Fruitlands Museum, Harvard, 100-132 Prospect Hill Road, Worcester, Massachusetts, US
Apr 5, 2025 7:00 AM – 9:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.25 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Low 40s, overcast, cold/damp but calm. Started in main parking lot and walked upper trail past Old Meadow and Pergolas Site down to the orange trail past New Meadow and back through the woods taking the lower yellow trail past the Willard Farm Site to the Fruitlands Farmhouse and returning to the main parking area. Highlights: Kestrel, Bald Eagle and Northern Harrier (a gray ghost). Overall, somewhat quiet.
36 species
Canada Goose 5
Mourning Dove 1
Double-crested Cormorant 3 F-O
Great Blue Heron 3 F-O
Turkey Vulture 1
Northern Harrier 1 Excellent sighting for all. A “gray ghost” male seen from upper, open trail.
Bald Eagle 1 A welcoming F-O shortly after our arrival. Adult.
Red-tailed Hawk 1 Perched on far side of New Meadow beyond red metal barn. A photo confirmed what a appeared to be a “black” raptor in the overcast light.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 0 Evidence of activity in woods but no auditory or visual sightings.
Northern Flicker 1
American Kestrel 3 Excellent sightings on both sides of campus. One seen shortly at start heading east over Prospect Hill Rd. One perched atop pine, then deciduous below main parking area to the left of Visitor’s Center (being harassed by 2 annoyed blue jays). One on far side of New Meadow perched on an tall, orange stake.
Eastern Phoebe 6
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 5
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 6
Tree Swallow 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 4
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 0 Surprised not to hear or see any. Perhaps to cold.
Northern Mockingbird 4
Eastern Bluebird 2 Pair near Gift Shop/Cafe building.
American Robin 51 Probably a conservative count.
House Sparrow 10
House Finch 3
American Goldfinch 3
Dark-eyed Junco 3
White-throated Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 11
Brown-headed Cowbird 7
Common Grackle 2
Palm Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 6
Northern Cardinal 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S223247491
April 25 Annual Members Meeting – All Welcome
Please join us on April 25 for our Annual Members Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30 with the BBC's annual business meeting and the election of [...]
May 1 Members Only Webinar: Wood Warblers with Bill Gette
On May 1 from 7:00 to 8:30 P. M. Bill Gette will offer a presentation on Wood Warblers. These Gems of the Forest are one of the most exciting groups of birds. Living in New [...]
2025 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards
The BBC Conservation and Education Committee is pleased to announce our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarship recipients, Sydney Beard of Cambridge and Jonas Johnson of Canaan, CT. These scholarships cover the full cost [...]
Changes Coming to Mt Auburn Cemetery This Spring
Mt Auburn Cemetery has announced changes to birder access starting this spring. In short the gates will open every day starting at 6:00 AM but the key program has been discontinued. Here is a portion [...]
US Fish & Wildlife Service Major Staff Cuts
According to the National Wildlife Refuge Association, “The intentional dismantling of science and conservation is happening now. Hundreds of dedicated U. S. Fish and Wildlife Services employees—many of them biologists—have been fired, gutting an [...]
Avian Influenza Spreading in Massachusetts
Avian influenza is an increasing public health concern and is spreading across Massachusetts. In the past few days we have heard reports of waterfowl die offs in Cambridge, Amherst, Plymouth and Brockton. If you see [...]
April 25 Annual Members Meeting – All Welcome
Please join us on April 25 for our Annual Members Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30 with the BBC's annual business meeting and the election of [...]
May 1 Members Only Webinar: Wood Warblers with Bill Gette
On May 1 from 7:00 to 8:30 P. M. Bill Gette will offer a presentation on Wood Warblers. These Gems of the Forest are one of the most exciting groups of birds. Living in New [...]
2025 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards
The BBC Conservation and Education Committee is pleased to announce our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarship recipients, Sydney Beard of Cambridge and Jonas Johnson of Canaan, CT. These scholarships cover the full cost [...]
Changes Coming to Mt Auburn Cemetery This Spring
Mt Auburn Cemetery has announced changes to birder access starting this spring. In short the gates will open every day starting at 6:00 AM but the key program has been discontinued. Here is a portion [...]
US Fish & Wildlife Service Major Staff Cuts
According to the National Wildlife Refuge Association, “The intentional dismantling of science and conservation is happening now. Hundreds of dedicated U. S. Fish and Wildlife Services employees—many of them biologists—have been fired, gutting an [...]
Avian Influenza Spreading in Massachusetts
Avian influenza is an increasing public health concern and is spreading across Massachusetts. In the past few days we have heard reports of waterfowl die offs in Cambridge, Amherst, Plymouth and Brockton. If you see [...]
April 25 Annual Members Meeting – All Welcome
Please join us on April 25 for our Annual Members Meeting. The evening begins with a social hour at 6:30. The program starts at 7:30 with the BBC's annual business meeting and the election of [...]
May 1 Members Only Webinar: Wood Warblers with Bill Gette
On May 1 from 7:00 to 8:30 P. M. Bill Gette will offer a presentation on Wood Warblers. These Gems of the Forest are one of the most exciting groups of birds. Living in New [...]
2025 BBC Teen Birder Scholarship Awards
The BBC Conservation and Education Committee is pleased to announce our two annual Bill Drummond Young Birder Scholarship recipients, Sydney Beard of Cambridge and Jonas Johnson of Canaan, CT. These scholarships cover the full cost [...]
Changes Coming to Mt Auburn Cemetery This Spring
Mt Auburn Cemetery has announced changes to birder access starting this spring. In short the gates will open every day starting at 6:00 AM but the key program has been discontinued. Here is a portion [...]
US Fish & Wildlife Service Major Staff Cuts
According to the National Wildlife Refuge Association, “The intentional dismantling of science and conservation is happening now. Hundreds of dedicated U. S. Fish and Wildlife Services employees—many of them biologists—have been fired, gutting an [...]
Avian Influenza Spreading in Massachusetts
Avian influenza is an increasing public health concern and is spreading across Massachusetts. In the past few days we have heard reports of waterfowl die offs in Cambridge, Amherst, Plymouth and Brockton. If you see [...]
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
Horn Pond Woburn
Co-sponsored with Menotomy Bird Club. Join us as we search a different patch of Horn Pond for early spring migrants - particularly Pine, Palm, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, but there may also be phoebes, several sparrows, kinglets and thrushes. Or, let's find a surprise.
Willard Brook State Forest
A brisk midweek walk along scenic Willard Brook and connecting trails in search of early migrants, including Louisiana Waterthrush, Pine Warbler, and other early arrivers, as well as resident Brown Creepers, thrushes, Purple Finches, and others. Terrain is rocky hillside, and the streambed can be muddy, snowy, wet, and icy. Boots, walking sticks, and warm [...]
Slow Birding at Revere Beach
Led by DCR Park Staff. Come observe the beautiful details of birds and their behaviors and share observations with others in the group. Pose questions and memories that observations elicit. Birds we may see include Piping Plover, Manx Shearwater, resident gulls, with Common Tern arriving by May. Suitable for adults and children 8 years+. Children [...]