April 6 -12th North Central Mass.

Sunday 4/12 finally "broke open" as the first real day of spring, after another tough week of weather.

I birded around Westminster/Fitchburg a bit, on Sunday, with highlights being 3 immature Bald Eagles at Round Meadow Pond, 2 Glossy Ibis continuing at Monty Tech High School and 2 Osprey over Saw Mill Pond. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Palm Warblers and Hermit Thrushes have arrived too, but Pine Siskins are still lingering; and few redpolls were present on Friday 4/10. Tree Swallows are starting to inspect nest boxes, phoebes are wide spread and Great Blue Herons were at their nesting "stations" at a nearby colony. An adult Bald Eagle (the 4th of the day in town) was perched in that middle of the Great Blue colony , but the herons all remained calm.

 Many lakes and ponds are carrying a lot of ice, and there is still a good deal of snow in heavily shaded woodlands, but it does appear that spring has arrived.

Here are a few recent photos:

A female American Kestrel launching from a grave stone near the old Gardner Landfill.

Bald Eagle in Westminster, which was perched in the middle of a Great Blue Heron Colony.

Same as above...shot 2

Great Blue Herons, 1 of 15 nests in Westminster the left bird was letting out a squawk

Our 1st yard Purple Finch of 2015

Hermit Thrush along the Otter River in Baldwinville's "Back Bay", on a cold and miserable Wednesday 4/8.