We try to do this hike every year (missed last year) about this week. Blackburnians were very numerous and we got some beautiful looks at a few since they were in shorter trees along Saddleball ridge. Only 2 Blackpolls (have had as many as 5) and no Swainson’s Thrushes. Last one we had was 2021 and we had 3 in 2020. Always great to hear the Winter Wren’s song along the trail. One thing we have noted twice is most of the Black-throated Green Warblers were in deciduous woods from 2500 - 2900’ elevation and only 1 or 2 of the 11 we recorded were in the spruce/fir on Saddleball. In the N Quabbin area they are generally found in predominantly hemlock/pine forests.
Mount Greylock State Reservation, Berkshire, Massachusetts, US Jun 5, 2025 7:44 AM - 2:27 PM Protocol: Traveling 9.55 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Hiked up Cheshire Harbor trail to Appalachian Trail just below summit and along Saddleball ridge to Old Adams Rd and back to Cheshire Harbor Trail 40 species
Broad-winged Hawk 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1 Late migrant? Called “Turee” a couple times and Che-Lyk several times. About 2 miles up the Cheshire Harbor Trail. Blue-headed Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 11 Blue Jay 3 Common Raven 4 Black-capped Chickadee 4 Tufted Titmouse 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 6 5 along Saddleball Red-breasted Nuthatch 4 Brown Creeper 2 Winter Wren 4 3 along Saddleball Mtn, one in lower forest Gray Catbird 1 Veery 1 Hermit Thrush 6 American Robin 2 Purple Finch 1 Along Saddleball Chipping Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 13 Song Sparrow 1 Baltimore Oriole 1 Ovenbird 29 Minimum Black-and-white Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 1 American Redstart 2 Magnolia Warbler 5 Blackburnian Warbler 24 Probably more. We heard one almost the whole length of the Saddleball section of the trail. Great looks at a few since they were lower in the shorter trees. Yellow Warbler 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Blackpoll Warbler 2 Along Saddleball Black-throated Blue Warbler 10 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 8 Black-throated Green Warbler 11 Canada Warbler 1 On Saddleball Scarlet Tanager 2 Northern Cardinal 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 1
