Type 1 and Type 2 Red Crossbills on Prescott and various stuff around the yard

Purple Finch, Prescott Peninsula (restricted access), New Salem, MA, Jul 7, 2018

Chestnut sided Warbler, Prescott Peninsula (restricted access), New Salem, MA, Jul 7, 2018

Least Flycatcher, Prescott Peninsula (restricted access), New Salem, MA, Jul 7, 2018

Cedar Waxwing, Prescott Peninsula (restricted access), New Salem, MA, Jul 7, 2018

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Prescott Peninsula (restricted access), New Salem, MA, Jul 7, 2018

The heat wave which has gripped the area from the end of June until yesterday has finally relented.  A few records were broken and it was just brutal to be outside with temperatures at times in the upper 90's with high humidity.  We had a few mornings were the low temperature never got below the mid to low 70's.  Working in these conditions were tough and my birding on my off time was quite limited.  This morning the change in conditions was amazing with a low temperature of 48 degrees feeling almost cold!  I decided to make a trip back up to Prescott Peninsula to continue with some bird surveys and hopefully run back across the Red Crossbills I found up there last week.  Lots of birds around including at least 8 Red Crossbills which I managed to get some marginal recordings of so we could figure out the specific types.  The recordings showed them to be a mix of Type 1 and Type 2...thanks to Tim and Matt for figuring out the Type.

Gray Catbird with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 5, 2018

House Wren with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 5, 2018

Eastern Phoebe with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 5, 2018

American Robins, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 2, 2018

Eastern Bluebird nest with eggs, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 6, 2018

Red Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 29, 2018

Red Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 4, 2018

Raccoon, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 6, 2018

Birds continue to nest around the house with the phoebes and House Wrens onto their second broods and a pair of Eastern Bluebirds nesting in one of my next boxes.  A few banded birds continue to show around the yard with the motion camera capturing them quite well.  The Red Foxes have become more scarce but occasionally get captured by one of the cameras (along with a few other mammals).