Common Tern and other goodies

Common Tern, The Oxbow, Northampton, MA, May 2, 2014

Common Tern, The Oxbow, Northampton, MA, May 2, 2014

Common Tern, The Oxbow, Northampton, MA, May 2, 2014

Common Tern, The Oxbow, Northampton, MA, May 2, 2014

Surf Scoter, The Oxbow, Northampton, MA, May 2, 2014

Surf Scoter, The Oxbow, Northampton, MA, May 2, 2014

Surf Scoter, The Oxbow, Northampton, MA, May 2, 2014

 

Yellow rumped Warbler, rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 2, 2014

I had high hopes that his morning could possibly be 'the' morning for the arrival of lots of new species but it was not. However, it was a great day with some fabulous birds and the arrival of some of our overdue species. I started the morning predawn at UMASS hoping to catch lots of warblers on Orchard Hill but I only one warbler but it was new...an Ovenbird. The area has been cut back even more on the hill destroying some great habitat.  Other birds of note there included a Wood Thrush, an American Woodcock, lots of White throated Sparrows and a couple singing Purple Finches. I then headed over to another part of campus and ran across some more new species including Warbling Vireo and two Yellow Warblers. Other notable species there included Fish Crow, several Ruby crowned Kinglets, a Gray Catbird, a couple Black and White Warblers and a Rose breasted Grosbeak. When I was quite a distance away from the car I noticed a message on my phone from Bob B. calling me about a Common Tern at the Oxbow in Northampton. I headed back to the car and drove over there hoping the bird would stay despite the noisy crew teams that are there every morning. I made it there just before seven and noticed the tern on a piece of driftwood but with crew teams approaching it. It flushed up and flew around a few times before disappearing from view further up the oxbow. I managed a few distant in flight photos which showed the features of a Common Tern and not something even more unusual...although Common Tern is unusual enough for me! After the tern left I noticed a duck on the water and got the scope on it and saw a female Surf Scoter! Likely the same one that was seen on Paradise Pond yesterday. I looked at the bird for awhile and noted the darker cap, slight vertical stripe of white at base of bill with white patch between bill and back of neck and slightly lighter back of neck plus the bill shape and amount of feathering on bill cinched the ID.  Not much else to be seen there except more swallows and a few cormorants. I then headed back across the river and stopped at Silvio Conte NWR. Highlights there included an American Kestrel, a Great crested Flycatcher, more Black and White Warblers and Ruby crowned Kinglets, a couple Bobolinks, three Rose breasted Grosbeaks and a couple Eastern Meadowlarks. Two of the species were new for the county this year (GC Flycatcher and Bobolink). I also ran across Bob B. here so I was able to talk him in person for the call about the tern.  I continued east and headed over to the rail trail in Amherst hoping to find some shorebirds on the mudflats but the beavers seem to have rebuilt the dam and with all the rain the area was full of water. Highlights here included Northern Parula, another Yellow Warbler, at least 40 Yellow rumped Warblers, a couple more Black and White Warblers and another meadowlark. My final stop before heading home to get Wilson was Quabbin Park where I had a somewhat late Ring necked Duck, a Horned Grebe at Goodnough Dike, a couple Black throated Green Warblers, four Black and White Warblers and an American Redstart. 

Wilson on the trail, May 2, 2014

A walk with Wilson along the land trust trail produced more Black and White Warblers among the other expected species. The morning produced eight new species for the county this year including one that is far from easy to get every year...the Common Tern. 

Double crested Cormorant, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2014

I returned midday to Winsor Dam for about 45 minutes to sky watch and had some birds moving on the southwest to west winds including 58 Double crested Cormorants, seven Broad winged Hawks, a Merlin, a couple swifts plus some warblers.

At home I added another new species with a Solitary Sandpiper plus numerous warblers of four species.

Overall for the day I ended up with 86 species.  Tomorrow and Sunday morning both look like they could be very good and I have a busy weekend planned so not sure how much time I will have to post.