April comes to an end

 

Killdeer, Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Apr 30, 2015

Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Apr 30, 2015

The migrants continue to slowly trickle in, but still no major influx so far. I have stopped briefly on my way to work at a few spots the last few mornings and have managed to find a few decent birds adding a half dozen species. On Monday I turned up three Greater Yellowlegs (as well as a few Killdeer and a Wilson's Snipe) and a couple American Pipits along Aqua Vitae Road. On Tuesday I finally came across a Blue headed Vireo in Northampton...probably my latest date to find this species in spring. On Thursday I stopped at the Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River and found a couple new species including a Chimney Swift and a Rose breasted Grosbeak. On my way toward Aqua Vitae Road I managed to slice my car tire and when I pulled over to check it the tire was rapidly going flat. As I was already there I checked the mudflats on Aqua Vitae Road and found two Lesser Yellowlegs as well as four each of Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeer before getting the tire changed. As April comes to a close I stand at 148 species in the county for the year which is a bit below where I would expect to be at this point.  The forecast calls for some drizzle and cool temperatures with an east wind tomorrow but after that the winds should become more favorable and I expect to see an influx of stuff over the weekend.

Weekend birding



Vesper Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Apr 25, 2015

Vesper Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Apr 25, 2015

Vesper Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Apr 25, 2015

Brown Thrasher, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Apr 25, 2015

Eastern Coyote, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Apr 25, 2015

Eastern Coyote, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Apr 25, 2015

Wood Ducks, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Apr 25, 2015

I spent a rather cool weekend heading out each morning to try to catch up new migrants.  I did find some but the migration continues to be slow and somewhat delayed due to the weather conditions.  Yesterday I headed over to the Amherst/Hadley area, making several stops along the way.  I began along the rail trail near Hop Brook where I had the highlights of eight Green winged Teal, an Eastern Kingbird and a Black and White Warbler.  The area is currently under construction as they repair the trail so birding there this spring will be quite difficult.  I then headed over to Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River where I three Brown Thrashers, 3 Field Sparrows, half a dozen Savannah Sparrows and a couple Eastern Meadowlarks.  A brief stop along Aqua Vitae Road produced 26 Wood Ducks and 10 Green winged Teal plus other waterfowl in the remaining flooded areas.  Although it looked great for shorebirds I only had a trio of Killdeer and a single Wilson's Snipe...a slow shorebird season so far.  The nearby Honey Pot produced at least two singing Vesper Sparrows among the other expected species.  My final stop in the area was down to Mitch's Way which produced 16 Wood Ducks, another Black and White Warbler and two Louisiana Waterthrushes.  Also had an Eastern Coyote running through one of the fields along the river.  I also had a number of Blue gray Gnatcatchers, Ruby crowned Kinglets plus Yellow rumped and Palm Warblers at most stops during the morning.  Overall around 65 species for the morning which is below what I would expect given the date and areas covered.

Tree Swallows, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 26, 2015

Tree Swallows, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 26, 2015

Common Loons moving north, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2015

Today I stuck close to home with stops over to Quabbin Park and over to Lake Wallace.  Highlights at Quabbin included 22 Wild Turkeys (all in small groups of one to four), a dozen Common Loons with eight of those migrating north, 14 Yellow bellied Sapsuckers, an early male Scarlet Tanager and at least 8 Purple Finches.  A total of seven species of waterfowl, four raptor species and only three warbler species.  Lake Wallace featured 7 Ring necked Ducks, three kingfishers, 280+ Tree Swallows plus a few each of Bank and Barn Swallows, 8 Palm Warblers and 2 Yellow rumped Warblers among the nearly forty species. 

Trip to the hilltowns of Hampshire County

Sandhill Crane, Worthington, MA, Apr 24, 2015

Sandhill Crane, Worthington, MA, Apr 24, 2015

Sandhill Crane, Worthington, MA, Apr 24, 2015

I was feeling OK this morning so decided to make a trip up to the hilltowns of Hampshire County in search of a few target species and managed to find them and more despite the non spring like conditions.  I was certainly questioning my decision as the ground was dusted with snow and there were flurries in the air when I arrived with temperatures just below freezing with a strong north wind.  I first stopped at Fisk Meadow WMA in Chesterfield and had a flyby Evening Grosbeak and three Purple Finches.  I then continued further west into Worthington searching for the Sandhill Cranes (up to three have been seen lately) that have returned for yet another year.  After initially striking out at several locations I caught up with a single individual walking along the edge of a private field.  I managed some distant scope shots before it walked out of view.  It will be interesting to see if they finally breed successful up there.  The other notable birds around the various fields included a few calling Savannah Sparrows and an Eastern Meadowlark.

American Bittern, Cummington, MA, Apr 24, 2015

I then headed over to Cummington in search of bitterns and came across two American Bitterns both pumping away from a marsh.  I also had at least two calling Virginia Rails but never got a look at them.  With my two main targets found (the crane and bittern) plus a bonus of Evening Grosbeak, I headed back down to the valley.

Tree Swallows, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Apr 24, 2015

My last stop on the west side of the river was over to Great Pond in Hatfield where I hoped to find some unusual waterfowl (like coot) or wader (egret or ibis) but despite much effort I came away empty for those species.  The pond was still productive with 21 Wood Ducks, an American Kestrel, 340+ Tree Swallows, 2 Bank Swallows, 11 Barn Swallows, a single Cliff Swallow and three Rusty Blackbirds.  The swallows were all feeding low over the water trying to stay out of the strong winds.

A slow week in the valley

Double crested Cormorants, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 22, 2015

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 21, 2015

Broad winged Hawks, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2015

Ospreys, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2015

American Wigeon, Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Apr 21, 2015

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 22, 2015

Winsor Dam with snow showers moving past, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 23, 2015

Usually by this point in April there are lots of new arrivals everyday but this year continues to be far from normal.  I'm also usually out most mornings for an extended period this time of year enjoying the early spring conditions but the weather and my continued stomach bug from Costa Rica has curtailed by outings.  I have only managed to make brief stops on my way to and from work with stops typically at Winsor Dam and along Aqua Vitae Road.  A bit of wind out of the south late Tuesday into Wednesday at least got some raptors moving and allowed a few other birds to trickle in.  Late Tuesday seemed to be really conducive for raptors to move, especially Broad winged Hawks and Ospreys, with large numbers streaming rapidly northeast.  The weather by mid week turned colder with northerly winds predominating with some snow/sleet showers late today and record lows forecast for tonight.  Tomorrow is suppose to be cold and windy once again with a slight warm up forecast into the weekend. 

Costa Rica April 8-17

Shining Honeycreeper, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Yellow faced Grassquit, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Squirrel Cuckoo, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Orange chinned Parakeet, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Three toed Sloth, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Chestnut headed Oropendola, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Black striped Sparrow, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Silver throated Tanager, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, April 2015

Just back from another trip down to Costa Rica just in time to see the big push of migrants here. Although the trip started off with a few issues including a two hour delay in our flight due to a broken seat in the airplane (which no one was sitting in!) which led to a missed connection and having to make additional stops before finally arriving in San Jose several hours after our scheduled arrival. We made it to our lodging near Carara National Park  after ten o'clock and I planned to spend the next morning with a guide at the park. With little sleep I awoke early and waited in vain for the guide to show. Despite much effort to track him down I didn't hear from him until late in the day as apparently he had ended up in the hospital overnight (who knows if the story was true). I also managed to somehow stab myself with a fork at breakfast so the first full day was going great! I birded around the grounds and managed to pick up one life bird...a Turquoise browed Motmot. We left there around noon and the day got better once we arrived at Rio Magnolia Lodge, which would be our home away from home for just over a week. I spent everyday except one (Monday the 13th) exploring the hundreds of acres of various habitats at the lodge. We were the only guests for almost the entire week which was unexpected but nice. The weather was nice and warm with the occasional bit of rain in the afternoon (just the start of the rainy season)...a very nice break from our long and snowy winter. Most everyday I would get up at sunrise and walk out to the gate through primary forest and then down through some more open areas. Later in the morning as it warmed up it was fun to stake out some of the cecropia trees were a large variety of species came in to feed. The remainder of the rest of the day was typically spent covering other areas or just taking it all in from the deck of the cottage or the lodge.

I have attached the eBird list (with some embedded photos) from each day to give an idea of the species I came across. I have gotten to know a lot of the species down there but I certainly still miss some that are heard only.

Thursday April 9: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22788965

Friday April 10: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22802949
                           http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22802675

Saturday April 11: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22822273

Sunday April 12: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22866859

Tuesday April 14: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22879868

Wednesday April 15: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22880228

Thursday April 16: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22924484

The one day away from the lodge we took the hour trip down to the coast to Hacienda Baru. No new birds but some great looks at some including a displaying Orange collared Manakin that put on a great show, a group of three Great Currasows and some close in frigatebirds and distant Brown Boobies among the many others. Also a decent show of non bird life including a group of baby Speckled Caimans, a couple Coatis and an Agouti. I just missed a large troop of White faced Capuchins by a few minutes but I have seen them there many times before.
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22848419

Overall the trip produced a total of 191 species with three of those being life birds (bringing my total to 915) and six of the total being new to Costa Rica for me (bringing my total there to 461).

All the photos from the trip can be found at this link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/sets/72157649705478364/

Although it was our seventh trip down here we still love it and we already have the 8th trip planned! The tough part is waiting to go back.

The last couple days at Quabbin

Greater Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2015

Greater Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2015

Rooster at Gate 52, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2015

Rooster at Gate 52, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2015

I spent the last couple days close to home once again as I try to get over a stubborn stomach bug I picked up down south.  Yesterday was somewhat pleasant outside with temps in the 60's but today was miserable with a cold, windy rain falling and temps stuck in the 40's.  Yesterday I stopped by Quabbin Park and managed to find something unusual...a crowing rooster at the end of the Gate 52 road...I guess you never know what you will find at Quabbin!  He was quite approachable and vocal so needless to say I didn't find him at the same spot today but I'm sure a coyote or some other predator ate quite well last night.  The other highlights from yesterday included two Greater Scaup and five other distant scaup species as well as a Bald Eagle sitting on the dam.

Bufflehead, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 20, 2015

With the rain today I hoped to catch up with some birds brought down by the weather but no luck despite some effort at Quabbin.  The best I could find with several stops were five Bufflehead and three Common Loons.  The Berkshires had much better luck with a Caspian Tern and Common Tern seen as well as a Purple Martin. 

Back from Costa Rica and some new local arrivals

Blue Gray Tanager, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Apr 16, 2015

Just back from a trip down to Costa Rica and still recovering from jet lag and a bit of a stomach bug but otherwise doing fine!  I'll post more about Costa Rica later when I'm feeling better and have the numerous photos from there sorted out. 

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 18, 2015

Bonaparte's Gulls, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 18, 2015

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 18, 2015

Winsor Dam (pleasantly ice free now), Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 18, 2015

I spent a little time out this morning before heading home and caught up with several species that had arrived here while I was away.  The most notable sighting was three Bonaparte's Gulls with some other gulls way out on the now ice free reservoir at Winsor Dam.  This makes an impressive eight species of gull in the county this year.  Overall today I had nine new species with just my limited time outside...spring certainly has arrived.

Greater White fronted Goose and Black headed Gull highlight the last couple days

 

Greater White fronted Goose, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 7, 2015

Greater White fronted Goose, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 7, 2015

Greater White fronted Goose, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 7, 2015

Greater White fronted Goose, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 7, 2015

Greater White fronted Goose, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 7, 2015

Blue winged Teal, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 7, 2015

The last few days have continued to produce some great birds around the area and I have managed to catch up with them either before or after work. This morning I made another early morning stop along Connecticut River in Hadley and found a Greater White fronted Goose in among the 620+ Canada Geese (many of which headed out to the south around 6:30 including an individual that may have been a Cackling Goose). The Greater White fronted Goose appeared to be a first year bird with no black marking on the belly and slightly less white around the base of the bill (the same individual was seen later in the day along East Hadley Rd). Lots of other species of waterfowl around including 54 Wood Ducks, 3 American Wigeon, 19 Black Ducks, 28 Mallards, a male Blue winged Teal, 34 Green winged Teal, 44 Ring necked Ducks, 5 Common Mergansers and a single Pied billed Grebe. There were even more birds deeper in the flooded areas but distance and trees made it impossible to see everything.

Black headed Gull, Meadow St fields, Amherst, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Black headed Gull, Meadow St fields, Amherst, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Black headed Gull, Meadow St fields, Amherst, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Black headed Gull, Meadow St fields, Amherst, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Yesterday I started out very early along river the in Hadley where I had 540 Canada Geese, 23 Wood Ducks, 8 Black Ducks, 33 Mallards, 8 Green winged Teal, 7 Ring necked Ducks and 4 Common Mergansers. During the late morning I got a call from Keenan about an odd gull he was looking at. He sent Jacob and myself a photo and as we were looking at the photo Jacob suggested it was a Black headed Gull, which is indeed what it was! A very rare visitor to the area but the bird was oddly within several hundred feet of the location in North Hadley/Amherst where Keenan and Ian found one a couple years ago. I managed to steal away for a short time to get a brief look at it and get some photos of an adult in full breeding colors (also noticed that three Northern Shovelers continue to show well at the UMASS horse farm). A truly amazing run of gulls continue in the valley with seven species so far this year. 

Canada Geese with neck tags, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Canada Goose with neck tags, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Canada Goose with neck tags, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Green winged Teal, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Apr 6, 2015

Canada Goose with odd facial pattern (black line through white on face), East Hadley Rd, Hadley, MA, Apr 6, 2015

I also heard of some additional neck tagged geese from Greenland being seen and I hoped to catch up with some after work.I stopped once again along the Connecticut River and found a couple of neck tagged birds in among 140+ Canada Geese.  These two birds had yellow collars with the codes “GX4” and “G73” and were tagged in Greenland.  Below is the information on the two birds I received via Anthony Fox (researcher in Greenland). 

G73 (formerly GTX reringed G73 summer 2014) caught Isunngua, west Greenland, July 2009 and July 2014

1/4/2013 Stony Brook Fire Department, Suffolk, New York
2/8/2015 Lake Champlain, Tahoe Drive, Villas, Cape May, New Jersey
3/18/2015 Green Lane Reservoir, Pennsberg, Pennsylvania
4/6/2015 Hadley, Hatfield, Hampshire, Mass
4/18/2015 Beaudet Reservoir, Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada

GX4 caught Isunngua, west Greenland, July 2014
2/8/2015 Lake Champlain, Tahoe Drive, Villas, Cape May, New Jersey
4/6/2015 Hadley, Hatfield, Hampshire, Mass.
4/18/2015 Beaudet Reservoir, Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada 

As I headed for home I noticed a large gathering of geese along East Hadley Road that eventually swelled to nearly a thousand birds including one individual with an unusual black line through the white on its face.More birds continued to arrive as I was leaving but I needed to get headed home.