Friday, January 26, 2024

This week’s most notable sightings were a Western Grebe at Winthrop Beach, a Townsend’s Warble on the Alewife Linear Bike Path in Cambridge, a Golden-crowned Sparrow at a private address in Chatham, a Western Tanager, Western Kingbird, and Lark Sparrow in Eastham, and the continued presence of a Tufted Duck at Nantucket.

Cape Cod highlights this week included the continued presence of a Western Kingbird and a Lark Sparrow at the Visitor’s Center of the Cape Cod Seashore Headquarters in Eastham, a Rufous Hummingbird and 4 Tree Swallows in the vicinity of the head of Town Cove in Orleans, a Western Tanager at Doane Rock in Eastham, a Golden-crowned Sparrow at a private residence in Chatham, a Pacific Loon at Race Point in Provincetown, a Short-eared Owl on North Beach in Chatham, an Indigo Bunting at a feeder on Weeks Pond Drive in Forestdale, 2 Piping Plovers at Sea Gull Beach in Yarmouth, a Black-headed Gull at Craigville Beach in Barnstable, a continuing Willet at Forest Beach in Chatham, and a lingering Semipalmated Plover at Eugenia Fortes Beach in Hyannis.

Bristol County hosted 2 Snow Geese at Smith Neck Road in South Dartmouth, a Black-headed Gull at Gooseberry Neck in Westport, a Yellow-breasted Chat at West Island in Fairhaven, 2 Cackling Geese at Buttonwood Park in New Bedford, an American Bittern at Ocean View Farm in Dartmouth, 8 Northern Shovelers at Interchange Park in Fall River, and an Orange-crowned Warbler at the Borden Colony Reservation in Raynham.

Plymouth County luminaries featured a Greater White-fronted Goose on White Island Road in Halifax, 86 Red Knots at Duxbury Beach, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers on Dwight Ave. in Plymouth, a Black-headed Gull at Ocean Bluff in Marshfield, an Eastern Phoebe at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, and an Orange-crowned Warbler at the Manomet Bird Observatory.

Norfolk County sightings of interest included 2 Northern Shovelers at Lake Massapoag in Sharon, an Iceland Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Medway Shopping Center in Medway, and 3 Eastern Meadowlarks at the Norfolk Airport.

Suffolk County was visited by a continuing Western Grebe at Winthrop Beach, a Sandhill Crane in flight over the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Mattapan, a Lark Sparrow at Forest Hills Cemetery, a Barrow’s Goldeneye at Castle Island in Boston Harbor, 7 Harlequin Ducks off Green Island in Boston Harbor, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.

Middlesex County was blessed by a visit from a Townsend’s Warbler on the Alewife Linear Bike Path in Cambridge, a Sandhill Crane in the fields off Barrett’s Mill Road in Concord, a Barrow’s Goldeneye at Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick, and 2 Orange-crowned Warblers at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.

Essex County highlights were a Virginia Rail in the marsh beside Heartbreak Road in Ipswich, a Killdeer at Eastern Point in Gloucester, and a Clay-colored Sparrow at Old Garden Beach in Rockport.

Berkshire County birders were pleased by the presence of a Greater White-fronted Goose at Baldwin Hill in Egremont, a Dickcissel 140 Jug End Road in South Egremont, a Gadwall on Crystal Street in Lenox, and a flock of 150 Red-winged Blackbirds in Pittsfield.

Franklin County hosted 6 White-crowned Sparrows on Hadley Road in Sunderland, a Long-tailed Duck and 3 Iceland Gulls in the Turners Falls Power Canal in Turns Falls, and 7 Red Crossbills at the Montague Sand Plains WMA in Montague.

Hampshire County was highlighted by a Northern Shrike and a Lapland Longspur at the Honey Pot in Hadley, and 15 Red Crossbills at gate 8 of the Quabbin Reservoir in Pelham.

Hampden County enjoyed a visit from a flock of 16 Ring-necked Ducks on the Congamond Lakes in Southwick.

Worcester County luminaries included an Iceland Gull at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield, 13 Black Vultures in Blackstone, a flock of 33 Common Grackles at the Southbridge Airport, 2 American Pipits on Pland Street in Gardner.

Martha’s Vineyard birders tallied a Snow Goose, a Canvasback, 5 Killdeer and a Lesser Yellowlegs at Town Cove in West Tisbury, a continuing Eurasian Wigeon at Crystal Lake in Oak Bluffs, a Bald Eagle at Aquinnah, 25 American Pipits at Katama Farm, and Orange-crowned Warbler at Brush Pond in Oak Bluffs.

Nantucket sightings of interest included 2 Northern Goshawks at the north end of Hummock Pond, a Forster’s Tern at Sasachacha Pond, 2 Snow Geese off Kelly Road, a Tufted Duck in Madaket Harbor, a Short-eared Owl and a Lark Sparrow at Low Beach, 8 Northern Shovelers at Sanford Farm, and a continuing Dickcissel at a feeder at 215 Madaket Road.