ML646124131

Behaketaren xehetasunak

****MEGA Long expected first state and first New England record, though the last day of November wasn’t exactly what I had anticipated. First found by Jess Maguire, and word got out by Liam Norton (Thanks for directions!) This species has been dispersing far and wide for the last several years, notably missing Massachusetts until now. Seems like it has been around; one neighbor said, “Oh, yeah. The Speckled Heron we’ve been seeing!” Oddly, it was feeding on lawn grubs in the Third Cliff neighborhood of Scituate, despite the presence of a big salt marsh just a block away. Very tame and unconcerned with the presence of birders. I didn’t hear it vocalize, but did see it eat about ten grubs while I observed it. It travels among the yards of the neighborhood, as others have seen it several blocks from where I saw it (I observed it on 9 Moorland Road in the side yard, where it remained throughout my stay). Of note, only about a mile from where the second state record of Roseate Spoonbill was seen 16 October 2025, just a month ago. (https://ebird.org/checklist/S279747987) Many photos.