Bird Sightings
White-winged scoter
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Purchase photo reprints »Horned grebe with young
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Purchase photo reprints »
The Audubon Society has reported a variety of recent bird sightings in western Massachusetts.
Waterfowl hit their early peak this week, mostly before the storm. Sea ducks were the highlight, with good numbers of white-winged scoters, surf scoters and black scoters as well as buffleheads, red-breasted mergansers and horned grebes. Also reported were ring-necked ducks, ruddy ducks, northern pintails, green-winged teals, gadwalls, American wigeons, pied-billed grebes and American coot.
Pine siskins, purple finches and a few evening grosbeaks are still crowding feeding stations, and one common redpoll was seen in a Cheshire yard. Late season migrants included horned larks, winter wrens, American pipits, fox sparrows and rusty blackbirds.
The bird of the week was the white-winged crossbill, yet another northern finch now being reported in various localities.
Rufous hummingbirds were reported at private yards in Leverett and Great Barrington, and another was coming to a feeder open to other birders at 29 Castle Hill Road in Great Barrington.
Nine brant and seven long-tailed ducks were found in Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir and a single brant was reported in Egremont. Three snow geese were seen in Sheffield and two cackling geese continue at Turners Falls.
A greater scaup and red-necked grebe were on Pontoosuc Lake and a red-necked grebe was on Richmond Pond. Three pectoral sandpipers were found in Hadley, while two black-bellied plovers and a greater yellowlegs were seen at the north end of the Quabbin Reservoir.
A northern saw-whet owl was heard in Gill, an orange crowned warbler was seen in Springfield, and seven Lapland longspurs were reported in Northampton. Two Lapland longspurs, a snow bunting, and a golden eagle were seen in Granville.
To notify the Voice of Audubon of a bird sighting, please call 781-259-8805 and leave a message.
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