Twenty years ago we would have been hard-pressed to find a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in central Massachusetts in the middle of winter. But a warming climate has convinced many or these woodpeckers to save migration energy and remain on or close to their breeding territories. Sapsuckers seem to be sporting a rather messy plumage at this time of year since they're either immatures molting into adult plumage of adults in annual molt. This female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was in Hardwick on February 8th. Photo by Alan Rawle.
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Savannah Sparrows generally withdraw from our region in winter, but as the winters become milder cold-weather sightings have been on the increase. On January 30, 2025 Ted Purcell was lucky enough to get this close-up look of one in Rutland.
During winter 2023 -2024 this species was present in high numbers throughout central and western Massachusetts. But during winter of 2024-2025 there were few to be found, as the peak of pine cone crop production was long over. A few Pine Siskins were around, but it was still a surprise to encounter a flock visiting a feeder in Hardwick on February 17th. Photo by Alan Rawle.
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In the depths of winter, when open water is frozen over, it can be challenging for birds to stay hydrated. Some birds eat the frozen water all around them, catch snowflakes in mid-air, or drink from dripping icicles. Many other birds, like this Eastern Bluebird, scoop up fresh, powdery snow to ingest. Eating ice and snow comes at a cost, however, since it takes energy to convert the frozen stuff to water and bring it up to the bird's body temperature. It could be worth the calories to obtain water in this manner, though, rather than flying long distances to find some and possibly be exposed to predators or other hazards. Written by Richa Malhotra on BirdNote. Photo taken in Rutland by Anne Greene.
An artistic look at the January 20th hawk imprint in the snow, from another angle. Deb wrote, "The sun was bright that morning. The gray toned images look deceptively like a raised image."
Although it wasn't winter yet, autumn brought a couple of astronomical surprises to the region. Due to a complicated series of atmospheric and solar conditions, Massachusetts and other parts of New England hosted beautiful displays in early October 2024.
These colorful photographs were captured via cellphone in Jefferson on October 10, 2024 by Scott Wahlstrom.
While reviewing his trailcam footage near the end of February, Doug Wipf was caught off-guard by this image of a tail-less raccoon. Wildlifefaq.com says, "There are various reasons why a raccoon might lose its tail. It could be due to an injury inflicted by another raccoon, a predator attack, or a birth defect. In some cases, a raccoon may lose its tail due to human activities, such as getting caught in a trap or vehicle accident." This raccoon appears to be in good condition, and the area where the tail would be attached doesn’t seem to show a recent wound or trauma site. This animal’s tail was probably lost some time ago, long before it passed in front of the Rutland trailcam.
On a cold evening in February, shortly before sunset, a Brown Creeper was discovered perched high in a tree cavity that had been excavated by a Pileated Woodpecker. Although exposed on one side, the bird was otherwise sheltered from the wind and cold air and chose the spot as a night roost for many nights. When the temperature dipped below freezing, the bird was certain to be present. Photo taken in Hardwick on February 19th by Alan Rawle.
Black Vultures have become more common in Worcester County and are no longer considered a rare sighting, but they're eye-catching when they do show up. The bases of the primary feathers are white, producing a white patch on the underside of the wing's edge, which is visible in flight and often appears "silvery" in bright sunlight. Photo by Alan Rawle, February 22nd in Hardwick.
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After a fresh snowfall, Deb Mero of Erving noticed this Blue Jay-size imprint and snapped a photo before it melted away. Size and shape suggest a small hawk, most likely Sharp-Shinned Hawk, which is about 11" - 12" in length and has a 23" wingspread. Deb theorized that the hawk sensed a rodent under the snow and took the plunge. January 20th photo.
A similar surprise occurred after fresh snow on January 26th when Alan Rawle found this small bird imprint in the snow. It was easy to guess the species that left it behind - Dark-eyed Juncos, were foraging around the spot. Juncos spend a considerable portion of their days searching for food. They're known for their ground-feeding habits, preferring to hop or walk rather than fly for short distances. It appears that this individual briefly got in a bit deeper than expected.
Another pleasant astronomical surprise, again in October, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was bright enough to be viewed by the naked eye for most of the month. NASA defines comets as “cosmic snowballs” made of debris from the formation of the solar system. As they get close to the sun, they heat up and form a glowing tail of gas and dust that can be millions of miles long. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was discovered in 2023 by observers at China’s Tsuchinshan Observatory and an ATLAS telescope in South Africa. It was officially named in honor of both observatories.The comet comes from the Oort Cloud, a region filled with frozen debris on the edge of our solar system. Photo by Scott Wahlstrom, Jefferson, October 15th.
Info by Simmone Shah for TIME Magazine
Somewhat of a surprise, although not completely unexpected, was the appearance of these two Sandhill Cranes in New Braintree on December 27, 2024. It's highly likely these are the same two birds that were found foraging in the same cornfield stubble during the 2023 - 2024 winter season. Seen here almost daily through early February 2025, the cranes disappeared after the early February snowstorm. But what to think about FOUR cranes that appeared/reappeared here on March 20th? This observation leads to further questions about the status of this species in the region. Clearly, numbers are increasing. If these cranes are local breeders, overwintering may give them a head start on claiming preferred nesting sites. If they're migrants, they may just have an advantage in being able to reach their preferred nesting site further north earlier than other pairs. Photo by Alan Rawle.
Another view of an Eastern Bluebird eating snow for winter hydration. Photo by Anne Greene, Rutland.
Never ceasing to surprise is the porcupine's agility and ability to climb and balance upon narrow, often twig-like branches. This porcupine easily high-wired its way to a small branching center point of a small sapling in Petersham on March 1st. Photo by Alan Rawle.
On March 8th, Ted Purcell was checking out a favorite local birding hotspot, Jordan's Dairy Farms in Rutland, and was surprised to find five Snow Geese among about 100 not-so-surprising Canada Geese. Snow Geese numbers have ballooned, from fewer than a million in the 1960s to perhaps 15 million today. The geese overwhelm the Arctic tundra where they nest, degrading breeding areas they share with nesting sandpipers and other birds. It's no wonder that some are wandering into our area.
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It was a surprise to come upon this intact Bald-faced Hornet nest in a wooded area in west-central Massachusetts on January 26th. In early fall, new queens and drones are born, and they leave the nest to mate. When cool fall weather comes along, remaining worker hornets and the original queen gather together in tight clusters inside the nest to stay as warm as they can for as long as they can. Eventually, though, they freeze and die. All hope lies with the new queen in her overwintering spot. New nests are built by the new queen every year. The old, abandoned nest like the one in this photo usually gets tattered or completely destroyed by birds searching for food or by the cold winter winds and snow. Meanwhile, queens will survive the winter by burrowing in a rock pile, hollow tree, under a log or bark or even in the attic of a building.
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Doug Wipf took this photo of two of the Rutland Snow Geese, also on March 8th.
Eastern Towhees was a surprising overwintering species in central Massachusetts this season, with at least a dozen present in Worcester County December through March. This bright male was photographed in Hardwick by Alan Rawle on January 4th.
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SURPRISE!! White-throated Sparrow in Rutland. Photo by Anne Greene