Last day of August birding and my county totals so far this year

Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Aug 31, 2013

Great Egret #1, Lake Wallace, Aug 31, 2013

Great Egret #2, Lake Wallace, Aug 31, 2013

Great Egret #3, Lake Wallace, Aug 31, 2013

I dodged occasional rain showers this morning as I check a few local spots. I started off at Lake Wallace and found some decent birds in the predawn light before a downpour forced me back to the car. I had three Great Egrets, five Green Herons, around 30 Wood Ducks and other typical birds at the lake plus 20 Killdeer on the nearby fields. 

Common Loon, Quabbin Park, Aug 31, 2013

Gate 52, Quabbin Park, Aug 31, 2013

I then headed over to Quabbin Park where I started and ended at Winsor Dam with additional stops around the park. Nothing too unusual but had nice looks at a pair of Common Loons, a couple of flyby peeps that were probably Least Sandpipers and a few birds still vocalizing with most of those being Eastern Wood Pewees and Red eyed Vireos.  The water level continues to drop down but not nearly as low as it was in June but at least there is now some exposed shoreline to entice some shorebirds.

 

I then went for a walk along the land trust trail with Wilson and the most notable bird was one I was never able to actually find and identifiy.  As we walked past a marsh I heard an odd wren chattering.  I was able to get looks at a House Wren but the other bird was still chattering.  It sounded a bit off for a House Wren and I was thinking possibly Marsh Wren but the bird then got quiet and I was unable to convince the bird to show itself.  It may have been just an odd sounding House Wren but I just don't know.  I'll have to keep looking for a Marsh Wren I guess!

 

 

 

With August coming to a close I will take a look at where I am now in regards to trying to beat my previous best Hampshire County year and what birds I still need.  As of now I stand at 219 going into September as I chase my old record of 228.  Although the record seems within reach my total as of now reflects a lot of good birds I got in spring that I normally have to wait until fall to find.  At the end of August last year my total stood at 194. 

 

Here are some of the birds I still need to get and the probability of finding them (I'm only listing species I have seen previously in Hampshire County...many others are possible as vagrants).  If anyone comes across any of these (or something even more unusual) please let me know so I can see if I can add it.  I will use “1” for likely, “2” as possible, “3” unlikely but still possible, “4” as nearly impossible and “5” as ‘not unless a hurricane hits’ or I get REALLY lucky. 

 

 

Waterfowl: Brant (2), Tundra Swan (3), Trumpeter Swan (4), Eurasian Wigeon (4), Northern Shoveler (3), Redhead (3), Surf Scoter (1), Barrow’s Goldeneye (3), Great Cormorant (3)

 

Wading birds: Least Bittern (4),  Snowy Egret (3), Little Blue Heron (4), Tricolored Heron(4),

R

aptors: Golden Eagle (3)

 

Marsh birds: Common Gallinule (4), American Coot (3)

 

Shorebirds: American Golden Plover (3), Upland Sandpiper (4), Whimbrel (4-5), Hudsonian Godwit (4-5), Ruddy Turnstone (3), Baird’s Sandpiper (3), Dunlin (3), Buff breasted Sandpiper (3), Wilson’s Phalarope (4-5), Red Phalarope (4-5)

 

Gulls and Terns: Black legged Kittiwake (5), Lesser Black backed Gull (3), Glaucous Gull (3), Sooty Tern (5), Caspian Tern (3), Black Tern (3), Parasitic Jaegar (5)

 

Owls: Long eared Owl (3), Northern Saw whet Owl (2)

 

Hummingbirds: Rufous Hummingbird (3), Allen’s Hummingbird (5)

 

Flycatchers:  Western Kingbird (4)

 

Wrens: Sedge Wren (4), Marsh Wren (3)

 

Thrushes: Gray-cheecked Thrush (2), Varied Thrush (5)

 

Irruptives: Bohemian Waxwing (3), Boreal Chickadee (4)

 

Warblers: Prothonotary Warbler (3), Orange crowned Warbler (3), Connecticut Warbler (2), Kentucky Warbler (4), Hooded Warbler (3), Yellow breasted Chat (4)

 

Sparrows: Lincoln’s Sparrow (1), Nelson’s Sparrow (5)

 

Blackbirds: Yellow headed Blackbird (4-5)

“Others”: White tailed Tropicbird (5), ???????

 

 

Stops the last couple mornings...more shorebirds

Solitary Sandpiper, Arcadia, Aug 30, 2013

Lesser Yellowlegs, Hadley, Aug 30, 2013

Least Sandpipers, Arcadia, Aug 30, 2013

Killdeer with Least Sandpiper, Wood Ducks and Canada Geese, Arcadia, Aug 30, 2013

Arcadia marsh, Aug 30, 2013

Today I made a few stops on my way to work including a stop in Hadley and one at Arcadia.  In Hadley I had a Pectoral Sandpiper, two Solitary Sandpipers, three Semipalmated Sandpiper, 18 Least Sandpipers and four Lesser Yellowlegs.  Arcadia produced a nice selection of shorebirds on the extensive mudflats there including three Solitary Sandpipers, three Spotted sandpipers, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, 21 Least Sandpipers, a Lesser Yellowlegs and four Killdeer.  In addition I had an Osprey as well as a calling Yellow throated Vireo among the nearly 40 species around the marsh area. 

Pectoral Sandpiper, Hadley, Aug 29, 2013

Mallards (part of the 217 present), Winsor Dam, Aug 29, 2013

Yesterday I also made a few brief stops before work with my first stop being Winsor Dam where I had 217 Mallards as well as a couple each of Green winged Teal and Wood Ducks out on the waters of the reservoir.  I then headed west with a stop along the river in Hadley where I had a selection of shorebirds including a couple Solitary Sandpipers, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Semipalmated Sandpiper and 32 Least Sandpipers as well as a Lesser Yellowlegs.  This area continues to be productive for shorebirds and will probably continue to be unless the water level rises.

Shorebirds and the two year anniversary of Irene

Least Sandpipers, Hadley, Aug 28, 2013

Solitary Sandpiper, Hadley, Aug 28, 2013

Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral and Semipalmated Sandpiper, Hadley, Aug 28, 2013

Semipalmated Sandpipers, Hadley, Aug 28, 2013

Pectoral Sandpiper, Hadley, Aug 28, 2013

Sandpipers in the fog, Hadley, Aug 28, 2013

After looking at the radar last night and noticing all the apparent bird migration underway I thought there might be some new arrivals around this morning. Unfortunately the fog had settled in overnight which made viewing difficult (or impossible).  My original plan to scope out at Winsor Dam got scrapped when I looked at the camera there and could barely see the flagpoles, much less the water.  Instead I headed west to areas along the Connecticut River looking for shorebirds (again).  I stopped in Hadley and despite the fog found some shorebirds including Pectoral, Solitary, Spotted, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers plus a couple Lesser Yellowlegs.  Numbers were very much the same as yesterday so it appears few birds left or arrived (at least at this location).  The water level was up a bit from yesterday but not high enough to cover all the mudflats yet.  The on and off rain showers over the next few days may add further to the water levels but we will just have to wait and see.  I thought about heading over to Arcadia but with all the fog I didn’t  think I would be able to see anything so I ditched that plan.  Later in the day I saw a report from Dave at Arcadia that it was indeed productive but nothing extraordinary.

I stopped by the river again in Hadley later and had a greater number of shorebirds than earlier with a Pectoral Sandpiper, two Solitary Sandpipers, four Semipalmated Sandpipers, 32 Least Sandpipers, three Lesser Yellowlegs and a Killdeer.

Today marks the two year anniversary of the arrival of hurricane/tropical storm Irene in our area with the corresponding treasure trove of amazing birds.  Posts from that epic day can be found here:

http://quabbinbirdingandbeyond.blogspot.com/2011/08/amazing-hurricane-birds.html

 

A few brief stops this morning

Pectoral Sandpiper (Left) with Lesser Yellowlegs and Wood Duck, Hadley,MA, Aug 27, 2013

Pectoral Sandpiper (Left) with Lesser Yellowlegs and Wood Duck, Hadley,MA, Aug 27, 2013

Although not optimal conditions to bring down migrants (due to winds out of the south) I still hoped to find something new this morning following some heavy rain overnight.  I started out at Winsor Dam (which was very quiet) before heading over to the fields near the old state school in Belchertown where I had 19 Killdeer.  I then headed over to Hadley to check along the Connecticut River and found almost the exact species composition and numbers as yesterday in the same spot with a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, three Semipalmated Sandpipers, 26 Least Sandpipers and three Lesser Yellowlegs.  The river had risen slightly overnight but there were still a lot of mudflats for the birds to feed on.  It appears that the phalarope and others seen along the Longmeadow sandbar may have finally moved on after a several day stay as I saw no positive reports from there today.

Now for a brief update on the hurricane season as we approach the end of August.  Despite the predictions for an above average year so far the season has been quite slow with no hurricanes yet and a total of six named storms with nothing likely to develop any time soon.  The season started off fairly quickly but due to a variety of meteorological issues, storms have been few and rather weak.  You never know how the rest of the season will go but it is quiet for the end of August.

More shorebirds and other 'stuff

Merlin, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 26, 2013

Merlin, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 26, 2013

With the forecast for rain overnight into the morning I decided to try once again for shorebirds.  Despite the forecast there was not any rain beyond a few sprinkles during the morning and the ground looked dry from overnight.  I started before dawn at the soccer fields near Lake Wallace where I had 19 Killdeer and a flyby Green Heron.  I then stopped briefly at Winsor Dam to try to find something unusual (like a tern or odd gull).  I managed to find a total of four Wood Ducks, at least 62 Mallards and a Common Loon out on the water as well as nearly a dozen gulls (nothing beyond Ring billed Gulls).  I then decided to head toward Hadley to check some of the areas I hit yesterday with a brief (unproductive) stop at Lake Metacomet on the way there.  I headed for the Honeypot section of Hadley but some the areas that were productive yesterday were quiet.  Perhaps the threatening skies kept some stuff hunkered down.  I could only turn up a single Killdeer and a couple Spotted Sandpipers as far as shorebirds.  I did have a Great Egret on one of the sandbars in the river as well as a Merlin perched in a dead snag plus lots of Bobolinks and hundreds (thousands?) of swallows over the river and fields.  Other notable birds included a constantly chipping Yellow Warbler and a Brown Thrasher flying back and forth near the model airplane field.  A swing through Aqua Vitae Road was unproductive beyond some Bobolinks as the fields are just starting to be harvested.

Various shorebirds (Pectoral Sandpiper-middle right, Lesser Yellowlegs-middle, Semipalmated Sandpiper-below yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers), Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 26, 2013

Various shorebirds (Pectoral Sandpiper-middle right, Lesser Yellowlegs-middle, Semipalmated Sandpiper-below yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers), Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 26, 2013

Solitary Sandpiper, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 26, 2013

Semipalmated Sandpipers, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 26, 2013

A stop along the Connecticut River in Hadley proved quite productive for shorebirds.  I had a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, four Semipalmated Sandpipers, 23 Least Sandpipers and three Lesser Yellowlegs.  The area looks prime to turn up something odd unless the river rises and floods the mudflats.  I also had 11 Wood Ducks at the same spot but no waders today.

Great Egrets, Rail trail at Hop Brook, Amherst, MA, Aug 26, 2013

On my way home I stopped off at the rail trail and walked out to the Hop Brook marsh where I had a couple Great Egrets, half a dozen Belted Kingfishers and other typical species. 

The blog has now reached 60,000 hits since I started it...

In a non birding sighting I had my first Giant Swallowtail in the yard during the afternoon.  A spectacular looking southern butterfly that just a few years ago was almost unheard of in Massachusetts.

Various spots along the Connecticut River in Northampton and Hadley (as well as at home)

Peregrine Falcon, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Solitary Sandpiper, Arcadia, Aug 25, 2013

Oxbow at dawn, Northampton, MA, Aug 25, 2013

I decided to spend the first part of my morning at various spots around the Connecticut River with the main focus being shorebirds. As I drove over to Northampton the fog steadily increased and I second guessed my decision to head over that way (it was totally clear at home). However, once I arrived at Arcadia the fog lifted enough to see the marsh and parts of the oxbow. The shorebirds at Arcadia included four Spotted Sandpipers, five Solitary Sandpipers, six Least Sandpipers, a Lesser Yellowlegs and three Killdeer. In addition I had three Bald Eagles making their rounds, lots of flyby Bobolinks, 14 Wild Turkeys that walked right past me and others totaling 42 species there.

Song Sparrow, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Bobolink, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Bobolinks in flight, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Bobolinks in flight, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Indigo Bunting, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Cooper's Hawk, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Peregrine Falcon, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

I next headed back across the river to the Honeypot area of Hadley. Some of the fields there have been harvested and after checking a few I found a couple Horned Lark in among about a dozen Killdeer. The shoreline of the river held a couple Spotted Sandpipers and a Greater Yellowlegs. While viewing the river I had a flyover Dickcissel that I initially heard and then saw briefly as it moved back toward the dike area. I tried but failed to get a photo and I was never able to find the bird again despite some effort. The Dickcissel makes species #218 for Hampshire County this year. I spent some time at "that's a plenty farm" and had more good birds including nearly 100 Bobolinks, lots of Song Sparrows, a Peregrine Falcon, several hundred (probably over a thousand) swallows with most being Tree and Bank Swallows, at least three Indigo Buntings with one still singing. The area looks primed up for the arrival of sparrows in a few weeks and I'm sure something unusual will show up.

Common Yellowthroat with odd growths on face and bill, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Common Yellowthroat with odd growths on face and bill, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Common Yellowthroat with odd growths on face and bill, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

I also had a Common Yellowthroat there with some odd growths on its face.  I'll have to see if I can figure out what they are.

Belted Kingfisher, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Semipalmated Sandpiper (center) with Least Sandpipers, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Semipalmated Sandpiper (center) with Least Sandpipers with Great Egret, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Least Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs and Wood Duck, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2013

 

 With my time running out for the morning I stopped along the river in Hadley and found more shorebirds including 33 Least Sandpipers, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, two Solitary Sandpipers and three Lesser Yellowlegs. I also had a Great Egret and a couple Great Blue Herons as well as Wood Ducks.  I had a total of seven shorebird species, three wader species and half a dozen raptor species for the day among the 65+ total species for the day.

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Belchertown, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Belchertown, MA, Aug 25, 2013

Meanwhile at home the Ruby throated Hummingbirds seem to have made a resurgence.  It had quieted down a bit the last few days but several were around today.  Perhaps new arrivals from the north?

A late addition to the days list (and the year list) occurred as I was grilling up dinner and noticed a bird moving around the tops of one of the oaks in the backyard.  I grabbed my binoculars and found an early Philadelphia Vireo.  My earliest fall record of this species ever!  I ran back inside to get my camera but when I came back out I could not find the bird again to get a photo.  Oh well!  With this species I brought my total for Hampshire County this year to 219!  It does appear my previous record of 228 is indeed within reach of being broken.  Time will tell.  I also had several Common Nighthawks feeding low over the yard this evening as well.

Local area including Lake Wallace, Quabbin Park and other spots

Green Herons, Lake Wallace, Aug 24, 2013

Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Aug 24, 2013

Great Egret, Lake Wallace, Aug 24, 2013

Today I decided to stick closer to home with stops at Lake Wallace, Quabbin Park, the fish hatchery and along the Jabish Canal.  Looking at the radar last night with the north winds in place I expected to find some new stuff having moved in.  At Lake Wallace I had at least eight Green Herons, a Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron (at the nest site).  Waterfowl there included 35+ Wood Ducks, a couple Hooded Mergansers, around 30 Mallards and 20+ Canada Geese.  The nearby fields produced 23 Killdeer as well as an American Woodcock.

Bald Eagles, Winsor Dam, Aug 24, 2013

 

Bald Eagle, Winsor Dam, Aug 24, 2013

Bald Eagle, Winsor Dam, Aug 24, 2013

Red tailed Hawk, Winsor Dam, Aug 24, 2013

 

Common Loon, Winsor Dam, Aug 24, 2013

My various stops at locations around Quabbin park produced a pair of Common Loons, at least three Bald Eagles at Winsor Dam (an adult and two ratty looking young that probably came out of the nearby nest), a Red tailed Hawk getting harassed by crows, a couple Spotted Sandpipers and six species of warbler.  I tried my best to turn up a Black Tern out on the reservoir but no luck.  I have had them here under similar conditions on this date in the past...I think a little rain would have increased the likelihood of one being put down in the area.

The fish hatchery in Belchertown had at least 21 Killdeer present but little else. 

A walk later in the morning along the Jabish Canal with Wilson produced an Olive sided Flycatcher, a vocal Red shouldered Hawk and flyover Bobolinks (very unusual for this location).

I almost headed over to the Connecticut River area this morning to look for shorebirds but didn't feel like making the drive.  In retrospect I probably should have made it over there as I had a report from Bob Z of quite a few shorebirds at the oxbow in Northampton (luckily none I needed for my county year list) and a report of a Red necked Phalarope and Stilt Sandpiper (plus other shorebirds) at the Longmeadow sandbar.  I will try to catch up with some of them over that way tomorrow.