Morning birding at Quabbin

Greater Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Greater Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Greater Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Greater Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Black Scoter (L) and Long tailed Ducks (R) in among Ring billed Gulls, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Northern Pintail (bottom) and Common Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Northern Pintail, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Long tailed Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

White winged Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

Snow Buntings, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 15, 2014

I spent the early part of the morning around Quabbin Park once again with the vast majority of the time viewing the reservoir from Winsor Dam.  A cold morning with temperatures in the 20's with a slight breezy out of the northwest.  Quabbin Park itself was fairly quiet with just three Common Loons, a Northern Harrier and ten siskins for notables in the park plus the usual waterfowl at the rt 9 marsh.  Winsor Dam was productive at times with a few species of waterfowl moving around with only a few touching down on the water.  A very interesting large overall brownish duck that flew in from the north and then turned around before coming close enough defied identification but it looked like it could have been something really good but I'll never know.  I have included the full list below.

Nearby in Worcester County (in Brookfield) an Eared Grebe was found with a Horned Grebe at Quabog Lake.  Eared Grebe is very unusual inland in the state with only a handful of records.  It is one of the rare species of waterfowl I have in mind whenever I'm over at Quabbin.  Someday one will turn up there...always worth checking all the Horned Grebes for their much rarer cousin.  I posted a bit about odd waterfowl last year: http://quabbinbirdingandbeyond.blogspot.com/2013/10/waterfowl-and-others-to-be-on-lookout.html


Winsor Dam (7am-9:15am)

Canada Goose 5
Gadwall 1
American Black Duck 16
Mallard 1
Northern Pintail 1 female
Greater Scaup 1
Black Scoter     1
White-winged Scoter 1 female
Long-tailed Duck 4
Common Merganser 18
duck sp. 3
Common Loon 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 6
Ring-billed Gull 94
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 31
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Eastern Bluebird 2
American Robin 14
Cedar Waxwing 4
Snow Bunting 43
Song Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 8
Northern Cardinal 1
Pine Siskin 5
American Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 3