Recent bird sightings as reported to Mass Audubon:
Notable events last week included a cattle egret at Nantucket, several lingering ruby-throated hummingbirds statewide, a probable rufous hummingbird in Orleans, a remarkable count of at least five clay-colored sparrows in Middlesex County, and an apparently significant movement of house wrens last week.
Berkshire County: A cackling goose and an osprey at the Mount Williams Reservoir in North Adams, a Northern shoveler at Shaker Mill Pond in West Stockbridge, an osprey, a late house wren, a Nelson’s sparrow, and a lark sparrow at Taft Farms in Great Barrington, a spotted sandpiper at the Cheshire Reservoir in Cheshire, and a gray-cheeked thrush at the Jug End State Reservation in Egremont.
Bristol County: A Eurasian wigeon at the Miller Street pond in Seekonk, a cackling goose on the Bristol Agricultural High School fields in Dighton, a tardy barn swallow on Shaw Road in Fairhaven, a lingering short-billed dowitcher at the Hacker Street marsh in Fairhaven, a late Eastern kingbird near the Nonquitt Salt Marsh in Dartmouth, and a vesper sparrow at the Council Oak in Dighton.
Cape Cod: A probable rufous hummingbird visiting flowers along the Hopkins Lane gardens in Orleans, a Northern goshawk near Santuit Pond in Mashpee, three yellow-crowned night-herons at the Pogorelc Sanctuary in West Barnstable, a Caspian tern and a common murre at Race Point in Provincetown, another common murre in Wellfleet Harbor off the town pier, a gray-cheeked thrush at Monomoy Point Lighthouse on South Monomoy Island, and a lingering piping plover on South Cape Beach State Park in Mashpee.
Essex County: A little blue heron, a common gallinule, two stilt sandpipers, a white-eyed vireo, a worm-eating warbler, a bay-breasted warbler, and a grasshopper sparrow at Plum Island, two cackling geese at Wenham Lake in Wenham, a black-billed cuckoo at the Reynolds and Proctor Woodland in Wenham, an Iceland gull and a common murre at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation in Salisbury, two least bitterns at Clark Pond in Ipswich, and a late ruby-throated hummingbird in Gloucester.
Franklin County: A house wren in New Salem, and a green heron and a black-crowned night-heron were seen on Old Ferry Road in Deerfield, a clay-colored sparrow in the Northfield meadows, and five red crossbills at Hilltop Farm in Deerfield.
Hampden County: A lingering ruby-throated hummingbird in Granville, a blue-winged teal and a clay-colored sparrow at the Longmeadow Flats in Longmeadow, and a late house wren at the Fannie Stebbins Wildlife Refuge in Longmeadow.
Hampshire County: Three continuing pink-footed geese and a cackling goose at the campus pond at UMass in Amherst, four sandhill cranes at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Northampton where a rose-breasted grosbeak and a clay-colored sparrow were also seen, and a yellow-headed blackbird and a grasshopper sparrow were tallied at the Honey Pot area in Hadley, and a late blue-winged teal at Nonotuck Park in Easthampton.
Martha’s Vineyard: Single late common nighthawks at Waskosim’s Rock Reservation in Menemsha and Aquinnah, a Hudsonian godwit in the Edgartown area on the Norton Point flats and at the Mattakeesett boat ramp, a black skimmer at Little Beach in Edgartown, and a lark sparrow and a yellow-throated vireo near Gay Head.
Middlesex County: Single clay-colored sparrows at Danehy Park in Cambridge, the Horn Pond Recreation Area in Woburn, Nagog Pond in Littleton, the Woburn Community Gardens, the Lexington Community Garden, and the Arlington Reservoir. Other reports from the Arlington Reservoir included a black-billed cuckoo, two continuing stilt sandpipers and a solitary sandpiper, and a veery was tallied at Rock Meadow in Belmont, and a rose-breasted grosbeak in the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Medford.
Nantucket: A long-tailed jaeger at Smith’s Point, a cattle egret at Sankaty Head Light, two common gallinules at Miacomet Park, and two spotted sandpipers and a little blue heron in the marsh at the UMass Field Station.
Norfolk County: A whimbrel at Black’s Creek in Quincy, an American bittern and a vesper sparrow at Passanageset Park at the Broad Meadow Marsh, a clay-colored sparrow and an American tree sparrow at Squantum Point Park in Squantum, single grasshopper sparrows at the Ward’s Fields in Sharon, and Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, and two common mergansers at McCarthy Park in Medfield.
Plymouth County: Eight sandhill cranes at the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area in Hanson, a common gallinule at the Atwood Reservoir Wildlife Management Area in Carver, a Hudsonian godwit and a lingering short-billed dowitcher at Plymouth Beach, a spotted sandpiper and a blue-gray gnatcatcher at the Manomet Observatory, four Nelson’s sparrows in the salt marsh at Little Harbor Beach in Wareham, four more Nelson’s sparrows in the marsh off Aucoot Avenue in Marion, a late least sandpiper at Sippican Harbor in Marion, and a lingering Eastern kingbird at Ames Nowell State Park in Abington.
Suffolk County: A lesser black-backed gull at Boston University’s Agganis Arena, a clay-colored sparrow at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, eight American oystercatchers at Winthrop Beach, a dickcissel at Lewis Lake in Winthrop, a Nelson’s sparrow at the Key area at the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, a green heron at Chandler Pond in Boston.
Worcester County: Eight Bonaparte’s gulls at gate 40 at the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton and a grasshopper sparrow at gate 37, a common yellowthroat at Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester and a lesser yellowlegs was spotted at Bartlett Pond in Northborough.
For more information about bird sightings go to www.massaudubon.org.