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| Bobolink, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
Although I didn't think there would be quite enough rain overnight to force down
migrants (shorebirds) I nevertheless decided to try my luck at various spots
checking for them anyway. Looking at the rainfall summary from overnight did
show a little rain but probably not enough. I started off at Arcadia before
dawn and scanned through the marsh a few times but only managed to find a single
Solitary Sandpiper (an appropriate species for a lone shorebird). I
debated on spending the rest of my time at the Arcadia meadows (looking for a CT warbler or an odd sparrow) but instead decided
to head to the East Meadows to check the fields there.
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| East Meadows at dawn, Sep 8, 2013 |
Despite scanning several fields at the East Meadows I could only turn up a half
dozen Killdeer and a flyby Least Sandpiper. Also had a couple Horned Larks
there as well as several flyover Bobolinks.
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| American Wigeon, Hadley, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| American Wigeon, Hadley, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| American Wigeon, Hadley, Sep 8, 2013 |
My next stop was along the Connecticut River in Hadley where I have had some
shorebirds lately but the water was up ever so slightly and, alas, the only shorebird was a Spotted Sandpiper. However a scan through the fifteen ducks present turned up a
somewhat early American Wigeon. After watching them for several minutes part of
the group flushed, including the wigeon which gave me some great views of the
bird in flight confirming it was not anything more unusual than an American
Wigeon.
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| Common Yellowthroat, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| Vesper Sparrow, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| Bobolink, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| Bobolink, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| Indigo Bunting, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| American Golden Plovers in flight, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| American Golden Plover, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| American Golden Plover (with Killdeer), Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
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| Northern Harrier, Honeypot, Sep 8, 2013 |
My final stop of the morning was over to the Honeypot where I scanned the
various fields and turned up a handful of shorebirds plus other birds. The
shorebird totals included eight American Golden Plovers (five in one group and
three in another), a flyover Greater Yellowlegs, six Killdeer and five Least
Sandpipers. Lots of swallows and Bobolinks still around. Other notable birds
included six raptor species (including four Northern Harriers, a Merlin and a
Peregrine Falcon), at least16 Indigo Buntings, a Vesper Sparrow and a Lincoln's Sparrow
which became species
#222 for Hampshire County this year. I missed this species
in the spring so I was happy to get one already this fall. I searched for but
never found a Connecticut Warbler today....perhaps tomorrow?
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| Wilson watching vultures |
Once I got home I picked up Wilson and we went for a walk along Jabish Canal. Fairly quiet as far as birds go as it had gotten a bit breezy. Wilson did pick out a few vultures coming by...his day late observation of International Vulture Day (yup...its a real thing).
With the north winds tonight I would suspect tomorrow will be a good day to be
out. Tonight should feature quite a bit of movement with (hopefully) lots of
nocturnal flight calls. I will be out listening to see if I can hear anything
interesting. Speaking of calls at night I have had Barred and Great Horned Owls
calling at the house over the last week and had an Eastern Screech Owl calling
yesterday at the Honeypot. Perhaps I will try my luck in finding a saw whet owl
sometime soon.
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