Friday, August 11, 2023

Shorebirds continued to dominate much of the coastal bird activity this week, while increasing numbers of migrating warblers are appearing in many inland locations. Additionally, small numbers of Red Crossbills are appearing in a number of localities in Berkshire and Franklin County, and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons continue to be noted in more areas than usual this year.

Cape Cod highlights featured a Brown Booby, a Royal Tern, 2 Black Terns, 275 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, and 150 Great Shearwaters, at Race Point in Provincetown, an American Bittern at High Head in Truro, 25 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons leaving a roost in Eastham, a Marbled Godwit at Forest Beach in Chatham, a summering Brant and 2 Forster’s Terns at Jeremy Point in Wellfleet, 2 continuing Blue Grosbeaks at the Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth where 9 Orchard Orioles were also seen. Other interesting sightings were 9 Northern Pintails at the Monomoy Connector Beach, a Hooded Merganser at the Pogoreic Sanctuary in West Barnstable, a Black Skimmer at Menauhant Beach in Falmouth, a White-eyed Vireo at The Knob in Falmouth.

Bristol County hosted a brief visit by a Franklin’s Gull at Allens Pond Sanctuary in South Dartmouth.

Plymouth County luminaries were 2 Soras at Daniel Webster Sanctuary in Marshfield, single Cliff Swallows at Plymouth Beach and Manomet Point, a Vesper Sparrow at Plymouth Airport, and 4 Orchard Orioles at the Nemasket Trail in Plympton.

Norfolk County was visited by a summering Ring-necked Duck at Houghton’s Pond in Milton, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Squantum Point Park and an early migrant Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at the same locality, and 4 Piping Plovers at Sandy Point Beach in Cohasset.

Suffolk County migrants at Franklin Park included 7 Black-and-white Warblers, a Chestnut-sided Warbler, and a Canada Warbler as well as a wandering Red-shouldered Hawk. Five Bank Swallows were tallied at Rumney Marsh in Revere, and a Pectoral Sandpiper was observed at Belle Isle in East Boston.

Essex County highlights were led by a Brown Booby off Atlantic Road in Gloucester followed by 3 Least Bitterns, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and 2 Orchard Orioles at Plum Island. Elsewhere in the county there was a Greater Scaup at the Cherry Hill Reservoir in West Newbury, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Children's Island in Salem, 2 Common Mergansers at Sandy Point State Park on Plum Island, and 2 Orchard Orioles at Crane Beach in Ipswich.

Middlesex County hosted a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at the Draw Seven State Park in Somerville, a Canada Warbler at Danehy Park in Cambridge, a Tennessee Warbler and a Nashville Warbler at Prospect Hill Park in Waltham, a summering Dark-eyed Junco in Lexington, and an Orchard Oriole at Mt. Feake Cemetery in Waltham.

Berkshire County birders were pleased with a Black-crowned Night-Heron at Silver Lake in Pittsfield, an Acadian Flycatcher at Smiley’s Pond in South Egremont, a Northern Parula and a Bay-breasted Warbler in Lanesborough, and a Tennessee Warbler at the Mt. Greylock Reservation.

Franklin County birds of interest were a summering Ring-necked Duck at the Turners Falls Power Canal, 3 Sandhill Cranes on Plainfield Road in Ashfield, 8 Red Crossbills at the Montague Sandplains Wildlife Management Area and 6 crossbills at Lake Pleasant in Montague, an Acadian Flycatcher at the North River Cemetery in Colrain, and a Louisiana Waterthrush near the Chickley River in Hawley.

Hampshire County luminaries featured 4 Sandhill Cranes in the East Meadows in Northampton, 3 more in Plainfield, and another 3 cranes at Glencroft Farm in Southampton unless all of these crane families were moving around quite a bit during the week. Also observed in the East Meadows in Northampton were a Little Blue Heron, a Long-billed Dowitcher, and an Orchard Oriole. At the Honey Pot in Hadley, 5 Blue Grosbeaks continued to be observed in addition to a Dickcissel.

Hampden County hosted a Pied-billed Grebe at Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke, 2 migrating Common Nighthawks at the Mt. Tom Reservation in Holyoke, and 3 Acadian Flycatchers in Granville.

Worcester County was visited by a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, an Alder Flycatcher, and a Yellow-breasted Chat at the Westboro Wildlife Management Area in Westborough, a Common Merganser at the Coes Reservoir in Worcester, an Alder Flycatcher on Brooks Road in North Brookfield, a Ring-necked Duck on the Sudbury Reservoir in Southborough, and 20 Red Crossbills at the Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area in Winchendon.

Martha’s Vineyard species of note were a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron and a Bald Eagle at Felix Neck Sanctuary, 2 Hermit Thrushes at the Correllus State Forest, 3 Common Ravens at Ben Toms Preserve in Edgartown, and 3 more ravens at the Tisbury Meadow Reservation in Tisbury.

Nantucket was visited by a Tricolored Heron at The Creeks adjacent to Nantucket Harbor.