill Cranes at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson and another single crane in a field on Beech Street in Rockland, a Manx Shearwater at Brant Rock in Marshfield, 50 Red Knots at Plymouth Beach, 8 Lapland Longspurs on Duxbury Beach, a tally of 11 Northern Rough-winged Swallows in Plympton.

Suffolk County was graced by a continuing Western Grebe and a late Snow Bunting at Winthrop Beach, a Barrow’s Goldeneye and a Pileated Woodpecker at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, 8 Manx Shearwaters off Revere Beach, a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Castle Island in Boston Harbor, an American Bittern and 2 Gadwalls at the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, a group of 10 soaring Black Vultures over Jamaica Plain, and a Black-and-white Warbler in the Boston Public Garden.

Middlesex County luminaries were a Glossy Ibis in Malden, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron and a Red-throated Loon at the Horn Pond Recreation Area in Woburn, a Red-breasted Merganser at Eel Pond in Melrose, 2 Red-necked Grebes at the Cambridge Reservoir in Waltham, and a flock of as many as 36 Bohemian Waxwings at the Lowell National Historic Park Visitor’s Center in Lowell.

Essex County highlights featured a Sora at Loblolly Cove in Rockport, a Western Cattle Egret and a late Snow Bunting at the Pikul’s Farm on Rt.1A in Rowley, a flock of as many as 30 Bohemian Waxwings at the Ranger Plaza in Methuen, a Eurasian Wigeon in a wet field on Scotland Road in Newbury, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal on Plum Island, and single Blue-gray Gnatcatchers on the rail bed at Lynnfield Marsh in Lynnfield, and Crystal Lake in Haverhill.

Berkshire County highlights featured 3 Northern Shovelers and a Great Egret at Corbin’s Neck in Ashley Falls, 3 additional Northern Shovelers at Silver Lake in Pittsfield, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal at the Post Farm in Lenox, a Louisiana Waterthrush near the Jug End Street Reservoir in Egremont.

Franklin County hosted 2 Bohemian Waxwings on 11^th Street in Turner’s Falls, 3 Sandhill Cranes at the Pilgrim Airport in Whately, 17 Red Crossbills at the Montague Sand Plains WMA in Montague, 4 White-crowned Sparrows and a flyover Solitary Sandpiper on Hadley Road in Sunderland.

Hampshire County continued to host a Say’s Phoebe in the vicinity of the Quabbin Reservoir Visitor’s Center in Belchertown, 3 Sandhill Cranes and a Pectoral Sandpiper on Main Street in Hatfield, 2 American Bitterns on Moddy Bridge Road in Hadley, and a Blue-headed Vireo near the Hadley Reservoir State Park in Hadley.

Worcester County was graced by a Black-throated Gray Warbler on Clamshell Road near the Rauscher Farm in Clinton, 3 Sandhill Cranes at the Bolton Flats WMA in Bolton, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at the MacCallum WMA in Westborough, 3 Sandhill Cranes at the Winimusset WMA in New Braintree, and a Blue-headed Vireo at Newton Hill in Worcester.

Nantucket birders were pleased to tally 2 Short-eared Owls at Tom Nevers Beach, 2 Canvasbacks, an American Bittern, and continuing Dickcissel in the Madaket area, a Bald Eagle at the Sandford Farm, and a Willet at The Creeks Preserve near downtown Nantucket.