September starts with two new species for the county this year...#220 and #221

Cooper's Hawk, Honeypot, Sep 1, 2013

American Golden Plover, Honeypot, Sep 1, 2013

American Golden Plover, Honeypot, Sep 1, 2013

American Golden Plover, Honeypot, Sep 1, 2013

American Golden Plover, Honeypot, Sep 1, 2013

American Golden Plover, Honeypot, Sep 1, 2013

Following thunderstorms that lasted most of the night and kept me up (and Wilson very nervous) I got a bit of a late start (for me anyway) heading out this morning. I made it over to Winsor Dam for a brief look around 6 AM and found 77 Mallards and a single Common Loon but nothing else noteworthy. I then headed over to Hadley with my first stop along the Connecticut River where I found a Greater Yellowlegs, two Lesser Yellowlegs, a Solitary Sandpiper and a couple Spotted Sandpipers despite the river level being up a few feet due to the rain. Certainly a decline in the species and numbers present when more mudflats were exposed just a couple days ago. I then got a call from Steve about a flyby American Golden Plover at the Honeypot.  As I was already planning on heading over that way eventually anyway I cut my time short along the river and headed to the Honeypot to try to find the bird. I briefly checked the various fields on my way down to view the river. After talking briefly with Bob near 'Thats a plenty farm' I decided to work my way back out toward the east end of the Honeypot and check every field with the scope. I managed to find a Vesper Sparrow, 130+ Bobolinks, 35+ Bank Swallows, and 200+ other swallows (Tree and Barn but many too far away to ID), a Sharpshinned Hawk, a cooperative Cooper's Hawk and a singing Brown Thrasher as I worked my way through all the fields. As I was checking the last field right along the dike I finally came across some shorebirds when I found at least nine Killdeer. I then came across an American Golden Plover in among the Killdeer. This is likely the same individual seen by others in flight not too far away earlier in the morning. The American Golden Plover became species #220 for Hampshire County this year. In addition to the plover and Killdeer there were at half a dozen or so Least Sandpipers and a single flyby peep that I was unable to ID. With my lack of sleep catching up with me I headed for home. However, just before I got there I got a call from Scott about a Buff breasted Sandpiper (plus additional American Golden Plovers and a Semipalmated Plover) in the East Meadows in Northampton. I then decided that it was worth a try as I may not get another chance to see another Buff breasted this year.  

Buff breasted Sandpiper, East Meadows, Northampton,MA, Sep 1, 2013

Buff breasted Sandpiper, East Meadows, Northampton,MA, Sep 1, 2013

Buff breasted Sandpiper, East Meadows, Northampton,MA, Sep 1, 2013

I arrived in the East Meadows to find Scott and Tom looking at the field where the Buff breasted Sandpiper HAD been (it disappeared not long before Tom and I arrived). We scanned the field several times finding Killdeer and Least Sandpipers but no Buff breasted. As the weather continued to be overcast with more and more drizzle we figured the bird was still around nearby. Tom went to check one field while I went around the opposite side of the field the bird had been in. Not long after arriving on the opposite side I found the Buff breasted Sandpiper and got myself a second new species for the year bringing my total to 221. Tom and Bob managed to come over and we all got good scope views of the bird. Other birds around the area included at least two Horned Larks, a Vesper Sparrow, 13 Killdeer and five Least Sandpipers.

Once I got home I picked up Wilson for a walk along the land trust in Belchertown which quickly turned into an adventure as we got caught in a tropical like downpour. Although not the best way to end the morning we didn't melt. It was a very productive morning with two new species for the year, a total of eight species of shorebird and about 55 species overall. Thanks to all the other great birders out there today we all had a great morning. A lesson to all to always go out and bird even (or especially) when the weather is 'bad'.