Bird sightings from Mass Audubon

Recent bird sightings as reported to the Mass Audubon:

The unequivocal highlight of the week was an immature male vermilion flycatcher photographed and observed by many at Paine’s Creek Beach in Brewster. This was one of fewer than five previous state records for this handsome visitor from the Southwest. Other notable sightings last week included a wandering brown pelican in the Marion area, a remarkable flock of 16 cattle egrets in Ipswich, and a LeConte’s sparrow at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton.

Berkshire County: A cackling goose at Mount Williams Reservoir in North Adams, a northern shoveler at Richmond Pond in Richmond, and a tally of 167 brant seen migrating overhead at Richmond Pond. A tardy-migrating broad-winged hawk in Sheffield, and at the Jug End Reservation in Mount Washington, a Philadelphia vireo, a Tennessee warbler, and a Swainson’s thrush.

Bristol County: A Connecticut warbler at the Noquochoke Wildlife Management Area in Dartmouth, a tardy broadwinged hawk and a late common nighthawk in Westport, a black-billed cuckoo and a vesper sparrow at the Little Bay Conservation Area in Fairhaven, and another vesper sparrow in Taunton.

Cape Cod: A handsome vermilion flycatcher at Paine’s Creek Beach in Brewster. A Pacific loon off Town Neck Road in Sandwich, a king eider off South Monomoy, three black vultures in Bourne, a lingering piping plover at North Beach Island in Chatham, 12 whimbrels at Bells Neck in Harwich, a common gallinule at Santuit Pond in Mashpee, a Philadelphia vireo at High Head in Truro, and a Connecticut warbler at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham.

Essex County: A greater white-fronted goose near Northgate Farm in Ipswich, a remarkable tally of 16 cattle egrets at the Julia Bird Reservation in Ipswich, a lingering American avocet at Plum Island, and a sandhill crane observed in flight over the refuge. Six American oystercatchers at Fort Sewall in Marblehead, two yellowcrowned night-herons at Perkins Park in Newburyport, a continuing red-headed woodpecker at Appleton Farm in Ipswich, a stilt sandpiper at Putnamville Reservoir in Danvers, a grasshopper sparrow at Indian Hill in West Newbury, a blue grosbeak at the Spencer Pierce Little Farm in Newbury.

Franklin County: A cackling goose and a lesser yellowlegs at Tri Town Beach in Whately, a blue-winged teal in Northfield, a spotted sandpiper at gate 35 at Quabbin in New Salem, a bobolink in Deerfield, and two rosebreasted grosbeaks in Athol.

Hampden County: A Northern shoveler at the Longmeadow Flats.

Hampshire County: A green heron at Lake Wallace in Belchertown, two American golden-plovers and a dickcissel in the East Meadows in Northampton, and a Nelson’s sparrow at the pump station in Hadley.

Middlesex County: Three solitary sandpipers and a blue grosbeak at the Arlington Reservoir, a black-billed cuckoo at Cold Spring Park in Newton, three black vultures in Lowell, a green heron at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, a yellow warbler at Dunback Meadow in Lexington, a yellow-breasted chat at Eel Pond in Melrose, and a fox sparrow at Magazine Beach in Cambridge.

Nantucket: Two willets at Eel Point, two Northern shovelers, two common ravens at Sesachacha Pond, and a common gallinule at Hummock Pond.

Norfolk County: A redhead and a tardy osprey at Great Pond in Randolph, a common gallinule at Stony Brook Sanctuary in Norfolk, and a clay-colored sparrow and a fox sparrow at Squantum Point Park in Squantum.

Plymouth County: An osprey and a brown pelican were seen at several coastal locations in Marion, a yellow-billed cuckoo at the Holmes Reservation in Plymouth, 4,000 tree swallows, a sora, a solitary sandpiper, and a vesper sparrow at the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area in Hanson, a late short-billed dowitcher at Duxbury Beach, and a white-eyed vireo, a Philadelphia vireo, two Swainson’s thrushes, and an American redstart at the Manomet Bird Observatory.

Suffolk County: A yellowbreasted chat at the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a western tanager and a green heron at the Arnold Arboretum, a gray-cheeked thrush at McLaughlin Woods near Mission Hill, an American golden-plover at Winthrop Beach, two Forster’s terns at Revere Beach, a vesper sparrow and a clay-colored sparrow at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, four purple finches at Franklin Park, and a dickcissel and several Nelson’s sparrows at The Key at Belle Isle in Revere.

Worcester County: A LeConte’s sparrow at gate 37 at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton, a grasshopper sparrow at the same locality, a common nighthawk in Milford, and a yellow warbler in Barre.

For more information about bird sightings or to report bird sightings, call Mass Audubon at 781-259-8805 or go to www.massaudubon.org.