Hoary Redpoll, Cackling Goose and lots of Common Redpolls at Honeypot

Hoary Redpoll, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Hoary Redpoll, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Common Redpoll, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Common Redpolls, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Common Redpoll, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

American Goldfinch, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Common Redpoll, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

I decided to try one more time to catch up with the Hoary Redpoll and/or the Northern Shrike that had been seen at the Honeypot area of Hadley several days ago.  I arrived just before the sun came up and was treated to a spectacular sunrise.  I started at 'thats a plenty farm' and immediately heard Common Redpolls overhead but never more than five at a time.  I walked the area of the farm and then headed back toward the area of the model airplane field as that is where some of the groups of redpolls had been heading and is the area Scott Surner had a Hoary Redpoll last week.  I ran across a large (180+ bird) flock of Common Redpolls and spent some time trying to get views of all the birds in the flock that was actively feeding.  The flock would get skittish at times and fly up and around when a Red tailed Hawk appeared or for no apparent reason at all.  I finally ran across a Hoary Redpoll and I got views of the bird for about 30 seconds before a Red tailed Hawk put all the birds up again.  I managed a few marginal photos that show some of the field marks but not as well as actually viewing the bird did.  The bird was paler overall (although not as pale as I might have expected), had a short, stubby bill, limited fine streaking on flanks and unstreaked undertail coverts.  Wish I could have gotten a longer look and better photos but oh well...no complaints!  This was a life bird for me as well as county bird #227 for the year!  After viewing the flock for quite some time a part of the group broke off and headed toward the dike (I caught up with that group on the way out). 

Cackling Goose with Canada Geese, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Cackling Goose with Canada Geese, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Cackling Goose with Canada Geese, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Dec 14, 2012

Just before I left a group of Canada Geese flew by heading southwest and in among them was a Cackling Goose. (Perhaps the individual that has been at UMASS...the birds were coming from that direction).  Other birds of note included a number of Horned Larks, a Swamp Sparrow and a variety of other more common species.

Common Goldeneye, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Dec 14, 2012

I also made a quick trip to Quabbin Park before heading for home and had a couple of Common Goldeneye at Winsor Dam as well as seven Horned Grebes and 30+ Mallards and a few Black Ducks at Hank's Meadow as well as a couple Common Loons.

Wilson and I then went for a walk along the Jabish Canal and the best bird there was a flyover Red Crossbill that was seen and heard.  Tried to get a recording of it to determine type but failed.