North side of Wachusett Reservoir, Worcester, Massachusetts, US

May 25, 2025 6:30 AM – 9:36 AM

Protocol: Traveling

4.7 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:    BBC trip looking for species of interest to the state.  Leader continued to Kristoff Farm alone afterwards and didn’t see any conservation target species.  Highlights from 18 minutes (1013-1031) of birding at Kristoff: Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Bobolink, Indigo Bunting, and Blue-winged Warbler.

49 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose  10

Mallard  6

Wild Turkey  3

Chimney Swift  100    not a careful count.  swirling across a large section of the sky over grass, water, and cemetery island at fairly low altitude.  Also a number of other groups of small numbers and at least two other groups of 10-20+ at other points in the trip.

Killdeer  6

Spotted Sandpiper  3

Ring-billed Gull  5

gull sp.  15    probably mostly or all ring-billed

Common Loon  4    low number.  could have searched harder, but this is still less than I expected to see based on previous visits.

Double-crested Cormorant  5

Turkey Vulture  7

Osprey  1

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

American Kestrel  0

Eastern Wood-Pewee  1    i may have forgot to note some of the other flycatchers

Great Crested Flycatcher  1

Yellow-throated Vireo  1

Blue-headed Vireo  1

Warbling Vireo  1

Red-eyed Vireo  6

Blue Jay  6

American Crow  1

crow sp.  3

Bank Swallow  12

Tree Swallow  25

Northern Rough-winged Swallow  15

swallow sp.  75    this count and the count for the other swallow species may be undercounts.  Couldn’t or didn’t bother to put much time into identifying the many swallows over the water

White-breasted Nuthatch  1

European Starling  12

Gray Catbird  3

Northern Mockingbird  6

Eastern Bluebird  4

American Robin  3

Cedar Waxwing  4

House Sparrow  3

House Finch  3

American Goldfinch  2

Grasshopper Sparrow  0

Chipping Sparrow  6

Savannah Sparrow  14

Song Sparrow  4

Eastern Towhee  1

Bobolink  2

Eastern Meadowlark  0

Baltimore Oriole  2

Red-winged Blackbird  20

Brown-headed Cowbird  1

Common Grackle  3

Ovenbird  3

Black-and-white Warbler  1

Pine Warbler  6    this may be and undercount, and I may have forgot to record some other warbler species.

Scarlet Tanager  1

Northern Cardinal  2

Indigo Bunting  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S242623523

Nuttall Club special event with Peter Kaestner

Peter Kaestner in his Search for 10,000 Species of Birds in the World - A Special Event Sponsored by the Nuttall Ornithological Club Peter Kaestner after seeing his 10,000th world bird species in the Philippines. [...]

Nuttall Club special event with Peter Kaestner

Peter Kaestner in his Search for 10,000 Species of Birds in the World - A Special Event Sponsored by the Nuttall Ornithological Club Peter Kaestner after seeing his 10,000th world bird species in the Philippines. [...]

Nuttall Club special event with Peter Kaestner

Peter Kaestner in his Search for 10,000 Species of Birds in the World - A Special Event Sponsored by the Nuttall Ornithological Club Peter Kaestner after seeing his 10,000th world bird species in the Philippines. [...]

News Categories

Upcoming Field Trips

  • Cold Spring Park, Newton

    Newton - Cold Spring Park 1200 Beacon St, Newton, MA, United States

    This large multi-use city park offers an easy 1.4-mile loop through mixed forest, open green areas, and red maple swamplands, attracting a surprising array of resident and migratory birds. Porta Potties available.

  • Plum Island

    Parker River NWR - Lot #1 Refuge Rd., Newbury, MA, MA, United States

    We will be walking the North Pool dike as well as visiting other spots. Note that an entrance fee or pass is required. Restrooms available.

  • Barretts Mill Farmland

    Concord - Barretts Mill Farmland Barrett's Mill Road, Concord, MA, United States

    This is often a great place for fall sparrows including Savannah, Field, and White-crowned, as well as Pipit and occasional Dickcissel. Loaner binoculars available; please email trip leader to reserve a pair! If the weather doens't look good, contact the leader to check status.

  • Hellcat at Parker River NWR

    Parker River NWR - Lot #4 Newbury, MA, United States

    During the past few years the refuge has opened the dike to hiking during National Wildlife Refuge Week. We will plan to do that hike if the dike is again open this year. Otherwise we hike the boardwalk and normal dike area.

Go to Top