Prescott whip poor will survey last night and various other stuff yesterday and today

Grasshopper Sparrow, Palmer, MA, June 8, 2014

Grasshopper Sparrow, Palmer, MA, June 8, 2014

Grasshopper Sparrow, Palmer, MA, June 8, 2014

Winsor Dam at dawn, June 8, 2014

After my late night last night (at least for me) I didn't get out until just after six. I made a brief stop over at Winsor Dam and then decided to head south into Palmer to check a few spots including an old landfill where Grasshopper Sparrows have been for the last few years. Almost as soon as I pulled up there a Grasshopper Sparrow was calling and seen well. I pished a couple times and it came right in for several seconds and then headed back to its perch to continue singing. Lots of expected species around today too but nothing unusual. As we head into the second week of June most migrants have moved through (although there is always the chance of a late species moving by).

American Woodcock, Prescott Peninsula, June 7, 2014

Prescott Peninsula at dusk, June 7, 2014

After a sunny, warm day yesterday I headed up to Prescott Peninsula to conduct my second Eastern Whip Poor Will survey of the season.  I arrived on the peninsula around 7:30 and then headed south almost to the end to begin the count around 8:40.  Although the numbers of whips in the usual spots were lower than past years finding them in spots I have not had them before somewhat made up for it. I also had a couple American Woodcocks showing well plus at least three Black billed Cuckoos with two of them still calling well after dark...seems like a good year for them. Mammals include a brief look at a Moose and a Porcupine that waddled its way up the road in front of me for several hundred feet before it finally walked off into the woods.
Here are the results from the Prescott Peninsula Eastern Whip Poor Will survey:

Stop #                                 # of whip poor wills heard

1                                         0

2                                         2

3                                         1

4                                         0

5                                         3

6                                         0                  

7                                         1

8                                         0

9                                         0

10                                       0

                                           7 total

Common Merganser, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, June 7, 2014

Double crested Cormorant, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, June 7, 2014

Winsor Dam at dawn, June 7, 2014

I spent the morning yesterday checking a few areas around south Quabbin with stops at Quabbin Park, Winsor Dam and Lake Wallace. Nothing out of the ordinary but did manage to catch up with every expected species of waterfowl including Canada Geese, Wood Duck, Mallard, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Loon and Double crested Cormorant.