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

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Upcoming Field Trips

  • Bring Back Boblinks: Bobolinks at Daniel Webster, Marshfield

    Part of our Bring Back Boblinks conservation series. Walk among open fields where we are likely to see and hear bobolinks, Our early start increases the likelihood that we will hear the bobolinks’ burbling morning song. Be prepared for muddy trails, depending on recent rainfall. Trails are mostly flat.

  • Bring Back Bobolinks: Norfolk Airport (New!)

    Adding to our Bobolink conservation series. Observe and appreciate Bobolinks in breeding habitat! Bobolinks are nesting throughout the airport. We will walk the runways less than 2 miles walking total.  This area is all grasslands, around 400 acres.

  • Belle Isle Marsh Reservation – Winthrop Side

    Joint with Mass Audubon BNC. Join us to observe resident birds and spring migrants in a unique urban habitat that is a favorite for many bird species, including uncommon and rare flycatchers, swallows & warblers. Birders of all levels will enjoy this walk. The trails are generally flat and easy to walk. A water bottle,

  • Quabbin Reservoir

    Join Glenn on a 5-to-6-mile walk through a very birdy area with species ranging from Broad-winged Hawk to Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Blue-headed Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, and lots of stuff in between. (Maybe a moose or a bobcat!) Co-sponsored with the South Shore Bird Club.

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