First Encounter Beach
Massachusetts · Northeast
About This Location
First Encounter Beach is a productive birding destination in Massachusetts, with 246 species recorded on eBird. This coastal habitat attracts Canada Goose, American Black Duck, and Red-breasted Merganser among many others. Spring and fall migration bring waves of warblers and shorebirds through the area.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
Chuck-will's-widow
Antrostomus carolinensis
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Hydrobates leucorhous
Brown Booby
Sula leucogaster
Great Shearwater
Ardenna gravis
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Northern Bobwhite
Black-bellied Plover
Piping Plover
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Eastern Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Goose
Birding Tips
- 1
Check rocky shorelines and jetties at low tide for shorebirds.
- 2
Scan offshore waters with a spotting scope for seabirds and waterfowl.
- 3
Visit during mid-May for peak warbler migration.
Amenities
More in Massachusetts
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Historic Cambridge cemetery renowned as a spring warbler migrant trap.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Massachusetts barrier beach refuge vital for shorebirds and Piping Plovers.
Arnold Arboretum
Harvard's 281-acre living tree museum in Boston with 200+ bird species and outstanding warbler migration.
Massachusetts Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Massachusetts →