Arcadia meadows and Goats Peak

Northern Harrier, Goats Peak, Mt Tom State Reservation
Northern Harrier, Goats Peak, Mt Tom State Reservation

Black throated Green Warbler, from Goats Peak tower at Mt Tom State Reservation

Osprey, Goats Peak
Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia Meadows, Northampton, MA

Bobolinks, Arcadia Meadows, Northampton, MA

Bobolink, Arcadia Meadows, Northampton, MA

Coopers Hawk in fog, Arcadia Meadows, Northampton, MA

I decided at the last minute to head over to Northampton this morning and check out Arcadia Meadows (AKA West Meadows) and then head up to Goats Peak at Mount Tom for some hawk watching. As I got into Hadley the fog got very thick and I thought I may have made a mistake on the choice of locations this morning but it turned out to be a great morning. Despite the fog the Arcadia area near the Ibis Pool and other hedgerows was great. Lots of good stuff and some incredible looks. After a great beginning to the morning I headed up to Goats Peak tower. I had some nice movement of warblers on the way up with one group containing a Bay Breasted and several Blackpolls plus others. On the tower I had a few more groups move through during the morning. It is always interesting to be looking down on the warblers. Despite good weather conditions the 'big' movement of Broad wings didn't materialize this morning. However despite the lack of quantity the time up there made up for it in quality. A nice mix of species and some great looks. I will include the lists for today from Arcadia and Mt Tom.

Mount Tom

Canada Goose 12
Turkey Vulture 7
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 3 adults, locals
Northern Harrier 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 12 most low and fast
Cooper's Hawk 3
Broad-winged Hawk 7
Red-tailed Hawk 4
American Kestrel 3
Ring-billed Gull 1
Chimney Swift 28 largest group of 20 plus other small groups
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 stopped at tower and hover for several seconds before moving on
Eastern Phoebe 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 2
Common Raven 2
Tree Swallow 21
Black-capped Chickadee 28
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Brown Creeper 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Wood Thrush 1
Northern Parula 11
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 12
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 7
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 2
American Goldfinch 4

Arcadia Meadows

Mallard 1
Cooper's Hawk 1 juvenile
American Kestrel 1
Mourning Dove 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 7
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's) 2
Least Flycatcher 2
Empidonax sp. 1
Red-eyed Vireo 7
Blue Jay 11
American Crow 7
Black-capped Chickadee 18
Tufted Titmouse 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
House Wren 9
American Robin 3
Gray Catbird 16
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 7
Cedar Waxwing 8
Tennessee Warbler 1
Nashville Warbler 2
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 4 one adult, three 1st years..two together and the others singles in widely scattered areas
Magnolia Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
American Redstart 1
Ovenbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 39 minimum number...at times had half a dozen in view at once.
Savannah Sparrow 14
Song Sparrow 54 again a minimum number
Lincoln's Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 34
Red-winged Blackbird 275
American Goldfinch 9