Quabbin birding and beyond: Weekend birding-sunny, cool, windy

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Weekend birding-sunny, cool, windy

Pileated Woodpecker, Rail trail-Amherst, MA, April 29, 2012

As April rapidly comes to a close the cooler than normal conditions continue. Yesterday the temperature stayed in the 50’s with a strong wind. Today the temperature started out in the 20’s and warmed only into the upper 50's again. Record setting cold morning temperatures for late April with coldest night likely to be tonight with lows in the low 20's possible. Given the conditions of northerly winds and cool temperatures there was little obvious migration taking place. The conditions to our south and west continue to point toward an increase in migration but the conditions here will remain unfavorable to a big push of migrants until perhaps Monday into Tuesday. Once the migration conditions improve there should be a big influx of both numbers and variety. Even without a big push there are still migrants that move through with the following new species seen over the weekend: Yellow Warbler and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

I stayed around the local area visiting Quabbin Park and Reed Conservation area on Saturday and made the trip over to Amherst to the rail trail at dawn and then headed back over to Quabbin Park and then Covey WMA on Sunday. Sunday was a more productive day with the winds staying a bit calmer for longer in the morning. I had a little pulse of raptors moving at Quabbin Park mid morning at Quabbin with 13 Broad-wings, an Osprey, a Northern Harrier and three each of Bald Eagle and Turkey Vulture. On Sunday I had my first eight warbler species day of the season including my first Yellow Warbler as well as the continuing Blackburnian, several each of Black and White and Black-throated Green, the Louisiana Waterthrush at the house plus many each of Pine, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Other birds of note included three Eastern Meadowlarks along the rail trail as well as a few vocal Brown Thrashers plus a very cooperative Pileated Woodpecker. Overall a good weekend despite the less than warm temperatures.