Covey WMA and various spots along the Connecticut River

Horned Lark, Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Feb 18, 2013

Although today was sunny it was far from warm with temperatures starting off in the low teens and warming into the 20's with a strong wind all day.  I started this President's Day checking out Covey WMA with Wilson.  Not too much in the way of noteworthy sightings here despite covering a lot of distance.  At least we had complete peace and quite because no one else was crazy enough to be outside!


Greater Scaup, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 18, 2013

Greater Scaup (L) and Common Merganser (R), Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 18, 2013

Late in the morning I headed over to the Connecticut River to check a few areas from Northampton south to South Hadley.  I started at the Coolidge Bridge where I caught back up with the male Greater Scaup that is still present.  In addition to the scaup the river had a few Common Mergansers plus around 150 Canada Geese and a few Mallards.

Horned Lark, Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Feb 18, 2013

My next stop was Aqua Vitae Road where I found a flock of around 30 Horned Larks and little else.

Common Merganser, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Feb 18, 2013

A few more stops along the river moving south turned up a handful of Mute Swans up above the Holyoke Dam.  Below the dam there was more activity with five Common Goldeneyes, 11 Common Mergansers, a pair of Hooded Mergansers, 62 Mallards and 145 Canada Geese plus all three expected gull species.