The end of the first week of October

Green Heron, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 5, 2019

Rusty Blackbirds, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 5, 2019

White crowned Sparrows, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 5, 2019

Nashville Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 5, 2019

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 5, 2019

The first week of October ended with a cloudy and showery day but relatively warm (around 70) thanks to a strong southern wind.  I managed to get out the last few days and had some good stuff as we transition to fall.  I stopped at Arcadia after work on Saturday morning and although the morning featured our first widespread frost the sun made it bearable to be out.  I had a number of highlights including a large number of Wood Ducks, a late Green Heron, many sparrows of several species, a group of Rusty Blackbirds and nine species of warblers.

Blackpoll Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2019

Blue headed Vireo, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2019

Carolina Wren, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2019

Carolina Wren, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2019

Red tailed Hawk, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2019

Gray Fox, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2019

On Sunday morning I headed over to UMASS where I spent a few hours and turned up a couple American Woodcocks and a Barred Owl before dawn.  As the little bit of sun we had for the morning started warming things up the birds started getting active and I had notables including several each of Red eyed Vireo and Blue headed Vireo, three Ruby crowned Kinglets, seven species of warbler including a Cape May.  I also had a brief look at a Gray Fox as it moved through....likely the same individual I had there at the end of September.

Wild Turkey, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 7, 2019

Monday was warmest day for the month with a strong southerly wind and humidity and temps that reached to around 70 even without any sun at all.  I dodged a few showers during the couple hours I spent at Quabbin Park eventually finding 41 species with nothing too unusual but a couple of mixed flocks had decent diversity with a noticeable increase in both species of kinglets.

Overall the first week of the month has been productive with 110 species so far (although behind last years record setting pace where I had 120 by the first week).  Neotropic migrants continue to dwindle in numbers but there are some still around...more on warblers specifically at the following link.  Waterfowl numbers will start to increase as October moves along as will the chances of a wayward rarity finding its way to the area.