Friday, May 17, 2024

Among the various regional highlight this week were several sightings of Swallow-tailed Kites, a Black-necked Stilt, a Ruff, 1-2 White-faced Ibises, a flock of 6 Pacific Loons, several Prothonotary Warblers, multiple Yellow-throated Warblers and Kentucky Warblers, a Townsend’s Warbler, a Yellow-headed Blackbird, and an amazing Chuck-will’s-widow on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston.

Cape Cod highlights included a remarkable count of ‘6 Pacific Loons at Race Point in Provincetown, a single Pacific Loon a Sandy Neck in Barnstable, sightings of single Swallow-tailed Kites in Marstons Mills and Sandwich, single Hooded Warblers at Foss Woods in Provincetown, the Ryder Conservation Area in Sandwich, and the Cooks Farm Conservation Area in Sandwich, a Chuck-will’s-widow at the Childs River Conservation Area in Falmouth, 2 Blue Grosbeaks at the Crane WMA in Falmouth, a Tricolored Heron at Bell’s Neck in Harwich, a Prothonotary Warbler and a Yellow-throated Warbler at the Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary in South Wellfleet, and a Clay-colored Sparrow at Fort Hill in Eastham.

Bristol County notables were a Ruff, King Eider, and a Parasitic Jaeger at Gooseberry Neck in Westport, a Kentucky Warbler and a Lawrence’s Warbler at the Herb Hadfield Conservation Area in Westport, another Kentucky Warbler at the Russell’s Mills Landing and Parsons Preserve in Dartmouth, a Tricolored Heron at Allens Pond in South Dartmouth, a Black Tern at Acoaxet, and a Yellow-breasted Chat at Gooseberry Neck in Westport.

Plymouth County luminaries featured a Townsend’s Warbler observed on North Precinct Street in Lakeville, a Summer Tanager on Clifford Road in Plymouth, 2 Black Vulture soaring over Tremont Street in Duxbury, a Red-necked Grebe and 4 Harlequin Ducks in North Scituate, 3 Sandhill Cranes at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, and a Little Blue Heron at Eel Pond in Mattapoisett.

Norfolk County sightings of note were single Louisiana Waterthrushes at Unquity Bottom in Milton on the King Philip’s Rock Trail in Sharon, and 2 Clapper Rails in the marsh near the Kennedy School in Squantum.

Suffolk County hosted a Hooded Warbler on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a Summer Tanager at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, a Yellow-throated Vireo at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, a late Bufflehead at Lewis Lake in Winthrop, and the remarkable appearance of a Chuck-will’s-widow on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston.

Middlesex County was blessed with the appearance of a Prothonotary Warbler at Brewster’s Woods in Concord, single Summer Tanagers at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Nahanton Park in Newton, and the Bare Meadow Reservation in Reading.  Other sightings of note were single Gray-cheeked Thrushes at the Lowell Cemetery in Lowell and the Mystic Lakes in Winchester, a Kentucky Warbler at the Minute Man National Heritage Park in Lincoln, a Cerulean Warbler at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, a Worm-eating Warbler at the Horn Pond Recreation Area in Woburn, and 21 Red Crossbills at the Desert Natural Area in Marlborough.

Essex County highlights featured a White-faced Ibis at the Topsfield Fair Grounds in Topsfield and possibly a different White-faced Ibis at the Hamlin Reservation in Ipswich, and a Yellow-headed Blackbird on both sides of the road at the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport and the Parker River Wildlife Refuge across the street.  Also of note in Essex County were single Yellow-crowned Night-Herons at Marblehead Neck Sanctuary in Marblehead and Plum Island, 3 Caspian Terns at Plum Island, a Black-necked Stilt at the salt pans on Rt.1A in Rowley, a Pacific Loon off the Coolidge Reservation in Manchester-by-the-Sea, 2 King Rails at Plum Island, 2 Harlequin Ducks at Gully Point Cove in Rockport.

Berkshire County tallied a Red-headed Woodpecker on Windsor Road in Windsor, a White-eyed Vireo and a Clay-colored Sparrow at Linear Park and Spruces Park in Williamstown, a Least Bittern at the Gale Avenue swamp in Pittsfield, a White-eyed Vireo on Mt. Washington Road in Egremont, and a Common Nighthawk at Parsons Marsh in Lenox.

Franklin County was visited by a Dunlin at Barton’s Cove in Gill and a Lawrence’s Warbler on Ferry Road in Montague.

Hampshire County observers were pleased to see 2 Blue Grosbeaks at the Honey Pot in Hadley, a White-eyed Vireo on Mitch’s Way in Hadley, and a Brewster’s Warbler on the Norwotuck Rail Trail in Amherst.

Hampden County hosted a Hooded Warbler at the Grace Robson State Sanctuary in Westfield, 2 Upland Sandpipers in the Stony Brook Wetlands area of Ludlow, and a Common Gallinule at the Fannie Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow.

Worcester County notables were 9 Grasshopper Sparrows at the Pine Hill Grasslands in Lancaster, a Brewster’s Warbler at the Oxbow NWR in Harvard, 2 Lawrence’s Warblers at the Westboro WMA in Westboro, an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Tom Swamp in Petersham, a Black Tern at gate 38 of the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton, and a Swallow-tailed Kite in flight over the Oxbow NWR in Harvard.

Martha’s Vineyard luminaries were 18 Harlequin Ducks at Moshup Beach in Aquinnahin, 30 Black Skimmers at Eel Pond in Edgartown, 6 Common Ravens at High Point Lane in Vineyard Haven, a Yellow-throated Warbler on John Hoft Road in Tisbury and another Yellow-throated Warbler on Cranberry acres Way in Vineyard Way.

Nantucket was visited by a Sooty Shearwater offshore and a Cerulean Warbler on the island, single Summer Tanagers at the UMass Field Station and Madaket, 6 Ruddy Ducks at Sesachacha Pond, and 3 Northern Shovelers and a Black Tern in the Great Point area.