Friday, October 20, 2023

Notable events this week included a Cattle Egret at Nantucket, several lingering Ruby-throated Hummingbirds statewide, a probable Rufous Hummingbird in Orleans, a remarkable count of at least 5 Clay-colored Sparrows in Middlesex County, and an apparently significant movement of House Wrens this week.

Cape Cod reports were highlighted by a probable Rufous Hummingbird visiting flowers along the Hopkins Lane Gardens in Orleans, a Northern Goshawk near Santuit Pond in Mashpee, 3 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons at the Pogoreic Sanctuary in West Barnstable, a Caspian Tern and a Common Murre at Race Point in Provincetown, another Common Murre in Wellfleet Harbor off the town pier, a Gray-cheeked Thrush at Monomoy Light House on South Monomoy, and a lingering Piping Plover on South Cape Beach State Park in Mashpee.

Bristol County luminaries featured a Eurasian Wigeon at the Miller Street Pond in Seekonk, a Cackling Goose on the Bristol Agricultural School fields in Dighton, a tardy Barn Swallow on Shaw Road in Fairhaven, a lingering Short-billed Dowitcher at the Hacker Street marsh in Fairhaven, a late Eastern Kingbird near the Nonquitt Salt Marsh in Dartmouth, and a Vesper Sparrow at the Council Oak in Dighton.

Plymouth County hosted 8 Sandhill Cranes at the Burrage Pond Wildlife Area in Hanson, a Common Gallinule at the Atwood Reservoir Wildlife Area in Carver, a Hudsonian Godwit and a lingering Short-billed Dowitcher at Plymouth Beach, a Spotted Sandpiper and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at the Manomet Bird Observatory, 4 Nelson’s Sparrows in the saltmarsh at Little Harbor Beach in Wareham, 4 more Nelson’s Sparrows in the marsh off Aucoot Avenue in Marion, and a late Least Sandpiper at Sippican Harbor in Marion.  In Abington, a lingering Eastern Kingbird was recorded at Ames Nowell State Park.

Norfolk County interesting reports included a Whimbrel at Black’s Creek in Quincy, an American Bittern and a Vesper Sparrow at Passanageset Park at the Broad Meadow Marsh, a Clay-colored Sparrow and an American Tree Sparrow at Squantum Point Park in Squantum, single Grasshopper Sparrows at the Ward’s Fields in Sharon, and Moose Hill Sanctuary in Sharon, and 2 Common Mergansers at McCarthy Park in Medfield.

Suffolk County was visited by a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Boston University’s Agganis Arena, a Clay-colored Sparrow at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, 8 American Oystercatchers at Winthrop Beach, a Dickcissel at Lewis Lake in Winthrop, a Nelson’s Sparrow at the Key area at the Belle Isle Reservation, a Green Heron at Chandler Pond in Boston.

Middlesex County was blessed with a number of reports of single Clay-colored Sparrows at Danehy Park in Cambridge, the Horn Pond Recreation Area in Woburn, Nagog Pond in Littleton, the Woburn Community Gardens, the Lexington Community Gardens, and the Arlington Reservoir.  Other reports from the Arlington Reservoir included a Black-billed Cuckoo, 2 continuing Stilt Sandpipers and a Solitary Sandpiper, and a Veery was tallied at Rock Meadow in Belmont, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the Middlesex Fells in Medford.

Essex County notables at Plum Island included a Little Blue Heron, a Common Gallinule, 2 Stilt Sandpipers, a White-eyed Vireo, a Worm-eating Warbler, a Bay-breasted Warbler, and a Grasshopper Sparrow.  Elsewhere in the county birders found 2 Cackling Geese at Wenham Lake in Wenham, a Black-billed Cuckoo at the Reynolds and Proctor Woodland in Wenham, an Iceland Gull and a Common Murre at the Salisbury Beach Reservation in Salisbury, 2 Least Bitterns at Clark’s Pond in Ipswich, and a late Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Gloucester.

Berkshire County hosted a Cackling Goose and an Osprey at the Mt. Williams Reservoir in North Adams, a Northern Shoveler at Shaker Mill Pond in West Stockbridge, an Osprey, a late House Wren, a Nelson’s Sparrow, and a Lark Sparrow at the Taft Farm in Great Barrington, a Spotted Sandpiper at the Cheshire Reservoir in Cheshire, and a Gray-cheeked Thrush at the Jug End Reservation in Egremont.

Franklin County was visited by a House Wren in New Salem, and a Green Heron and a Black-crowned Night-Heron were seen on Old Ferry Road in Deerfield, a Clay-colored Sparrow in the Northfield meadows, and 5 Red Crossbills at Hilltop Farm in Deerfield.

Hampshire County reports were highlighted by 3 continuing Pind-footed Geese and a Cackling Goose at the campus pond at UMass in Amherst, 4 Sandhill Cranes at Arcadia Sanctuary in Northampton where a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a Clay-colored Sparrow were also seen, and a Yellow-headed Blackbird and a Grasshopper Sparrow were tallied at the Honey Pot area in Hadley.  At Nonotuck Park in Easthampton, a late Blue-winged Teal was observed.

Hampden County reports of interest were a lingering Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Granville, a Blue-winged Teal and a Clay-colored Sparrow at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow, and a late House Wren at the Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow.

Worcester County was visited by 8 Bonaparte’s Gulls at gate 40 at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton and a Grasshopper Sparrow was discovered at gate 37.  A Common Yellowthroat was found at Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary in Worcester and a Lesser Yellowlegs was spotted at Bartlett Pond in Northboro.

Martha’s Vineyard sightings included single late Common Nighthawks at Waskosim’s Rock Reservation in Menemsha and Aquinnah, a Hudsonian Godwit in the Edgartown area on the Norton Point flats and at the Mattakesett Boat Ramp, a Black Skimmer at Little Beach in Edgartown, and a Lark Sparrow and a Yellow-throated Vireo near Gay Head.

Nantucket highlights include a Long-tailed Jaeger at Smiths Point, a Cattle Egret at Sankaty Head Light, 2 Common Gallinules at Miacomet Park, and 2 Spotted Sandpipers and a Little Blue Heron in the marsh at the UMass Field Station.