Friday, March 1, 2024

Notable highlights this week in no particular order included a Townsend’s Solitaire in Truro, a Whimbrel in West Dennis, a Pacific Loon in Provincetown, single Tufted Ducks in Harwich and Nantucket, a Snowy Egret in Scituate, a continuing Townsend’s Warbler in Cambridge, a continuing Say’s Phoebe in Belchertown, and a continuing Western Kingbird in Eastham.

Cape Cod highlights this week included a Townsend’s Solitaire at High Head in Truro, a Whimbrel and a Willet at West Dennis Beach, a Pacific Loon and a Glaucous Gull at Race Point, a Tufted Duck at Long Pond in Harwich, and a continuing Western Kingbird and a Lark Sparrow at the National Seashore Park Visitor’s Center in Eastham.  Other notable observations were 2 Great Egrets at Sandy Neck in Barnstable, 8 Tree Swallows at Race Point, a Northern Shrike at the Crane WMA in Falmouth, an American Bittern at Forest Beach in Chatham, and a Blue-winged Teal at Hallets Mill Pond in Yarmouth Port.

Bristol County notables were a Barrow’s Goldeneye at the Cole River Boat Ramp in Swansea and a Great Egret at Mechanics Pond in Attleborough.

Plymouth County luminaries featured a Redhead at the Billington Sea in Plymouth, 108 Red Knots at Plymouth Beach, a Snowy Egret in the marsh near Scituate Harbor, and 2 Sandhill Cranes at Leland Farm in East Bridgewater.

Norfolk County sightings of interest included single Virginia Rails at McCarthy Park in Medfield and Beaver Pond Recreation Area in Franklin, a Short-eared Owl at Squantum Point Park in Squantum, and a Vesper Sparrow at Ward’s Fields in Sharon.

Suffolk County birders were pleased with a nice variety of interesting sightings that included a Pileated Woodpecker at the Allandale Woods Reservation in West Roxbury, 2 Virginia Rails, a Red-shouldered Hawk, and a Winter Wren at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, single Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the Boston Fish Pier and at Jamaica Pond in Jamaica Plain, 3 Semipalmated Plovers and a Greater Yellowlegs at the Belle Isle Reservation in East Boston, a continuing Western Grebe at Winthrop Beach, and a Barrow’s Goldeneye and a Razorbill at Castle Island in Boston Harbor.

Middlesex County highlights were a Red-necked Grebe at Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, a continuing Townsend’s Warbler on the Alewife Linear Park Bike Path in Cambridge, 2 Canvasback at Eel Pond in Melrose, a Cackling Goose at Warner’s Pond in Concord, a Red-throated Loon at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, 2 Northern Shovelers at the Horn Pond Recreation Area in Woburn, and an Orange-crowned Warbler at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.

Essex County luminaries were an American Bittern at Plum Island, a continuing Eared Grebe at the Little Private Beach on the Marblehead Causeway in Marblehead, a Yellow-breasted Chat at Nahant Thicket, a Common Murre near the Beverly Port Marina, and single, Orange-crowned Warblers at the Walnut Grove Cemetery in Danvers and the Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield.

Berkshire County was distinguished by 4 American Wigeons at Richmond Pond in Richmond and 9 more at Lake Onota in Pittsfield, where 2 Gadwalls were also spotted. At Corbins Neck in Ashley Falls, a Cackling Goose was present among a group of Canada Geese.

Franklin County was highlighted by a Clay-colored Sparrow in the North Meadows in Deerfield, and small groups of Red Crossbills at gate 33 at Quabbin Reservoir in New Salem, as well as on North Cross Road in Gill.  Two American Wigeons were also spotted from the Branch Bridge in New Salem.

Hampshire County sightings of note included the continued presence of a Say’s Phoebe near the Quabbin Reservoir Visitor’s Center in Belchertown, 3 Black Vultures soaring over Moody Bridge Road in Hadley, and a Red-breasted Merganser at the Oxbow Marina in Northampton.

Hampden County hosted a single Red-breasted Merganser at the Congamond Lakes in Southwick.

Worcester County notables were 2 Barrow’s Goldeneyes seen from the Mass Central Rail Trail in West Boylston, 3 Sandhill Cranes at the Dexter Drumlin in Lancaster, 4 Lesser Scaups at the Bolton Flats WMA in Bolton, a White-winged Crossbill near the summit of Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, 8 Red Crossbills at the Birch Hill WMA in Winchendon, and 4 Black Vultures in Uxbridge.

Martha’s Vineyard birders were pleased with a continuing Eurasian Wigeon at Crystal Lake in Oak Bluffs and 2 Northern Shovelers on the same lake, 7 Killdeer in Vineyard Haven, and a Common Raven in the Wasque area.

Nantucket luminaries featured a Great Egret near the Nantucket Life Saving Museum, a continuing Dickcissel at a feeder at 215 Madaket Road in Madaket, a Tufted Duck visible from the Horse Farm Lookout at Hummock Pond, a Whimbrel at Masquetuck Reservation near Quaise, and a Lark Sparrow in the vicinity of Low Beach.