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| Bohemian Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
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| Bohemian Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
On my day off today I decided to try and turn up some Bohemian Waxwings in Hampshire County. In addition I was hopeful for a little movement in waterfowl (but found little). I began with a brief stop at Winsor Dam which produced four flyby Black Ducks and little else. No waxwings in the fruiting trees here but most of the fruit had been picked clean early in the season. Nevertheless as I was leaving a group of 29 Wild Turkeys (with several in the trees) were picking off the little remaining fruit in these trees.
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| Wild Turkeys (part of group of 29), Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
I then headed off to Amherst with a stop at the UMASS campus pond which held a small group of Canada Geese, about 150 Mallards, eight Black Ducks and the female Gadwall that has been present on and off most of the winter. I checked the many fruiting trees around campus but found no waxwings. I then headed past the horse farm picking up two American Kestrels and several Red-tailed Hawks. I next made a brief stop at Lake Warner and had a lone female Common Merganser as the only waterfowl species on the north end of the lake. I then headed back to Rt 116 and down to the US Fish and Wildlife HQ building in Hadley where I have had groups of waxwings in the past. There were a number of Cedar Waxwings present (50+) but no Bohemian Waxwings. I then looked briefly for the western Red-tailed Hawk but only found a typical eastern one as well as another American Kestrel. The fields along South Maple St were quiet as was Hadley Cove that had no waterfowl at all. A brief detour then occurred as my check engine light came on. I was close to Northampton and I know a few mechanics there so I headed over. After a check of the car I continued on with the assurance that the issue needs to be addressed but the car will keep going on the short term. I headed back toward home making another stop at the fish and wildlife building which this time contained at least four Bohemian Waxwings mixed in with the cedars. I got some great looks and photos of both species as they fed actively quite low. After watching them for a half hour I headed for home. A truly spectacular bird from the north that will soon be headed back that way. As a side note the upcoming days this week will likely result in a decent turnover of birds as some of our wintering birds head further north and a nice assortment of early migrants arrive. See the migration forecast at the following eBird link:
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/birdcast-alert
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| Bohemian Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
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| Cedar Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
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| Bohemian Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
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| Cedar Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
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| Cedar Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
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| Cedar Waxwing, US Fish and Wildlife HQ, Hadley, MA, Mar 5, 2012 |
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