Shorebirds and waders today and a family of Virginia Rails yesterday

Solitary Sandpipers, Lower Mill Pond, Easthampton, MA, July 23, 2016

Great Egret, Connecticut River, Northampton, MA, July 23, 2016

Ring billed Gulls, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, July 23, 2016

Double crested Cormorants, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, July 23, 2016

Double crested Cormorants, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, July 23, 2016

I headed out early before it got too hot in search of waders and shorebirds (and anything else I might come across) starting over at Arcadia and then hitting the following spots: Lower Mill Pond, East Meadows, the Connecticut River in Northampton and Hadley, the Holyoke Dam and Lake Wallace.  The best shorebird spot by far was Lower Mill Pond with five species including nine Killdeer, two Spotted Sandpipers, five Solitary Sandpipers, four Least Sandpipers and a Semipalmated Sandpiper.  Lower Mill Pond also held a Green Heron and Great Blue Heron and I managed to add a third wader species with a Great Egret along the river in Northampton.  The Holyoke Dam had two Great Blue Herons and no shorebirds but did contain several other notable species including 14 Double crested Cormorants, 102 Ring billed Gull and at least 35 Chimney Swifts.  I didn't make it to Lake Wallace until late morning and managed to find just two Green Herons and a Great Blue Heron as far as waders were concerned but it was quite hot by the time I was there.

Virginia Rails (adult with juvenile), Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 22, 2016

Virginia Rail juvenile, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 22, 2016

Virginia Rails (adult with juvenile), Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 22, 2016

Virginia Rail juvenile, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 22, 2016

Raccoons, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 22, 2016

Raccoons, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 22, 2016

First thing Friday morning I stopped by Lake Wallace and once again had a Sora calling (but never seen despite much effort).  I also had at least five Virginia Rails including two adults and three juveniles which showed fairly well after a lot of watching.  Still lots of the expected waterfowl around but nothing unusual and no sign of the Pied billed Grebe seen there the day before.  Video of the Virginia Rail adult and three juveniles: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/28190041050/in/dateposted-public/
A family of Raccoon's repeatedly climbed up a tree in the middle of the marsh with lots of interaction between them.  Videos of Raccoons: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/27857295893/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/27857295893/in/dateposted-public/

Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, July 22, 2016

The Lesser Scaup once again showed fairly well at Winsor Dam.  Not much else of note throughout the few spots I checked at Quabbin Park.