Another day of new arrivals...and yard bird #150.

Common Loon, Atkins Reservoir, Shutesbury, MA, Apr 15, 2013

Although today started out cool with temperatures just below freezing it warmed nicely into the low 60's during the day with sun and a slight breeze. I spent the morning trying to catch up with a few other newly arrived migrants and had some good luck once again. I started at Lake Wallace at dawn and then moved on to the rail trail in Amherst. Nothing too unusual at either location but many species of migrants continued to increase in number including Palm Warblers, Ruby crowned Kinglets, Tree Swallows and Eastern Phoebes among others. I then headed north briefly to Atkins Reservoir where the only species of waterfowl on the small body of water was a Common Loon. Along the way in Shutesbury I had a singing Louisiana Waterthrush. 

Blue winged Teal (female-center of photo), Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Apr 15, 2013

Green winged Teal, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Apr 15, 2013

I then decided to try my luck across the river at Great Pond trying to catch up with some waterfowl. Initially the pond seemed quiet with a handful of Wood Ducks, Black Ducks and Mallards. After viewing the pond for some time a group of teal came in which included a female Blue winged Teal (#125) in among the 74 Green winged Teal. There was also a group of 50+ swallows which included at least three Northern Rough winged Swallows (#126) and five Barn Swallows among the Tree Swallows. 

Ring necked Duck, Quabbin Park, Apr 15, 2013

 I then headed back east to Quabbin Park where I ran across one of the best birds of the day when a Northern Goshawk (#127) cruised north toward Prescott Peninsula.  I got some great views through the scope of an adult bird but was unable to get any photos.  Nothing else too unusual around but some decent numbers of recently arrived migrants.

As I worked in the yard this afternoon I managed to add a new yard species when a Merlin cruised over.  The Merlin became species number 150 for my two acre plot of land.