Friday, May 31, 2024

Among the highlights this week were Mississippi Kites from four localities, a Loggerhead Shrike in Easton, a Swainson’s Warbler banded at the Manomet Bird Observatory, a Curlew Sandpiper at Plum Island, a Brewster’s Warbler in Amherst, and a Lawrence’s Warbler in Westboro.

Cape Cod luminaries included sightings of single Mississippi Kites at Fort Hill in Eastham, the Falmouth Town Forest, Eel Pond in Falmouth, and Mashpee.  Some of these sightings may have referred to the same individuals. Other notable reports were sightings of a Western Kingbird at Powers Landing in Wellfleet, a Tricolored Heron and a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at the Pogoreic Sanctuary in West Barnstable, 2 Blue Grosbeaks at the Crane WMA in Falmouth, calling Chuck-will’s-widows in the vicinity of Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Child’s River Landing in Falmouth, and the Cape Cod Beagle Club in Falmouth, a Common Murre, a Glaucous Gull, an Arctic Tern, and an American Golden-Plover all at Race Point in Provincetown, single Common Nighthawks at Bearberry Hill in Truro and Nauset Light in Eastham, a Cerulean Warbler at Wing Island in Brewster, a Worm-eating Warbler at the Falmouth Town Forest, 4 Black Vultures in West Yarmouth, a Yellow-breasted Chat at the Provincetown Airport, and at South Monomoy Island a Pied-billed Grebe, a Sora, 7 Northern Shovelers, and 8 Ruddy Ducks.

Bristol County notable sightings were 2 Great Cormorants and a King Eider at Gooseberry Neck in Westport, 23 Ruddy Ducks at South Watupa Pond in Fall River, and a Loggerhead Shrike at Borderland State Park in Easton.

Plymouth County highlights featured a Swainson’s Warbler banded at Manomet Bird Observatory in Manomet, a calling Chuck-will’s-widow on the Plymouth Power Line on Little Sandy Pond Road in Plymouth, 2 Black Vultures on the Nemasket Trail in Pympton, and 2 Sandhill Cranes at Burrage Pond WMA in Hanson.

Norfolk County was graced by reports of an Olive-sided Flycatcher and an Acadian Flycatcher at Moose Hill Sanctuary in Sharon, 2 Louisiana Waterthrushes on King Philip’s Rock Trail in Sharon and another one in the Noanet Woods in Dover, 21 Piping Plovers at Wollaston Beach, a Grasshopper Sparrow at the Shea Naval Air Station in Weymouth, a Clapper Rail in the Squantum Marshes in Squantum, and single Mourning Warblers at Whitney Woods in Cohasset and Unquity Bottom in Milton.

Suffolk County reports of interest included a Prothonotary Warbler near Soldier’s Field Road and the south side of the Boston University Bridge, single Alder Flycatchers at McLaughlin Woods off Parker Hill Avenue in Boston and another one at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, a Lincoln’s Sparrow on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a Pileated Woodpecker in the Allendale Woods in West Roxbury, a Mourning Warbler in the Roslindale Wetlands Urban Wild Park, a Yellow-throated Vireo near Leverett Pond in Boston, and 4 Purple Sandpipers at Winthrop Beach.

Middlesex County was visited by a Prothonotary Warbler at Brewster’s Woods in Concord and another one at Magazine Beach in Cambridge, a Gray-cheeked Thrush at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, an Acadian Flycatcher in the Estabrook Woods in Concord, and a Hooded Warbler on Spring Street in Hopkinton.

Essex County highlights at Plum Island featured a Curlew Sandpiper, a Tricolored Heron, a King Rail, a Clapper Rail, a Cory’s Shearwater, an American Golden-Plover, a Philadelphia Vireo, a Hooded Warbler, a Cerulean Warbler, and a Hooded Warbler.  Elsewhere in the county there was a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Marblehead Neck Sanctuary in Marblehead, single Acadia Flycatchers at Crane Pond WMA in West Newbury and Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, and a Harlequin Duck at the Salvage Islands off Rockport.

Berkshire County hosted single Least Bitterns at Parsons Marsh in Lenox, Wild Acres Conservation Area in Pittsfield, and Richmond Marsh in Richmond, a Wilson’s Phalarope at the Bridgeview Lane Sod Farm in Sheffield, 3 Gray-cheeked Thrushes at Silver Lake in Pittsfield, a Hooded Warbler on North Road in New Marlborough, an Acadian Flycatcher at Jug End State Reservation in Egremont, and 22 Red Crossbills at October Mountain State Forest in Washington.

Franklin County luminaries were 4 Sandhill Cranes in Ashfield, single Acadian Flycatchers on the Cliffside Trail in Sunderland and at the Mt. Toby WMA also in Sunderland, 10 Red Crossbills in the Hawley Bog in Hawley.

Hampshire County was visited by a Prothonotary Warbler at Bachelor Brook – Stony Brook Conservation Area in South Hadley, a Brewster’s Warbler at the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Amherst, 2 Blue Grosbeaks at the Honey Pot in Hadley, a Least Bittern at Great Pond in Hatfield, and a Sandhill Crane in Cummington.

Hampden County luminaries were a Hooded Warbler on Randall Road in Ludlow, a Ruddy Turnstone at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow, a Least Bittern at the Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow, and 2 Hooded Warblers at the Grace Robinson State Wildlife Sanctuary in Westfield.

Worcester County highlights included a Lawrence’s Warbler at the Westboro WMA in Westboro, 4 Grasshopper Sparrows and 18 Red Crossbills at the Pine Hill Road grasslands in Lancaster, 2 Sandhill Cranes at the Bolton Flats WMA in Bolton, a Worm-eating Warbler in the Wachusett Reservoir Woods in West Boylston.

Martha’s Vineyard observers tallied a Willow Flycatcher at Lucy Vincent Beach in Chilmark, a Razorbill at Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge, a Common Raven at Vineyard Haven, and 17 Purple Sandpipers at the Great Rock Bight Preserve.

Nantucket notables were a Tricolored Heron at Madaket, 3 Chuck-will’s-widows at Sesachacha Heathlands Sanctuary, a Royal Tern at Low Beach, a Fish Crow at Jackson Point, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at The Creeks, a Clapper Rail at the UMass Field Station and 14 Ruddy Ducks at Sesachacha Pond.