The first few days of October

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 1, 2019

Lincoln's Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 1, 2019

Scarlet Tanagers, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 1, 2019

Tennessee Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Oct 1, 2019

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2019

Blue headed Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2019

American Redstart, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2019

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2019

Cape May Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2019

Least Flycatcher, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2019

Red eyed Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2019

Northern Waterthrush, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Oct 3, 2019

The first few days of October have been quite changeable with the first being mainly overcast with a little rain before it eventually became sunny and more humid and warm.  The second was almost summer luck to start with temperatures well into the 70's and humid before a cold front moved in late in the day resulting in the third being overcast with occasional rain and temperatures in the 50's.  The northerly winds continue to move migrants with less and less in the way of warblers and other neotropic migrants around and a noticeable increase in sparrows.  On Tuesday I spent four hours at Arcadia where I had 70 species including a late Eastern Wood Pewee, two Philadelphia Vireos, seven species of sparrows, ten species of warblers, a couple Scarlet Tanagers and a flyover Dickcissel.  I also stopped briefly at  Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River and had a Connecticut Warbler in the same spot I had one the day before.  I only had a short time before work on the second so I cruised through the Honey Pot but didn't find anything too noteworthy.  After work today I stopped back down at Arcadia for a few hours and despite the overcast and occasional breeze I found sixty species with the highlights among them including a Least Flycatcher, several each of Blue headed and Red eyed Vireo, at least 290 Cedar Waxwings feeding on fruit near the old orchard, seven species of sparrows, a Cape May Warbler among eight species of warblers and there Scarlet Tanagers.  Later on in the morning while out for a walk with Wilson we found a late Northern Waterthrush.

The next several days look to be at or below average as far as temperatures go and a few chances of rain which may bring us the beginnings of a larger variety of waterfowl.