Amazing enough, a Bell's Vireo was caught and banded at the Manomet Center for Conservation Science on October 12. But then another one was found at Fort Hill by Sean Williams less than 2 weeks later! The latter bird, possibly only the 10th state record, was seen for a few days after its initial discovery. Sean Williams took the photo above.
Definitely the bird of the season so far, a Gray Kingbird was found in Hyannisport by Carol Wrisley on October 23. It continued in the same location through press time, to the joy of many birders who successfully chased it. The 5th record of this species for Massachusetts. Photograph © Susan Wrisley.
Apparently a one-day wonder, a Northern Wheatear found in Sandwich by Peter Crosson was seen by a few other birders that day, but was never reported again. Peter took the photograph above.
A wave of Rufous Hummingbirds seemed to hit the state, starting with a one-day-wonder September 29 at Phil Brown’s feeders in Essex. It was succeeded in October by a bird at Sean Williams’ feeder in Westborough October 7, and another at Donna Cooper’s feeder in Andover October 12, both of which stuck around long enough to be caught, banded, and confirmed to be Rufous and not Allen’s. Phil Brown took the photo above.
The BBC’s September overnight pelagic was another spectacular trip, encountering a whale shark for the second straight time, plus a few White-faced Storm-Petrels and a photogenic South Polar Skua! Isaac Sanchez took the photos.