Friday, May 26, 2023

Most notable this week was another sighting of a Common Ringed Plover in Fairhaven, a Pileated Woodpecker out of place in Provincetown, a very late Thick-billed Murre in Provincetown, Yellow-throated Warblers at Plum Island, Sunderland, and the Arnold Arboretum, and Blue Grosbeaks in Mashpee, Rockport, and Hadley. Worm-eating Warblers and Hooded Warblers were also seen in several different localities.

Cape Cod highlights included a Pileated Woodpecker and a Philadelphia Vireo in the Provincetown Beech Forest, a late Thick-billed Murre and 155 Bonaparte’s Gulls at Race Point in Provincetown, 2 Least Bitterns at High Head in Truro and another at Bell’s Neck in Harwich, a Blue Grosbeak at the MA Military Reserve in Mashpee, single Worm-eating Warblers in the Falmouth Town Forest and Goodwill Park in Falmouth, a Little Blue Heron at Frost Fish Creek in Chatham, a Yellow’s-crowned Night-Heron at Wing Island in Brewster, 13 Red Crossbills at Bell’s Neck, a Seaside Sparrow at Sandy Neck in West Barnstable, and a Common Gallinule at South Monomoy.

Bristol County was visited by the second report of a Common Ringed Plover at the Winsegansett Avenue marsh in Fairhaven, 5 Sooty Shearwaters, 6 Parasitic Jaegers, and a Black Tern at Gooseberry Neck in Westport, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at the Knowles Reserve in South Dartmouth, an Alder Flycatcher at Dartmoor Farm WMA in Dartmouth, and a Philadelphia Vireo on Blossom Road in Westport.

Plymouth County featured 3 Sandhill Cranes and a Least Bittern at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson, and a Vesper Sparrow at the Plymouth Airport.

Norfolk County luminaries were a Cattle Egret in Bellingham, a Least Bittern at the Causeway Street marsh in Medfield, a Ruddy Duck at the Neponset Reservoir in Foxborough, 7 Piping Plovers at Wollaston Beach, a White-eyed Vireo near Popes Pond in Milton, an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Fowl Meadow in Hyde Park, a Hooded Warbler at Great Blue Hill in Milton and another at Lake Massapoag in Sharon and a Golden-crowned Kinglet at Moose Hill Sanctuary in Sharon, and 2 Grasshopper Sparrows at Shea Naval Air Station in Weymouth.

Suffolk County notables at Franklin Park were a Black-billed Cuckoo, an Alder Flycatcher, a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, a Philadelphia Vireo, and a Hooded Warbler. The Arnold Arboretum was visited by a Yellow-throated Vireo and a continuing Yellow-throated Warbler, and Gray-cheeked Thrush and a Summer Tanager were observed at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Boston.

Essex County highlights at Plum Island were 4 Caspian Terns, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, a Philadelphia Vireo, a Worm-eating Warbler, a Yellow-throated Warbler, and a Yellow-breasted Chat. Elsewhere there was a Caspian Tern at Salisbury Beach, a White-faced Ibis in the Rt. 1A salt pans in Newbury, and single Philadelphia Vireos in Lynn and Marblehead Neck Sanctuary in Marblehead. A Black Guillemot was noted at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport.

Middlesex County birders found a Common Merganser at Eel Pond in Melrose, an Acadian Flycatcher at the Annursnac Conservation Land in Concord, and a Prothonotary Warbler at Brewster’s Woods in Concord.

Berkshire County was highlighted by a Least Bittern at the Richmond marsh, a single Philadelphia Vireo and a Purple Martin in Lenox, a Short-billed Dowitcher at Silver Lake in Pittsfield, and a Pectoral Sandpiper at the Darey Housatonic Valley WMA in Lenox.

Franklin County was graced by 4 Sandhill Cranes in Ashfield and the continued presence of a Yellow-throated Warbler at Cranberry Pond in Sunderland.

Hampshire County luminaries were a Least Bittern at Great Pond in Hatfield, 4 Sandhill Cranes on Thayer Hill Road in Worthington, a Red-necked Phalarope in Hatfield, an Acadian Flycatcher at gate 8 at Quabbin in Pelham, a Gray-cheeked Thrush in Northampton, and Blue Grosbeak at the Honey Pot in Hadley and a Hooded Warbler on Mitch’s Way in Hadley.

Hampden County hosted single Hooded Warblers at the Grace Robson Wildlife Sanctuary in Westfield and the Bear Hole Watershed in Springfield, 2 Acadian Flycatchers in Granville, 8 Upland Sandpipers at the Westfield Grasslands in Chickopee, and a Common Gallinule at the Fannie Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow.

Worcester County was visited by a Brewster’s Warbler at the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, single Worm-eating Warblers at the Uxbridge Rice City Pond in Uxbridge and Hines Bridge Road in North Brookfield, a Hooded Warbler at the Rauscher Farm Conservation Area in Clinton, and a Mourning Warbler at the Hadwen Arboretum in Worcester. A Northern Goshawk was spotted at gate 43 at Quabbin in Hardwick, 3 Grasshopper Sparrows were tallied on Pine Hill Road in Lancaster.

Martha’s Vineyard notables were an American Bittern at Gay Head, a Philadelphia Vireo near Doggett’s Pond in West Tisbury, and 5 Common Ravens in Tisbury.

Nantucket birders spotted 4 Gadwalls, 2 Northern Shovelers, and a Glaucous Gull at Coskata, 6 Ruddy Ducks at Sesachacha Pond, and a Red-headed Woodpecker at Madaket.