Friday, March 22, 2024

Lingering notable species this week were a Western Grebe in Winthrop, a Tufted Duck on Nantucket, a Say’s Phoebe in Belchertown, a Townsend’s Solitaire in Truro, a Bohemian Waxwing in Yarmouth, and either 2 or 3 Trumpeter Swans in the Westboro-Uxbridge area of Worcester County.  The numbers of blackbird flocks are also becoming more obvious, and reports of Tree Swallows and Eastern Phoebes are also now widespread.

Cape Cod highlights included a continuing Bohemian Waxwing on Water Street in Yarmouth and a Townsend’s Solitaire at High Head in Truro, a Whimbrel, a Lesser Yellowlegs, and a Willet at West Dennis Beach, another Willet at Red River Beach in Harwich, 9 Great Egrets and 7 Snowy Egrets at Bell’s Neck in Harwich, 4 Black-headed Gulls at Long Beach in Barnstable, a Pacific Loon, 2 Thick-billed Murres, and 2 Dovekies at Race Point in Provincetown, a Black Vulture at MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown, and 4 Barn Swallows in Barnstable.

Bristol County luminaries featured a Blue-winged Teal at Gooseberry Neck in Westport, 2 Clapper Rails and 2 Brown Thrashers at the Egypt Lane Ponds in Fairhaven, Osprey at Winnecunnet Pond in Norton, 12 Barn Swallows at Clover Valley Farm in Easton, and a Yellow-breasted Chat at Ocean View Farm I Dartmouth.

Plymouth County was distinguished by 107 Red Knots at Plymouth Beach, 3 Sandhill Cranes at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, 3 Blue-winged Teal at West Meadows WMA in West Bridgewater, 2 Black-headed Gulls at Nelson Beach in Plymouth, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal at Ellisville Harbor, 2 Black Vultures at the Bridgewater State Farm in Bridgewater, and 3 Palm Warblers at the Foothills Preserve in Manomet.

Norfolk County hosted a flock of 25 Snow Geese in flight over the Wrentham Village Shopping Area in Wrentham, 3 Virginia Rails at Squantum Point Park in Squantum, an American Kestrel at Great Hill Park in Weymouth, 2 Ospreys at the Squantum Marshes, and an Eastern Towhee at Stony Brook Sanctuary in Norfolk.

Suffolk County continued to be graced by a Western Grebe a Winthrop Beach, as well as 2 Gadwalls at Franklin Park, 3 Virginia Rails at Millennnium Park in West Roxbury, 2 Red-shouldered Hawks Hancock Woods in Chestnut Hill, and a Lesser Yellowlegs at the Belle Isle Reservation.

Middlesex County was graced by 2 continuing Barrow’s Goldeneyes at the Delaney WMA in Stow, 3 Red-throated Loons at the Mystics Lakes Dam in Medford, 3 Northern Shovelers and a Black-crowned Night-Heron at the Horn Pond Recreation Area in Woburn, 3 Black Vultures at the Lowell River Walk in Lowell, an Osprey at Norumbega Park in Auburndale, and 3 Marsh Wrens at Great Meadows Refuge in Concord.

Essex County sightings of interest were 18 American Pipits in the Argilla Farm fields in Ipswich, a Pectoral Sandpiper the Topsfield Fair Grounds in Topsfield, an American Bittern and a Snow Bunting at Plum Island, a Great Egret at the Goldthwait Reservoir in Marblehead and 7 more Great Egrets at Plum Island, and a continuing, Yellow-breasted Chat at a feeder at 50 Leonard Avenue in Bradford.

Berkshire County highlights were a continuing Dickcissel at a feeder on Jug End Road in South Egremont, an early Broad-winged Hawk at Berkshire Pond in Lanesboro, 4 Northern Shovelers at Lake Onota in Pittsfield and 2 more shovelers in Sheffield, a Horned Grebe on Lake Pontoosuc in Pittsfield, an Eastern Towhee on the campus of Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, a Blue-winged Teal at Corbin’s Neck in Ashley Falls, 3 Eastern Meadowlarks at Ayr Hills Farm in Adams, and 3 Sandhill Cranes in New Marlborough.

Franklin County hosted a large flock of 75 Red Crossbills at the Montague Sandplains WMA in Montague.

Hampshire County continued to be graced by the presence of a Say’s Phoebe in the vicinity of the Quabbin Reservoir Visitor’s Center in Belchertown, along with 2 Sandhill Cranes on Old Post Road in Worthington, and a Eurasian Green-winged Teal and a Blue-winged Teal at Great Pond in Hatfield.

Hampden County birders tallied 2 Northern Shovelers and 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers at the Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow and 2 Ospreys at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow.

Worcester County luminaries were 2 Trumpeter Swans near Cormier Woods in Uxbridge, and another sighting of a Trumpeter Swan near the Arch Street Bridge in Westboro. Other sightings of note were a Pectoral Sandpiper, 3 Blue-winged Teal, and 2 Northern Shovelers at the Bolton Flats WMA in Bolton, 2 Sandhill Cranes at the WMA in New Braintree, and 2 Black Vultures at the Cass Meadow WMA in Athol.

Martha’s Vineyard was visited by a Lapland Longspur at Menemsha Harbor, a Common Raven at Gay Head, and a Bald Eagle at the Felix Neck Sanctuary in Edgartown.

Nantucket highlights were a continuing Tufted Duck near the Massasoit Bridge, along with a group of 8 Northern Shovelers, and in the Madaket area there was a Eurasian Green-winged Teal, a Common Raven, and 2 Fish Crows.