Friday, June 21, 2024
Unusual bird reports this week were headed by Swallow-tailed Kites in Mashpee, a Mississippi Kite in Harwich, a Franklin’s Gull and 2 Royal Terns in Provincetown, a continuing Prothonotary Warbler in Concord, a Wilson’s Phalarope at Belle Marsh Reservation in Boston, and a Brewster’s Warbler in Amherst.
Cape Cod species of interest this week included 1-2 sightings of Swallow-tailed Kites in Mashpee in the vicinity of Meeting House Road and the Mashpee Transfer Station, a Mississippi Kite over Thompson’s Field on the north side of the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a Franklin’s Gull and 2 Royal Terns at Race Point in Provincetown, a continuing Blue Grosbeak at the Crane WMA in Falmouth, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Johns Pond Park in Mashpee, an Acadian Flycatcher at the East Sandwich Game Farm in East Sandwich, and a White-eyed Vireo at Johns Pond in Mashpee.
Bristol County hosted single Yellow-crowned Night-Herons at the Egypt Land Ponds in Fairhaven and in the marsh near 8 Star of the Sea Drive in Dartmouth.
Plymouth County luminaries were 3 Sandhill Cranes and 5 American Bitterns at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, single Olive-sided Flycatchers near Five Mile Pond in Wareham, and another one in the Myles Standish SF in Plymouth, and sightings of a Red-headed Woodpecker on Five Mile Pond Road in Plymouth, and another one near 3 Cornered Pond Road in the Myles Standish SF in Plymouth. Several Red Crossbills were also seen elsewhere in the Myles Standish SF.
Norfolk County highlights were singing Louisiana Waterthrushes in the Blue Hills Reservation in Quincy, and another at the Unquity Bottom in Milton, 16 Piping Plovers at Wollaston Beach, 2 Acadian Flycatchers at Moose Hill Sanctuary in Sharon and another one at Houghton’s Pond in Milton, 2 Clapper Rails and a White-rumped Sandpiper at the Squantum marshes on East Squantum Street in Squantum, 3 Grasshopper Sparrows at the Shea Naval Air Station in Weymouth, and a Yellow-throated Vireo at the Stony Brook Reservation in Boston.
Suffolk County was visited by a Wilson’s Phalarope at the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, a Black-billed Cuckoo, an Indigo Bunting, and 3 Purple Martins were recorded at the Millennium Park in West Roxbury, and a Red-throated Loon and 5 Purple Martins were seen at Pico Beach in Winthrop.
Middlesex County notables were a continuing singing Prothonotary Warbler in the vicinity of Brewster’s Woods Sanctuary in Concord, 40 Purple Martins at a colony in Dunstable, an Acadian Flycatcher near Hemlock Pond in the Middlesex Fells in Medford, and 3 Grasshopper Sparrows on Wilde Road in Shirley.
Essex County was highlighted by a continuing King Rail in the saltmarsh near parking lot #1 at Plum Island, a White-eyed Vireo elsewhere on Plum Island, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Marblehead Neck Sanctuary in Marblehead, and a Black Guillemot at Gully Point Cove in Rockport.
Berkshire County hosted a Worm-eating Warbler on Mt. Washington Road in Egremont, a Least Bittern in the Post Farm Marsh in Lenox, an Acadian Flycatcher at the Jug End Reservation in Egremont, a 6 Red Crossbills at the summit of Mt. Greylock in Adams.
Franklin County luminaries were 4 Sandhill Cranes on Plainfield Road in Ashfield and 2 Hooded Warblers on Falls Road in Sunderland.
Hampshire County highlights were a Brewster’s Warbler on the Narwottuck Rail Trail in Amherst, and a Least Bittern near Station Road on the Narwottuck Rail Trail also in Amherst, 3 Purple Martins and 4 Blue Grosbeaks in the Honey Pot on Moody Bridge Road in Hadley, and a Common Goldeneye on the Quabbin Reservoir off the Windsor Dam in Belchertown.
Hampden County notables were 2 Upland Sandpipers on the Perimeter Road in Ludlow, and 2 Blue Grosbeaks at the Southwick WMA in Southwick.
Worcester County was graced by the presence of an Acadian Flycatcher near the Uxbridge Rice City Pond in Uxbridge, and 5 Evening Grosbeaks at a private residence in Royalston.
Martha’s Vineyard reports featured 2 Common Ravens in Vineyard Haven, a Grasshopper Sparrow at the Katama Farm in Edgartown, and a Blue-winged Warbler in Chilmark.
Nantucket highlights were 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons at the UMass Field Station marsh, 3 calling Chuck-will’s-widows in the vicinity of Sesachacha Pond, and 5 Ruddy Ducks on Sesachacha Pond.