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.
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program Join us on summer daytime pelagic trips and marsh cruises this summer. Note that these popular trips regularly sell out. Once sold out we will keep a waitlist
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region During early June two groups of BBC birders traveled around the Errol, NH area in search of nesting neotropical migrants, boreal species and whatever else we could find
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration The Brookline Bird Club's 2026 overnight pelagic trips to the edge of the continental shelf at Hydrographer Canyon are now open for registration! About the Trip Join the BBC on
Migration Madness Membership Drive Winners
Migration Madness Membership Drive Winners Thanks to new members who joined during our this spring's Migration Madness membership drive. We wrapped up a successful campaign at the end of May with 52 new members.
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
BBC Field Records Project
BBC Field Records Project For many years, the club engaged in a project to import our historic field card data into eBird. Our archive of about 10,000 cards dating back to 1926 might be unique
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program Join us on summer daytime pelagic trips and marsh cruises this summer. Note that these popular trips regularly sell out. Once sold out we will keep a waitlist
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region During early June two groups of BBC birders traveled around the Errol, NH area in search of nesting neotropical migrants, boreal species and whatever else we could find
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration The Brookline Bird Club's 2026 overnight pelagic trips to the edge of the continental shelf at Hydrographer Canyon are now open for registration! About the Trip Join the BBC on
Migration Madness Membership Drive Winners
Migration Madness Membership Drive Winners Thanks to new members who joined during our this spring's Migration Madness membership drive. We wrapped up a successful campaign at the end of May with 52 new members.
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
BBC Field Records Project
BBC Field Records Project For many years, the club engaged in a project to import our historic field card data into eBird. Our archive of about 10,000 cards dating back to 1926 might be unique
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program
2026 Daytime Pelagic and Marsh Cruise Program Join us on summer daytime pelagic trips and marsh cruises this summer. Note that these popular trips regularly sell out. Once sold out we will keep a waitlist
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region
Trip to New Hampshire Lake Umbagog Region During early June two groups of BBC birders traveled around the Errol, NH area in search of nesting neotropical migrants, boreal species and whatever else we could find
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration
Hydrographer Canyon Overnight Pelagic Registration The Brookline Bird Club's 2026 overnight pelagic trips to the edge of the continental shelf at Hydrographer Canyon are now open for registration! About the Trip Join the BBC on
Migration Madness Membership Drive Winners
Migration Madness Membership Drive Winners Thanks to new members who joined during our this spring's Migration Madness membership drive. We wrapped up a successful campaign at the end of May with 52 new members.
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
BBC Field Records Project
BBC Field Records Project For many years, the club engaged in a project to import our historic field card data into eBird. Our archive of about 10,000 cards dating back to 1926 might be unique
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Field Trips / Events
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Quabbin Reservoir (incorrect date, actual walk is July 3)
Quabbin Reservoir - Gate 10 235 Daniel Shays Hwy, Pelham, MA, United StatesDue to miscommunication, this walk was incorrectly scheduled for July 5. Please see the new and correct July 3 entry. https://www.brooklinebirdclub.org/tripevent/quabbin-reservoir-was-july-5/
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Bring Back Boblinks: Bobolinks at Heard Farm, Wayland (New!)
Wayland - Heard Farm Conservation Area 12 Heard Road, Wayland, MA, United StatesNew addition to our Bring Back Bobolinks conservation series. This gem works its way into the rotations of many birders once discovered. It is managed for dog walking (no dogs on this walk please) and bobolinks, which in a good year can number 100 or more. We will be using dirt trails and boardwalks. Trails
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Bring Back Bobolinks: Codman Estate Farm (Was Drumlin Farm) (New!)
Codman Community Farms - Donelan's parking 145 Lincoln Rd, Lincoln, MA, United StatesThis walk was planned for Drumlin Farm but more Bobolinks can be seen at this nearby location so we've moved the walk to Codman Farms. Adding to our Bobolink conservation series. Join Ilija to observe and appreciate Bobolinks in breeding habitat! Bobolinks are migratory grassland birds found across Massachusetts. The Bobolink is listed as a
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Fruitlands Museum, Harvard
Harvard - Fruitlands Museum 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard, MA, United StatesCosponsored with Boxborough Birders. All the nesting birds will still be around, with good views of young out of the nest being fed by parents: Veery, Indigo Bunting, Catbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Tree Swallow, Bobolink, Wood Thrush, Baltimore Oriole, and Warblers. Expect to walk about 2 miles on trails through meadow and woods with some steep
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Southwick WMA
Southwick WMA - Suffield WMA entrance Point Grove Road, Suffield, CT, United StatesWe will hike the fields focusing on grassland breeders, particularly Eastern Meadowlark and Grasshopper Sparrow.