The Brookline Bird Club (BBC) recorded 275 species for 2023, based upon 200 trips reported from Massachusetts, and those from out of state.  We recorded 267 species in Massachusetts, three more than 2022, with 8 additional species reported from New Hampshire and Maine. 

Due to weather, only one of the two August overnight pelagic trips went out, leaving from Hyannis to visit Veatch, Nantucket and Atlantis Canyons. Highlights included White-faced Storm-Petrel, South Polar Skua, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Long-tailed Jaeger, and an impressive 78 Audubon’s Shearwaters. For the second year in a row, the boat lights attracted a migrating Prothonatory Warbler during the night. The November pelagic trip was pushed back into December, but still attracted good participation, and recorded Pomarine Jaeger, Northern Fulmar, and good numbers of wintering ducks, alcids and Black-legged Kittiwakes. 

The club added a new species to its list: Virginia’s Warbler, when Glenn d’Entremont’s trip to the Outer Cape visited Putnam Farm in Orleans on October 8. Other good birds recorded in Massachusetts on (or seen from) shore in 2023 included: Northern Lapwing (Maplecroft Farm, Ipswich, January 1), Red-headed Woodpecker (Appleton Farm, January 1), Dovekie (Cape Ann, January 1), Kentucky Warbler (Cranberry Pond, Hingham, April 29), King Rail (Eastern Pt, Gloucester, May 21), Seaside Sparrow (Allen’s Pond, May 21 and June 4), Sandhill Crane (Cumberland Farms, October 29), Baird’s Sandpiper (Plum Island, September 12), Blue Grosbeak (Putnam Farm, Orleans, October 8), Common Gallinule (Plum Island, November 4), Ash-throated Flycatcher (Halibut Pt, November 4 and December 23), Black Vulture (Fairhaven, November 25).

Outside of Massachusetts, additional species were seen on the trips to the Lake Umbagog region in New Hampshire, and on the Rangeley Lakes trip to Maine. Bicknell’s Thrush, Canada Jay, Philadelphia Vireo, Ruffed Grouse and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher were reported from NH, and Boreal Chickadee, Loggerhead Shrike and Olive-sided Flycatcher were recorded from the Maine trip, which also found Ruffed Grouse, Canada Jay and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. 

Birds we missed in Massachusetts included Louisiana Waterthrush, Common Redpoll, Rough-legged Hawk, Ruffed Grouse, Snow Goose, Little Blue Heron, Redhead, Evening Grosbeak, Northern Shrike, Canvasback (increasingly a nemesis for the club, last reported in 2014!), Glaucous Gull, Eurasian Wigeon, King Eider and Yellow-breasted Chat.  

There were 376 species reported in eBird in 2023 for Massachusetts, of which the club’s total of 267 represented 71 percent. The club reported the most species in Essex County (213), followed by Middlesex (148), Plymouth (146), Bristol (141), Suffolk (141), Norfolk (123) and Worcester (121). Trips to Mt. Auburn Cemetery recorded 109 species this year, including 24 species of warblers.

The following table shows the trips reporting the most species by month: 

Thanks to all our trip leaders, especially those who led 10 or more trips in 2023: Cliff Cook, Peter Van Demark, Kathy Dia, Glenn d’Entremont, Linda Ferraresso, Thomas Michel, Nick Paulson, David Scott, and Dave Williams. 

Thanks also to the organizations with whom the club co-sponsors trips. These include the South Shore Bird Club, Cape Cod Bird Club, the Charles River Esplanade Association, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Minute Man National Historical Park, and the Franklin Park Coalition.

Excluding the pelagic trips, there were 286 eBird checklists associated with the 198 trips reported from Massachusetts. Over half the trips occurred in April and May. American Robin retained its position as the most frequently reported species, appearing on 204 checklists. Song Sparrow (193), Blue Jay (189) and Black-capped Chickadee (185) remained in second, third and fourth. Mourning Dove (166) and Northern Cardinal (161) switched places again. The big mover was Red-winged Blackbird (160), up from fourteenth last year to seventh, with American Goldfinch (155) and Common Grackle (155) tied for eighth and Downy Woodpecker (149) rounding out the top ten. The next five were American Crow, Mallard, Canada Goose, Tufted Titmouse and Northern Flicker.