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July 2004 Sightings FIRST OF THE YEAR IN RED
Hampshire, Hampden & Franklin Counties of Massachusetts

July 3
QUABBIN GATE 10 (posted to Massbird by Glenn d'Entremont) Walked a loop walk from Gate 10 on the west side of Quabbin. I have done this several times. This year I had a pedometer to estimate (each step gets counted, regardless of which direction or moving side to side to look at birds, so only an estimate) the distance. It is about 4 ½ miles; about 1/2 to 1 mile shorter than I had previously thought. Anyway, go into Gate 10, take the first left, take the first right, stay right and one ends up on the very traveled road to Gate 8. Turn right, head up the hill and take the first right. Take the first left (actually straight) and turn right at the intersection with a more traveled road (logging going on in the area). Take the SECOND left and back to Gate 10. ALWAYS TAKE A MAP AND REFER TO IT FREQUENTLY! There is a very good map available at the visitors center. Mallard 1 w/7 young (we are losing our Black Duck) Ruffed Grouse 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK 1 adult Red-tailed Hawk 2 Mourning Dove 4 Chimney Swift 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 14 Downy Woodpecker 7 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 6 Acadian Flycatcher 1 Least Flycatcher 3 Great Crested Flycatcher 3 Yellow-throated Vireo 3 Blue-headed Vireo 5 Red-eyed Vireo 44 Blue Jay 3 Black-capped Chickadee 20 Tufted Titmouse 4 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 15 Veery 21 Hermit Thrush 6 Wood Thrush 1 American Robin 15 Gray Catbird 2 Cedar Waxwing 4 Chestnut-sided Warbler 20 Black-throated Blue Warbler 16 Yellow-rumped Warbler 7 Black-throated Green Warbler 7 Blackburnian Warbler 3 Pine Warbler 11 Black-and-white Warbler 1 (is this bird down in numbers this year?) American Redstart 7 Ovenbird 13 Common Yellowthroat 27 Scarlet Tanager 11 Eastern Towhee 29 Chipping Sparrow 12 Song Sparrow 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 7 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Baltimore Oriole 1 American Goldfinch 8

JULY 5
Western Voice of Audubon: RUFFED GROUSE with young were noted in Leyden, another grouse with four nearly grown young were in Williamsburg, and a mother with a tiny baby were seen trying to cross a busy road in Granville.

The young BALD EAGLE in Gill was seen practicing flight, almost ready to leave the nest.

The female COMMON GOLDENEYE is again alone in Turners Falls, unable to fly or nest. The male that stayed with her this summer for a time has finally deserted her. Elsewhere in Turners falls, there was a BROAD-WINGED HAWK, a COMMON RAVEN, PRAIRIE and PINE WARBLERS, a BROWN THRASHER, 4 HERMIT THRUSH, and 3 FIELD SPARROWS.

Young CLIFF SWALLOWS are still being fed by adults at the Graves Farm in Williamsburg, and a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was also heard. Noted in Leyden was a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, a COMMON RAVEN, CANADA WARBLERS, and a family of LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES.

A VIRGINIA RAIL was heard in Windsor, a CAROLINA WREN in Amherst, 3 FISH CROWS were calling in Westfield, and 2 WHIP-POOR WILLS in Otis. INDIGO BUNTINGS have been heard singing in many places. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK and a WORM-EATING WARBLER were reported on the slopes of Mt. Holyoke, and a GREAT HORNED OWL was seen in West Springfield.

A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO and a WHIP-POOR-WILL were heard calling in Southwick, where 35 BANK SWALLOWS were busy feeding young in the nest holes.

July 7
DEERFIELD (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) This afternoon along Setright and Plain Roads in Deerfield a female NHarrier was hunting. They are often here in migration, but this seems way too early for dispersal, and way too far from Windsor.

July 11
UMASS AMHERST ((posted to Massbird by John Hoye) Today at UMass Amherst we saw one of the young peregrines flying and it roosted on a navy gray nincinerator? stack just north of the library.

OLD DEERFIELD (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) This afternoon at the small ponds at the north end of Old Deerfield was an imm. Black-crowned Night Heron. They are regular here, but I would love to know where they come from, and how these youngsters always end up at these little ponds? A few other hilites: Green Heron-1 Wood Duck-3 adults and 5 ducklings Willow Fly-1 Carolina Wren-1 Cliff Swallow-1 NRough-winged Swallow-6 Chestnut-sided Warbler-1 Yellow Warbler-3

July 11-12
ASHFIELD (from Bruce Goldstein) We have had a male Bobwhite calling incessantly in Ashfield for 3 days. He's not as shy as he should be, sitting and calling in the open on the ground, fence posts and from trees. It came and went 3 times. It was here June 20 - 23, June 27, and July 11 - 12.

JULY 12
Western Voice of Audubon: 2 MARSH WRENS continue along the Norwottuck Rail Trail west of Station Road.

An ACADIAN FLYCATCHER was singing near the top of Wildcat Road in Granville. Also found on the road were two WINTER WRENS, a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, and a CANADA WARBLER.

A survey of a large area of overgrown fields in Southwick produced a COOPER'S HAWK, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK, 3 PRAIRIE and 5 PINE WARBLERS, 14 EASTERN TOWHEES, 26 FIELD SPARROWS, a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, 2 VESPER SPARROWS, 5 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, and 10 INDIGO BUNTINGS. A GREAT EGRET and a GREEN HERON were in a marsh in Westfield.

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, MAGNOLIA WARBLERS and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS were found in Colrain.

Seen on a morning walk through some woodlands and marshes in Plainfield were 4 HOODED MERGANSERS, 3 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 3 RUFFED GROUSE, a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, a PILEATED WOODPECKER, 3 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, a BROWN CREEPER, 5 WINTER WRENS, 3 HERMIT THRUSH, MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, and 10 PURPLE FINCHES.

A day long tour of the Dubuque State Forest in Hawley recorded a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 15 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, an ALDER FLYCATCHER, 18 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 9 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 6 BROWN CREEPERS, 21 WINTER WRENS, 8 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 5 SWAINSON¹S THRUSH, and 24 HERMIT THRUSH. Warblers seen included a NASHVILLE, 7 MAGNOLIA, 32 BLACK-THROATED GREEN, 14 BLACKBURNIAN, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and 2 CANADA WARBLERS.

JULY 19
Western Voice of Audubon: One day last week a BLUE GROSBEAK was heard singing in a Westfield yard, but has so far not been relocated.

The nesting pair of OSPREY on the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield is feeding three nearly full grown young. Also in the area were three GREEN HERONS, a GREAT BLUE HERON, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and 2 KILLDEER.

Two GREAT EGRETS have been present in Longmeadow and one in Westfield, while in Southwick there were 2 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 3 WOOD DUCKS, and 11 SWAMP SPARROWS.

A walk through the woods to a large beaver pond in Tolland produced 6 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 2 GREEN HERONS, 6 WOOD DUCKS, a HOODED MERGANSER, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK and RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, 4 LEAST FLYCATCHERS, 3 WINTER WRENS, 2 HERMIT THRUSH, and 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. In the town of Hawley there was a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 4 COMMON RAVENS, a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, a BROWN CREEPER, a WINTER WREN, a BLACK-THROATED BLUE and 3 BLACK THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER and 2 EVENING GROSBEAKS.

Two PEREGRINE FALCONS were noted in Amherst, 3 COMMON MERGANSERS were in Greenfield, and a GREEN HERON and 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS were seen in Hatfield.

A VIRGINIA RAIL, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, a WILLOW FLYCATCHER and an EASTERN MEADOWLARK were found in Hadley

In Montague there were 3 AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 13 WHIP-POOR-WILLS, 2 WILD TURKEYS with 13 young, 2 COMMON RAVENS, 4 HERMIT THRUSHES, 3 PRAIRIE and 2 PINE WARBLERS.

July 21
WESTFIELD (posted to Massbird by Janis Lapointe) Monday there was a Great Egret in Crane Pond near the factory and bridge.

July 24 - Saturday
SUNDERLAND (posted to Massbird by Mark Faherty) While looking for butterflies on Saturday on Bull Hill Road in Sunderland, I came upon a pair of Grasshopper Sparrows holding a territory along a fence separating a hayfield from a big sand and gravel operation. They perched cooperatively along the fence for extended periods while singing and calling. I saw no young or evidence thereof, though the local Savannah Sparrows had juveniles in tow. I don't know if this is a known breeding location for this state-listed species - I'm not usually in this neck of the woods during the summer.

July 25 - Sunday
DEERFIELD (posted to Massbird by Rob Ranney-Blake) This morning at 6:00 AM a Carolina Wren was singing in the bushes on the east side of the capped landfill between Sand Gully North and Lee Roads in Deerfield. It's still singing occasionally at 7:30 AM.

July 26 - Monday
Western Voice of Audubon: A family of four young COOPER'S HAWKS has been present in Granby.

Seen on Mt Tom were a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, a HERMIT THRUSH, a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, and a DARK-EYED JUNCO.

There were 33 LEAST SANDPIPERS on the Connecticut River sandbar in Longmeadow.

In Hadley there was a GREAT EGRET, 2 GREEN HERONS, 5 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, a HERMIT THRUSH, a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER and a BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER.

Noted in Northampton were 7 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 5 WOOD DUCKS, 7 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS and 2 adult COMMON MERGANSERS with 12 nearly grown young birds.

A WOOD DUCK and GREEN HERON in Leverett.

Found in Southwick were 2 GREAT BLUE HERONS, a WHIP-POOR-WILL, a PILEATED WOODPECKER, and a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER.

July 27 - Tuesday
AMHERST (from Heather McQueen) Red Tailed Hawk (4), Sharpie (2), Cooper's Hawk (1), Turkey Vulture (3), Bald Eagle (1), American Kestrel (4), Great Blue Heron (1), Green Heron (2), Willow Flycather -still singing (1), Wood Pewee-still singing (1), RB Grosbeak (1), Indigo Bunting - still singing (1), Meadowlark (2), Bluebird -seemed like a family group with 3 immature birds (5), Brown Thrasher -also seemed like a a family group with 2 immature birds (4), Rufus Sided Towhee-a pair (2), Cedar Waxwings - a family group with 2 immature birds (4), Common Yellow Throat -still singing (1), Yellow Warbler -still singing (1), Eastern Kingbird (3), Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Blue-Winged Warbler (1). And uncounted Robins, Red Wings, Grackles, Song, Chipping, and Savanah Sparrows, Cardinals.

July 28 - Wednesday
MONTAGUE (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) The Turners Falls Canal in Montague is drained for its annual dam cleaning. As usual, a few shorebirds show up for the banquet. Great Blue Heron-4 Green Heron-3 Bald Eagle-1 ad, 1 imm-flyovers Mute Swan-2 Mallard-50+ Killdeer-8+ Semi Plover-1 Greater Yellowlegs-2 Solitary Sandpiper-2 Spotted Sandpiper-4 SANDERLING-6-some still with a bit of reddish around the face and throat. Unusual in W.Mass. Semi Sandpiper-5 Least Sand-4 BKingfisher-2 Barn Swallow-5+ Tree Swallow-50+ Bank Swallow-10+ Redwing-100+ Grackle-25+ ARobin-50+ The shorebirds are scattered, and very difficult to see without getting in the canal. It is not as muddy as it looks. The best access is from Depot St. near the Farren Medical Center. They should refill it Friday.

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) I came across a flock of ruffed grouse - 4 maturing young and an adult.

July 29 - Thursday
MONTAGUE (from Larry Therrien) I made an early AM trip up to Turners Falls to check out the now drained canal. Over the course of about two and a half hours I had the following birds in, near and over the canal: Killdeer (22), Solitary Sandpiper (5), Spotted Sandpiper (4), Lesser Yellowlegs (1), Sanderling (2), Least Sandpiper (6), Semipalmated Sandpiper (4), Green Heron (6+) with five in the air over the canal at one time, Great Blue Heron (4), Kingfisher (4+), Mute Swan (2), Mallard (25+), Bank Swallow (20), Tree Swallow (40+), Barn Swallow (3), Bald Eagle (1) adult flyby, Yellow Warbler (2), Common Yellowthroat (2), American Robin (75+) including two birds that flew by so close you could feel them go by, Red Winged Blackbird (25+), Eastern Phoebe (1), as well as small numbers of other expected birds.

NORTHAMPTON (from J Gottsche) Just before eight (pm) we saw large numbers of swallow sp. perhaps in totaling 1000+ or so skimming just over the corn rows.

July 30 - Friday
WARE (posted to Massbird by David Norton) I was pleasantly surprised to see a great egret in the marsh on Rt. 9 in Ware this morning! A fair variety of birdlife about-- blue heron nearby, and at least 4 very active kingfisher's--I wonder if they are parents and recently fledged progeny-- really fishing, and seeming to cause activity in many of the other birds in the area-- being intermittently mobbed or themselves chasing swallows, grackles, young orioles and robins. I only saw one female wood duck, but I suspect there are more. I really have not seen green herons there this summer at all yet... Warbling vireos had nested right near the turnoff, but saw/heard no sign of them this morning.

July 31 - Saturday
MONTAGUE (from Chris Gentes) Saw a flock of 20 juvenile turkeys and 3 adults crossing the road.