Quabbin Park, Amherst and Hadley

Mallard, UMASS Pond, Feb 13, 2012

Mallard x American Black Duck hybrid, UMASS Pond, Feb 13, 2012

Wild Turkeys (part of flock of 31), Quabbin Park, Feb 13, 2012

I decided to take quick swing through Quabbin Park and then head over to Amherst and Hadley to hit a few areas before I ran some errands over that way.  The day started cloudy with some flurries and relatively calm.  As the morning moved on it got sunnier but also got quite a bit windier.  At Quabbin Park the highlights included a continuing group of 31 Wild Turkeys at the administration building feeding in (yes in) and around a large crab apple tree, a Bald Eagle back at the nest site and a total of 16 Common Mergansers (the only waterfowl present).  The last few cold days had actually added a little bit of ice around some of the coves at Quabbin but given the wind and above freezing temperatures today I'm sure all the ice is broken up again.  After leaving Quabbin I headed over to UMASS to try once again to catch up with the Cackling Goose but again had no luck.  The campus pond held 216 Canada Geese, just over 300 Mallards and a handful of Black Ducks.  As I was leaving campus I noticed groups of geese coming into one of the athletic fields.  I pulled over and watched group after group of geese come in but all were Canada Geese (total of 637...one with a aluminum leg band...too far away to read). 

Red-tailed Hawk, Hampshire College, Feb 13, 2012

Northern Mockingbird, Hampshire College, Feb 13, 2012

I made brief stops at the horse farm, South Maple Street (the Rough-legged Hawk was actively hunting), Hadley Cove (mostly frozen), the Honeypot (no Rough-legged here today) and then over to Hampshire College.  Not too much of note at many of the spots but the wind was really kicking up and keeping activity to a minimum.