Monday, October 13, 2014

Nelson's Sparrow at Arcadia and a late Ruby throated Hummingbird in Granby...who says the 13th is unlucky?!?!?


Nelson's Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Nelson's Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Nelson's Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Nelson's Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Nelson's Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 13, 2014
I went out this morning with Jacob looking to find the Nelson's Sparrow we missed yesterday at Arcadia and despite the thick fog we found it fairly quickly and the bird cooperated nicely for us giving great views and allowing us to get some photos.  We were able to relocate the bird again a little later in the morning and get better photos.  A great bird and only my second county record of the species (the other one was also found at Arcadia). There may actually have been more than one individual around but we have not confirmed that yet. The Nelson's Sparrow becomes species #231 for Hampshire County this year, bringing me closer and closer to breaking my previous record of 236.  Besides the Nelson's Sparrow there were hundreds of other sparrows around as well as many other species. I have included the full list below from Arcadia. After a productive few hours at Arcadia we headed over to the Honey Pot briefly were we had lots more sparrows including a Vesper Sparrow bringing our total number of sparrow species for the morning up to ten plus towhee and junco....a sparrowpalozza day!
Arcadia

Canada Goose  38
Wood Duck  12
Mallard  4
Double-crested Cormorant  3
Northern Harrier  2
Sharp-shinned Hawk  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Killdeer  1
Ring-billed Gull  19
Mourning Dove  3
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  4
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  3
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue-headed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  14
American Crow  6
Black-capped Chickadee  3
Tufted Titmouse  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  3
Carolina Wren  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5
Eastern Bluebird  6
American Robin  13
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  2
American Pipit  4
Cedar Waxwing  4
Common Yellowthroat  3
Palm Warbler (Western)  1
Palm Warbler (Yellow)  6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  4
Eastern Towhee  1
Chipping Sparrow  5
Field Sparrow  5
Savannah Sparrow  59
Nelson's Sparrow  1     Rare, found yesterday byJeremy Coleman, many photos
Song Sparrow  147
Lincoln's Sparrow  9
Swamp Sparrow  57
White-throated Sparrow  60
White-crowned Sparrow (Eastern)  16
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  3
Northern Cardinal  6
Indigo Bunting  1
Red-winged Blackbird  135
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Purple Finch  3
Pine Siskin  10
American Goldfinch  8

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Granby, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Ruby throated Hummingbird, Granby, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Ruby throated Hummingbird, Granby, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Ruby throated Hummingbird, Granby, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Jabish Canal marsh with loads of winterberry, Belchertown, MA, Oct 13, 2014
Once I got home I took Wilson for a walk along the Jabish Canal where we found even more sparrows and other good stuff but nothing extreme. Once we got home I heard about a hummingbird at a private residence in Granby and after a few messages I was on my way to to get some photos and determine the species (if possible). I arrived around 1:30 and the bird showed up fairly quickly and I got photos through the window and then went outside to get more photos. The bird would come into feed every ten minutes or so but never perch. It appears to be a late male Ruby throated Hummingbird. Oddly the same residence hosted another late season hummingbird a couple years ago on almost the same date (that one was a female RTHU that stayed for about two weeks before flying off as Hurricane Sandy approached)

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