Round Meadow Pond 4/26

On my way to the post office this noon I notice an adult Bald Eagle passing low over Round Meadow Pond, in Westminster. I stopped and got the scope on the bird once it landed, managing a few long distance digi-scope shots....a sequence of shots while it "bathed" are below.

I have seen Bald Eagle(s) on the following dates during April:
4/3 1 adult
4/11 1 juvenile (likely 2010 bird)
4/12 2 adults perched a hundred feet away
4/21 1 adult
4/26 1 adult

***a few additional dates :

4/27 2 adults

4/29 2 adults

5/2 2 adults
*************
The possibility of a pair either nesting or prospecting in the area must be considered. There plenty of bodies of water nearby including to support a pair; Round Meadow Pond, Wyman's Pond, Wachusett Lake (not the Res.), Mare Meadow Reservoir, Bickford Pond, NoTown Reservoir...to name a few. BTW, many of the lakes and reservoirs were formed many years ago to "feed" the paper mills in Fitchburg.

Recent Neighborhood "patch" Birds

As May approaches its always fun to watch the new arrivals return and pass through the yard and "neighborhood patch". The female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was digi-scoped from the back deck. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Female)

Field Sparrows have returned to nearby sandpit, about 1/2miles from home, Brown Thrasher and Pairie Warblers will not be far behind. Singing Field Sparrow

My first of year Black and White Warbler was seen on 4/20 and I heard another from my deck on the 21st. Rear view of a Black and White Warbler

The American Robin (below) has begun its territorial dispute, with itself, for the 3rd consecutive year....knocking on the glass door every moring. Here its takes a break while I used the deck for morning coffee and birding. American Robin, taking a break from battling with its reflection.

I had yet to see or hear a White-throated Sparrow in the neighborhood this year, but after being awaya few days and returning on the 20th, my first walk yielded over 30 White-throats! One of my favorite bird songs can be heard from home at sunrise each moring, until they clear out in a week or two. Juncos were still in "strong" with over 100 tallied on a 2 mile walk. White-throated Sparrow

I saw 6 Hermit Thrush while during a local walk on 4/22, a digi-bin photo of one of the more cooperative ones is below. Hermit Thrush

While not "super early" for a Black-throated Green Warbler, 4/22 seems a little on the early side, this bird did not sing but came into view while I spished. Black-throated Green Warbler

A little further down the trail this Louisiana Waterthrush (below) reacted nicely to spishing, Like the BT Green above this bird did not sing at all....nor did a Blue-headed Vireo I saw nearby. Louisiana Waterthrush

Off Battle Road, during the 4/22 walk were about 60 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 15 Palm Warblers (below) both these species were singing strong! "Yellow" Palm Warbler

I noticed this "white-tailed" Chickadee in the yard on the 20th a few times since, I did not see this bird during the winter. "white-tailed" Black-capped Chickadee

Saturday afternoon 4/23 this male Eastern Bluebird was in the back yard, last year a pair nested in my neighbor's nest box.
Eastern Bluebird

Sterling Peat 4/5

I birded Muddy Pond at "Sterling Peat" this morning, where I found a nice group of ~225 Ring-necked Ducks, a few Common Goldeneyes, Green-winged Teal (10), Pied-billed Grebe (2), Belted Kingfisher, Wilson's Snipe (10), Eastern Phoebe (3) and dozen or so Tree Swallows.

A nice surprise was a Horned Grebe in a transitional plumage that was a bit "foriegn" to me. But, based on this bird's relatively straight and "heavy" bill, along with head shape would seem to fit Horned Grebe rather than a rare Eared. Ita was was fairly close in size to the nearby Pied-billed Grebes that were present. A few digi-scope shots, poor ones at that, are below (with Ringed-necked Ducks): An "ear-ee" looking photo..the bird was looking away making the bill look rather small. The back of its head

A nice profile, soing its head shape and straight bill...

..another similar to the one above, its bill does appear to be straight like a Horned and NOT "up-swept" like an Eared.

It is some what unusual to see Horned Grebes on such a small body of water, such as Muddy Pond. But, I have seen this species a few times on Crystal Lake and Wright's Reservior in Gardner and once on the Mount Wachusett Community College campus pond! Today's bird stuck to the shore line (the far shore at that) and moved in and out of some vegetation.