Red Crossbills
Red Crossbills Credit: Elaine R. Wilson/commons.wikimedia.org

The Audubon Society has reported a variety of recent bird sightings in western Massachusetts.

A flock of six red crossbills was feeding in Tolland.

A northern saw-whet owl was seen in Longmeadow and a long-eared owl contiues to be reported in Shutesbury.

Rough-legged hawks were found in Northampton, Hadley and Cheshire.

Lapland longspurs were noted in Montague, Northampton and Egremont.

A northern shrike was seen in Sheffield and a northern shoveler was reported in Montague.

Glaucous and lesser black-backed gulls continue to be seen at Turners Falls and a ruddy duck continues to be reported at the southern end of the Quabbin Reservoir.

Notable feeder birds include a boreal chickadee coming to a feeder in Peru and a Harrisโ€™s sparrow coming to a feeder in Dalton.

The red-headed woodpecker continues to be reported at Lake Wallace in Belchertown.

Other uncommon winter species seen included: wood duck, green-winged teal, northern pintail, ring-necked duck, greater scaup, common goldeneye, hooded and common merganser, black vulture, turkey vulture, northern harrier, red-shouldered hawk, peregrine falcon, merlin, American kestrel,

Also reported were belted kingfisher, yellow-bellied sapsucker, northern flicker, horned lark, snow bunting, red-breasted nuthatch, winter wren, Carolina wren, brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet, eastern bluebird, hermit thrush, cedar waxwing, fox sparrow, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, cowbird and pine siskin.

To report a bird sighting, please call the Voice of Audubon at (781)259-8805 and leave a message.