BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count Follow Up
BBC members birded every county and every corner of the state this year, recording a total of 193 species. (See the eBird trip report.)Essex County led the way over Plymouth, but only by a single species. Suffolk was third, helped by a couple of county Big Day efforts. The first birds of the day were reported from Savery Pond in Plymouth County (Whip-poor-will, Eastern Screech Owl and Great Horned Owl), with an American Woodcock at Marconi Station on Cape Cod the last to be added to our list.
Here is the count by county:
- Essex – 136 Species
- Plymouth – 135 Species
- Suffolk – 126 Species
- Middlesex – 122 Species
- Barnstable – 99 Species
- Bristol – 84 Species
- Berkshire – 84 Species
- Worcester – 74 Species
- Norfolk – 74 Species
- Nantucket – 62 Species
- Hampshire – 57 Species
- Hampden – 30 Species
- Dukes – 9 Species
Highlights include
- Summer Tanager (Mt Auburn Cemetery)
- American Golden-Plover (Scituate)
- Razorbill (Stellwagen whale watch)
- Wilson’s Phalarope (Plum Island)
- White-faced Ibis (Scotland Road, Newbury)
- Little Blue Heron (Nantucket)
- Sandhill Crane (Burrage Pond)
- Prothonatory Warbler (Wompatuck)
Top 10 reported species by number of checklists:
- 1st -American Robin
- 2nd -Song Sparrow
- 3rd – Gray Catbird
- 4th – Red-winged Blackbird
- 5th – Northern Cardinal
- 6th/7th – Blue Jay, American Goldfinch (tie)
- 8th – Common Grackle
- 9th – Baltimore Oriole
- 10th – Mourning Dove
Species appearing on a single checklist or at a single location:
- Black-billed Cuckoo
- Whimbrel
- American Woodcock
- Wilson’s Snipe
- Purple Sandpiper
- Manx Shearwater
- American Bittern
- Least Bittern
- Black Vulture
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Winter Wren
- Pine Siskin
- Lincoln’s Sparrow
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Canada Warbler
- Cerulean Warbler
What did we miss? Not much, but Broad-winged Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Hooded Merganser, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Sora, Horned Lark and Blue-winged Teal would have taken us to 200 for the day. Saltmarsh Sparrow and Eastern Wood-Pewee reached the state in decent numbers just a day or two later.
BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count – Follow Up
BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count Follow Up BBC members birded every county and every corner of the state this year, recording a total of 193 species. (See the eBird trip report.)Essex County led the way
Spring 2026 Conservation Alerts
Spring 2026 Conservation Alerts Important conservation issues directly affecting birds and birders are pending in front of the Massachusetts legislature. Please demonstrate your commitment to Massachusetts bird life by taking action now. Mass Ready Act
View Recent Webinars Recordings
If you missed any of our recent webinars or the annual meeting but would still like to view any of these talks you can do so through the BBC website. Both the Rescue Raptors from
Bring Back Bobolinks!
Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we
Migration Madness Membership Drive
Win a Free Pair of Binoculars - Migration Madness Membership Drive To celebrate the excitement of spring migration, the Brookline Bird Club once again has a special offer for any new member joining the club
2026 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards
2026 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards The Conservation and Education Committee is pleased to announce our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarship recipients, Lily Rogers of Brimfield and Gwyn Robertson-DuBois of Northfield. These scholarships
BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count – Follow Up
BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count Follow Up BBC members birded every county and every corner of the state this year, recording a total of 193 species. (See the eBird trip report.)Essex County led the way
Spring 2026 Conservation Alerts
Spring 2026 Conservation Alerts Important conservation issues directly affecting birds and birders are pending in front of the Massachusetts legislature. Please demonstrate your commitment to Massachusetts bird life by taking action now. Mass Ready Act
View Recent Webinars Recordings
If you missed any of our recent webinars or the annual meeting but would still like to view any of these talks you can do so through the BBC website. Both the Rescue Raptors from
Bring Back Bobolinks!
Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we
Migration Madness Membership Drive
Win a Free Pair of Binoculars - Migration Madness Membership Drive To celebrate the excitement of spring migration, the Brookline Bird Club once again has a special offer for any new member joining the club
2026 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards
2026 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards The Conservation and Education Committee is pleased to announce our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarship recipients, Lily Rogers of Brimfield and Gwyn Robertson-DuBois of Northfield. These scholarships
BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count – Follow Up
BBC Massachusetts Big Day Count Follow Up BBC members birded every county and every corner of the state this year, recording a total of 193 species. (See the eBird trip report.)Essex County led the way
Spring 2026 Conservation Alerts
Spring 2026 Conservation Alerts Important conservation issues directly affecting birds and birders are pending in front of the Massachusetts legislature. Please demonstrate your commitment to Massachusetts bird life by taking action now. Mass Ready Act
View Recent Webinars Recordings
If you missed any of our recent webinars or the annual meeting but would still like to view any of these talks you can do so through the BBC website. Both the Rescue Raptors from
Bring Back Bobolinks!
Bring Back Bobolinks! This year the BBC is introducing new Endangered Species Program. Each year we plan to focus on a single bird species facing serious threats in Massachusetts and elsewhere. With this effort we
Migration Madness Membership Drive
Win a Free Pair of Binoculars - Migration Madness Membership Drive To celebrate the excitement of spring migration, the Brookline Bird Club once again has a special offer for any new member joining the club
2026 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards
2026 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards The Conservation and Education Committee is pleased to announce our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarship recipients, Lily Rogers of Brimfield and Gwyn Robertson-DuBois of Northfield. These scholarships
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Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery 536 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA, United States -
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery 536 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA, United States -
Roslindale Wetlands Urban Park
Roslindale Wetlands Urban Park 23 Coniston Rd, Roslindale, MA, United StatesA small but mighty urban wild that offers a variety of habitat. Expect to see a variety of woodpeckers, resident birds, warblers, and other migratory species, as well as a surprise or two. The path is flat with a mix of gravel and dirt surfaces with newly added boardwalks on the wetter sections. Boots are
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Late Spring Migrants at Minute Man NHP
Minute Man NHP - Hartwell Tavern 101-103 N Great Rd, Lincoln, MA, United StatesJoin me at this wonderful birding spot which hosts many nesting species and migrants. Blue-winged Warbler, American Redstart, and Indigo Buntings are regular nesters. Each year brings a few surprises in late May. In past years, around this date, these have included Alder Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Kentucky Warbler, and both cuckoos. This is a one-mile
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Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery 536 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA, United States