Friday, May 24, 2024

Especially notable sightings this week included a Trumpeter Swan, a total of at least 5 Mississippi Kites, a Swallow-tailed Kite, 4 Prothontary Warblers, 2 Yellow-throated Warblers, 5 Summer Tanagers, and a Yellow-headed Blackbird.

Cape Cod highlights were led by sightings of Mississippi Kites at Waquoit Landing House in Waquoit in East Falmouth, Mashpee Corners, High Head in Truro, and possibly the same kite at Bearberry Hill in Truro.  Equally interesting was a report of a Swallow-tailed Kite over the West Barnstable Conservation Area in West Barnstable, a Black-necked Stilt at Bell’s Neck in Harwich, a Pacific Loon at Race Point in Provincetown, an Acadian Flycatcher at the Ryder Conservation Area in Sandwich, a Philadelphia Vireo at High Head in Truro, a Cerulean Warbler at Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary in South Wellfleet, single Worm-eating Warblers at the Falmouth Town Forest and The Triangle in Chatham, and a American Golden-Plover at North Monomoy off Chatham.

Bristol County luminaries featured a Mississippi Kite soaring over Westport, a Wilson’s Phalarope and a Summer Tanager at Allen’s Pond in South Dartmouth, a Yellow-headed Blackbird on Star of the Sea Drive in South Dartmouth, a late Horned Grebe and an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Gooseberry Neck in Westport, and16 Ruddy Ducks on South Watuppa Pond in Fall River and 13 more Ruddy Ducks on Cockeast Pond in Acoaxet.

Plymouth County hosted a Chuck-will’s-widow calling on the power line on Little Sandy Pond Road in Plymouth, a Prothonotary Warbler in Hockomock WMA in West Bridgewater, 5 Caspian Terns and 3 Sandhill Cranes at the Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, an Acadian Flycatcher at Manomet Bird Observatory in Manomet, and a Summer Tanager on Clifford Road in Plymouth.

Norfolk County sightings of interest were a Clapper Rail calling near the Kennedy School in Squantum, a Solitary Sandpiper at Squantum Point Park, 3 Piping Plovers at Wollaston Beach, a Louisiana Waterthrush at Unquity Bottom in Milton, and a Golden-crowned Kinglet at Moose Hill Sanctuary in Sharon.

Suffolk County was graced by visits from an Acadian Flycatcher and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on the Winthrop Greenway, another Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and a Philadelphia Vireo at McLaughlin Woods near Parker Hill Avenue in Boston, 4 Broad-winged Hawks migration over Jamaica Plain, a Little Blue Heron at the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, and single Yellow-throated Vireos a Forest Hills Cemetery and the Boston Public Garden.

Middlesex County notable sightings included a Red-throated Loon at the Horn Pond Recreation Area, single Hooded Warblers at Cold Spring Park in Newton, Nahanton Park in Newton, and Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, a Prothonotary Warbler along the Concord River at Brewster’s Woods Sanctuary in Concord, and a Worm-eating Warbler at Weston Station Pond.

Essex County sightings of interest included a Mississippi Kite soaring over the Ward Reservation in Andover, a Tricolored Heron, a King Rail, a Prothonotary Warbler, and a Yellow-throated Warbler at Plum Island, at least 3 migrating Pacific Loons at Andrews Point in Rockport, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Marblehead Neck Sanctuary in Marblehead, and a Gray-cheeked Thrush in the Salem Woods in Salem.

Berkshire County hosted a Least Bittern at the Wild Acres Conservation Area in Pittsfield, 2 Hooded Warblers at the Dry Hill Reservation in Great Barrington, 2 Great Egrets at Cole Field in Williamstown, a White-eyed Vireo at Linear Park and Spruces Park also in Williamstown, and a Red-headed Woodpecker East Windsor Road in Windsor.

Franklin County highlights included an Acadian Flycatcher at the Cliffside Cliff in Sunderland, a Golden-winged Warbler at Cranberry Pond in Sunderland, a Lawrence’s Warbler on Ferry Road in Montague, 25 Red Crossbills in gate 35 of the Quabbin Reservoir in New Salem, and 23 Red Crossbills at the Montague Sand Plains WMA in Montague.

Hampshire County was graced by visits from 3 Blue Grosbeaks at the Honey Pot in Hadley, a Prothonotary Warbler at Bachelor Brook – Stony Brook Conservation Area in South Hadley, a Hooded Warbler at the Edward Dwyer Conservation Area in Easthampton, a Gray-cheeked Thrush at Skinner State Park in Hadley, and 16 Red Crossbills the Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst.

Hampden County notables featured a Least Bittern a the Fannie Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow, 4 Upland Sandpipers on the Perimeter Road of Westover Field in Ludlow, and a Hooded Warbler at the Grace Robson State Wildlife Sanctuary in Westfield.

Worcester County made birding news with a Trumpeter Swan near the Arch City RR Bridge in Westboro, single Brewster’s Warblers at the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, also in Harvard, and the Muddy Brook WMA in Hadley.  At Pine Hills Road in Lancaster 24 Grasshopper Sparrows were tallied, single Worm-eating Warblers were found on the Blackstone River Greenway Bike Path in Blackstone, and at the Rice City Pond in Uxbridge.  Between gate 35-40 at the Quabbin Reservoir in Petersham, 43 Red Crossbills were tallied.

Martha’s Vineyard luminaries included 4 Common Ravens at Peaked Hill in Chilmark, 2 calling Chuck-will’s-widows at the Mytoi Japanese Garden on Chappaquiddick, 2 Worm-eating Warblers on Chappaquonsett Road in Vineyard and another one on Army Road, and a late Dark-eyed Junco in Chilmark.  On Cuttyhunk Island elsewhere in Buzzards Bay 26 Glossy Ibises and a Caspian Tern were observed.

Nantucket observations of note included 2 Common Ravens at Eel Point, a Summer Tanager at The Gut at Nantucket Long Pond and another Summer Tanager on Pine Grove Lane, 5 calling Chuck-will’s-widows at the Sacachacha Heathlands Sanctuary, 3 Northern Shovelers at Great Point, and 10 Ruddy Ducks on Sacachacha Pond.