Sightings from the last several days including the continued Pacific slope Flycatcher

Pacific slope Flycatcher, Hadley, MA, Nov 21, 2019

Pacific slope Flycatcher, Hadley, MA, Nov 21, 2019

Pacific slope Flycatcher, Hadley, MA, Nov 21, 2019

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Nov 21, 2019

Northern Harrier, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Nov 21, 2019

Rough legged Hawk, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Nov 21, 2019

Rough legged Hawk, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Nov 21, 2019

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Belchertown Land Trust trail, Belchertown, MA, Nov 21, 2019

I needed to get out a bit this morning before having to get back home to deal with some non birding issue and it was a great morning.  It was wall to wall sunshine with steadily warming temperatures after a low in the upper 20's.  I started off at Arcadia where I had seven species of waterfowl and at least five Yellow rumped Warblers...hopefully they will overwinter in the area once again (more on warbler through the third week of November here).  I then had to head back toward Hadley where I made a quick stop along the river and had the best looks I have had yet of the continued Pacific slope Flycatcher.  The flycatcher looked to be surviving quite well despite our record setting cold for the month so far.  It has now been present for almost a month and has been seen by hundreds (earlier posts about it here and here.).  A birder collected a fecal sample from the flycatcher a few days ago and hopefully a DNA test will be done on it to be 100% certain on the ID.  The only other notable sighting in the area was a light morph Rough legged Hawk I found at UMASS...hopefully just the first of many that will come down from the north this winter.  Later in the morning while taking Wilson for a walk I came across a few late species including two Ruby crowned Kinglets and a Gray Catbird in Belchertown.  It was a relaxing morning that was sorely needed.

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Belchertown, MA, Nov 20, 2019

Winter Wren, Belchertown, MA, Nov 20, 2019

I got out for a bit on a drizzly, cool morning on Wednesday and came across a couple of late Ruby crowned Kinglets, several Winter Wrens and a possible Marsh Wren at Lake Wallace. 

Bald Eagle, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 18, 2019

Monday and Tuesday were busy with non birding activities so I only got out very briefly with the highlight being a couple Red throated Loons and several Bald Eagles at Winsor Dam.

American Robin with partial leucism, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Nov 17, 2019

American Robin with partial leucism, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Nov 17, 2019

American Robin with partial leucism, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Nov 17, 2019

Field Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Nov 17, 2019

Field Sparrow with partial leucism, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Nov 17, 2019

Yellow rumped Warbler, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Nov 17, 2019

White tailed Deer, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Nov 17, 2019

On Sunday the 17th I made a couple stops in Northampton with the first down to the East Meadows  and then to Arcadia.  Sunday is the best day to explore the East Meadows with no hunters around.  I found a male Ring necked Pheasant that somehow has avoided getting shot so far...no idea how as I could have probably just reached out and grabbed it.  I had at least four Yellow rumped Warblers still hanging on plus a spike horn White tailed Deer that seemed very irritated with my presence.  Arcadia featured a couple leucistic birds including an American Robin and a Field Sparrow (which was among a group of five of the species traveling together).  I also found another four Yellow rumped Warblers.