November begins with strong southerly winds, rain and warm temperatures

Common Merganser, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Nov 1, 2013

The latest storm system moving through is bringing some rain and strong southerly winds (plus warm temperatures in the high 60's) that have the potential to bring in some southern or western vagrant birds.  Although the coast is usually the best spot to find these wayward migrants the possibility is always there that something unusual will show up around here.  One possible species to be on the lookout for would be Cave Swallow as these types of conditions this time of year have produced them in the past although again much more likely along the coast or in the Great Lakes.  There is a recent record of Cave Swallow from Worcester last November so it pays to be on the lookout inland too.  Other possibilities could include unusual flycatchers, other swallow (or martin) species and who knows what else.  The best spots to check for any odd stuff in Hampshire County over the next few days would include Quabbin, along the Connecticut River, other lakes and ponds, the East or West (Arcadia) Meadows or the Honeypot.  Other spots certainly could produce also so it is worth it to look anywhere you happen to be.

Double crested Cormorants (two of six in flight here) plus gulls, Oxbow, Northampton, MA, Nov 1, 2013

I made a brief stop by the Oxbow in Northampton and found at least a half dozen Double crested Cormorants as well as 35+ gulls with almost all Ring billed Gulls although without binoculars or a scope there may have been other species present that went unfounded. 

Common Merganser (ratty looking indivdual), Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Nov 1, 2013

Common Merganser (ratty looking indivdual), Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Nov 1, 2013

Common Merganser, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Nov 1, 2013

Common Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Nov 1, 2013

Common Loon, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Nov 1, 2013

I used a little vacation time this afternoon and headed over to Quabbin Park to see if I could find anything noteworthy.  I stopped at both Winsor Dam and a few spots within Quabbin Park itself.  No luck finding anything unusual but did have the following waterfowl:  three Common Mergansers (with one very ratty looking individual), 11 Hooded Mergansers, a couple Wood Ducks, a couple Common Loons, two Horned Grebes and 21 Canada Geese.  Only other notable birds were three Hermit Thrushes together at Hanks Meadow.

With storms like this unusual birds are just as likely (or maybe more) to turn up a day or two after the storm passes through so I will be out the next few days trying yet again to find something out of the ordinary.