Brief stops at Winsor Dam

Groundhog ignoring the coyote decoy, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 30, 2014

Tree Swallow (that blurry speck in the upper right corner...or perhaps it is some dust on the lens?), Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 30, 2014

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 30, 2014

Today featured overcast skies and occasional drizzle and I hoped to find some waterfowl down on the water at Quabbin when I stopped at Winsor Dam in the evening but didn't have too much luck.  Just a couple Common Loons, a Double crested Cormorant and a dozen Canada Geese.  It appears we didn't have as much luck with unusual waterfowl compared to the Berkshires which had species such as Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Ring necked Duck, American Wigeon and White winged Scoter among others.  Perhaps the weather set up which featured a front draped across the Berkshires and east winds pushed the birds east until they hit the front?  Although I didn't have too much luck with waterfowl I still found some good stuff including a few raptors moving south and a late Tree Swallow moving northeast to southwest at a fairly good height.  I watched it in the scope for about 30 seconds and attempted some photos through the scope with less than stellar results....I managed one blurry shot of the swallow (or perhaps captured a UFO in flight or Bigfoot in a swimming pool?).  Tomorrow it is forecast to be rainy so perhaps a better chance to get waterfowl forced down...fingers crossed.

As September comes to an end I will look at my totals for Hampshire County once again (I know everyone is just dying to see where I stand!).  As of now I stand at 228 which is now one ahead of last year at the same time.  September was another good month with a total of 152 species in the county for the month, six of which were new for the year.  We shall see what the last quarter delivers.

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Sep 29, 2014

I also stopped at Winsor Dam briefly yesterday morning looking for waterfowl and had a single flyby Wood Duck, a dozen Canada Geese and 26 Mallards plus a Winter Wren singing.