Snow and winter like conditions continue with the coldest air of the season arriving for Thanksgiving

American Pipit, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Nov 17, 2018

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Nov 16, 2018

Red necked Grebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 18, 2018

Dawn at the Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 18, 2018

Wilson dressed for fall but feeling like winter, Belchertown, MA, Nov 17, 2018

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 19, 2018

Our mid winter like weather continues and is forecast to get worse.  Last Thursday night into Friday we got our first real bout of snow and the accumulations ended up being much higher than predicted with at least 8-10" compared to the predicted 3-5".  I made a stop at Silvio Conte NWR after work but didn't find too much in the way of activity but some close looks at American Pipits in a muddy area free of snow was nice.  Another dusting of snow occurred Sunday night into Monday and then it changed to some cold rain and Monday stayed raw throughout the day.  Tuesday dawned to find a mix of rain and snow coming down once again but only amounted to a slushy dusting.  I had hopes that the rainy weather might ground some late migrants on the water at Quabbin or other nearby areas but multiple stops didn't produce anything unusual.  James had great luck up in Turners Falls with at least nine Red throated Loons and a Black legged Kittiwake!  More on that at his blog.  I made it out again this morning and checked a few areas at Quabbin but all spots were quiet with the best bird being a late Ruby crowned Kinglet.  I then took advantage of some relatively nice weather this morning before the arctic front moved through by walking a bit at the rail trail in Amherst and then checking a variety of open field areas for waterfowl and raptors.  Several hundred geese were present in various areas but nothing besides Canada Geese.  Tomorrow looks to be absolutely brutal cold with highs not making it to 20 and wind chills below zero with lows overnight getting to near zero...record setting cold and probably the coldest Thanksgiving on record around here.  Not great weather to keep lingering migrants around for early winter.