Around south Quabbin this morning

Hooded Mergansers, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, June 14, 2014

Great Blue Heron, Quabbin Park, MA, June 14, 2014

Hooded Mergansers, Quabbin Park, MA, June 14, 2014

Looking north toward baffle dams, Quabbin Park, MA, June 14, 2014

I spent the morning around the south Quabbin area with stops at Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park and Lake Wallace. The low clouds and fog made visibility a bit poor at times but at least most of the water at quabbin was viewable (even if there was not much on it). Although I had faint hopes of finding something unusual brought down by the rain yesterday or overnight, even those hopes were too high. I spent some time trying to track down a Sharp shinned Hawk I'm fairly certain is nesting in Quabbin Park but didn't have any luck. It is becoming the time of year to find waterfowl families and I had some luck finding Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose young. As I was stopped along the Swift River checking out some Mallards I heard an odd sounding bird that I'm still trying to ID....I have a couple ideas but it doesn't sound exactly right for either of them. I managed some recordings but never was able to view the bird.  The mammal highlight of the day were a couple River Otters at the route 9 marsh.