Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 6.75 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Carole Powers, Jack Miano, Laura de la Flor, Mark Burns, Susan Moses, Tom Gottschang
Visitors: At least 150 hikers, bikers and sightseers, including a class from Clinton High School. Our friend Carl and several other people brought up their binoculars to check out the birds and the view.
Weather: A beautiful day on the mountain with almost clear skies that gave way to that "Goldilocks" amount of puffy cumulus clouds (40-60%) which yields lots of light but a great background against which to see the birds and help others locate them. High humidity made for hazy air at the start of the day, but that eased off by noon, so the Boston skyline and the VT mountains became visible. The winds were in a near-Goldilocks mode, coming from the WNW at 5-7 mph with occasional gusts to 12 mph.
Raptor Observations: 31 migrating birds today - the best total of the season so far. Broad-wings dominated the count, but we spotted 6 other species as well. We were hoping for more Bald Eagles, but two promising migrants teased us by heading SW for quite a distance, only to turn around at the last minute and head back north - there's 10 minutes that I'll never get back again. The birds came at us from all different heights and angles.
Non-migrating raptors: Black Vulture - 1 TV - 19 (all rising together from NE of the mountain just before 10 am EDT) Bald Eagle - 3 (1 Ad, 1 Imm, 1 Juv) Sharp-shin - 1 Cooper's Hawk - 1 Broad-wing - 3 (2 Ad, 1 Juv) Red-shoulder - 1 Red-tail - 4 (2 Ad, 2 Juv - maybe more) Amer Kestrel - 1 Unident Accipiter - 1
In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back to this date in 2020. Rod Chase wrote: �The afternoon added an AK (Kestrel), 3 ML (Merlin), the last BE (Bald Eagle), BW (Broad-wing) and and The Surprise. Two distant birds went by from NE to NW then back to the east before approaching and passing very high over our tower. They could have been classified as unidentified until, finally, on the west side, they came down and circled just long to show some form and the reddish color underneath on the body and out onto the wing coverts and a long, squared tail that, in maneuvers, showed a flare and hard-to-see light stripes; also 'fingers' at the end of the long and narrow wings. Two immature Mississippi Kites, fer sure! Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: gull sp-1 (likely a Herring Gull), Cedar WW-5, R-T Hummer-1, Chim Swift-2, Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-3, R-E Vireo-1, D-E Junco-1, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: Saturday's forecast has improved from this morning. Rain is now expected to hold off until 2 pm or later, so we should be able to get in most of a full watch. Skies are expected to vary between partly and fully cloudy, with 6-8 mph NE winds. Temps should be cooler, topping out at 68 F, with relatively high humidity. I'm hoping for another good count. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Date: 9/4/26 5:07 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] West Hill Dam banding trip - 9/12
Thanks to Strickland Wheelock for this post.
Barbara Volkle Northborough, MA <barb620...>
*
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2026 19:10:58 +0000 (UTC) From: Strickland Wheelock <skwheelock...> Subject: West Hill Dam banding trip - 9/12
One of the exciting trips of the season from Drumlin Farm is coming out to West Hill Dam in Uxbridge to my bird banding station. Our 1st days were Aug 29th & 30th - now 9/4 - 9/6th to catch the early part of fall migration. Overall, the captures have mostly been local species with a mixture of some fall migrants - several E Phoebes, Am Redstart, N Waterthrush, C Yellowthroat, Warbling Vireo, Field Sparrows mixed with many Gray Catbirds, Pine Warb= lers, N Cardinals, House & Carolina Wrens, Song Sparrows, etc. in 3 days - today we flushed a Ruffed Grouse [major surprise] & caught a hummingbird. Higher up in the trees, we have spotted several migrant warbler species that need to drop lower. The frustrating challenge is that we normally don't have time to check out all those migrants on our net runs given we need to keep up with all the new captures - for example, 2 yrs back in the fall, 1 net had 17 captures after having just checked it 25 mins early - what a mixture of several warbler species, vireos, flycatchers, sparrows, buntings, thrushes! Still singing/calling are the Scarlet Tanagers, Yellow-thr Vireos, Rose-br Grosbeaks, various woodpeckers, etc around us - shortly the flood of migrants should be on the way where each net run we expect multiple captures keeping us non-stop aging, sexing & banding these birds before we head out for another run - an amazing learning experience looking at molt, eye color & other key ID features.Following banding & lunch, we will bird a few other top birding locations in Uxbridge - River Bend Farm & the Uxbridge Community Gardens [sparrow heaven] to locate more migrants to add to the list for the day.If interested, you can contact this site as the 12th is coming soon - love to show you what we lovingly do most mornings. https://www.massaudubon.org/programs/drumlin-farm/104321-bird-banding-at-west-hill
Date: 9/4/26 8:22 am From: Cliff Cook <ccook13...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Report from Overnight August 24-35 Pelagic to the Edge of the Continental Shelf
To All
I hope you enjoy reading this trip report from August 24-25 overnight Brookline Bird Club pelagic trip to the edge of the continental shelf and gulf stream waters south of Hyannis:
Observation start time: 12:00:00 Observation end time: 14:30:00 Total observation time: 2.5 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Visitors: Not a lot of people while I was there - maybe 25 in total. Morning seems to be the preferred time to climb the mountain.
Weather: Thick, low-hanging clouds covered the summit until close to 11 am EST. The clouds rose slowly, so even at the delayed time that I started the watch, the clouds still covered the top 300-400 ft of Mt Monadnock, and never cleared it entirely before I left. The high humidity caused hazy air and limited the view to about 25 miles to the north and west. The Boston skyline faded from view after the first hour. Temps rose from 71 to 75 F, and there was a very weak westerly wind.
Raptor Observations: I conducted a very foreshortened watch due both to the lingering clouds at the summit this morning, and to the rainstorm that began at 2:30 pm EST. I did manage to spot 2 Ospreys that passed southeast of the mountain about 2 minutes apart.
Only a few local raptors appeared while I was present. Non-migrating raptors: TV-3 (possibly more), Broad-wing-1 (Juv), Red-tail-1 (Adult)
In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back to this date in 2019. Rod Chase wrote: 10am hour started with SS high on east side who went to the S side of hill and peeled SW. Minutes later a ML (Merlin) appeared high in the NE and came close to us on N side. Three Common Ravens decided to team up and the ML nonchalantly rebuffed them all. One raven attempted payback from below and above just to our west. We didn't see any feathers fall but raven exited flapping for cover. The magician rose on thermal to SW and winged away without looking back. Non-raptor Observations: I didn't see a lot of bird activity on the summit while I was there, likely due in part to my late arrival. Non-raptors: Cedar WW-2, Blue Jay-1, Gr Catbird-1, Amer Goldfinch-1, D-E Junco-6, E Towhee-2. There was a massive swarm of breeding flying ants on the tower, necessitating repeated moving of my equipment.
Predictions: A much better forecast for Friday with sunny skies changing over to partly cloudy by noon, temps from the high 60's to high 70's, moderate humidity, and WNW to NW winds at 7-9 mph. These are typically excellent conditions for a good flight here. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Date: 9/3/26 1:45 am From: Phil Brown <ecocmail...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Essex County Ornithological Club September 04, 2026 meeting: Scott Weidensaul - The Return of the Oystercatcher
Friday, September 4th, 7:45pm Saving Birds to Save the Planet ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm* (all are welcome to join) *7-7:30pm special viewing of a pop-up display with original artworks from the Boreal Wilderland book In-person | Morse Auditorium, PEM Please see the ECOC web site at https://massbird.org/ecoc to either pre-register and bring your ticket with you or to join via Zoom. Free and open to the public
The future of birds may seem grim, but surprisingly, from gnatcatchers and waterfowl to select groups of forest songbirds, some bird populations are soaring. Habitats and species that once neared extinction are now multiplying around the world because bird conservation is making things better.
In this talk based on his newest book, The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet, best-selling author and researcher Scott Weidensaul highlights the recovery efforts that are not only preventing declines in bird population, but helping some birds to thrive, sharing stories of hope and progress in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Weidensaul also recounts the initiatives at the heart of these recoveries. The result is a roadmap of environmental resilience in some of the most unlikely places, a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific, the vast boreal forest that spans Canada, a hereditary estate in England, and a watery wilderness at the edge of a Ukrainian war zone. Weidensaul tells the story of what’s working in bird conservation—and what can work for the rest of the planet.
Prior to and following the program, attendees can enjoy a special pop-up display of original artworks featured in the newly released Boreal Wilderland: Art, Science, and Adventure in Earth’s Greatest Wilderness by wildlife artist and naturalist Rob Mullen. An installation of several works will be on view outside Morse Auditorium from 7-7:30pm and following the program.
A book signing for The Return of the Oystercatcher (April, 2026) and Boreal Wilderland (August, 2026) follows the lecture.
This event is co-hosted by the Peabody Essex Museum and made possible by a gift from Tim and Joanie Ingraham in memory of longstanding ECOC member and PEM Trustee Emeritus Dorothy (Dotty) Addams Brown.
Bio: Scott Weidensaul is the author of nearly 30 books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Living on the Wind” and his New York Times bestseller “A World on the Wing.” His latest book, “Return of the Oystercatcher,” showcases what’s working for bird conservation around the world. Weidensaul is a contributing editor for Audubon magazine, a columnist for Bird Watcher’s Digest, and writes for a variety of other publications including Living Bird. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and an active field researcher, studying saw-whet owl migration for 30 years, as well as winter hummingbirds in the East, bird migration in Alaska, and the winter movements of snowy owls through Project SNOWstorm, which he co-founded.
-- Phil Brown Webmaster for: Essex County Ornithological Club <ecocmail...>
You are receiving this notice because you subscribed to the Essex County Ornithological Club mailing list. Should you wish to unsubscribe please send a note <toecocmail...> with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 5.75 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Fay Baird, Tom Gottschang
Visitors: Not a lot of visitors to the summit today, est. 30-40, probably due to the low cloud cover for so much of the day.
Weather: At the beginning of the watch, the summit was covered by low-lying clouds that hid the surrounding landscape until 9:30 am EST when the view to the west began to emerge. The clouds finally cleared the summit at 10 am, but remained fairly low until the afternoon. The summit of Mt Mondadnock was in the clouds for our entire session. The air remained hazy, but we could see the Boston skyline, all of the southern NH mountains and Mt Grace. Temps ranged from 59 to 75 F, and winds stayed fairly steady at 4-7 mph from the SE.
Raptor Observations: With the cloud cover remaining low for so long, I wondered if we would see any birds migrate today, but as soon as the summit began to clear, local TVs and a Red-shoulder popped into view, and the first migrating birds (Osprey & Broad-wing) flew by just after 10 am EST. Ospreys and Bald Eagles made up most of the migrants today.
We also had an active non-migrating population including a family of 4 Red-shoulders that all circled up together on the east side of the mountain, calling as they rose. One of the local Red-tails circled up with the 9 Ravens for quite a while, and later joined a group of TVs. In all, we had an enjoyable day of hawk watching, even though the migrant total wasn't large. My thanks to Tom and Fay for coming up despite the sketchy weather. Non-migrating raptors: Black Vulture-1, TV-5 (minimum number), Bald Eagle-3 (1 Ad, 2 not aged), Sharp-shin-1, Red-shoulder-4 (2 ad, 2 juv), Red-tail-4, Unident buteo-1.
In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back to this date in 2024. From Bill Rasku's notes, Eric wrote: �A near-perfect day for the migration - solid NNW to NW winds at 7-10 mph with occasional higher gusts, mostly sunny skies and temps in the 60's and low 70's.� �71 migrating birds today - a fine flight after two days of no migrants due to strong SW winds. A strong showing of Bald Eagles today (21). We also think that we might have had a Swainson's Hawk fly by (the right shape and markings) but we couldn't get a photo and Bill couldn't call it as a certainty...tantalizing! �
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: gull sp-2, Chimney Swift-1, R-T Hummer-1, Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-9, Gr Catbird-1, Cedar WW-1, D-E Junco-12, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: Thursday's forecast calls for rain overnight and through 10 am, with possible thunderstorms in the early afternoon. The cloud base will likely be below summit level for much of the day, so unless the weather changes radically by noon, we won't conduct a watch. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Weather: Rained all day until mid-afternoon, so no watch was conducted today.
Raptor Observations: In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back to this date in 2011. Rod Chase wrote: "The summit of Mount Wachusett is under construction. The project to build a new Fire Tower is 6 to 10 months behind schedule. Road to summit needs a final coat. Access to the summit is limited to hiking trails and pedestrian use of the roads. No Cars or Bikes are allowed on the roadway."
(despite these challenges, the team conducted watches on 13 days from Sept 1 to Sept 27, and counted a total of 2,564 migrating raptors - Eric)
Non-raptor Observations:
Predictions: For Wednesday, the forecast is for cloudy skies, high humidity, temps in the 60's, and ENE to ESE winds at around 7 mph. Mediocre conditions for migration, but we'll be up on the mountain. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Date: 8/31/26 7:41 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] 8/31 Third Cliff Highlights:
Thanks to Paul Peterson for the following report.
Barbara Volkle Northborough,MA <barb620...>
*
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 23:51:02 +0000 (UTC) From: Paul Peterson <petersonpaul63...> Subject: 8/31 Third Cliff Highlights:
I birded here from 11:30-2:30, which was a bit beyond mid-tide to high tide:
Great Egret 9 Snowy Egret 7 Great Blue Heron 9 Green-winged Teal 3 at rocky edge of ocean; seemed strange Common Eider 5 Turkey Vulture 1 Osprey 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Semipalmated Plover 100 Black-bellied Plover 18 Semipalmated Sandpiper 15 Least Sandpiper 40 Sanderling 3 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Ruddy Turnstone 6 same area; near arrival point to the ocean (pile of debris which marks the boardwalk trail dowitcher sp. 8 Forster's Tern 2+ Least Tern 6 Common Tern 20 sterna sp. 25 Horned Lark 6 Monarch 2 seen on my way to Third Cliff Orange Sulphur 4 sand dunes Cabbage White 6 Painted Lady 1
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 5.75 hours
Official Counter: Bill Rasku
Observers: Cindy Rost, Lisa Burwell
Visitors: The usual contingent of hikers and sightseers.
Weather: Mostly sunny until about noon when the sky began to cloud over. Wind started from NE at 8 mph, moved to ENE, then fell off almost entirely until it popped up again around 1 pm EST from the SW. Light to moderate haze hid Mt Greylock for the first hour or so, then just showed an outline.
Raptor Observations: By far, our best daily migration count for August (and none too soon!) with a nice showing of Bald Eagles. Local raptors were active all day, with adult Eagles, Broad-wings and TVs making up the bulk of the action. Non-migrating raptors: Black Vulture-1, TV-5, Bald Eagle-5 (4 Ad, 1 Imm), Broad-wing-3, Red-shoulder-1, Red-tail-2.
Cindy and Lisa were a big help to Bill today.
In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back to this date in 2018. Rod Chase wrote: "Locals (raptors): In 1st hour a Goshawk rode the wind up over our heads and THEN drifted down to rest in that bare snag of branches to the right of the north relay building! Plenty of time for viewing and ... if anyone had a camera. Not also was this wonderful but a return visit and longer pose from the snag left us cheering! A second Goshawk (darker underneath, fewer stripes) also went over high but left to NW." "Observers: Bill Rasku, Rod Chase, Kathy & Steve Olson, Marty McNamara. Newcomers Doug Wipf, Chris & Tim Eddy are locals -- and have some skills! All were fun and helpful and we hope they come back."
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: Chimney Swift-1, Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-3, Gr Catbird-1, R-E Vireo-1, E Towhee-1.
Predictions: It looks like rain all day on Tuesday, so we won't be conducting a watch. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
> On Aug 30, 2026, at 7:40 PM, Barbara Volkle <barb620...> wrote:
>
> Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:42:36 +0000
> From: <reports...>
> Subject: Wachusett Mountain (30 Aug 2026) 3 Migrating Raptors
>
>
> Wachusett Mountain
> Princeton, Massachusetts, USA
> Daily Raptor Counts: Aug 30, 2026
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
> ------------------ ----------- -------------- --------------
> Black Vulture 0 0 0
> Turkey Vulture 0 0 0
> Osprey 2 6 6
> Bald Eagle 0 7 7
> Northern Harrier 0 1 1
> Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 0 0
> Cooper's Hawk 0 2 2
> American Goshawk 0 0 0
> Red-shouldered Hawk 0 1 1
> Broad-winged Hawk 0 9 9
> Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 0
> Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0
> Golden Eagle 0 0 0
> American Kestrel 0 0 0
> Merlin 0 0 0
> Peregrine Falcon 0 0 0
> Unknown Accipitrine 0 0 0
> Unknown Buteo 0 3 3
> Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
> Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
> Unknown Raptor 1 5 5
>
> Total: 3 34 34
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 13:15:00 Total observation time: 5 hours
>
> Official Counter: Eric Mueller
>
> Observers: Lena Ficco, Lisa Burwell, Tom Gottschang
>
> Visitors:
> Hundreds of runners/walkers at an UltraTrax endurance event on the mountain
> added to the usual busy scene of hikers and sightseers here on a summer
> weekend, resulting in a veritable United Nations of people at the summit.
>
>
> Weather:
> The day started with thin cirrus clouds overhead that thickened over time
> until they became quite dense by 11 am EST. A mild haze in the air left all
> but the farther mountains in NH visible at first. The haze seemed to
> thicken along with the clouds, but that might have just been an effect of
> the lower light levels. The clouds thinned around noon and the visibility
> improved. Winds began the day from the West at 8-12 mph, but shifted a bit
> to WSW, and began to gentle to 4-7 mph around 10 am.
>
> Raptor Observations:
> A strange day on the summit. We weren't expecting many migrating birds
> because of solid SW winds that were forecasted, but even with the slightly
> lighter wind speeds and more westerly direction, we expected to see some
> local TVs and ravens in the morning. Usually they are the first birds to
> circle up each day, but neither of those species made an appearance until
> just after noon EST. The few migrating birds that we did see (2 OS & 1 UR)
> all showed up before them in the 11 am hour.
>
> Non-migrating raptors:
> TV-7, SS-1, BW-1 (Ad with missing tail feathers), AK-1.
>
> Non-raptor Observations:
> A quiet day for the Non-raptors as well:
> Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-5, Cedar WW-4, D-E Junco-5, E Towhee-2.
>
> Predictions:
> Better conditions are expected on Monday. The forecast calls for partly
> cloudy skies, temps in the mid-60's to mid-70's, moderate humidity and
> light winds moving from N to NE to E and then to SW after noon.
> Bill Rasku will lead the watch.
> ========================================================================
> Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>)
> Wachusett Mountain information may be found at:
> http://www.massbird.org/emhw >
>
> More site information at hawkcount.org: https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=228 >
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 13:15:00 Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Lena Ficco, Lisa Burwell, Tom Gottschang
Visitors: Hundreds of runners/walkers at an UltraTrax endurance event on the mountain added to the usual busy scene of hikers and sightseers here on a summer weekend, resulting in a veritable United Nations of people at the summit.
Weather: The day started with thin cirrus clouds overhead that thickened over time until they became quite dense by 11 am EST. A mild haze in the air left all but the farther mountains in NH visible at first. The haze seemed to thicken along with the clouds, but that might have just been an effect of the lower light levels. The clouds thinned around noon and the visibility improved. Winds began the day from the West at 8-12 mph, but shifted a bit to WSW, and began to gentle to 4-7 mph around 10 am.
Raptor Observations: A strange day on the summit. We weren't expecting many migrating birds because of solid SW winds that were forecasted, but even with the slightly lighter wind speeds and more westerly direction, we expected to see some local TVs and ravens in the morning. Usually they are the first birds to circle up each day, but neither of those species made an appearance until just after noon EST. The few migrating birds that we did see (2 OS & 1 UR) all showed up before them in the 11 am hour.
Non-migrating raptors: TV-7, SS-1, BW-1 (Ad with missing tail feathers), AK-1.
Non-raptor Observations: A quiet day for the Non-raptors as well: Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-5, Cedar WW-4, D-E Junco-5, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: Better conditions are expected on Monday. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, temps in the mid-60's to mid-70's, moderate humidity and light winds moving from N to NE to E and then to SW after noon. Bill Rasku will lead the watch. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Observation start time: 10:15:00 Observation end time: 12:15:00 Total observation time: 2 hours
Official Counter: John Weeks
Observers: John Weeks
Weather: Hazy blue skies; Cloud cover 5%, restricted to the eastern horizon; Mt Monadnock barely visible through the haze. Temperature mid-70s (est.) Wind light and slightly variable, NE <�> NNE. Raptor Observations: No migrants. Local: Turkey Vulture, immature Red-tailed Hawk.
Non-raptor Observations: Downy Woodpecker, Red-eyed Vireo, Barn Swallows (4), Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinches (2). ======================================================================== Report submitted by John Weeks (<aerie.john...>)
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 12:00:00 Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Brian Rusnica
Observers: Visitors: Jason Forbes, Meyer and Cindy Franklin
Weather: Blue skies, dry air, and a light North breeze that sputter out towards mid-day.
Raptor Observations: The first hawkwatch of the 2026 Fall season is in the books at Mount Watatic! Just a few Broad-winged Hawks skittered by in singles or pairs this morning. Many local Bald Eagles made distant appearances but none could be counted as potential migrants. The lone highlight was two BLACK VULTURE appearing directly over the summit just after 10am EDT. These birds came out of the north on a high glide, but caught the summit thermal, turned and immediately returned from where they came. Hard to consider this birds as migrants; could they be locals that possibly nested at Joe English Hill in New Boston, NH this year? We'll see how regular the sightings are this upcoming month.
Non-migrant Raptors Bald Eagle 8 BLACK VULTURE 2 Broad-winged Hawk 2 Red-tailed Hawk 3 Turkey Vulture 8
Non-raptor Observations: Common Raven 22 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6
Predictions: No formal watch planned tomorrow. If you count any raptors at Mount Watatic, please email your sightings at <14hawks8owls...> Thank you!!
Contiguous daily coverage at Mount Watatic for Eastern Mass Hawk Watch starts on September 12th and runs through September 27th. Please join us at the summit this Fall! ======================================================================== Report submitted by Brian Rusnica (<brian_rusnica...>) Mount Watatic information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 13:30:00 Total observation time: 5.25 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Carole Powers, Cindy Rost, Lisa Burwell, Marty McNamara, Scott Carlson, Tom Gottschang
Visitors: Lots of hikers, bikers and sightseers on a beautiful summer day. Visitors included a Muslim prayer group, and lots of people who rode up the lift from the Summer Fiesta festival at the ski area below. Many pets were in attendance, including two 3-legged dogs and frequent visitor cat-on-a-leash Wild Thing.
Weather: A near perfect day weatherwise with 4-7 mph N to NNE winds, temps from 57 to 73 F, low humidity and plenty of sunshine. The only things missing were some clouds to give us a background for viewing the birds. The visibility was excellent, with the faint outline of Mt Washington visible for part of the morning.
Raptor Observations: We didn't get the numbers that I was expecting with this fine weather - only 5 migrating birds today. The day started well when Cindy caught sight of a low-flying Osprey trying to sneak by us at 8:33 am EST, followed an immature Bald Eagle in full view about 20 minutes later. After that, it was all local raptors until 11:15 when the first of 3 migrating birds passed through over the next hour.
On the positive side, we had a very nice turnout of 8 local Bald Eagles, with a variety of ages represented. Late in the session, Lisa sighted 3 vultures circling to the east, and luckily decided to alert the rest of us (TVs had been circling around all day...ho, hum) because they turned out to be 3 Black Vultures. Everybody got a good look at these birds which are not yet very common here. Non-migrating raptors: BV-3, TV-5 (probably more), Bald Eagle-8 (3 Ad, 1 sub-Ad, 3 Imm, 1 Juv), Red-tail-4 (2 Ad, 2 Juv), Red-shoulder-1.
My thanks to all of the observers for the nice turnout today - Cindy Rost, Tom Gottschang, Scott Carlson, Lisa Burwell, Marty McNamara and Carole Powers.
In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back to this date in 2019. Rod Chase wrote: "Observers: Dave Brown, George Russell. Assists by Paul Suihkonen, who also kept us laughing for hours, and Daryl Turek. Only 60-70 visitors all day -- a pleasant time for all as we realized school groups and large weekend crowds are on the horizon."
Non-raptor Observations: Not as many non-raptors as yesterday: Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-6, Tree Swallow-2, Gr Catbird-1, Cedar WW-6, D-E Junco-10, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: I'm expecting a challenging day on Sunday with 9-11 mph SW winds. Temps should range from 65-to 77 F, with cloudy skies in the morning turning to mostly cloudy in the early afternoon. Morning visitors should bring an extra layer of clothing. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Observation start time: 08:45:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 5.25 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Joanne Hart, Scott Wahlstrom, Ted Purcell
Visitors: A fair number of hikers, bikers and general sightseers, including quite a few youngsters.
Weather: Another foggy morning, with the clouds rising only a few hundred feet above the summit by 10 am EST. The air near the summit remained very hazy until the sun began to slowly break through about 10:30. By noon, the low clouds had burned off and were replaced by a sky full of fair-weather cumulus clouds. The air cleared enough to finally see Monadnock and other southern NH hills fairly well, Boston just barely, but no VT mountains. Temps rose from 67 to 80 F, and the wind was light from the WSW most of the time.
Raptor Observations: The sky took so long to clear that I was concerned that no birds were going to migrate today, but a Bald Eagle and a Broad-wing finally flew by just before 11 am EST, followed by 2 more Broad-wings over the next 2 hours.
Local raptors showed up in much better numbers than the last few days, including the first Sharp-shinned Hawk and first Peregrine Falcon of the season. The Sharpie attacked a Red-tail that was circling in the area (typical Sharpie!). Non-migrating raptors: Black Vulture-1, TV-5, Bald Eagle-3 (2 Ad, 1 Juv - maybe more), Cooper's Hawk-1, Sharp-shinned Hawk-1, Broad-wing-3, Red-tailed Hawk-3, Peregrine Falcon-1 In celebration of our 50th anniversary year on Wachusett, here's a look back to this date in 2017. Rod Chase wrote: "Early hours had the migrants appearing low from N & NE and then popping up in front of us and gaining wonderful heights above tower." "Ted Mara and Marty McNamara assisted all day. Lulls in the flight did provide some fun catch-up time. Hiker Paul returned; also back was JoAnne from Worcester who brought daughter Lydia plus a pair of binoculars to practice finding birds. How exciting!"
Non-raptor Observations: A nice selection of non-raptors today: Mourning Dove-1, Chim Swift-3, R-T Hummer-2, Pileated WP-1, Red-eyed Vireo-1 (actually singing for a little while), Blue Jay-3, Comm Raven-3, B-C Chickadee-3, T. Titmouse-4, W-B Nuthatch-1, Gr Catbird-2, Cedar WW-1, D-E Junco-8 (maybe more), E Towhee-2 and Blk-Thr Green Warbler-2.
Predictions: A mild cold front passed through early Friday evening, so Saturday's weather will feature temps in the mid-60's to low 70's, lower humidity, clear skies and NNW winds at 6-7 mph. This should be good weather for both the migrating birds and the observers. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 12:00:00 Total observation time: 3 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Visitors: For such a funky weather day, there were plenty of visitors on the summit. Most of that was due to the annual Mass Water Works Association's Summer Expo down at the ski area. Around 150 people there took advantage of the free ski lift ride to the summit. I spent the majority of my time identifying the few mountains that they could see, and disabusing a few folks of the notion that they could see Mt Washington today. My favorite t-shirt of the day was "No Water? No Beer." Fortunately, there was no repeat of the scene several years ago when about 15 rather portly "gentlemen" took off their shirts and posed for pictures together. My eyeballs still burn...
Weather: The morning started with the mountain covered in fog, so I delayed the start of the watch until 9 am EST. Even then, the clouds were just a few hundred feet over the summit. The air was murky and I could only see as far as Gardner. The wind blew from the SW to SSW, averaging 7-10 mph with gusts at 14+. Visibility improved somewhat with time, but Mt Monadnock and Boston were just dark outlines when I left.
Raptor Observations: With the thick air, low cloud ceiling and gusty southerly winds, my expectations were low, and as it turned out, accurate. I only spotted 1 very determined Broad-wing passing by at 10:35 EST, and seeing no other raptors in the sky for 90 minutes after that, I packed it in for the day.
The non-migrating raptor count was also sparse: TV-3, Red-tail-2. Non-raptor Observations: Other than the one migrating BW, the highlight of the morning was the 18-count "conspiracy" of Ravens that kettled up to the northeast with the 3 TVs, and flew around the mountain for about 5 minutes. Othe non-raptors: Chimney Swift-4, B-C Chickadee-2, Barn Swallow-1, Cedar WW-4, D-E Junco-8, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: Friday's weather will hopefully be better. The wind should turn westerly at a more gentle 5-7 mph. Skies are expected to be cloudy to mostly cloudy, with temps again in the upper 60's to upper 70's and high-ish humidity. There is a possibility of fog overnight which might linger at the summit again, so check the Wachusett ski area web cams at https://www.wachusett.com/the-mountain/media-center/webcams/. The Base Lodge cam has a good view towards the summit. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 5.5 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Fay Baird, Lena Ficco, Lisa Burwell, Ted Purcell, Tom Gottschang
Visitors: A quiet-ish day on the summit, with probably fewer than 100 visitors. There were quite a few parents with young children, and a fair number of seniors. FOTW (Friends-Of-The-Watch) Peggy and Carl hiked up and spent some quality time with us. An interesting mix of dogs today, from quite small to enormous (a poodle/St Bernard cross.)
Weather: Another beautiful day, with even clearer air than yesterday. I was able to see Mt Washington for about the first 30 minutes of the session - this may be the earliest date that I've ever seen it from here. As might be expected, all of the regular landmarks were easily visible, including Mt. Greylock. Temps ranged from 64 to 75 F, and the humidity was moderate. The wind was unusually light, averaging about 3 mph, and shifting from NE to W by 10 am EST. High thin cirrus clouds at first, then increasingly dense accumulations of fair weather cumulus clouds.
Raptor Observations: The lack of decent wind may have delayed the birds today. The flight was almost non-existent before 1:00 pm EST - just an Osprey at 9:20 am, and a Red-shoulder at 12:48 pm. Just as we were ready to pack up at 1:00, a Broad-wing flew by, followed by 2 more BWs and a Bald Eagle in the next 12 minutes, so we stayed another hour, and picked up a final Osprey at 1:47. We had a nice turnout of observers today, including the return of Lena Ficco and Fay Baird. We hope that they return again soon.
The non-migrating raptors weren't in great quantity either, but we had a nice mix of species: TV-4 (maybe more), Bald Eagle-2 (1 Juv, 1 Imm), Broad-wing-1 (Ad), Red-shoulder-1, Red-tail-2 (1 Ad, 1 not aged), Amer Kestrel-1 (Female), 1 UA (distant Coop/Sharpie).
On this day in 2020, Rod Chase wrote: "Another slow and steady supply (of) nice folks on the hill - many with questions to ask and anecdotes to share plus some beautiful dogs. Wednesday crowds are more attentive, I guess. In opposition to yesterday's crowd, 80% who visited the tower wore masks today!" The day's total of 16 migrants included 8 Broad-wings and 2 No. Harriers.
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: Chimney Swift-1, R-t Hummer-1, Comm Raven-2 (maybe more), B-C Chickadee-1, Tree Swallow-2, Barn Swallow-1, Gray Catbird-2, Amer Goldfinch-4, D-E Junco-2, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: Thursday is expected to be a bit warmer than today, with temps in the high 60's to high 70's, but that will be offset by stronger winds (8 to 13 mph from the SSW) and greater cloud cover (partly to mostly cloudy). Migrating birds will probably need to be fairly highly motivated to deal with these headwinds. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 13:30:00 Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Chris Eddy, Eric Mueller
Observers: Chris Eddy, Lisa Burwell, Marty McNamara, Ted Purcell
Visitors: About 100 hikers and sightseers. We spoke with several people about our mission.
Weather: The clearest air that we've seen in weeks up here. All of the regular landmarks except for Mt Greylock were easily visible, and distant mountains in NH (Passaconaway, Whiteface and the Sandwich range) could be seen with binoculars. The mild haze that we saw was likely the result of moderate humidity in the air. Temps rose from 61 to 74 F, with solid 8-12 mph West winds and gusts higher than that. Cloud cover varied from only about 15% in the morning to 70% or more later in the day.
Raptor Observations: An exciting, but also frustrating day. The local birds started coming up at 9 am EST, followed by a few migrants about 20 minutes later. Despite the clear air, most of the migrating birds were so far away that specific IDs were impossible. The first migrating pair had long narrow wings and the birds were differently sized (sexually dimorphic), but we couldn't see enough details to figure out if they might have been Mississippi Kites or Swainson's Hawks. Rats!
The other tantalizing sighting occured at 12:20 when Chris spotted a large bird flying just a bit higher than our treeline. It was only visible for about 8 seconds before dropping behind the trees, but in that time, Chris noted a large yellow-orange beak, and a dark body with some white markings in the rear. She ruled out a Bald Eagle, and when shown a picture of a Crested Caracara, she said "That's it!" (the yellow-orange facial patch can be mistaken for part of the beak.) Single Caracaras have been seen up until 4 days ago in southern Maine and northwestern Nova Scotia, so this might have been one of them heading back south. However for a rarity like this, hawkcount and eBird require a more extensive description and hopefully corroboration by other observers, which we didn't have (I was watching another bird.) This bird ends up in the UR category, unless it somehow reappears in the next day or so. Double rats!
Non-migrating raptors: Black Vulture-1, TV-6, Bald Eagle-3 (Ad male, 2 juv/imm), Broad-wing-3, Red-tail-2 (Ad, not aged)
On this day in 2019, Rod Chase wrote: The 1100-1200 visitors (Ranger's estimate) were, except for hikers, frequently chilled but still happy with the views. All raptor-related questions were answered. One man from California asked which raptor kept attacking him back home. Said I could only guess it might be a Northern Goshawk? "I have lots of pictures on my phone" he responded. Yup, he had lots of photos of Mr. & Mrs. NG!"
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: Chimney Swift-1, R-T Hummer-2, Blue Jay-2, Comm Raven-4, Tree Swallow-10, Barn Swallow-2, Gray Catbird-2, E Towhee-2. Predictions: Partly cloudy, temps from mid-60's to mid-70's, moderate humidity, winds at 5 mph from the NW shifting over to WSW by 2 pm. Should be a fine day for observing as long as wildfire smoke doesn't come back. The migrating birds were more active today, so we're hoping than continues tomorrow. Just come a little bit closer please... ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Date: 8/25/26 8:58 am From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] moderator - Invitation email scams
HEADS UP - resending this from July!
One such email just was posted to massbird.
*
Barbara Volkle <barb620...> ue, 14 Jul 2026 14:02:16 -0400 moderator - Invitation email scams
Thanks to Chuck Imbergamo for this heads up.
Please heed this warning!
Barbara Volkle moderator, MASSBIRD Northborough, MA <barb620...>
* > *From:* Chuck Imbergamo <imbercj...> > *Date:* July 14, 2026 at 10:47:10 AM EDT > *To:* <ctbirds...> > *Subject:* *Invitation email scams* > > Hi everyone – > > Heads up that the latest cyber scam involves unexpected emails > supposedly inviting you to a party or other event. These are > generated by hacked email accounts and are not intentionally sent. > Most of the time, the sender will not realize that they are > generating the scam emails. > > Some of these emails are being generated from members of our listserv > and they are going to other members. I immediately place such > accounts on moderation so I can stop future scam messages, but by the > time I do some of you will have already received the invite emails. > > As always, treat any unexpected email with caution and never open the > links contained in ANY email unless you are quite certain that it is > legit. > > Chuck Imbergamo > CT Birds Moderator > Madison
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 4.75 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Bill Rasku, Joanne Hart, Tom Gottschang
Visitors: Over 100 hikers, bikers, sightseers and lots of friendly dogs.
Weather: Clear skies in the morning slowly gave way to increasing numbers of cumulus clouds, and then a big rush of clouds from the south just after noon nearly filled the sky. Temps rose from 61 to 73 F, and winds blew from the WSW & SW at around 5-7 mph with frequent gusts from 12 to 14 mph. Moderate haze to begin the day, but as the humidity decreased from 72% down to 48%, the haze actually increased. The Boston skyline disappeared and Mt Monadnock was barely visible.
Raptor Observations: Another day with no migrating raptors, even after yesterday's rain and fog. The local TVs circled up at 8:48 am EST, and other local birds followed over the next 2 hours.
Thanks to Bill Rasku, Tom Gottschang and Joanne Hart for their help today.
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: Chimney Swift-1, Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-11, Barn Swallow-2, Tree Swallow-2, Gray Catbird-1, Cedar Waxwing-1, Eastern Towhee-1.
Predictions: Partly cloudy, 7-10 mph west winds, with temps rising from 65 to 72 F. Hopefully the wind direction will be more amenable to any birds thinking of migrating. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Date: 8/24/26 5:35 pm From: David Deifik <david.deifik...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Save the Date!
> > > > > [image: Punchbowl] > > You're invited! Please click on the invitation to see more details and to > RSVP. > > *SPECIAL PARTY INVITATION* > > > > > [image: SPECIAL PARTY INVITATION] <https://tinyurl.com/3xsbztxj> > > [image: Open your invitation] <https://tinyurl.com/3xsbztxj> > > > > If you can't see the above invitation, click here > <https://tinyurl.com/3xsbztxj>. > NB: We believe your data belongs to you, so we use it > only to display your invite contents only. > > Punchbowl, Inc. > 50 Speen Street, Suite 202 > Framingham, MA 01701 >
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 11:00:00 Total observation time: 2.75 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Joanne Hart, Tom Gottschang
Visitors: Tom Pirro and Karin stopped by to say hello and chat. Lots of hikers and sightseers, including the Worcester Railers professional hockey team.
Weather: A really blah day weatherwise - 100% low-ish cloud cover, low light levels, relative humidity in the 80% range, temps from 61-71 F, and 4-7 mph NE winds.
Raptor Observations: A really blah day birdwise as well - no migrating birds were seen. Very few local birds either. With what looked like a line of light rain extending across the NH border and more approaching from the south, we decided to end the session early.
Non-migrating raptors: TV-5.
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: Chimney Swift-11, R-E Vireo-1, Blue Jay-1, Comm Raven-2, Barn Swallow-1, Gr Catbird-1, E Towhee-1.
Predictions: Another blah day on Sunday with fog predicted overnight, followed by chances of rain in the morning and near 100% cloud cover the rest of the day, along with high humidity and light ESE winds. Unless the forecast changes substantially overnight, we won't conduct a watch.
======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
Date: 8/22/26 11:44 am From: AJ Pellegrini-Toole <aptoole...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Swallow-tailed Kite Cotuit
The Swallow-tailed Kite continues near Lovell's Pond and the Christ the
King Church thrift store parking lot in Cotuit on Cape Cod.
Brief look from the parking lot, better views after driving to the
pond. Only saw 1 bird at a time, but there have been at least 3 present
all summer.
Also at Lovell''s Pond:
Black ducks
Osprey
Double-crested cormorant
Un-ID'ed Buteo
Swimming snapping turtle
In backyard news- the Baltimore orioles have returned to the jelly
feeder after disappearing in June.
Fed up with my tardiness in refilling its feeder, the hummingbird was
also at the jelly feeder.
Alida Pellegrini-Toole
North Falmouth
--
"...powers of despotism consist wholly in the fear of resisting it..."
Thomas Paine, "The Rights of Man"
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 4.75 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: Bill Rasku, Paul Vanderhoof
Visitors: Lots of hikers and sightseers with their dogs on the summit. Scott Carlson stopped by to say hello.
Weather: A mostly cloudy day, with various layers of clouds. Moderate haze to the N & W, and heavy haze to the E. Neither Boston, Mt Greylock nor the VT mountains were visible all day. Winds were higher than predicted - averaged 8-12 mph with occasional gusts to 15 mph. Temps ranged from 61 to 76 F.
Raptor Observations: A bit of improvement over yesterday, with 5 migrating birds passing by, all of different species. The Northern Harrier hadn't finished its molt - P7's and two center tail feathers were still growing back in.
Thanks to Bill Rasku and Paul Vanderhoof for their help today.
Non-migrating raptors: the local raptors weren't as numerous as yesterday, but once they appeared, they gave us some interesting looks. Black Vulture-1, TV-7, Bald Eagle-2 (adults), Cooper's Hawk-1, Red-tail-2 (adults), Amer Kestrel-1 (gave one of the TVs a hard time).
In honor of our site's 50th anniversary this year, we'll take a look back at interesting occurences in past years. On this date in 2017, Rod Chase wrote: "Such a quiet morning! Don Richardson hiked up today, as did 2 young ladies who brought a ukulele and proceeded to serenade us for an hour. Then they walked over to the East overlook and sang some more -- which was easily heard, still, from the observation deck. As people started arriving for the eclipse, though, I headed off for home."
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: goose sp-20, Chimney Swift-15, R-T Hummingbird-1, D-C Cormorant-43 (single skein), Downy WP-1, R-E Vireo-1, Comm Raven-10 (kept us entertained all session), Barn Swallow-3, swallow sp-4, Gr Catbird-1, Cedar WW-2, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: Cloudy, with 7-9 mph NE winds, high humidity and temps in the high 60's to low 70's. Still a better forecast than the rain that was predicted 2 days ago. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
More site information at hawkcount.org:https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=228
Observation start time: 08:15:00 Observation end time: 13:00:00 Total observation time: 4.75 hours
Official Counter: Eric Mueller
Observers: David Brown, Greg McGuane, Scot Wiinikka, Ted Purcell
Visitors: We were aided by birders Lillie and Joe Luongo. We talked to many of the more than 100 hikers and other visitors to the summit. Lena Ficco spent some time with us asking questions about hawk watching, and was the first to spot one of the eagles as it passed by. We hope that she'll return soon.
Weather: A nice start to the day with partly cloudy skies, a light breeze and temps just around 70 F with moderate humidity and moderate haze in the air. Boston and the VT mountains were just barely visible; Mt Greylock never emerged from the haze. High thin clouds began to cover more of the sky as the morning progressed, and got thicker as the day wore on. The light was quite poor by the time that we left. Temps eventually rose to 82 F. The promised 5-7 mph winds never materialized, and instead hovered around 3 mph.
Raptor Observations: Encouraged by recent reports from VA, NJ and eastern PA sites, and wary of the forecast of rain over the coming weekend, I decided to start this season's watch a few days early. While only one migrant (a Coop) appeared, we had a busy morning watching local birds take advantage of some very good thermal activity. We had a good turnout of observers. Thanks to Greg McGuane, David Brown, Ted Purcell and Scot Wiinikka for coming out on such short notice.
Non-migrating raptors: TV - 15 (appeared in various numbers throughout most of the day) Osprey - 1 (flew up the NE side of the mountain, and perched on one of the towers for about 15 seconds before flying off again) Bald Eagle - 4 (2 Ad, 2 Imm) various combinations were seen flying together, so this might have been a family group. Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 (juvenile that made several appearances) Red-tailed Hawk - 2 (1 Ad, 1 Imm/juv) Broad-winged Hawk - 3 (juveniles flying together and interacting vigorously)
Non-raptor Observations: Non-raptors: Chimney Swift-4, Ruby-throated Hummingbird-2, Downy WP-1, RE Vireo-2, Comm Raven-2, B-c Chickadee-1, Barn Swallow-2, Gray Catbird-2, Cedar WW-4, E Towhee-2.
Predictions: Overnight rain is expected to end by 8 am EDT, and will hopefully clear out entirely by our normal start time an hour later. After that, the forecast is for partly cloudy skies, temps in the high 60's to low 70's, moderate humidity and 8-10 mph NE winds. This should be fine conditions for any early migrators. ======================================================================== Report submitted by ERIC MUELLER (<ericmueller1912...>) Wachusett Mountain information may be found at: http://www.massbird.org/emhw
More site information at hawkcount.org:https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=228
Date: 8/20/26 4:07 pm From: Brian Rusnica <velocicrafter...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Eastern Mass Hawk Watch Annual Meeting - 50th Anniversary: IN PERSON! Friday Sept 11th, 2026, 7pm at Middlesex Community College, Bedford Campus. Public Invited!
The 2026 Eastern Mass Hawk Watch annual meeting will be Friday, September
11th, 2026 at 7pm. We will gather once again at Middlesex Community College
in Bedford, MA. The meeting will take place in the Cafe East section of
the Campus Center. Please find a detailed campus map and driving directions
on our website here: https://massbird.org/emhw/annual-meeting/
2026 marks 50 years of Eastern Mass Hawk Watch! We'd like to extend the
invitation to our meeting to the public and welcome all who are interested
in learning more about hawkwatching and our organization. The annual
meeting is the traditional kick-off to the Fall hawkwatching season in
Massachusetts - it won't be long before the first kettles of Broad-wings
gather over the skies of New England!
Our keynote speaker this year is Mark Wilson, Wildlife Photojournalist and
Teacher Naturalist, presenting his Ten Wild Photos, Ten Wild Stories talk.
Join noted wildlife photojournalist and teacher naturalist Mark Wilson in a
unique slide program that explores some of Mark’s best wildlife photos
taken over 30 years in some surprising places. Mark will present ten select
images. Each image will be discussed in-depth as to how and why it was
made. Supporting photos will help explain. Topics of discussion will
include photo techniques, equipment, ethics and natural history, and
staying comfortable and healthy in harsh environments. Aspiring beginner
photographers and traveled veterans alike will find inspiration to assess
and improve their own work. Non-photographers get to peek under the lens
cap and see how a pro comes up with knock-out photos.
Mark Wilson was a staff photographer for the Boston Globe for 23 years.
During those years he also wrote regular columns on photography and birds
for the Globe. His wildlife photos have appeared in a wide variety of
publications including National Geographic (Oct. 1992 cover, bullfrog).
Mark and Marcia Wilson work as a team in the field, exploring remote areas
that few people get to visit. In 2001 they completed a 19-day canoe trip
down a North Slope River in Alaska’s Arctic Refuge. That trip is the basis
for a chapter Mark wrote for the book Arctic Wings.
The meeting is free and open to the public (donations appreciated). A
social hour with beverages, appetizers and snacks starts at 6pm, followed
at 7pm by a brief business meeting and the keynote presentation. The
business meeting will review EMHW Watch Sites and how you can visit or
participate this upcoming migration season! We’ll also have the return of
our famous raffle, including many raptor-related and birding items and some
fantastic photography. Join us for a great evening!
If you are interested in contributing raffle items, refreshments, or
helping EMHW with the meeting, please let us know at
<e.masshawkwatch...> and we'll be in contact!
For complete information, including directions to the location in Bedford
(plenty of free parking), visit the Eastern Mass Hawk Watch web site at
massbird.org/EMHW.
Date: 8/20/26 12:07 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Belmont N. Saw Whet Owl Ruled as Gray E. Screech Owl Juve
Thanks to Fred Bouchard for this followup post.
That being said, please refrain from posts featuring owl locations. Let's work together to minimize disturbance to these birds.
Thank you everyone!
Barbara Volkle Northborough, MA <barb620...>
*
From: Fred Bouchard<frederickbouchard...> Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:54:56 -0400 Subject: Belmont N. Saw Whet Owl Ruled as Gray E. Screech Owl Juve
The Winn Brook Belmont Owl Kerfuffle Settled
https://ebird.org/checklist/S385030237 -- <frederickbouchard...> Instructions for living a life: *Pay attention.Be astonished.Tell about it.* --- Mary Oliver (1935-2023)
Date: 8/18/26 4:38 am From: Fred Bouchard <frederickbouchard...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Saw Whet Owl Report in Belmont
Hello, birders
Following up on this likely viable report today.
Fred B
--
<frederickbouchard...>
'One ought, every day, to hear a little song, read a good poem, sip a tasty
wine,
see a fine picture, and if possible, to speak a few reasonable words.'
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(1749-1836)
Instructions for living a life:
*Pay attention.Be astonished.Tell about it.*
--- Mary Oliver (1935-2023)
Date: 8/17/26 6:25 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] 8/17 Marbled Godwit, Etc. Third Cliff in Scituate
Thanks to Paul Peterson for the following report.
Barbara Volkle Northborough,MA <barb620...>
*
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:23:12 +0000 (UTC) From: Paul Peterson <petersonpaul63...> Subject: 8/17 Marbled Godwit, Etc. Third Cliff in Scituate
high tide was at 3:30 p.m.. I birded here from 1:30-4:00. I believe the Marbled Godwit was flushed up out of the marsh by a Northern Harrier, due to the very close time proximity. The godwit flew around for about two minutes and then dropped into the marsh grass on the Marshfield side, but barely. This was about an hour before high tide.
Great Egret 25 Snowy Egret 7 Great Blue Heron 9 Osprey 2 Northern Harrier 2 one twisted and dropped down to try to get a Horned Lark! Killdeer 11 Semipalmated Plover 1,,000 ?, 2,000 ? Piping Plover 4 Black-bellied Plover 15 Ruddy Turnstone 1 Spotted Sandpiper 2 Semipalmated Sandpiper hundreds Least Sandpiper 150 70+40+40; mostly beautiful juveniles. Wow! Greater Yellowlegs 4 MARBLED GODWIT 1 SEE ABOVE Short-billed Dowitcher 20 several trying to find a place to land at high tide! Willet 9 Roseate Tern 7 near tip Least Tern 90 Common Tern 20 Laughing Gull 20 Tree Swallow 50 guess Barn Swallow 10 Horned Lark 2 Common Raven 1 Pine Warbler 1
Date: 8/14/26 6:56 pm From: Matt S. <accipiter22...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] August 14, 2026 Parker River NWR, Newburyport - Tree Swallow Extravaganza
Hi All,
Now that I live closer, I can go to Parker more often for the Tree Swallow
festivities every year, but still, there’s always one trip that stands out.
I try to get the most videos and pictures that day, I try to drink it all
in and just stand there hoping to hear them come close enough that I can
hear or feel their wings against me. Today was that day. It was a really
good one too; the evening flocks when they go to roost are really dense,
probably 5x what you see in the day usually, but the staging during the day
today was pretty crazy. I stopped at the Wardens to get some video looking
south towards NPO, and part way through the video I was shooting from my
tripod, as I stood there, I saw a swarm start flooding over me. I looked
behind me and it was one giant wave the seemed to stretch north almost to
the horizon. They were diving down into the field north of NPO, and not
just for a minute, for several minutes. There is always some cool
experience during the swallow migration each year, and for me this was the
one today. I stood there and watched them congregate and eventually take
to the air again, and then headed to NPO where various clouds of them were
taking off in huge bunches.
Further south they were still around, but not as dense; the action today
was further to the north on the island. Still, the air was dry, it was
breezy with no bugs, and it was mild out. I walked along Hellcat for a
while, not expecting much, nor seeing a ton; a catbird or two, a male
redstart. At the beginning, near the restrooms I saw something above them
flitting about. It was a red-eyed vireo. So strange to see them being
quiet when just a couple of weeks ago they were still pumping out tunes
hundreds of times per hour. It’s like when they stop singing, so much of
the summer chorus seems to die down and move us from “summer” to “late
summer”.
That's all for now,
Matt s.
Newton, NH
<Accipiter22...>
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https://ebird.org/checklist/S383271297 Plum Island--Parker River NWR & Sandy Pt. State Reservation, Essex,
Massachusetts, US
Aug 14, 2026 7:43 AM - 11:31 AM
Protocol: Traveling
8.208 mile(s)
41 species (+1 other taxa)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 4
Green-winged Teal (American) (Anas crecca carolinensis) 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) 31
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) X
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) 3 Lot 1
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 2
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) X
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) X
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) X
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 26
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 51
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 37
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) (Ardea herodias [herodias Group]) 3
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Osprey (American) (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus auratus/luteus) 1
Peregrine Falcon (North American) (Falco peregrinus anatum) 1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 6
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1 At Hellcat restrooms. Always odd
to see them so quiet in comparison to how verbose they were even a few
weeks ago
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 40000 Large flocks even for this
time of year.
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 2
Marsh Wren (palustris Group) (Cistothorus palustris [palustris Group]) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 8
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 7
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 5
Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica) (Melospiza melodia melodia/atlantica) 3
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) 7
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) (Agelaius phoeniceus [phoeniceus Group])
4
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 3
Date: 8/13/26 8:03 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] 8/11 Third Cliff in Scituate Highlights
reposting due to technical issues...
Thanks to Paul Peterson for the following report.
Barbara Volkle Northborough,MA <barb620...>
*
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:39:11 +0000 (UTC) From: Paul Peterson <petersonpaul63...> Subject: 8/11 Third Cliff in Scituate Highlights
I birded here from 1:00-5:00. This was mid-tide to dead low tide. It is amazing how much water goes out from here between the two tides. Large expanses of mud exposed as the tide goes out. The entire cove becomes completely devoid of water
Great Blue Heron 11 seen from the observation platform along the Driftway (actual name of road) Snowy Egret 7 Great Egret 5 Osprey 1 Semipalmated Plover 300+ wild guess (I counted more than two-hundred in the cove alone Piping Plover 3 Black-bellied Plover 10 Killdeer 1 Scituate Country Club Least Sandpiper 30 Semipalmated Sandpiper 5+ (if I had been there at high tide, the birds would be roosting in large groups. They disperse to who knows where when the tide gets low Greater Yellowlegs 5 Lesser Yellowlegs 2 Ruddy Turnstone 7 Willet 4 Sanderling 5 Dowitcher sp. 8; two with absurdly long bills; feeding near ocean edge in pool Roseate Tern 5+ Forster's Tern 1 adult seen and heard; carrying sand lance Common Tern 200 impossible to get good count Least Tern 200 impossible to get a good count Laughling Gull 180
Date: 8/13/26 8:01 pm From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Thick-billed Murre Buzzards Bay
reposting due to technical issues...
Thanks to Alida Pellegrini-Toole for the following report.
Barbara Volkle Northborough,MA <barb620...>
*
Subject: Thick-billed Murre Buzzards Bay Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:34:39 -0400 From: AJ Pellegrini-Toole <aptoole...> To: Barbara Volkle <barb620...>
Sailing back north yesterday I spotted a lone bird sitting on the water. At first I thought it was a Laughing Gull as they are beginning to congregate in the bay. However, as we got closer I realized it was all wrong for a gull. We passed within 10-15 ft of it (it never moved away) and I realized it was a Thick-billed Murre. In August. We were just off West Falmouth I believe, but far enough away from shore that I'm not sure it would have been visible to anyone on land.
