Bird sightings
Unequivocally the most exciting reports last week were a lesser sand-plover — a first record for Massachusetts — discovered and observed by many in Mashpee, a swallow-tailed kite seen in Barnstable, and a brood of American coots observed at South Monomoy Island.
▶ Berkshire County: A Baird’s sandpiper on Bridgeview Lane in Sheffield, two Caspian terns at the Cheshire Reservoir in Cheshire, a Bonaparte’s gull on Lake Onota in Pittsfield, and a black-crowned night-heron in Dalton.
▶ Cape Cod: The most unusual bird report last week, and arguably the rarest bird of 2023 to date, was a lesser sand-plover, a shorebird from Asia with several disjunct populations in Kazakhstan, northern India, and western China to coastal areas in eastern Russia. First discovered at South Cape Beach State Park in Mashpee on Aug.14, it has been observed by many dozens of birders from throughout Massachusetts and beyond all week. Also outstanding last week was a very late Massachusetts observation of a swallow-tailed kite in Barnstable. Other notable sightings included a northern avocet at Wood Neck Beach in Falmouth, two Caspian terns at Dowses Beach in Osterville, several Hudsonian godwits at Forest Beach in Chatham, an unseasonal bufflehead at Bristol Beach in Falmouth, a continuing blue grosbeak at the Francis A. Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth, and an interesting assortment of birds from South Monomoy Island that included five pied-billed grebes, eight American coots, three northern shovelers, 20 gadwalls, two ruddy ducks, an American goldenplover, seven Hudsonian godwits, and a Wilson’s phalarope.
▶ Essex County: An American avocet at Plum Island where other sightings featured three clapper rails, a summering longtailed duck, three orchard orioles, and a dickcissel.
▶ Franklin County: Modest numbers of red crossbills at the Montague Sandplains Wildlife Management Area in Montague where at least 33 were tallied. A summering ring-necked duck also continued to be seen at the Turners Falls Power Canal.
▶ Hampden County: Two bluewinged teal and a red-necked phalarope at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow, and two Caspian terns at the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick.
▶ Hampshire County: The East Meadows in Northampton had a northern shoveler, four sandhill cranes, four short-billed dowitchers, nine stilt sandpipers, and a dickcissel. Elsewhere in the county were a Virginia rail and a marsh wren at Lake Wallace in Belchertown, four sandhill cranes in the fields off Old Post Road in Worthington, and two continuing blue grosbeaks at the Honey Pot in Hadley.
▶ Martha’s Vineyard: A chuck-will’s-widow calling on Bridle Path Road in Oak Bluffs, three white-eyed vireos at Wasque Point in Edgartown, two common ravens at Lake Tashmoo in Tisbury, and a blue-gray gnatcatcher in West Tisbury.
▶ Middlesex County: A yellowcrowned night-heron and a snowy egret near the Amelia Earhart Dam in Everett and the Draw Seven State Park in Somerville, a yellow-headed blackbird and a common gallinule at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord, four common loons at Whitehall Reservoir in Hopkinton, single orchard orioles at Nahanton Park in Newton and the Mount Feake Cemetery in Waltham, an American coot on the campus of The Rivers School in Weston, and three black vultures in Lowell.
▶ Nantucket: A continuing tricolored heron on the Nantucket Harbor Flats.
▶ Norfolk County: Single yellowcrowned night-herons at Squantum Point Park in Squantum and the Sailor’s Home Pond in Quincy, and an orchard oriole was tallied at McCarthy Park in Medfield.
▶ Plymouth County: A great cormorant at Manomet Bird Observatory, a little blue heron at Halfway Pond in Plymouth, three sandhill cranes continuing at the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area in Hanson, a sora at the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield, two black vultures in the Nemasket Trail area in Plympton.
▶ Suffolk County: A pileated woodpecker at Franklin Park, and migrant warblers noted at the park included a bay-breasted warbler, a Cape May warbler, a chestnut-sided warbler, and a Canada warbler.
▶ Worcester County: Four sandhill cranes on Hall Road in Hardwick and eight red crossbills at gate 43 at Quabbin Reservoir in Hardwick. At Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area in Winchendon three acadian flycatchers and 28 red crossbills were counted, and five evening grosbeaks were present in Royalston. A sanderling was spotted at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield, and two blue-winged teal and a Louisiana waterthrush were seen at Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster.