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

July 1 - Friday - Humid and Sunny - Front moves through early evening

July 2 - Saturday - Mostly Sunny, warm and Pleasant

SOUTH AMHERST (from Deedee Minear) In the marsh with a lot of swallows a saw a bittern land (short hop), then something, I thought a swallow, dove on the bittern and rode on the back when the bittern took off for some distance.

July 3 - Sunday - Mostly Sunny, warm and Pleasant

QUABBIN Gate 10 (posted to Massbird by Glenn d'Entremont ) For several years now I have walked a 4.5-5 mile loop at Gate 10 at Quabbin. The loop takes one to a section along the Gate 8 road for about 0.25 miles and this year there was an Acadian Flycatcher calling along this section which is a Hemlock slope with a brook at the bottom. In past years the weather has been hot and humid and all activity pretty much stopped after 9:30 a. m. Today, the activity and song continued to the end just short of noon. Last year there was thinning and clearing of trees in some of the area so numbers of certain birds, such as catbird and Common Yellowthroat, are higher than past years. The trend of increasing Yellow-bellied Sapsucker continues with 27 today-including one spot where there were no less than 5 birds all competing for territory (4 in one dead tree). Not sure if this is feeding territory or nesting; it seems late for nesting to begin. I heard sounds from sapsucker today I have never heard. But by the end of the walk, I was saying "That's another sapsucker". Ruffed Grouse 1 Common Loon 1 (calling from the reservoir-amazing how far the sound travels) Great Blue Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Mourning Dove 5 Black-billed Cuckoo 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Chimney Swift 2 (high up-probably NOT a breeder in the general area) Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 (heard this bird-probably was two as the calls were what one hears when there is a chase) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 27 Downy Woodpecker 19 Hairy Woodpecker 10 Northern Flicker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 10 Acadian Flycatcher 1 (along Gate 8 road) Least Flycatcher 3 Eastern Phoebe 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 6 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Blue-headed Vireo 4 Red-eyed Vireo 69 Blue Jay 11 American Crow 2 Common Raven 1 Black-capped Chickadee 43 Tufted Titmouse 5 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 20 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET 2 (I have not recorded this from Gate 10 before-is this normal at this time of year?) Veery 28 Hermit Thrush 2 Wood Thrush 3 American Robin 12 Gray Catbird 22 (much higher than "normal") Cedar Waxwing 9 Nashville Warbler 2 (saw the ruby-crown on one of these birds-I think only the second time I recall) Chestnut-sided Warbler 24 Black-throated Blue Warbler 27 (much higher) Yellow-rumped Warbler 2 Black-throated Green Warbler 9 Blackburnian Warbler 1 Pine Warbler 5 Prairie Warbler 2 Black-and-white Warbler 8 American Redstart 9 Ovenbird 35 Common Yellowthroat 36 (much higher) Scarlet Tanager 16 Eastern Towhee 36 Chipping Sparrow 9 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 7 Common Grackle 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 (do not get a lot of these on these walks and wonder if they are less conspicuous at this time of year as they should be numerous given the general habitat now with so much secondary/open areas. As a secondary note there were no seen birds feeding young cowbirds.) Baltimore Oriole 5 (one family group of 4) Purple Finch 1 American Goldfinch 4 Evening Grosbeak 2

COLRAIN/HAWLEY (posted to Massbird by Mark Lynch) On Saturday, our MAS "Birding Western Massachusetts" class headed to two small areas in the hill country: COOK SF in Colrain and the HAWLEY BOG Nature Conservancy Property in Hawley. The beautiful Cook SF is a small state forest parcel right on the Vermont border and has a dirt road that runs right through it east/west. The habitat is quite hilly with lots of hemlocks and other conifers with birch, beech et. The tiny Hawley Bog is a classic "northern bog" with several species of orchids (most common at this time: Rose Pogonia and Calapogon, but also Pad-leafed Orchis was seen) and three species of carnivorous plants (N. Pitcher Plant, Sundew, Horned Bladderwort). It may seem like not many birds are around when you are there, but if you stay out on the bog long enough admiring the plants, it's sometimes quite surprising what turns up: COOK SF, COLRAIN: Red-shouldered Hawk (1) Ruffed Grouse (1) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (4) Blue-headed Vireo (9) Red-eyed Vireo (7) Red-breasted Nuthatch (8) Brown Creeper (3) Winter Wren (8) Golden-crowned Kinglet (14) Veery (2) Hermit Thrush (5) Wood Thrush (1) Chestnut-sided Warbler (6) Magnolia Warbler (3) Black-throated Blue Warbler (7) Yellow-rumped Warbler (4) Black-throated Green Warbler (9) Blackburnian Warbler (28) Ovenbird (22) C. Yellowthroat (7) White-throated Sparrow (4) Dark-eyed Junco (1) Purple Finch (2) Evening Grosbeak (2) HAWLEY BOG, HAWLEY: Turkey Vulture (2) N. Goshawk(1) Red-shouldered Hawk (1) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2m on territory) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1) Olive-sided Flycatcher (1) Alder Flycatcher (1) Blue-headed Vireo (1) Red-eyed Vireo (5) C Raven (1) Veery (6) Swainson's Thrush (1) Cedar Waxwing (5) Nashville Warbler (2) Black-throated Blue Warbler (1) Ovenbird (2) Northern Waterthrush (2) Common Yellowthroat (9) Canada Warbler (1) Scarlet Tanager (1) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3) Song Sparrow (2) Swamp Sparrow (5) Purple Finch (3) Pine Siskin (1) A Goldfinch (3)

July 4 - Monday - Mostly Sunny, warm and Pleasant

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday July 4.

The return of shorebirds from the Arctic is expected soon, but for now nesting birds are still the focus.

A walk into the west Quabbin area produced a RUFFED GROUSE, a COMMON LOON wailing, BLACK BILLED and YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, 27 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 2 PILEATED WOODPECKERS, 10 EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES, an ACADIAN FLYCATCHER on the Gate 8 trail, 3 LEAST FLYCATCHERS, 6 GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS, a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, 2 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 2 NASHVILLE, 24 CHESTNUT-SIDED and 27 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, 9 BLACK-THROATED GREEN, 2 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, and 2 EVENING GROSBEAKS.

A RED CROSSBILL was heard going over the pine plains of Montague, two EVENING GROSBEAKS were in Plainfield, and a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in Lanesboro.

Noted in Hawley Bog were a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, 2 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, an ALDER FLYCATCHER, a SWAINSON’S THRUSH, 2 NASHVILLE and a CANADA WARBLER, 2 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and a PINE SISKIN.

In nearby Windsor at the Moran Wildlife Management Area, were an AMERICAN BITTERN, a female NORTHERN HARRIER, 2 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 2 BLACK-BILLED and one YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, 7 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 9 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 5 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, a MOURNING WARBLER, 5 INDIGO BUNTINGS, and a PINE SISKIN.

A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was heard calling in Shutesbury, and a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was also observed.

Found in Colrain State Forest were a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, a RUFFED GROUSE, 4 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 9 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 8 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 3 BROWN CREEPERS, 8 WINTER WRENS, 14 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 5 HERMIT THRUSH, 3 MAGNOLIA, 9 BLACK-THROATED GREEN, and 28 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, and 2 EVENING GROSBEAK.

Found in Southwick was a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 20 BANK SWALLOWS, a BROWN CREEPER, a BLACKBURNIAN and PRAIRIE WARBLER, and 3 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.

SHUTESBURY (from Chris Gentes) We checked the boxes today. The bluebirds in Box 1 have three chicks, probably aless than a week old. All the other boxes have tree swallows - some fledged out of a few boxes already, and others have youngsters of various agfes still in the boxes. One of the boxes was invaded by a House Sparrow and two of the tree swallow chicks had been killedby it. We cleared them out. Still one chick left and the parents still bringing it food. No sign of the House Sparrow - hopefully he cleared out. Other birds we saw included Indigo Buntings, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Turkey Vulture, House Wrens, Great-crested Flycatcher. 40+ Baltimore Checkspots, some Monarch caterpillars.

MOUNT HOLYOKE+ (posted to Massbird by Tom Gagnon) This morning I walked to the top of Mt. Holyoke (The Summit House) in the heart of the Connecticut River Valley. About 50 yards from the first parking lot at the summit area, I had a female Cerulean Warbler tending to a full grown young, seen right from the road. Winter Wren still singing but, one of the male Scarlet Tanagers that I saw had ALREADY started to change plumage to his fall coat of green. Then one of the male Indigo Bunting had started to change his plumage so I guess the Fall migration cannot be to far off, Let's just enjoy these great lazy days of summer. This evening in the Mill River in Florence was a female Common Merganser with several young. This is at least the 15th year in a row that I have seen young Mergansers here.

MONTAGUE PLAINS (posted to Massbird by Tom Gagnon) While participating on the Greenfield Butterfly Count today, some of my territory was in the Montague Plains. (Pitch Pines) While there, I had a male RED CROSSBILL fly overhead calling his chip/chip note.

July 5 - Tuesday - Hot and Humid

July 6 - Wednesday - Rainy

July 7 - Thursday - Overcast RETURN OF THE SHOREBIRDS

DEERFIELD (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) On Stillwater Road in Deerfield today at the manure pond: Solitary Sandpiper-1 Least Sandpiper-10 Off Boynton Road West in wet field: Killdeer-20 plus one tiny fledgling foraging Solitary Sandpiper-2 Least Sandpiper-4

July 8 - Friday - Rainy all day - remnants of hurricane Cindy

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) The remaining tree swallow looks close to fledging. No sign of the English sparrow. The Phoebes on the windchime are very active. Parents constantly bringing food. Hope they make it through the rainstorm tonight.

AMHERST (from Chris Gentes) On the dirt section part of Mill Lane a Brown Thrasher was seen flying across road with food - must be nesting, seen it there a few times over the last month.

July 9 - Saturday - Mostly Sunny, Breezy, Pleasant

WILLIAMSBURG (from Chris Gentes) Heather and I went on a garden tour in Williamsburg and along the way a few nice: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Broad-winged Hawk, Black-billed Cuckoo, Black-throated Blue Warbler.

July 10 - Sunday - A Sunny Hot Day

CUMMINGTON (posted to Massbird by Tom Gagnon) Today we did a butterfly count on Mt. Greylock. The mountain was covered with people, cars and MOTORCYCLES. Had time for just a few birds. Northern Ravens were everywhere from headquarters to the top of the mountain. 2 Broad-winged Hawks and one male Blackpoll Warbler was still singing on the top of the mountain. On the way home we had an Osprey fly over Shaw Road in Cummington. A rare summer resident here in Western Massachusetts.

NORTH HADLEY (from Chris Gentes) Flying over the pond today were was an Osprey, an adult Bald Eagle, a Turkey Vulture and a Red-tailed Hawk.

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) two beautiful woodcock this afternoon walking along drainage in field right near the bluebird house. Phoebes doing well on the front porch. this am woke up to distress calls of some bird. Found two fledglings on the ground under one of our backyard maples. I identified a red eyed vereo right above the babies. She began to feed them on the ground. Cyn and I devised a makeshift nest and put the babies in. The mother began to feed the babies in our new vereo condo. I think this may be a case of possible cowbird parasite pushing rivals out.

July 11 - Monday - Very Hot and Humid

DEERFIELD (posted to Massbird by Rob Ranney-Blake) A pair of adult Evening Grosbeaks (1m 1f) visited our busy back yard feeder and birdbath late this morning (Monday July 11). A Cooper's Hawk has harvested two (so far) young Mourning Doves in our front yard today. The parent dove flapped nearby on the ground faking an injury, but the Cooper's was not distracted. Local breeders seen and heard from our yard the past two weeks include: Cooper's Hawk (new this year) Red-tailed Hawk (2 adults, 1 begging youngster) Wild Turkey (1 hen, 8 chicks) Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1m adult 1f adult) Red-Bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Wood-pewee Eastern Phoebe Great-crested Flycatcher Tree Swallow Blue Jay (most days I can only count one or two adults now, but two weeks ago a Raven cruising by low drew out a train of eight screaming Jays.) Common Raven American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Eastern Bluebird Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird (nest one foot above where Brown Thrasher nested last year) Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher European Starling Red-eyed Vireo Black-throated Blue Warbler (missing three previous years) Black-throated Green Warbler Black-and White Warbler Scarlet Tanager Rose-breasted Grosbeak Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird House Finch American Goldfinch House Sparrow.

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday July 11

In Deerfield there were 3 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, 14 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 20 KILLDEER, a COOPER’S HAWK and 2 EVENING GROSBEAKS.

At least 25 EVENING GROSBEAKS were heard flying over the Hawley Bog. Also found there were singing NASHVILLE WARBLERS and a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH.

Behind the Post Office in Lee at least 8 CLIFF SWALLOW nests are still being tended. BLACKPOLL WARBLERS were still singing on Mt. Greylock and 2 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS were seen there.

In Cummington an OSPREY was reported in flight. Another OSPREY was seen over Hadley along with a BALD EAGLE.

A walk in the hills of Plainfield produced a HOODED MERGANSER, 4 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, an ALDER FLYCATCHER, a COMMON RAVEN, at least 25 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, a WINTER WREN, a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, 3 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, a PINE WARBLER, 8 OVENBIRDS, 4 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, a DARK-EYED JUNCO, an INDIGO BUNTING, 2 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, 8 PURPLE FINCH and an EVENING GROSBEAK.

Noted in Southwick were 15 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, a WINTER WREN, an EASTERN BLUEBIRD, a HERMIT THRUSH, 6 WOOD THRUSH, a PINE WARBLER, 3 SCARLET TANAGERS, and a BALTIMORE ORIOLE. A ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK is visiting a feeder in South Hadley

July 12 - Tuesday - Hot and Humid

July 13 - Wednesday

July 14 - Thursday

FLORENCE (posted to Massbirdby Tom Gagnon) This morning in Florence on the Mill River I had a female Common Merganser with 23 half grown young. Quite the site. Also had a family of 4 Minks.

July 15 - Friday

July 16 - Saturday

July 17 - Sunday

LONGMEADOW (posted to Massbirdby Scott Surner) Val Miller and I spent the morning birding around Fannie Stebbins Refuge in Longmeadow. Select list... Double -cr Cormorant (1) Great Blue Heron (1) Wood duck (25) Least sandpiper- (6) Sandbar. Sandbar size ok, but not what it can be. Ring-billed Gull (52) all Ads. Mourning Dove (20) Chimney Swift (3) Red-bellied Woodpecker (5) Downy Woodpecker (11) Hairy Woodpecker (1) Flicker (3) Great-Cr. Flycatcher (3) Eastern Kingbird (3) Warbling Vireo (4) Bank Swallow (30) House Wren (3) Gray Catbird (24) Blue/Gray Gnatcatcher (15) Yellow Warbler (5) Am.Redstart (1) Co.Yellowthroat (1) Swamp Sparrow (3) Rose-Br. Grosbeak (12) Red-winged blackbird (30) Hadley- (4) Spotted Sandpipers, (1) Am. Woodcock and a calling Willow Flycatcher @ 9:30pm near the Hampshire Mall.

DEERFIELD (from Chris Gentes) Heather and I checked out the stinkpit and saw 4 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Least Sandpiper, and 3 Killdeer.

July 18 - Monday

DEERFIELD+ (posted to Massbird by Bob Packard) This morning at the Manure Pond on Stillwater Road in Deerfield were at least 8 Solitary Sandpipers and two Least Sandpipers, along w/ a couple Killdeer. In the Turners Falls Canal in Montague were two Semipalmated Sandpipers, one Least Sandpiper, 4 Spotteds and at least 8 Killdeer. The canal was drained yesterday and will be refilled on Saturday. Anything can turn up here while drained, especially with all these storms barreling through. Yesterday there were 4 Semi Sands along w/ the famous Common Goldeneye, 7 Common Mergansers, and one Bald Eagle. Dragonflies included Prince Baskettails, Wandering Gliders, a pair of mating Spot-winged Gliders, Powdered Dancers, and Skimming Bluet.

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday July 18

In the western town of Alford one observer took time away from butterflies to count 30 TURKEY VULTURES and 2 BLACK VULTURES. Back in Northampton this same observer counted 23 young COMMON MERGANSERS accompanying a single adult female.

6 LEAST SANDPIPERS were at the sandbar. In the marshes were a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, a GREAT BLUE HERON, 25 WOOD DUCKS, 3 GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS, 3 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, 30 BANK SWALLOWS, 15 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, and 12 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS.

Early morning tours of Southwick produced a BELTED KINGFISHER, 6 EASTERN WOOD PEWEES, an ALDER and 3 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, 2 GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS, 2 EASTERN KINGBIRDS, a BLUE-HEADED VIREO, 31 RED-EYED VIREOS, 4 WINTER WRENS, 28 VEERYS, a HERMIT THRUSH, 9 WOOD THRUSH, 2 BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS, 5 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, a PINE WARBLER, 9 SCARLET TANAGERS, 10 EASTERN TOWHEES, and 14 BOBOLINKS.

Noted in Hadley were 4 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, an AMERICAN WOODCOCK, and a WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

July 19 - Tuesday

July 20 - Wednesday

July 21 - Thursday - Hot and Muggy

SHUTESBURY (from Kevin Weir) The three front porch phoebes are fledged, healthy and gone.

July 22 - Friday - Hot and Muggy - Fierce Storms early evening, then cool overnight.

July 23 - Saturday - Sunny and Warm

LONGMEADOW+ (from Chris Gentes) Heahte and I went to Longmeadow this morning - the sandbar was a good-size. We saw: Killdeer-6, Semi-palmated Plover-3, Least Sandpiper-35, Semipalmated Sandpiper-2, Great Egret-1, DC Cormorant-2. This morning in Hadley we saw an immature Black-crowned Night-heron not far from the river on Rocky Hill Road.

July 24 - Sunday -

July 25 - Monday -

NORTHFIELD (posted to Massbird by Mark Taylor) Over the summer I've been hearing a Cuckoo species calling around the perimeter of the yard but have not located the bird. Today while on our deck I spotted the suspect foraging around the Red Oak trees and it was of the Black-billed variety. Up here in the mountain country these birds are rare, so it is nice to know we have, more than likely, a pair and possibly a brood cleaning up our Tent Caterpillars.

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS This is the Western Voice of Audubon for Monday, July 25

On the Connecticut River sandbar in Longmeadow this week there were 3 SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS, 2 SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPERS, 6 KILLDEER, 35 LEAST SANDPIPERS, a GREAT EGRET, and 2 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS.

A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was noted in Hadley, a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO in Northfield and a BALD EAGLE and 2 WHIP-POOR-WILLS in Southwick.

Observed in Deerfield were 8 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS and 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, while in Montague in the drained canal there were 4 SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPERS.

A trip to the Hawley bog produced 6 WOOD DUCKS, 4 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 20 BARN SWALLOWS a BANK SWALLOW, 4 ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 10 CEDAR WAXWINGS, s COMMON RAVEN, a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and a BROWN CREEPER. Also seen were 3 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, a CANADA WARBLER, 6 juvenile YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 3 SCARLET TANAGERS, 2 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, a BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and 4 PURPLE FINCHES.

July 26 - Tuesday -

July 27 - Wednesday -

July 28 - Thursday -

QUABBIN (posted to Massbird by James P. Smith) I spent a couple of long mornings (July 28th and 29th) birding some of the gates on the western side of the Quabbin reservoir. Acadian Flycatchers are still present in the area, including one calling close to the road on Rt. 202. At another location, I found a nest with an adult still incubating eggs. To avoid disturbance to the nest I’ll avoid giving specifics on the site. Here’s a few shots of the bird on the nest; http://www.keenbirding.com/Fall05/AcadianFly280705.html At Gate 12 this morning (07/29), the first half mile or so was quite busy, with Black-billed Cuckoo, 3+ Indigo Buntings, and several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers amongst many other species. Deeper inside the forest there were numerous Black-throated Blue Warblers, Winter Wrens and a group of 9 Ruffed Grouse.

MOUNT HOLYOKE (posted to Massbird by Scott Surner) Val Miller and I hiked up Mt. Holyoke Thursday evening and had the following.... Chimney Swift -4 Hairy Woodpecker-1 Downy Woodpecker-1 E.Wood-Pewee-9 Red-eyed Vireo-1 Blue Jay-4 Tree Swallow-4 Bank Swallow-1 Barn Swallow-1 W.B.Nuthatch-1 Hermit Thrush-2 near the top and on the backside of the MT. Wood Thrush- 21. About halfway down the Mt is when the Wood Thrush" song" and" whip calls" began, and the numbers just kept going up as we made our way back to the base parking lot. Am.Robin-5 Black-thr.Green Warbler-1 Singing WORN-EATING WARBLER - 3 Found just up the road from the parking lot. (Before you get to the halfway house) Ovenbird-1 Scarlet Tanager-2 Chipping sparrow-2 R.B. Grosbeak-1 Am.Goldfinch-2

July 29 - Friday -

July 30 - Saturday - Sunny and Warm

HADLEY (from Chris Gentes) I walked a long stretch of the Conn. River from North Hadley where there are some gravel sandbars. Killdeer-18, Spotted Sandpiper-15 [at least 4 imm.], Least Sandpiper-1, Solitary Sandpiper-1, Great Blue Heron-1, Kingfisher-1. At the Horse Farm in Hadley there was a Kestrel.

QUABBIN PARK (posted to Massbird by Mark Taylor) We spent the morning birding "Quabbin Park": the area of the vast reservoir accessible by car off Rt. 9 in Ware and Belchertown. This is a particularly challenging time to bird in the interior of the state: bird song is almost nil; breeding is almost completely over and many passerines seem to evaporate or disperse over a wide area before fall migration begins in earnest. It's the calm before the flood of fall migration begins. We did see many newly fledged birds: some still following parent birds and begging food. I have indicated where possible how many of the total were young birds. This number does not mean the rest were all adults, simply that of the total number of any species seen, we saw THAT many definite young birds. Weather was near perfect for this time of the year: dry, warm (but not hot) in the high 70s, no wind. Yg=birds fledged this season. Common Loon (1 1st yr bird) Great Blue Heron (6) Turkey Vulture (3) Canada Goose (72) Wood Duck (1f w/2 very newly hatched ducklings) American Kestrel (1m) Wild Turkey (6) Virginia Rail (5) Killdeer (24 at the State Fish and Wildlife Trout Hatchery) Ring-billed Gull (1) Herring Gull (2) Mourning Dove (13) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (9: with only 1adM and at least 3yg. At one point we stood on a small hill covered with phlox and at least 5 hummers were there simultaneously. These were interesting to watch as they were very agressive to each other: often bombing a perched hummer, zooming in a "u" back and forth over the perched bird, or even engaging in aerial chases. ) Belted Kingfisher (4 w.1yg) Downy Woodpecker (9: 2 of those yg) Hairy Woodpecker (3) Pileated Woodpecker (3: 1 yg) Eastern Wood Peewee (11: most still calling) "Empid sp." (1 Traill's type) E Phoebe (4) Eastern Kingbird (11) Yellow-throated Vireo (6: 3yg) Red-eyed Vireo (52: of those at LEAST 20 were young birds still following parents around) Blue Jay (10) A Crow (14) C Raven (5) Tree Swallow (4 migrating) Barn Swallow (16 migrating) Black-capped Chickadee (38: many yg birds) Tufted Titmouse (13) Red-breasted Nuthatch (1) White-breasted Nuthatch (11) Carolina Wren (1) House Wren (1) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (3) Hermit Thrush (4 still singing) Wood Thrush (1 still singing) A Robin (24) Gray Catbird (23) Cedar Waxwing (22) Chestnut-sided Warbler (9: 4yg: 1 singing a poor version of the song, the rest silent) Blackburnian Warbler (1f) Pine Warbler (3: low count for this area. I have found that post-breeding this species often stages fr months in large loose flocks in select areas of Quabbin) Prairie Warbler (1f+3yg: none singing) Black and White Warbler (1m) A Redstart (6: 2adM, only 1 singing) C Yellowthroat (6: 2yg) Scarlet Tanager (10: this included a flock of 8 birds that included 2adM+3f+3imm) Eastern Towhee (28: 6yg) Chipping Sparrow (27: 6yg: only 1 still singing) Field Sparrow (2 still singing) Song Sparrow (10) Swamp Sparrow (1 still singing) N. Cardinal (3) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1) Indigo Bunting (4: 1 singing) Red-winged Blackbird (15+) Eastern Meadowlark (1) Brown-headed Cowbird (1imm/yg all by itself) Baltimore Oriole (3: 1adM) Purple Finch (1) A Goldfinch (21) We also took a short hike (c.3/4mile) in GATE 15 off Rt. 202 and got the following that were additons to the species list: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1) Blue-headed Vireo (2) Brown Creeper (3) Yellow-rumped Warbler (1f w/3 begging but fledged young birds) Black-throated Green Warbler (4 singing) Ovenbird (2 singing)

NORTHAMPTON (from Larry Therrien) Black Billed Cuckoo along Park Hill Rd in Northampton late morning.

July 31 - Sunday - Rain early

LONGMEADOW (from Chris Gentes) Heather and I went to the Longmeadow sandbar around noon and saw the following: Killdeer-12, Greater Yellowlegs-1, Lessser Yellowlegs-2, Least Sandpiper-14, Spotted Sandpiper-2. In Northfield we saw 2 Kestrels and in Greenfield we saw another.

NORTHAMPTON (posted to massbird by James P. Smith) One juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER quartering over the taller crops at the East Meadows this morning, before 7:30 am. I didn't see it after that time. A juvenile in late July seems a bit early for migration and I wondered if this bird had been raised fairly locally? Some poor quality of images the harrier can be seen here; http://www.keenbirding.com/Fall05/NHarrier310705.html Further notes from the fields (07:10 - 09:35hrs); Great Blue Heron - 1 Green Heron - 1 (juvenile) passed south, quite high over the open fields. Killdeer - 27 in one flock just west of the Red Barn. Least Sandpiper - 2 , flew over but didn't land. Red-winged Blackbird - 660, probably more. Some starlings with this flock as well. Tree Swallow - 830. Most of these already quite high by 07:25hrs. Bank Swallow - 130 Barn Swallow - 15 Eastern Meadowlark - 1 Yellow Warbler - 9 mostly in field crops. Indigo Bunting - 3 singing males scattered around the field edges. Bobolink - 6