The last few mornings

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Sep 25, 2013

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Sep 25, 2013

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Sep 25, 2013

Song Sparrow, Arcadia, Sep 25, 2013

Lincoln's Sparrow, Arcadia, Sep 25, 2013

I have stopped at a few locations briefly on my way to work the last couple of mornings and have had some decent birds despite the very cool morning temperatures, occasional thick fog and my lack of time.  On Tuesday I stopped at the Silvio O. Conte NWR in Hadley and had a junco, a few Field Sparrows (including one singing before dawn with the temperature at 38!), a Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel and a flyover Bobolink.  Just a few species of warbler around there yesterday morning.

This morning I headed over to Arcadia to hit parts of the meadows.  The fog was very thick at times and made viewing and photography difficult.  I still managed some noteworthy birds including a Connecticut Warbler that kept chipping and then flew across low to chip from another area before going silent never to be found again.  A somewhat late Yellow Warbler was still in among the weedy fields.  A total of eleven species of warblers present, but none in large numbers.  Also had a half dozen species of sparrow including my first of season White crowned Sparrows and at least four Lincoln’s Sparrows.  The area looks so good for a wide assortment of birds to show up in over the next few weeks.  Also had a flyover American Pipit as well as two Horned Larks among other species.  The ongoing north winds continue to move birds around but it does appear that more have moved out than have moved in to replace them.  It could also be that I’m usually looking too early before the activity peaks after the sun rises.  Wish I had more time to scour through some the areas more completely.

Arc formed by sun shining through fog, Arcadia, Sep 25, 2013

In addition to the birds I had a unique fog/cloud formation as the sun started burning though and created a neat looking arc.  I have seen this a few times in the past with my most memorable occurring when I was out in Point Reyes in California.