Weekend birding

Vesper Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 21, 2014

Vesper Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 21, 2014

Bald Eagle and American Crows, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 21, 2014

Yellow Warbler, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 21, 2014

I woke up before dawn with the intention to try to get over to a few spots near Quabbin to try for some nocturnal birds but I immediately noticed it was pouring rain.  A quick look at the radar showed the edge of the rain nearby to the west so I headed west and spent a few hours in the gloom and occasional drizzle there...at least it was warmer than past days with morning lows in the low 60's.  It was a bit tough to get any decent photos of the birds today but I managed a few.  I managed to find 43 species including the  following:

Bald Eagle  2    
Killdeer  1
Mourning Dove  8
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  3
Pileated Woodpecker  1
American Kestrel  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1     Near thats a plenty farm, silent bird
Eastern Phoebe  3
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  29
Black-capped Chickadee  7
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  4
Carolina Wren  5
Swainson's Thrush  1
American Robin  10
Gray Catbird  15
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  1
Cedar Waxwing  4
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  9
American Redstart  1
Yellow Warbler  1     A little late
Palm Warbler (Western)  8
Palm Warbler (Yellow)  2
Chipping Sparrow  10
Vesper Sparrow  3     Minimum, one still singing
Savannah Sparrow  41
Song Sparrow  35
Lincoln's Sparrow  7
Swamp Sparrow  1
White-throated Sparrow  7
Northern Cardinal  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  4
Indigo Bunting  9
Bobolink  2
American Goldfinch  5
Plus a couple Eastern Coyotes working through the fields.

Winsor Dam, Sep 21, 2014

I also made a brief stop at Winsor Dam in the distant hope that the weather forced some birds down but no luck there...not the best conditions for that to happen, but you never know and it is always worth a quick look.

Today also marks the anniversary of the great New England Hurricane of 1938.  It was one of the most destructive tropical systems to ever hit this area and resulted in lots of damage as the eye moved right up the Connecticut River valley.  There doesn't appear to be a repeat in the cards for this year as the tropical season continues to stay quiet in the Atlantic with no systems even likely to form in the next week.

Philadelphia Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 20, 2014

Philadelphia Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 20, 2014

Philadelphia Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 20, 2014

Red breasted Nuthatch, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 20, 2014

Northern Flickers, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 20, 2014

Yesterday I stayed close to home with a few hour visit over to Quabbin.  I only hit a small portion of the park but still found some decent stuff including the following:

Canada Goose  94
Wood Duck  17
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  2
Hooded Merganser  1
Wild Turkey  4
Common Loon  4
Turkey Vulture  2
Ring-billed Gull  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker  6
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  4    
Pileated Woodpecker  3
Eastern Phoebe  8
Blue-headed Vireo  1
Philadelphia Vireo  1    
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  18
American Crow  7
Black-capped Chickadee  28
Tufted Titmouse  3
Red-breasted Nuthatch  7
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
Brown Creeper  2
House Wren  1
Carolina Wren  1
American Robin  6
Gray Catbird  12
Cedar Waxwing  32
Black-and-white Warbler  5
Common Yellowthroat  2
American Redstart  1
Northern Parula  1
Magnolia Warbler  1
Blackpoll Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  11
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  8
Eastern Towhee  17     Minimum
Song Sparrow  3
Scarlet Tanager  3     Minimum
Northern Cardinal  3
Purple Finch  1
American Goldfinch  2