Bolton Flats WMA–Bolton, Worcester, Massachusetts, US

Oct 11, 2020 6:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Protocol: Stationary

Checklist Comments:    Brookline Bird Club – Big Sit Bolton Flats WMA – Leader Nick Paulson. Dawn to Dusk at the NE corner of the main field. Warm to start then cooling, then warming again, then rapidly getting cold as the clouds rolled in at the end. Most birds seen either early or at the end. Rather quiet in the middle of the day other than continued migrant flocks of geese.

67 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose  920    Migrating flicks throughout the day. None flying out predawn. Only about 30 locals flew into Still River.

Wood Duck  45    Predawn flight count leaving Still River. More seen throughout the day not counted.

Blue-winged Teal  1

Mallard  68

American Black Duck  11

Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)  1

Green-winged Teal  7

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  7

Mourning Dove  48

Virginia Rail (Virginia)  1

Common Gallinule  1    Calling from Farm Pond.

Killdeer  10

Pectoral Sandpiper  1

Herring Gull  9

American Bittern  1

Turkey Vulture  27

Osprey (carolinensis)  1

Northern Harrier  3

Sharp-shinned Hawk  3

Cooper’s Hawk  4

Bald Eagle  1

Red-shouldered Hawk (lineatus Group)  2

Red-tailed Hawk (borealis)  9

hawk sp.  3    One distant view of a possible light phase Rough-legged Hawk.

Great Horned Owl  4

Belted Kingfisher  2

Red-bellied Woodpecker  9

Downy Woodpecker (Eastern)  6

Pileated Woodpecker  2

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  2

American Kestrel  1

Merlin  2

Merlin (Taiga)  1

Eastern Phoebe  2

Western Kingbird  1    Flew in from the farm behind a flock of RWBB to the Willow Tree in field. Then turned back. Same size as RWBB but flight different. So I looked at through Binos and saw the yellow underside, undertail coverts, and extending under the wings. Pale grey breast and throat.

Blue Jay  240    Migrating in small groups throughout the day.

American Crow  65

Common Raven  2

Black-capped Chickadee  19

Tufted Titmouse  8

Horned Lark  28    Count of Largest single flock. Multiple views of flocks flying around and in field.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2

White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern)  3

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1    In a mixed flock. Moving through bushes calling.

European Starling  2

Gray Catbird  8

Northern Mockingbird  2

Eastern Bluebird  24

American Robin  300    Count returning to roost.

American Pipit  26

House Finch  34

Purple Finch  9

Pine Siskin  25

American Goldfinch  40

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  2

White-throated Sparrow  11

Vesper Sparrow  1

Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  13

Song Sparrow  23

Swamp Sparrow  15

Eastern Towhee  4

Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  250

Brown-headed Cowbird  35

Common Grackle (Bronzed)  1

Common Yellowthroat  3

Blackpoll Warbler  1

Palm Warbler (Yellow)  2

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  36

Northern Cardinal  6

Indigo Bunting  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S74729249