Brookline Bird Club – America’s most active bird club!

October 2026 BBC Big Day Report

On Saturday, October 10 over 50 BBC members submitted 133 checklists for Massachusetts as part of our BBC Big Day event (with a few more from NH, VT and Maine). This year we recorded 162 species in MA compared with 145 in 2025. This includes 17 species of shorebirds, 13 sparrows, and 15 warblers.

You can find the full eBird trip list here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/584835

Where we birded on October 10

The most species were recorded in Barnstable County (119), followed by Essex (103), Middlesex (90), Hampshire (75), Plymouth (72), and Suffolk (71).

The most frequently recorded species were Blue Jay (95 checklists), Song Sparrow (81), Black-capped Chickadee (79), Yellow-rumped Warbler (76), and Downy Woodpecker (66).

Highlights included: American Bittern (Fort Hill, Eastham); American Golden-Plovers (Plum Island); Black Vulture (Skinner State Park and Howden Farm, Berkshire County); Caspian Tern (Crane Beach); Razorbill (Castle Island); Common Gallinule (Plum Island); Nelson’s Sparrow (Fort Hill, Eastham and South Cape Beach); Vesper Sparrow (Nahanton Park, Newton and Duxbury Beach); Western Sandpiper (Sandy Neck Road, Barnstable).

Several migrant species were recorded at just a single location on their journey south, including Hudsonian Godwit (Fort Hill, Eastham), Least Sandpiper (Arlington Reservoir), Barn Swallow (Barnstable), Swainson’s Thrush (Nahant Thicket), Cape May Warbler (Silvio Conte NWR) and Wilson’s Warbler (Nauset Bay).

Birds we missed included Pectoral Sandpiper, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Shearwater and Northern Shoveler.

News Categories

BBC News
BBC Trip Reports
Pelagic Trip Report
In Find Memory
BBC Annual Report

Upcoming Field Trips

Field Trips / Events

Field Trips / Events Search and Views Navigation

Field Trip / Event Views Navigation

Today

  • Fresh Pond, Cambridge

    Cambridge - Fresh Pond - TD Bank 235 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA, United States

    An easy 2-mile walk through pondside meadows and forest paths at Fresh Pond. The over-wintering waterbirds have started to arrive, and we may see Ring-necked Ducks, Ruddy Ducks and both Hooded and Common Mergansers. Meadow and forest species may include year-round residents as well as seasonal visitors from the north (e.g. White-throated Sparrows, Juncos).

  • Franklin Park – Scarboro Pond (Early Birders Series)

    Boston - Franklin Park Tennis Courts (Meeting Spot) MA, United States

    Join fellow birders in their 20s-30s as we visit Franklin Park! Located in Roxbury, Boston’s largest open space is home to a plethora of natural features, including miles of trails, playing fields, a pond, and plenty of birds! Here we will look for all sorts of songbirds, including late fall migrants and early winterers. Whether [...]

  • An Oasis for Birds at Belle Isle Marsh

    East Boston - Belle Isle Parking Lot 1399 Bennington Street, Boston, MA, United States

    Led by DCR staff. We will search on foot up to one mile, on flat, easy terrain for snowy owls and other raptors, native sparrows, finches, waterfowl, and other birds. This is a traveling program by car or bike. Prepare for ticks. Ages: Adults and kids 8 years+ with adult chaperone. Binoculars recommended. Cosponsored by [...]

  • Arlington Reservoir with Arlington Open Space Committee and Arlington Reservoir Committee

    Lexington - Arlington Reservoir 210 Lowell Street, Arlington, MA, United States

    Getting into late fall, we'll look for interesting ducks and perhaps lingering shorebirds. We'll also check the gardens for remaining fall migrants. Cosponsored by the Arlington Open Space Committee and Arlington Reservoir Committee, and Menotomy Bird Club. For late arrivers, this time we'll circle the reservoir in the clockwise direction looking for interesting ducks first. [...]

  • Millennium Park

    Boston - Millennium Park Canoe Launch 300 Gardner Street, Boston, MA, United States

    Join us to observe resident birds and winter migrants in a unique urban habitat that is a favorite for many bird species, including uncommon and rare birds. Birders of all levels will enjoy this walk. The trails are (generally) flat. A water bottle, water proof clothing including a hat, gloves, and trail shoes are recommended. [...]

Established in 1913, America’s most active bird club!

© 2024 Brookline Bird Club

Go to Top