South winds and overnight rain = good birding

 

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Apr 20, 2013

 

Iceland Gull, Winsor Dam, Apr 20, 2013

 

Iceland Gull, Winsor Dam, Apr 20, 2013

 

Iceland Gull, Winsor Dam, Apr 20, 2013

Horned Grebe, Winsor Dam, Apr 20, 2013

I had high expectations on finding something good this morning when I headed out before dawn to Quabbin Park.  With the strong southerly winds yesterday followed by some rain late at night into the morning the potential existed for some good birds to have been forced down due to the weather.  Although rainy and cool before dawn at Winsor Dam I still managed to find a Bonaparte's Gull right away feeding along with Ring billed Gulls.  Additional birds out on the water included four Horned Grebes, four Bufflehead, a couple Common Mergansers, a few Black Ducks and a couple Common Loons.  A few other birders arrived and as we watched the nearly hundred gulls a late Iceland Gull appeared.  My expectations of a good morning certainly appeared to have been met but more was to come.

Red throated Loon, Quabbin Park, Apr 20, 2013

Red throated Loon, Quabbin Park, Apr 20, 2013

Horned Grebe, Quabbin Park, Apr 20, 2013

Bald Eagle, Quabbin Park, Apr 20, 2013

With all the good birds at the dam I figured the rest of the park would be good so my next stop was over to Hanks Meadow which held a couple more Bufflehead, another Horned Grebe and best of all a distant juvenile Red-throated Loon (an uncommon species anytime, but especially in the spring).  The Red-throated Loon became species #137 for the county this year.  Other areas around Quabbin Park held other waterfowl including a few each of Ring necked Duck, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Mallard and Canada Geese.  I finally added Eastern Towhee (#138) for the year.  The numbers of other early migrants such as Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Palm Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Chipping Sparrow continued to increase. 




Horned Grebe, Winsor Dam, Apr 20, 2013

Bonaparte's Gulls, Winsor Dam, Apr 20, 2013

After the park I decided to stop back at Winsor Dam to see if anything new arrived.  I'm certainly glad I stopped as I added yet another new species when a couple of White-winged Scoters (#139) appeared among the various other species of waterfowl on the water.  Other species of waterfowl present included three Long tailed Ducks, a Ring necked Duck, at least 21 Horned Grebe, seven Bufflehead, four Common Merganser, a Common Loon and a couple each of Mallard and Canada Geese.  I stayed at the dam for over an hour and a half and managed to see 47 species during that time.  Other notable birds included at least two Bonaparte's Gulls, a couple Great Blue Herons, a Red shouldered Hawk, a few Broad winged Hawks, a Blue headed Vireo, three species of swallows and three species of warblers moving past.

Once I got home I got a call from Jacob Drucker about an adult Laughing Gull along South Maple Street in Hadley.  I immediately headed over there but the bird left prior to my arrival.  I searched every field from East Hadley Road up past the UMASS campus to Russelville Road but had no luck relocating the bird.  It was last seen heading northeast so I even tried Winsor Dam on my way home in hopes it landed there, but no luck.  In addition there was a report of a possible Le Conte Sparrow at the Honeypot in Hadley but not confirmed.  Certainly a good day to be out birding early despite the rain!