Quabbin Park and Covey WMA

Bufflehead, Winsor Dam, Feb 3, 2013

Hanks Meadow looking toward Prescott Peninsula, Feb 3, 2013

Horned Grebe, Quabbin Park, Feb 3, 2013

I started my Sunday at Quabbin Park and had a handful of good birds around.  The dusting of snow last night completely changed the look of the landscape and to go along with that change the species of birds changed too.  The reservoir continues to ice over with most of Goodnough Dike area frozen in and a good portion of the area around Hanks Meadow.  In the little open water at Hanks Meadow I had three Horned Grebes together.  This was the only waterfowl around but perhaps not surprising with the several Bald Eagles around.  I also had a Ruffed Grouse flush as I was walking by its roost spot.

Northern Pintail (middle left, very blurry), Covey WMA, Feb 3, 2013

I then took a walk along the Swift River at Covey WMA and turned up some waterfowl including a male Northern Pintail, a female Ring necked Duck, 21 Hooded Mergansers, three Black Ducks, three Black Duck/Mallard hybrids and 23 Mallards.   I attempted a photo of the Northern Pintail through my binoculars but it was a tough subject to get.