Loon survey and other stuff including Bonaparte's Gulls

Common Loon, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Common Loon, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Common Loon with chick, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Common Loons with chick, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Common Loon with mark on back of head, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Common Loon with leg tags, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Today the wife and I joined a Quabbin biologist at the northern end of Quabbin to assist in conducting a loon survey.  We started out at 8:55 AM and spent the morning out on the water covering a large portion of the upper and middle part of the reservoir.  We saw a total of 29 Common Loons with four of those being young of the season.  Most of the rest of the loons were singles or pairs without young plus one group of seven together in the northern part of the reservoir.  The day was just perfect as far as the weather is concerned.  Sunny skies with some AM fog with a very light breeze.  The day started out in the high 50's and warmed into the 80's with low humidity. 

Bonaparte's Gull, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Bonaparte's Gull, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Bonaparte's Gulls, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

One of the best birds of the day turned up near the end of the morning as we headed back.  I noticed a group of gulls and cormorants on a sand spit and noticed a few that were smaller.  I got a distant look and saw back hoods on them.  We came in for a closer look and found four breeding plumage Bonaparte's Gulls.  A very nice find inland here in late July. 

Osprey, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Ring-billed Gull, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Double-crested Cormorant,  northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Bald Eagle on osprey nest platform, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

Black Ducks and Mallard, northern Quabbin, July 30, 2012

 Northern Quabbin looking toward phragmite island, July 30, 2012

 Northern Quabbin early morning, July 30, 2012

Other birds of note included Greater Yellowlegs, Osprey (unusual inland here in July), several Spotted Sandpipers, 19 Double-crested Cormorants, five American Black Ducks and others.

Lake Wallace at dawn, Belchertown, MA, July 30, 2012

Green Heron, Great Egret and Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 30, 2012

Mallard with recent young, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 30, 2012

Before heading up to Quabbin I made it over to Lake Wallace at dawn to see if anything new was around.  Although I have a feeling something unusual will show up there some time today was not that day.  Still a good number of Wood Ducks (98) and Mallards (158) with some very young Mallards included in this total.  There was also a Great Egret, half a dozen Green Herons and four Great Blue Herons.  I managed to have all three species close together for a quick digiscope shot.

In addition to the trips this morning at home I had a Louisiana Waterthrush singing as well as a Yellow Warbler.  I had not heard either in a few weeks but both were calling today.  The Alder Flycatcher was also quite vocal today which has not been the case for a few weeks either.