UMASS and some spots in Hadley finds a few migrants

Northern Parula, Orchard Hill, UMASS Amherst, MA, Sep 14, 2014

Northern Parula, Orchard Hill, UMASS Amherst, MA, Sep 14, 2014

Rose breasted Grosbeak, Orchard Hill, UMASS Amherst, MA, Sep 14, 2014

Scarlet Tanager, Orchard Hill, UMASS Amherst, MA, Sep 14, 2014

House Wren, Orchard Hill, UMASS Amherst, MA, Sep 14, 2014

American Redstart, Orchard Hill, UMASS Amherst, MA, Sep 14, 2014

I spent this cold morning (mid 40's at dawn) birding Orchard Hill at UMASS with Ian and then the Honey Pot and the Connecticut River in Hadley by myself...it was like old times back up on O Hill and despite the cool temps we had some decent birds. Highlights on the hill included a dozen Ruby throated Hummingbirds, a couple Wood Thrushes, ten Northern Parula (including some individuals still singing), two Yellow Warblers, a Bay breasted Warbler, a couple White throated Sparrows, 17 Scarlet Tanagers, seven Rose breasted Grosbeaks and a couple flyby Purple Finches among 43 species (including nine species of warbler).

Indigo Bunting, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 14, 2014

Indigo Bunting, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 14, 2014

Cooper's Hawk, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 14, 2014

Bobolinks, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 14, 2014

Once I parted ways with Ian I headed over to the Honey Pot and made a stop at the dike to scan for shorebirds. No luck with shorebirds but the Broad winged Hawks were already forming small kettles in every direction at 9 AM with at least 200 birds in view. Certainly looked like a good day to be looking for hawks with a nice breeze out of the north and northwest. Other notable birds here included a total of seven raptor species, half a dozen Barn Swallows, a Lincoln's Sparrow, eight Indigo Buntings and sixteen Bobolinks.  Not as active as I had hoped for but with all the raptors around not too surprising.

Solitary Sandpipers, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Sep 14, 2014

The Connecticut River was down fairly low exposing some mud flats which contained a Spotted Sandpiper, five Solitary Sandpipers and nine Least Sandpipers plus a Great Egret.