Plum Island–Parker River NWR & Sandy Pt. State Reservation, Essex, Massachusetts, US

Aug 24, 2026 8:07 AM – 10:53 AM

Protocol: Traveling

9.498 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    Brookline Bird club marsh cruise 37 passengers.

29 species (+5 other taxa)

Canada Goose  20

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  17

Mourning Dove  1

Black-bellied Plover  72

Semipalmated Plover  14

Lesser Yellowlegs  11

Willet  24    Long trip, lots of observation pounts from moving boat

Greater Yellowlegs  12

Lesser/Greater Yellowlegs  2

Semipalmated Sandpiper  60

peep sp.  188

shorebird sp.  3

Bonaparte’s Gull  1

American Herring Gull  82    Estimate

Great Black-backed Gull  7

Common Tern  8

Double-crested Cormorant  63

Black-crowned Night Heron  1

Snowy Egret  21

Great Egret  27

Great Blue Heron  9

Turkey Vulture  2

Osprey  17

Northern Harrier  2

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Peregrine Falcon  2

Tree Swallow  360    Estimate , constant presence of low numbers

Barn Swallow  3

swallow sp.  80    Estimate up sun flock

Marsh Wren  6

European Starling  22

American Goldfinch  1

Saltmarsh Sparrow  3

new world sparrow sp.  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S386814224

Charles River Esplanade, Suffolk, Massachusetts, US

Aug 22, 2026 6:41 PM – 7:55 PM

Protocol: Traveling

0.484 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    Brookline Bird Club – Early Birders at the Charles River Esplanade

~67 degrees, overcast, moderate breeze

10 species (+1 other taxa)

Graylag Goose (Domestic type)  2    Big, white goose with orange legs (continuing pair)

Canada Goose  20

Mallard  12

Mallard (Domestic type)  1

Solitary Sandpiper  1

Ring-billed Gull  2

American Herring Gull  25

Great Black-backed Gull  2

Great Blue Heron  1    roosting

Gray Catbird  4

Northern Yellow Warbler  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S386814427

Delaney Pond (Worcester Co.), Worcester, Massachusetts, US

Aug 22, 2026 7:04 AM – 11:24 AM

Protocol: Traveling

3.265 mile(s)

53 species

Canada Goose  8

Mute Swan  1

Wood Duck  37    Careful count and not surprising here. Includes group of 10 that flew over in early AM

Mallard  1

Mourning Dove  5

Chimney Swift  4

Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3

Virginia Rail  1

Killdeer  4

Spotted Sandpiper  1

Solitary Sandpiper  6

Double-crested Cormorant  1

Green Heron  2

Great Egret  1

Great Blue Heron  3

Cooper’s Hawk  1

Great Horned Owl  1

Belted Kingfisher  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  3

Downy Woodpecker  7

Hairy Woodpecker  1

Northern Flicker  1

Eastern Wood-Pewee  12    Careful count and not surprising here.

Eastern Phoebe  11

Eastern Kingbird  5

Eastern Warbling Vireo  1

Red-eyed Vireo  1

Blue Jay  8

American Crow  2

Black-capped Chickadee  30

Tufted Titmouse  7

Tree Swallow  60

Barn Swallow  25

White-breasted Nuthatch  6

Red-breasted Nuthatch  2

Carolina Wren  7    Careful count and not surprising here.

Gray Catbird  25

Eastern Bluebird  7

Hermit Thrush  1

American Robin  14

Cedar Waxwing  30

House Finch  8

Red Crossbill  1    Bird calling jip jip jip at point where trail system crossed Finn Rd. Audio recording.

American Goldfinch  29

Chipping Sparrow  3

Song Sparrow  3

Baltimore Oriole  3

Red-winged Blackbird  27

Common Grackle  1

Common Yellowthroat  3

American Redstart  3

Pine Warbler  1

Northern Cardinal  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S386814433

Parker River NWR–Hellcat, Essex, Massachusetts, US

Aug 21, 2026 5:16 PM – 8:16 PM

Protocol: Stationary

Checklist Comments:    Weather: 70°F, Overcast, Calm. 

It was an amazing experience to see the thousands of Tree Swallows go to roost at Hellcat – and – hear Whip-Poor-Will serenade us as we drove off island.♡

40 species

Canada Goose  1

Mallard  5

Mourning Dove  2

Eastern Whip-poor-will  17    Heard singing from Hellcat parking lot and as we drove off island.

Killdeer  5

Semipalmated Plover  125

Short-billed Dowitcher  4

Spotted Sandpiper  3

Solitary Sandpiper  1    Seen feeding and preening on the north side of the dike at Hellcat.

Lesser Yellowlegs  12

Greater Yellowlegs  34

White-rumped Sandpiper  1

Least Sandpiper  5

Semipalmated Sandpiper  40

Ring-billed Gull  1

American Herring Gull  7

Common Tern  8

Double-crested Cormorant  21

Glossy Ibis  3

Yellow-crowned Night Heron  2    Seen sitting on the marsh on the north side of the dike at Hellcat.

Black-crowned Night Heron  1

Snowy Egret  7

Great Egret  11

Great Blue Heron  2

Osprey  1

Northern Harrier  1

Downy Woodpecker  1

Eastern Phoebe  2

Eastern Kingbird  1

Tree Swallow  230000    Thousands upon thousands of swallows coming in to roost at Hellcat.

Purple Martin  24

Barn Swallow  15000    Thousands upon thousands of swallows coming in to roost at Hellcat.

Marsh Wren  1

European Starling  5

Cedar Waxwing  4

Eastern Towhee  1

Brown-headed Cowbird  1    Female cowbird hopping along the dike hunting for insects.

Common Grackle  2

Common Yellowthroat  1

Northern Cardinal  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S386814572

Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary (Mass Audubon), Middlesex, Massachusetts, US

Essex River Cruises trip to Great Marsh, Essex, Massachusetts, US

Aug 11, 2026 4:50 PM – 6:50 PM

Protocol: Traveling

3.128 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    BBC Essex River Cruise up to Great Marsh. Mink also seen on one of the islands.

38 species (+1 other taxa)

Mallard  11

American Black Duck  4

Mourning Dove  7

Black-bellied Plover  19

Killdeer  1

Semipalmated Plover  500

Spotted Sandpiper  1

Lesser Yellowlegs  4

Willet  1

Greater Yellowlegs  3

Sanderling  1

Least Sandpiper  34

Semipalmated Sandpiper  75

peep sp.  1250    Mix of Least and Semi Sandpiper. Probably mostly Semi. Likely Semipal Plovers mixed in.

Ring-billed Gull  25

American Herring Gull  62

Great Black-backed Gull  3

Least Tern  2

Forster’s Tern  2

Common Tern  7

Double-crested Cormorant  170

Snowy Egret  35

Great Egret  8

Great Blue Heron  1

Turkey Vulture  1

Osprey  6

Red-tailed Hawk  2

Merlin  1

American Crow  22

Tree Swallow  13

Barn Swallow  4

European Starling  1

Gray Catbird  1

Eastern Bluebird  4

House Finch  12

American Goldfinch  2

Saltmarsh Sparrow  1

Bobolink  2

Common Grackle  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S382558958

Winthrop Beach and Five Sisters, Suffolk, Massachusetts, US

Aug 11, 2026 9:13 AM – 11:29 AM

Protocol: Traveling

0.382 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    Brookline Bird Club shorebird walk, about 30 people including leaders.

23 species

Common Eider  3

Mourning Dove  2

Chimney Swift  2

American Oystercatcher  3

Killdeer  11

Semipalmated Plover  307    Estimate

Piping Plover  1

Lesser Yellowlegs  10

Greater Yellowlegs  1

Sanderling  1

White-rumped Sandpiper  2

Least Sandpiper  1

Western Sandpiper  1    Seen by experienced birder, drooping bill redish scapular parts

Semipalmated Sandpiper  304    Estimated

Laughing Gull  10

Ring-billed Gull  45

American Herring Gull  13

Least Tern  6

Common Tern  32    Estimate

Double-crested Cormorant  595    Big raft

Peregrine Falcon  1

Purple Martin  1    Well seen by experienced birder

Northern Mockingbird  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S382558967

Millennium Park, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, US

Aug 9, 2026 8:00 AM – 10:59 AM

Protocol: Traveling

2.279 kilometer(s)

Checklist Comments:    Joint BBC/BNC Walk

Leaders: Mike McCarthy, Neil Calabro & Samuel Harris 

Boat Launch Lot to Bus Stop via High School Marsh

☀️

Clear sky

47 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose  136

Wood Duck  5    2 Drakes, 1 Hen & 1 Juvenile

Mallard  23

American Black Duck  1    Hen

Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)  1    Male in HS Marsh

Mourning Dove  18

Chimney Swift  15

Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1

Killdeer  6

Spotted Sandpiper  2    Adult and juvenile

Solitary Sandpiper  4    Exact Count. Individuals foraging in mudflats across from the boat ramp.

Greater Yellowlegs  1

Least Sandpiper  7

Double-crested Cormorant  1

Green Heron  4    2 adults, 2 juveniles

Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  2

Osprey (American)  2    Pair

Cooper’s Hawk  2

Red-shouldered Hawk  1    *Soaring juvenile over the North Basin. Body was entirely fresh, no wing molt evident, even while partially backlit. Got good looks through scope showing their warm brown upperbody, brown striated chest & belly, pale primary crescents, and long banded tail as the sun was angled perfectly.

Buteo sp.  1    RTHA? Soaring above Needham side of railroad tracks.

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1    Juvenile flew N from boat launch

Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)  3

Hairy Woodpecker (Eastern)  2    Pair chatting by boat launch

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1

Eastern Phoebe  4

Eastern Kingbird  3

Eastern Warbling Vireo  1    Singing from Honeylocusts by boat launch

Blue Jay  4

American Crow  1

American/Fish Crow  1    Headed NE along Cutler with heavy wing molt.

Black-capped Chickadee  1

Tufted Titmouse  1

Barn Swallow (American)  9    Flocking below train bridge & marsh. Oddly no TRESs with them.

White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern)  1

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Eastern)  3    Pair together plus one nearby where Ruins Trail splits off Loop trail

Northern House Wren (Northern)  2

European Starling  130    Estimate

Gray Catbird  13

Northern Mockingbird  4

American Robin  5

Cedar Waxwing  13

House Sparrow  4

House Finch  4

American Goldfinch  4

Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica)  5

Swamp Sparrow  2

Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  9

Common Grackle (Bronzed)  2

Northern Yellow Warbler  3    2 Singing

Northern Cardinal  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S382241832

Millennium Park, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, US

Aug 9, 2026 11:00 AM – 11:11 AM

Protocol: Traveling

0.642 kilometer(s)

Checklist Comments:    Joint BBC/BNC Walk

Leaders: Neil Calabro & Samuel Harris 

Mike left our journey by the Bus Stop, so we continued towards the Boat Ramp from there

☀️

Clear sky

11 species

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  1    Wild Type

Mourning Dove  8

Chimney Swift  2

Osprey (American)  1    Soaring above railroad tracks

Red-tailed Hawk (borealis)  1    Adult circling railroad tracks

Black-capped Chickadee  1    Calling from Pine trees

European Starling  1    Juvenile with HOSPs

Northern Mockingbird  6    1 Juvenile called from soccer field fence

House Sparrow  35    Estimated. Flock hunkering in bushes along tracks.

American Goldfinch  1    Heard

Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S382241826

Plumbush Marshes, Essex, Massachusetts, US

Aug 8, 2026 6:42 AM – 10:06 AM

Protocol: Traveling

10.99 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    BBC PRNWR Marsh Cruise aboard the Yankee Clipper exploring the Plumbush Marshes.  Beautiful sunny day!

49 species

Canada Goose  1

Mallard  3

American Black Duck  9

Green-winged Teal (American)  1

Common Eider  3

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  1

Mourning Dove  1

Chimney Swift  1

Semipalmated Plover  30

Spotted Sandpiper  4

Lesser Yellowlegs  5

Willet  18

Greater Yellowlegs  17

Ruddy Turnstone  2

Least Sandpiper  60

Semipalmated Sandpiper  1

American Herring Gull  42

Great Black-backed Gull  8

Least Tern  8

Forster’s Tern  1

Common Tern  65

Roseate Tern  2

Common Loon  1

Double-crested Cormorant  65

Black-crowned Night Heron  1

Snowy Egret  16

Great Egret  26

Great Blue Heron  9

Turkey Vulture  3

Osprey  16

Northern Harrier  4

Bald Eagle  1

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Peregrine Falcon  1

Eastern Kingbird  2

Fish Crow  1

Bank Swallow  2

Tree Swallow  6500

Purple Martin  12

Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2

Barn Swallow  18

Marsh Wren  6

American Goldfinch  4

Seaside Sparrow  2

Saltmarsh Sparrow  6

Song Sparrow  1

Bobolink  6

Red-winged Blackbird  14

Common Grackle  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S381947614

Squantum Marshes, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US

Aug 8, 2026 5:55 AM – 8:03 AM

Protocol: Traveling

0.315 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    BBC/SSBC walk. Sunny, breezy (~5-8mph), mid 70s

High tide 7:25am

31 species (+1 other taxa)

Mallard  1

American Black Duck  5

Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)  1

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  20

Mourning Dove  3

Chimney Swift  3

Semipalmated Plover  5

Short-billed Dowitcher (griseus)  3

Lesser Yellowlegs  21

Greater Yellowlegs  36

Least Sandpiper  10

Semipalmated Sandpiper  750

American Herring Gull  5

Common Tern  15

Double-crested Cormorant  3

Snowy Egret  97

Great Egret  34

Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  4

Osprey (American)  4

Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)  2

Eastern Kingbird  1

American Crow  4

Barn Swallow (American)  15

European Starling  100

American Robin  2

House Sparrow  2

American Goldfinch  2

Saltmarsh Sparrow  6

Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica)  3

Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  10

Common Grackle (Bronzed)  1

Northern Cardinal  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S381947631

Squantum–Nickerson Rock Park, Norfolk, Massachusetts, US

Aug 8, 2026 8:07 AM – 9:56 AM

Protocol: Traveling

0.603 mile(s)

25 species

Semipalmated Plover  1

Semipalmated Sandpiper  10

Laughing Gull  3

Ring-billed Gull  1

American Herring Gull  60

Great Black-backed Gull  8

Common Tern  125    large feeding group plus birds sitting on spits

Roseate Tern  2    *Very rare for Quincy. Glenn and Dan repeatedly picked out their calls early on, the distinct two-part “chi-vik” call. Eventually Dan did have sustained looks in the scope at one, and the group was able to see it as it flew out towards Moon Island.

Paler upperparts that COTE, all black bill, long streamers, more level flight with slower wingbeats. Got photos that are pretty poor, but did manage a recording

Double-crested Cormorant  200

Black-crowned Night Heron  1    Adult flushed out of the quarry

Snowy Egret  1

Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  1

Osprey (American)  4

Bald Eagle  1    Soaring towards Boston

Blue Jay  2

Common Raven  3

Tufted Titmouse  1

Carolina Wren  4

Gray Catbird  4

American Robin  1

Cedar Waxwing  5

American Goldfinch  6

Song Sparrow (melodia/atlantica)  2

American Redstart  2    Nice looks at one male, second singing

Northern Cardinal  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S381947636