Lake Wallace, Quabbin Park and home



Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, June 29, 2013

Wood Ducks, Lake Wallace, June 29, 2013

On yet another foggy, muggy, warm (71 at 5:15am) morning I headed out to a few local spots to see what I might find. I started at Lake Wallace where I had a calling Sora. Although it called several times and seemed like it was near the edge I never got a look at it as I scanned back and forth with the scope. This is the first one I have ever had here although I have tried to find one on several occasions. It seems like a good spot for breeding of this species. The single Great Blue Heron nest still has two adults nearby but I could not see if a young bird was in the nest or not. A good number of adult and nearly adult size Wood Ducks (26+) and a single Hooded Merganser were the only waterfowl around. 


Barn Swallow, Quabbin Park, June 29, 2013

Barn Swallow, Quabbin Park, June 29, 2013

Barn Swallow, Quabbin Park, June 29, 2013

Winsor Dam near dawn, Quabbin Park, June 29, 2013

Common Mergansers at gate 52, Quabbin Park, June 29, 2013

View from gate 52, Quabbin Park, June 29, 2013

I next headed over to Quabbin Park where I began and ended at Winsor Dam and also visited the route 9 marsh and Gate 52. Nothing too unusual but yet again some nice looks at some birds. Yet again I had a family group of Wild Turkeys along the road near Goodnough Dike with a few less young then several days ago.  A handful of Common Mergansers made up the only waterfowl I could find on the nearly calm waters at Gate 52.

While trying my best to find a tern or something else unusual as I scanned from Winsor Dam I had a Cooper's Hawk flyby with a Barn Swallow in its talons and a large group of Barn and Tree Swallows in pursuit as well as a couple kingbirds adding to the fray. The only waterfowl out on the water at Winsor Dam included 23 Canada Geese, a Mallard, a Common Loon and a couple Double crested Cormorants.

Broad winged Hawk with snake, Belchertown, MA, June 29, 2013

Broad winged Hawk with snake, Belchertown, MA, June 29, 2013

Broad winged Hawk with snake, Belchertown, MA, June 29, 2013

Great crested Flycatcher, Belchertown, MA, June 29, 2013road

Spent the afternoon around the yard with highlights being at least two vocal Broad winged Hawks including one carrying a snake plus an equally vocal family group of Great crested Flycatchers.  Any snake expert out there what to venture a guess at what species of snake the hawk had in its talons? 

Hickory Hairstreak, Belchertown, MA, June 29, 2013

Hickory Hairstreak, Belchertown, MA, June 29, 2013

Also had an unusual butterfly sighting in the yard when I had a few hairstreaks chasing each other and one landed and I got photos of it.  According to a few expert butterfliers it is a Hickory Hairstreak...a fairly unusual species and tough to tell apart from a Banded Hairstreak (which is why I asked some people!)