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June 2005 Sightings
Hampshire, Hampden & Franklin Counties of Massachusetts
First of the Year in RED

June 1 - Wednesday - Mostly Sunny - 70s.

NORTHAMPTON (from Larry Therrien) - Arcadia meadows: Magnolia Warbler (2), Chestnut Sided Warbler (2), Blue Winged Warbler (2), Black and White Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (9), Common Yellowthroat (15), American Redstart (2), Warbling Vireo (4), Red Eyed Vireo (3), Alder Flycatcher (2), Willow Flycatcher (7), Great Crested Flycatcher (3), Eastern Kingbird (1), Eastern Wood Pewee (1), Indigo Bunting (1), Baltimore Oriole (3), Veery (1), Brown Thrasher (1), Rose Breasted Grosbeak (1), Bobolink (15), Gray Catbird (18), Cedar Waxwing (12), Great Blue Heron (5) flyby, Carolina Wren (1), Savannah Sparrow (7) with one gathering nest material along the road, Song Sparrow (33), Bank Swallow (12), Tree Swallow (22), Chimney Swift (1). NORTHAMPTON- Fitzgerald Lake from Cook Ave to Cooke's pasture: Black Throated Blue Warbler (2), Black Throated Green Warbler (3), Magnolia Warbler (1), Chestnut Sided Warbler (1), Blue Winged Warbler (1), Pine Warbler (3), Common Yellowthroat (6), Ovenbird (7), Yellow Throated Vireo (1), Blue Headed Vireo (3), Red Eyed Vireo (13), Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Eastern Wood Pewee (2), Veery (3), Wood Thrush (4), Hermit Thrush (2), Green Heron (1) hunting along the shore of the lake, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher (4) with pair near swamp along Boggy Meadow rd going in and out of nest I watched them build earlier this spring about 50 feet up an oak tree. Baltimore Oriole (1), Scarlet Tanager (1), Rose Breasted Grosbeak (1), Yellow Bellied Sapsucker (1), Brown Creeper (1), Swamp Sparrow (1), Kingfisher (1), Carolina Wren (1), House Wren (1), Gray Catbird (3) and other usuals. Also had Pink Ladyslippers blooming....and LOTS of ticks..Cooke's pasture was loaded...stopped after going 100 feet and picking up a half dozen!

June 2 - Thursday - Mostly Sunny - 70s.

NORTHAMPTON (today at Paradise Pond there were 13 merganser chicks following a female around the pond. At one point they came very close to the waterall. A Killdeer was on the little sandbar.

AMHERST (from Heather McQueen) Today I had a fascinating encounter with a pair of Black-billed Cuckoos. I was riding my bike down the bikepath near Lawrence Swamp this afternoon when out of he corner of my eye I saw a bird fly up. I knew it was a cuckoo so I stopped to look at it. It was eating caterpillars off of a tree bordering the bikepath. After a few minutes it flew to another tree on the other side of the bikepath. I couldn't resist doing my own rendition of a cuckoo call to see how it would react. It reacted by making a strange series of grunting sounds. Almost immediately a second cuckoo appeared and perched nearby. Its behavior was very demonstrative for what I've seen in cuckoos in the past: it flicked its tail and wings, and swayed from side to side. The first cuckoo continued to make the grunting noises. The second bird then flew toward me down the middle of the bikepath and snatched a dragonfly out of the air and landed next to the first bird with the dragonfly still in its beak. The first bird flew to a nearby branch and continued to make the grunting sounds while raising its tail. The second bird flew over and they mated. Then the male cuckoo fed the dragonfly to the female cuckoo. They then ate some caterpillars together for a few minutes before mating again.

June 3 - Friday - Partly Sunny - 70s.

WESTFEILD (from Larry Therrien) Mt Tekoa area in from Reservoir Road. Hooded Warbler (1) male singing perched in a tree about 40 feet up...great looks. At the end of reservoir rd, park at the red gate...continue on foot up the dirt road....the turnpike is just off to the left here...the noise is strong initially, but goes away further up. When you get to a spot with a new cell tower on your right...take the dirt road that is on the right, before the cell tower. Go up this path about 2000 feet or so...it was singing in the trees on the right side of the road/trail... It was still singing when I left at 11:00. (NOT SEEN OR HEARD JUNE 5 by D. Mako) Wilson's Warbler (1), Black Throated Green Warbler (3), Black Throated Blue Warbler (6), Blackburnian Warbler (1), Magnolia Warbler (1), Chestnut Sided Warbler (6), Black and White Warbler (5), American Redstart (1), Common Yellowthroat (2), Ovenbird (6), Blue Headed Vireo (2), Red Eyed Vireo (13), Scarlet Tanager (3) including two males in close at once, Eastern Towhee (4) two pairs, Wood Thrush (7), Veery (3), Eastern Wood Pewee (5), Eastern Phoebe (1), Empidonax Flycatcher (1), Baltimore Oriole (4), Rose Breasted Grosbeak (3), Yellow Bellied Sapsucker (5) including a pair in and out of a nest, Brown Creeper (1)Gray Catbird (2), Cedar Waxwing (3), Red Tailed Hawk (2) pair, Turkey Vulture (2). at the state hospital trails had a Yellow Billed Cuckoo (1), Chestnut Sided Warbler (1), yellow Warbler (3), American Redstart (4), Common Yellowthroat (4), Warbling Vireo (1), Red Eyed Vireo (3), Indigo Bunting (2), Baltimore Oriole (3), Willow Flycatcher (1) and a deer fawn in one of the fields.

June 4 - Saturday - Sunny and very warm

CHESTERFIELD (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) At the Dead Branch Swamp this morning (Fisk Meadow WMA) in Chesterfield: Canada Goose-6 ad. and 6 goslings Wood Duck-2 adults, and one lone newly hatched duckling adeptly skimming over the water, diving, and running on shore to avoid me and my kayak. Red-shouldered Hawk-1 juv. Killdeer-2 BBCuckoo-1 MDove-3 BKingfisher-1 YBSapsucker-4 Pileated-2 Hairy Woodpecker-3 Alder Fly-5 EKingbird-5 EPhoebe-1 Great-crested Fly-1 REVireo-3 Tree Swallow-7 Bank Swallow-1 CWaxwing-7 NRaven-8-very noisy as always ACrow-4 BlueJay-5 Winter Wren-1 Brown Creeper-2 WBNuthatch-4 RBNuthatch-2 BCChickadee-8 TTitmouse-2 Hermit Thrush-3 Veery-3 GCatbird-2 STanager-2 Nashville Warbler-5 Yellow-4 Black-thr Green-2 Black-thr Blue-2 Blackburnian-4 Yellow-rumped-1 Black and White-3 CYellowthroat-12 Ovenbird-4 Song Sparrow-11 Swamp Sparrow-7 Chipping-1 CGrackle-4 Redwing-8 BHCowbird-1 BaltOriole-1 The Beavers seem to have abandoned the stream, so the dams have fallen apart and the water is low, and it would be difficult to get a canoe in here, but not impossible. AGoldfinch-6

SHUTESBURY (from Chris Gentes) Checked the bluebird boxes and 7 had tree swallow nests with a total of 27 eggs! Bluebird family still hanging around. Box-1 Cleaned what was left of Bluebird nest. Box-2- 3 Tree Swallow eggs. Box-3- 2 Tree Swallow eggs . Box-4- 4 Tree Swallow eggs . Box-5- 7 Tree Swallow eggs. Box-6- 3 Tree Swallow eggs (in never used bluebird nest!). Box-7- 5 Tree Swallow eggs. Box-8 Cleaned out unused House Wren nest. Box-9 House Wren innest. Box-10 - 3 Tree Swallow nests.

NORTHAMPTON (from Larry Therrien) A morning walk at the state hospital trails produced one maybe two Yellow Billed Cuckoo's calling, plus the usual assortment of breeding birds.

QUABBIN+ (posted to Massbird by Linda Ferraresso) This is a brief report of the BBC trip to Skinner State Park and the Quabbin today 6/4 for the leaders, who will post a full report tomorrow. 95 species were recorded with the following highlights: Skinner: Halfway area Cerulean Warbler 1 (m) Yellow-throated Vireo 1 (m) Quabbin: Cerulean Warbler 1 (ho) Worm-eating Warbler 1 (ho) Acadian Flycatcher (Gate 15) Alder Flycatcher (Jonathan's Bridge) Raven 5 ( 2 at the spillway) Cooleyville: Evening Grosbeak 2 (1m, 1f) Orange Airport: Eastern Meadowlark 1 Bald Eagle 1 Bobolink 3 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1 Skyjumpers many!

June 5 - Sunday - Sunny and hot - 80s.

HATFIELD (from Chris Gentes) There was a yellow-billed cuckoo calling from the North Hatfield boat ramp near Great Pond/Water building.

NORTHAMPTON (from Larry Therrien) - Fitzgerald Lake from North Farms Rd this morning: Black Throated Green Warbler (1), Blue Winged Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (2), Pine Warbler (2), Common Yellowthroat (7), Ovenbird (6) with great looks at a pair just off trail being quite vocal, Red Eyed Vireo (5), Green Heron (3) including one preening in a tree for at least 20 minutes, Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Alder Flycatcher (1), Eastern Wood Pewee (1), Eastern Kingbird (2), Wood Thrush (3), Veery (3), Baltimore Oriole (3), Swamp Sparrow (2), Wood Duck (2) pair with female in nest box, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker (1), Pileated Woodpecker (1), Gray Catbird (1), Cedar Waxwing (3), Bank Swallow (1), and alot of Red Winged Blackbird activity in and out of nests. - State Hospital Trails, short walk late morning: Chestnut Sided Warbler (1), Blue Winged Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (5), American Redstart (4), Common Yellowthroat (6), Red Eyed Vireo (5), Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Willow Flycatcher (1), Pileated Woodpecker (1), Gray Catbird (6), plus other usuals. -Bike path in Florence between Bridge Rd and Maple St: Black Billed Cuckoo (1) seen and heard, Black and White Warbler (1), Carolina Wren (2).

NORTHAMPTON (from Diane Brawn) Three Pileated Woodpecker chicks at the State Hospital/ Smith Voc / dog walking area. They're located in a very busy spot next to the Mill River. They seem to be quite big and are very vocal - which is how I found them. I haven't seen the parents but hear them drumming nearby.

NORTHAMPTON (from Christine Yario) We wanted to report (assuming folks don't already know) that there are nesting pileated woodpeckers with 3 young near fledging in Northampton on the State Hospital grounds as follows: From Northampton center, go out 66, right onto Burt's Pit Rd., to the parking lot just past the community gardens. Follow the trail in to the whole "dog park" area, at the fork in the path near the river bear left. You'll be going down hill and starting to curve to right. Continue to walk along road but look for a eroded area just BEFORE you get to the agricultural field ahead and on the left. To the right is a beach area (where people love to swim their dogs) and to the left of this beach area is a dead tree leaning out toward the river. The nest faces the river. The young are big so I don't think they'll be there long.

HATFIELD+ (from Seth Kellogg) (ABC trip) 2 Brown Creeper 1 Gnatcatcher 2 Canada Warbler in Williamsburg 15-20 Cliff Swallow 1 Broadwing 2 Redshouldered Hawk 1 Alder Flycatcher in Northampton (Fitzgerald Lake) 3 Virginia Rail 3 Green heron

June 6 - Monday - Hazy and Hot - in the 80s. Thunderstorm late.

NORTHAMPTON (from Chris Gentes) There were 12 Common Mergansers juvs. with 1 adult female on Paradise Pond. Also the pileated chicks were still there.

LITTEL RIVER IBA (from Seth Kellogg) 1 Great Egret on Crance Pond in Little River (my first ever WMass sighting in June)

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday June 6

On Mt. Greylock and Saddleball there was a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, 2 WINTER WRENS, 5 SWAINSON’S THRUSH, 2 MOURNING WARBLERS, and 31 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS.

CERULEAN WARBLERS have been found on Mt. Holyoke in Skinner Park halfway up the mountain, and at the Quabbin Reservoir on the main road to the tower.

The ACADIAN FLYCATCHER is present inside Gate 15 at Quabbin.

A HOODED WARBLER was singing on Mt. Tekoa in Westfield on Friday, but not heard or seen on Saturday.

Noted in Northampton were 3 VIRGINIA RAILS, 2 YELLOW-BILLED and a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, and a WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

In Hatfield there was a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, and in Amherst a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO.

An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and 2 MOURNING WARBLERS were noted in Washington in October Mt. State Forest., 2 MOURNING WARBLERS were near Berry Pond in Hancock, and one more in Peru. Seen in Chesterfield were a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 5 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, a WINTER WREN, 5 NASHVILLE and 4 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS

The census of the Little River IBA was conducted Friday and Saturday with 13 people in the field recording 120 species. Highlights were 5 HOODED MERGANSERS, 4 AMERICAN BITTERNS, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, a VIRGINIA RAIL, 11 BLACK-BILLED and 3 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, 18 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, 44 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 4 ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS, 14 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, a PHILADELPHIA VIREO, 16 WINTER WRENS, 4 SWAINSON’S THRUSH, 2 NORTHERN PARULAS, 5 NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 4 WORM-EATING WARBLERS, 3 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, a MOURNING WARBLER, and 15 CANADA WARBLERS.

June 7 - Tuesday - 90s - Sunny

NORTHAMPTON- (from Larry Therrien) Paradise Pond in the morning: Highlights of Warbling Vireo (1), Red Eyed Vireo (3), Common Merganser (4)...not sure where the rest were, Baltimore Oriole (4), Killdeer (1), Empidonax Flycatcher (1), Eastern Kingbird (1), Gray Catbird (5), Carolina Wren (1), Cedar Waxwing (6). -Arcadia meadows drive through...not much time spent at any one location, highlights as follows: Chestnut Sided Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (5), Common Yellowthroat (4), American Redstart (1), Warbling Vireo (4), Red Eyed Vireo (3), Baltimore Oriole (2), Spotted Sandpiper (1), Bobolink (15+), Great Blue Heron (4), Willow Flycatcher (3), Savannah Sparrow (5), Carolina Wren (1), Bank Swallow (3), Gray Catbird (7), Tree Swallow (12), Cedar Waxwing (3). -State Hospital trails: Chestnut Sided Warbler (2), Black and White Warbler (1), Northern Parula (1), Blue Winged Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (3), American Redstart (3), Common Yellowthroat (6), Warbling Vireo (1), Red Eyed Vireo (3), Yellow Billed Cuckoo (2)..one seen, Pileated Woodpecker (3)...at least two juv. still in nest and one adult seen, Wood Thrush (3) including one bird sitting on nest, Indigo Bunting (2), Baltimore Oriole (1), Eastern Wood Pewee (1), Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Willow Flycatcher (1), Bobolink (2), Carolina Wren (1), Field Sparrow (1), Savannah Sparrow (2), Gray Catbird (7), Northern Mockingbird (1), Cedar Waxwing (7), Chimney Swift (7). Tuesday- MONTAGUE- Montague Plains in the morning before the sun broke through: Prairie Warbler (6), Pine Warbler (5), Black and White Warbler (5), Black Throated Blue Warbler (1), Chestnut Sided Warbler (1), Nashville Warbler (2), Common Yellowthroat (5), American Redstart (1), Ovenbird (7), Alder Flycatcher (1), Baltimore Oriole (1), Brown Thrasher (2), Eastern Towhee (11), Field Sparrow (3), Hermit Thrush (2), Wood Thrush (3), Gray Catbird (3), Red Breasted Nuthatch (1), Chipping Sparrow (4), Cedar Waxwing (6), Turkey Vulture (1), Canada Geese (37) flyby.

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) About 4am three barred owls started vocalizing all around the house, then a great horned started and this stopped the barred and then an eastern screech owl started whinneying outside our room. Not much sleep due to border collie taking great exception to the bunch.

June 8 - Wednesday - 90s - Sunny

MONTAGUE PLAINS (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) Montague Plains WMA: GBHeron-1 CanGoose-1+-flyovers Redtail-2 TVulture-1 Mourning Dove-3 CSwift-2 YBCuckoo-1 BBCuckoo-1-flushed from nest in small pine tree. Made strange growly noises while I was near the nest. This is the third BBCU nest we've found up here, all with three sky blue eggs, plus there's another breeding pair whose nest we haven't found yet. GrCrested Flycatcher-2 EKingbird-2 EWPewee3 EPewee-1 Alder Fly-1 ACrow-5 Blue Jay-4 ARobin-2 Hermit Thrush-4 Veery-2 GCatbird-2-pair building nest BGGnatcatcher-2 RBNuthatch-1 WBNuthatch-1 BCChickadee-6 TTitmouse-2 CWaxwing-10 Ovenbird-7 Chestnut-sided-3 Prairie-11 Pine-7 Black-THr Blue-1 Black and White-7 ARedstart-2 CYellowthroat-5 RBGrosbeak-1 ScTanager-2 ETowhee-11 NCardinal-1 IBunting-1 Field Sparrow-6 Chipping-5 AGoldfinch-9 BHCowbird-1 CGrackle-7 BaltOriole-1

CHESTERFIELD (from Seth Kellogg) biking on trail along Westfield River 1 Common Merganser adult with 6 ducklings 3 Black-billed Cuckoo 7 Alder Flycatcher 9 Least Flycatcher 2 Winter Wren 1 Gnatcatcher 1 magnlia 1 Blackburnian 1 Worm-eating 4 La Waterthrush 3 Canada Warbler

June 9 - Thursday - Sunny and Very Hot

June 10 - Friday - Sunny and Hot

June 11 - Saturday - Sunny and Hot - Afternoon Thunderstorm

NEW SALEM (posted to Massbird by Mark Lynch) The MAS "Western Mass Birding" class took an evening hike (starting at 6PM) into Gate 33 Quabbin (New Salem). As one can imagine, the mosquitoes were fierce. It was quite hot and muggy, with threatening thunder storms, but when we finally got to the shore of the "big water" it was quite breezy, even windy and cool. For those of you who have never hiked this Gate, it's a short hike through forest, past a pond, a power-line cut-through and some marshy areas. At the end of the hike, we birded along Blackington Road a bit for Whip-Poor-Wills. Double-crested Cormorant (flight of 28 birds in small groups directly north and out of Quabbin at dusk) Great Blue Heron (1) Canada Goose (1) A Black Duck (pair Athol) Hooded Merganser (pair) Common Merganser (1f at Quabbin, 2 in Athol) Whip-Poor-Will (7) Hairy Woodpecker (1) N Flicker (1) Pileated Woodpecker (pair feeding two young in the nest: spectacular views) E Wood Peewee (1) Least Flycatcher (2) Great Crested Flycatcher (3) E Kingbird (2) Red-eyed Vireo (17, plus 1 ad sitting tight on a very low nest) Tree Swallow (2) Blue Jay (2) A Crow (8) Black-capped Chickadee (8) Red-breasted Nuthatch (1) Brown Creeper (2_ Veery (9) Gray Catbird (3) Cedar Waxwing (4) Chestnut-sided Warbler (4) Black-throated Blue (3) Black-throated Green Warbler (2) Blackburnian Warbler (3) Pine Warbler (4) Prairie Warbler (3) Ovenbird (7) C. Yellowthroat (9) Eastern Towhee (7) Swamp Sparrow (2) Song Sparrow (4) Dark-eyed Junco (1) Red-winged Blackbird (80+ going to roost on phragmite island in north Quabbin) PLUS: Porcupine; zillions of Gray Tree Frogs, Green Frogs, Peepers; Bunchberry; Ladyslippers, et.

NORTHAMPTON (from Larry Therrien) State Hospital trails: Yellow Billed Cuckoo (1), Chestnut Sided Warbler (1), Blue Winged Warbler (1), Yellow Warbler (4), Common Yellowthroat (5), American Redstart (3), Blue Headed Vireo (1), Red Eyed Vireo (5), Wood Thrush (2), Indigo Bunting (2), Pileated Woodpecker (1), Field Sparrow (1), Carolina Wren (2) and other usuals.

June 12 - Sunday - Sunny and Hot

MOUNT SKINNER+ (posted to Massbird by John Hoye) Today Audrey and I found the Cerulean Warbler at Skonner State Park. We were alerted to the location by a birder at the bottom of the mountain...half way between the Half Way House and the top by a mortar wall on the left of the road was where he had it .....but by the time we got thereat 1015 it was at the 1.5 mile mark from the gate {locked again as the fellow that works Sunday doesn't open the gate till 10 p.m. and also extracts $2 per car...but back to the Cerulean it was singing almost continuously working up to .1 mi south of the lower parking lot and then going back to the 1.5 mile mark and we even had some good looks as was as a recording of the typical 3 part song. It was still singing when we left to see the Peregrine Falcon nesting at U Mass Library with scope looks of the Adult and one Cute Chick

GRANVILLE (posted to Massbird by John Weeks) My wife Chris Chinni was out bicycling yesterday afternoon (Sunday, 6/12). Just as she crossed the town/state line from East Hartland (CT) into Granville (MA) on Granville Road, she was confronted by an angry Ruffed Grouse. The bird stood across her path, hissing and fanning its tail, right in the road. Chris steered around the deranged partridge and continued on her way. My own attempt to lure the beast out for a second time today was fruitless. Perhaps it was escorting young beside the road?

June 13 - Monday - Very Hot and Humid

MONTAGUE PLAINS (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) Highlights from yesterday afternoon and evening at the Montague Plains WMA in Montague: Barred Owl-2-one heard at night, the other seen during the day mobbed by two Wood Thrush and a Robin. It flushed from the area of a Wood Thrush nest, and a fresh BAOW feather was there, but the nest was old, probably last year's. AWoodcock-6-while just inside a small patch of forest, one young flushed so I looked down hoping to find a nest and saw an adult and one fluffy short-beaked young on the ground not five feet from me. I tried to get my camera but they all flushed one by one. One adult and four young in all. The adult gave me the broken wing act. Another adult flushed next to a small pond later. BBCuckoo-4-one calling koop-koop-koop-koop etc., similar to YBCU, but without the loud, wild quality. Another flushed from its nest calling kowp-kowp, kowp-kowp, etc., but still not loud or strange enough for a YBCU. Two nests have three large salt and pepper chicks apiece. Whip-poor-will-11-heard from 8:40-10:00 PM. One on Friday night was hovering right in front of me, as if trying to figure out what I was. Turkey Vulture-4-there's a dead Moose up here. Rose-breasted Grosbeak-2-adult male with beak packed with bugs circling me, I looked for a nest to no avail, eventually found stubby fat chick w/ short tail perched in short pine very close to me. Odes-American Emerald, Racket-tailed Emerald, Chalk-fronted Corporal, Painted Skimmer, Calico Pennant. Bob Packard

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday June 13

An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER has been present and singing vigorously the past week on Lenox Whitney Road, a mile north of the four corners in October Mt. State Forest.

A MOURNING WARBLER has also been found there. Another MOURNING WARBLER has been seen another 100 yards east of the four corners. Other birds in the state forest were 2 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 3 VIRGINIA RAILS, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, 3 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, 2 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 5 WINTER WRENS and 13 species of warblers, including 2 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, 5 CANADA WARBLERS, 14 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, and 12 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS.

Two SANDHILL CRANES have been reported at various farms in New Marlboro this summer, as they were last summer.

Cuckoos have been prominent everywhere due to the outbreak of tent caterpillars. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS have been on Mt. Greylock, and in the towns of Montague, Chesterfield, and Southwick, while YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS were noted in Montague, Northampton, Pittsfield, and Southwick.

Seen in Lenox were 2 FISH CROWS, a HOODED MERGANSER and an ALDER FLYCATCHER, in Windsor 2 SWAINSON’S THRUSH, in SAVOY an AMERICAN BITTERN, and in Westfield a GREAT EGRET.

On Mt. Greylock there were 5 SWAINSON’S THRUSH, 31 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS and 2 MOURNING WARBLERS along the Saddleball Trail. Also seen on the reservation were 6 WINTER WRENS, 10 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, a NASHVILLE WARBLER and 5 CANADA WARBLERS.

Seen on a bicycle trip along the Westfield River in Chesterfield were an adult COMMON MERGANSER with seven ducklings, 7 ALDER and 9 LEAST FLYCATCHERS, 2 WINTER WRENS, a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, a WORM-EATING WARBLER, 4 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, and 3 CANADA WARBLERS.

Noted in Becket were 2 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 3 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, 4 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 2 WINTER WRENS, and 2 CANADA WARBLERS.

Seen in Montague were 2 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, an ALDER FLYCATCHER, 11 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, and a NASHVILLE WARBLER. Reported in Northampton were a WILLOW FLYCATCHER and a NORTHERN PARULA.

Seen down Gate 33 in the North Quabbin Reservoir area were 2 HOODED MERGANSERS, 7 WHIP-POOR-WILLS, and 2 PILEATED WOODPECKERS at a nest feeding young.

June 14 - Tuesday - Sunny and Hot

SOUTHWICK (from Seth Kellogg) 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Black-billed Cuckooo 1 La Waterthrush 2 Willow Flycatchers

AMHERST (from Deedee Minear) Saw John Green doing his BB survey on the bike path today. He said he heard a marsh wren yesterday from the live RR tracks about where it was last year. I could not hear it from the rail trail. Also an older gent who lives on Mill Lane told me he saw a pintail with young about a week ago opposite from the main beaver dam..... he described it pretty well. Also, heard three different, somewhat distant, yellow throated vireos today between the bridge and station road.

June 15 - Wednesday - Cloudy and Cool

NORTHAMPTON- (from Larry Therrien) State Hospital trials: Yellow Billed Cuckoo (2), Chestnut Sided Warbler (3), Blue Winged Warbler (1) carrying food to a nest, Yellow Warbler (4), Common Yellowthroat (3), American Redstart (3), Red Eyed Vireo (3), Indigo Bunting (1), Wood Thrush (2), Eastern Phoebe (1), Field Sparrow (1), Savannah Sparrow (2), Chipping Sparrow (1), Bobolink (2), Carolina Wren (1), Barn Swallow (2), Chimney Swift (5), Gray Catbird (8), Northern Mockingbird (1), Cedar Waxwing (6), and other usuals.

June 16 - Thursday - Cloudy and Cool/ Rain late afternoon.

HADLEY+ (from kevin Weir) I saw a male bobolink in the fields by the UMass horse barns in Hadley yesterday and a number of bobolinks in the fields of Andrews Greenhouse in south Amherst.

June 17 - Friday - A Beautiful Day

WARE (posted to Massbird by David Norton) There is an American Kestrel circling over the field next to Mary Lane Hospital as I type--I have never seen one here before... He was chasing a house sparrow a couple minutes ago. Also, there was a great egret at the Ware marsh on Rt. 9 this morning... I have never seen one there in June, although there were several there last fall.

AMHERST (from Deedee Minear) I saw cedar waxwings gathering nesting materials today. one pair at the Hop bridge, they were tearing up the oriole nest then flying a ways downstream. I lost them in clump of wild cherry and apple. another at the Mill Lane parking lot, robbing an old web worm nest. Flew back, may be in that sumac or beyond.

June 18 - Saturday - Partly Cloudy - Warm

June 19 - Sunday - Partly Cloudy and Warm

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) Female phoebe has produced eggs and is sitting on them on the front porch wind chime.

June 20 - Monday - Sunny and Warm

DEERFIELD (from Chris Gentes) Heather and I saw 2 Green Heron chicks on a nest today.

SOUTHWICK (posted to Massbird by Scott Ricker) My son, Jeremy and I went out to the tobacco fields behind the north pond in Southwick for a couple of hours (7:30-9:30) on Sat the 18th. Notable was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and an American Kestrel, Indigo Bunting and Bluebird, the list is as follows: Great Blue-1 American Kestel-1 Rock Pigeon-2 Morning Dove-2 Yellow-Billed Cuckoo-1 Belted Kingfisher-1 Red-bellied Woodpecker-2 Downey Woodpecker-2 w/young Hairy Woodpecker-1 Northern Flicker-2 Eastern Wood Pewee-2 Great Cr. Flycatcher-1 Blue Jay-11 American Crow-6 Fish Crow-2 Tree Swallow-20 Tufted Titmouse-3 Carolina Wren-1 House Wren-1 Eastern Bluebird-3 American Robin-6 Gray Catbird-5 Northern Mockingbird-2 European Starling-30-40 Brown Thrasher-1 Prairie Warbler-1 C. Yellowthroat-2 Field Sparrow-5 Song Sparrow-4 N. Cardinal-3 Indigo Bunting-1 Red-winged Blackbird-9 C. Grackle-15 Baltimore Oriole-4 House Finch-2 American Goldfinch-15-20 House Sparrow

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday June 20

Two groups were on Mt Greylock this past weekend. One walked the three-mile trail from the Saddleball parking lot to the fields at Jones Nose. Close to the parking lot they found two singing male YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS one of which was accompanied by a third bird. Mostly singing birds were encountered including 2 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, 2 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK, a PILEATED WOODPECKER, an ALDER and a LEAST FLYCATCHER, 5 WINTER WRENS, 25 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 8 SWAINSON’S THRUSH, 2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 40 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 20 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS, a MOURNING WARBLER, 5 CANADA WARBLERS, 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 60 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and 4 INDIGO BUNTINGS.

The other group did car touring and counted 5 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 7 WINTER WRENS, 2 SWAINSON’S THRUSH, 2 HERMIT THRUSH, 10 VEERYS, 6 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 98 RED-EYED VIREOS, 7 MAGNOLIA, 11 BLACK-THROATED BLUE, 18 YELLOW-RUMPED, 19 BLACK-THROATED GREEN , 26 BLACKBURNIAN, 28 CHESTNUT-SIDED , and 6 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS, 28 OVENBIRDS, 29 AMERICAN REDSTARTS, and 3 MOURNING WARBLERS.

October Mt. State Forest in the town of Washington was checked again, and this week there were 2 singing OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS, a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 2 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 3 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 3 BROWN CREEPERS, 3 WINTER WRENS, 10 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 3 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, a NASHVILLE 2 MAGNOLIA , 10 BLACKBURNIAN AND 2 MOURNING WARBLERS. Two MARSH WRENS were singing in Richmond, and 3 VIRGINIA RAILS and a SORA were present at Brielman’s Swamp in Pittsfield.

Down in the valley at Montague there were 2 BARRED OWLS, 6 AMERICAN WOODCOCKS, 4 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS, AND 11 WHIP-POOR-WILLS.

A MARSH WREN was singing along the bike trail in Amherst. Also heard were 3 singing YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS.

A COMMON LOON was on Cleveland Reservoir in Hinsdale, 2 chicks were found at a GREEN HERON nest in Deerfield, and a GREAT EGRET was on the Route 9 marsh in Ware.

Seen in Southwick were an AMERICAN KESTREL, a YELLOW-BILLED and a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 2 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, 2 FISH CROWS, 3 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, a BROWN THRASHER, a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, 5 FIELD SPARROWS, an INDIGO BUNTING, and a PURPLE FINCH.

June 21 - Tuesday - Sunny and Warm

MONTAGUE PLAINS (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) Hi All, I am working in the Montague Plains WMA in Montague, and we have quite a few cuckoos up here right now. We have found four Black-billed nests so far, and I suspect there are at least two more out there somewhere, plus I have heard at least one, and my co-worker another, Yellow-billed. I am beginning to realize, as my boss has told me, that it is not so easy to distinguish the two by vocalizations. I have seen Black-billed, and birds that are most probably Black-billed, make a lot of vocalizations that sound very similar to Yellow-billed. My boss says the only way to be sure it's a Yellow-billed is to hear the full "ka-ka-ka-ka-kowp-kowp-kowp-kowp-kowp" song, and even this is beginnning to seem a little suspect. On at least two occasions I have seen BBCU sing the ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kow-kow-kow-kow" song, the only difference being that the kows do not rise to the full loud and crazy "KOWWPPs" of the YBCU. Flushing from the nest, the BBCU gives a whirring growl, almost like a high-pitched car starting up, and when near nestlings it gives the hard-to-describe hollow wooden "kru-rup-up". Any advice or comments are appreciated. Highlights of the WMA from this morning: Cooper's Hawk-1 BBCuckoo-6 Great-crested Fly-4 Yellow-throated Vireo-1-Deciduous forest BThrasher-2 RBNuthatch-4 Chestnut-sided-7 Prairie-8 Pine-15 Yellow-rumped-2 Blackburnian-1 Black and White-8 Ovenbird-16 Chipping Sparrow-19 ETowhee-18 Indigo Bunting-1 Evening Grosbeak-2-flyovers, doubtful they nest here.

June 22 - Wednesday - Rain early, then Sunny and Pleasant.

SOUTHWICK (posted to Massbird by Scott Ricker) Jeremy and I Went into the tobacco fields on Wednesday from 8:30-1130. The Yellow-billed Cuchoo was much more cooperative, giving us good looks, the bird was also doing many different calls. Also had Bank Swallow, Eastern Meadow Lark-2 birds calling and flying to different spots in the field, Pileated Woodpecker and a single Bobolink. There were also 3 Great Crested Flycatchers putting on a good show in the stand of woods between the tobacco field entrance from the end of Babbs Rd and the North pond.

June 23 - Thursday -

June 24 - Friday -

June 25 - Saturday - Very Hot and Humid

SOUTHAMPTON (from Peter Jowaisas) I hadn't seen an Evening grosbeak since moving to Southampton from Syracuse two years ago. Well, I had a male and female at my feeder on Sunday around 7pm. Also had Barred owl calling from a swamp area below Pomeroy Mtn at mid-day.

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) Female phoebe on wind chimes sitting on 4 white eggs

June 26 - Sunday - Very Hot and Humid - Fierce Thunderstorms/Hail

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) I saw the yellow billed cuckoo today. Also last night among the amazing fire flies was a distinct saw whet owl call. Barred owls very active still. The caterpillars we saw were most likely larvae of the Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton) butterfly. They are everywhere and have similar markings and colors. Habitat: wet meadows in the north. Food: Caterpillar eats foliage of turtlehead, honey suckle and other plants. Very distinct orange knob on each antennae.

QUABBIN PARK (posted to Massbird by Mark Lynch) Even though temps were a bit uncomfortable, it was still a good day to bird the roads around Quabbin Park and note some newly fledged birds about to make their way in the world. Long-distance visibility was not great due to heat haze. Double-crested Cormorant (1) Great Blue Heron (3) Canada Goose (4ad+5yg) Wood Duck (1f w/5yg) Mallard (3) Hooded Merganser (1f) Turkey Vulture (3 roosting on a radio tower) Wild Turkey (1) Virginia Rail (5) Spotted Sandpiper (2) Ring-billed Gull (1) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2) Chimney Swift (3) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2: While Sheila was close to some flowers attempting to photograph a swallowtail, a fearless male hummer zipped in right in front of her nose to also nectar) Downy Woodpecker (12) Pileated Woodpecker (3) E Wood Peewee (8) Least Flycatcher (1) E Phoebe (4) Great Crested Flycatcher (1) E Kingbird (5) Tree Swallow (26) N Rough-winged Swallow (2) Barn Swallow (2) Warbling Vireo (3) Yellow-throated Vireo (9) Red-eyed Vireo (48) Black-capped Chickadee (8) Tufted Titmouse (7) White-breasted Nuthatch (3) Blue Jay (11) A Crow (8) Common Raven (pair w/what looked like 4 newly fledged young. These guys were hilarious. The young, completely fledged and rather huge, perched in a loose flock in the trees and just CONSTANTLY and loudly screamed/squawked, begging for food. I mean :ALL the time. The adults would respond by flying in and vocalizing with a variety of better known raven calls, but nothing shut these young birds up. You could hear them some distance away. Those birds needed a "time out"!) House Wren (1) Veery (13) Wood Thrush (3) A Robin (29) Gray Catbird (26) Cedar Waxwing (7) WARBLERS: Blue-winged (1) Yellow (1) Chestnut-sided (13) Black-throated Blue (1) Yellow-rumped (1) Blackburnian (3) Pine (6) Prairie (5) Black and White (6+ a pair w/4 newly fledged young. These fledglings could not fly far and were still somewhat downy) A Redstart (28) Ovenbird (15) C Yellowthroat (34) Scarlet Tanager (12) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1) Indigo Bunting (4) Eastern Towhee (20) Chipping Sparrow (32) Field Sparrow (4) Song Sparrow (8) Bobolink (1 overhead) Red-winged Blackbird (20+) C Grackle (12) Baltimore Oriole (9) A Goldfinch (7)

QUABBIN PARK+ (posted to Massbird by Tom Pirro) Birds seen and/or heard from a walk into Gate 15, down to bradge at the stream crossing, in Quabbin 6/26: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Acadian Flycatcher 1 ~150 yds before the small stone bridge down in the hollow along the stream Eastern Phoebe 1 Red-eyed Vireo 7 Blue-headed Vireo 2 Hermit Thrush 2 Black-capped Chickadee 3 Blue Jay 2 Tufted Titmouse 2 Winter Wren 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 3 Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 Yellow Rumped Warbler 2 Blackburnian Warbler 4 Pine Warbler 2 Ovenbird 6 Scarlet Tanager 1 Evening Grosbeak 1 calling over head Birds from a walk up the auto road to the summit Mt Holyoke (Skinner St. Park) 6/26 Turkey Vulture 1 Mourning Dove 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 calling from the lower gate area Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Wood Thrush 6 Hermit Thrush 1 A. Robin 17 Red-eyed Vireo 19 Blue-headed Vireo 2 Eastern Wood PeeWee 3 Eastern Phoebe 2 Great-crested Flycathcer 1 Hairy Woodpecker 5 Downy Woodpecker 9 Blue Jay 4 Black-capped Chickadee 12 Tufted Titmouse 6 White-breasted Nuthatch 6 Worm-eating Warbler 4 Black-throated green Warbler 3 Cerulean Warbler 1 at the parking area near the summit Black and White Warbler 1 Ovenbird 14 American Redstart 10 Scarlet Tanager 6 Baltimore Oriole 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2 House Finch 3 Dark-eyed Junco 1 Indigo Bunting 1 Mt Sugarloaf (Sunderland) 6/26 From the bottom, southeast side, of Mt Sugarloaf.....with a nice view of the cliffs... I was able to get nice looks at one of the adult Peregrine Falcons and two recently fledged juv. Peregrines. I watched for about a 1/2 hour during, that time the adult flew off toward the Conn. River and returned about 10 minutes later with prey, a Blue Jay. The 2 juv. falcons were out to noisily greet the parent and nice midair food exchange took place between the adult and one of the youngsters. The fortunate youngster perched with the jay on the cliff and began to pluck and eat the prey. The other juv. appeared to be playing catch with either a feather or insect. On 2 occasions it dropped the item and circled around and caught it then did a repeat. A quick stop at the Turners Falls airport 6/26: Prairie Warbler 1 Field Sparrow 1 Grasshopper Sparrow 1 just out from the picnic table near the airfield manager's office.

June 27 - Monday -

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) One of my neighbors is reporting a whip poor will. I will check out.

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday June 27

At Mt Sugarloaf in Sunderland adult PEREGRINE FALCONS are tending 2 chicks. One adult brought a blue jay to feed to them.

A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was at Turners Falls airport, singing opposite the picnic table near the manager's office. Also seen were a FIELD SPARROW and a PRAIRIE WARBLER.

Surveys in Montague this week turned up a COOPER’S HAWK, 6 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS, 2 BROWN THRASHERS, 8 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, 15 PINE WARBLERS, 8 BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS, and 2 EVENING GROSBEAKS flying over and calling.

An EVENING GROSBEAK visited a feeder in Southampton all day Saturday.

A walk up to the summit of Mt Holyoke produced a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, 3 EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES, 4 WORM-EATING WARBLERS, 3 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, a CERULEAN WARBLER at the summit parking lot, 6 SCARLET TANAGERS, and an INDIGO BUNTING.

A walk into Gate 15 of the Quabbin Reservoir in Pelham had a PILEATED WOODPECKER, an ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, a WINTER WREN, 4 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, and an EVENING GROSBEAK flyover. In Southwick there were 2 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS and a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, a COOPER’S HAWK being attacked by an EASTERN KINGBIRD, 4 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, a PILEATED WOODPECKER, an EASTERN BLUEBIRD, an EASTERN MEADOWLARK, and 2 PURPLE FINCH.

Found during a brief tour of the town of New Marlboro were 4 WOOD DUCKS, 2 VIRGINIA RAILS, 2 BLACK-BILLED and 3 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, 5 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 32 LEAST FLYCATCHERS, 8 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, 2 YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, 32 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 75 BARN SWALLOWS, 4 WINTER WRENS, 5 BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS, 33 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, 12 BLACK-THROATED BLUE and 18 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 11 SCARLET TANAGERS, and 8 INDIGO BUNTINGS.

At south Quabbin Park there was a WOOD DUCK with 5 young, 5 VIRGINIA RAILS, 2 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, 2 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, 3 PILEATED WOODPECKERS, 8 EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES, 9 YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, 13 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, 5 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, 12 SCARLET TANAGERS, 4 INDIGO BUNTINGS, 4 FIELD SPARROWS, and 9 BALTIMORE ORIOLES.

Two AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen in West Brookfield, and a FISH CROW was heard in Westfield.

June 28 - Tuesday -

June 29 - Wednesday -

June 30 - Thursday -