A morning out looking for waterfowl (and other stuff)



Eastern Towhee, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Dec 13, 2014

Eastern Towhee, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Dec 13, 2014

Northern Pintails, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Dec 13, 2014

Northern Pintails, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Dec 13, 2014

Green winged Teal, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Dec 13, 2014

Long tailed Ducks, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Dec 13, 2014

American Tree Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Dec 13, 2014

Finally a nice and sunny day to get out and about and explore for some near the end of the year birds. My main focus was waterfowl (with fingers crossed to find a new species for the year). I started below the Holyoke Dam where I hoped for an odd gull among the waterfowl but the river was still running high so just had the gulls milling around and not settling down. The waterfowl included 9 Common Goldeneye, 18 Common Mergansers, 37 Canada Geese and a pair of Mallards.  Hundreds of crows moving north at daybreak failed to produce any positive Fish Crows but there were probably some passing by silently.  I also found another great viewing spot at the new library in South Hadley that gives great views of just below the dam (a spot I hope to find a Harlequin Duck at someday). I then headed up river a bit to above the dam and had seven Mute Swans, 199 Canada Geese, 7 Black Duck, 62 Mallards, 6 Hooded Mergasners and two Common Mergansers. I worked my way up river checking the Dinosaur Footprints area (nothing) and then took a ride through the East Meadows and views of the river from there that produced very little beyond some Horned Larks, a few Snow Buntings and a few geese. I then headed across the river to the Honey Pot where I looked in vain for roosting Long eared Owls or Short eared Owls. Decent numbers of sparrows around but nothing unusual. The nearby Aqua Vitae Road was also quiet. The Connecticut River on the Hadley side was more productive for waterfowl with seven Northern Pintail and a Green winged Teal plus 127 Canada Geese, two Black Ducks and 56 Mallards. I decided to spend the time I had left by heading back east to Winsor Dam where I had some good stuff including a couple of Long tailed Ducks and a continued male Eastern Towhee. Getting late for both of these species so it was neat to find them.  Overall a fairly productive morning.

Tomorrow is the Northampton Christmas Bird Count and I will be covering the area around Hampshire College. I have not been around the last couple years to help out but this year the dates just worked out.