Cool, rainy weather continues with a one day reprieve for my birthday

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 26, 2020

 Hooded Merganser, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 26, 2020

Common Mergansers, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 26, 2020

Great Blue Herons building nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 26, 2020

Today was a rainy, cool day (as expected this April) with strong northerly winds with highs barely reaching the low 40's.  I hit a number of spots throughout the area in the morning mainly looking for migrants downed by the weather without much luck.  The only new species I added for Hampshire County for the day were singles of Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowleg along the bike path in Amherst.  Passerines were around but few in number with limited variety (especially for late April)

Yesterday was yet another cool and rainy day but I did get out a little early in the day but had to dodge occasional showers.  I visited Quabbin Park and Lake Wallace and had mainly the same species I had at these locations during previous visits the last few days with the only new species being a single Black throated Blue Warbler at Quabbin.  The Lake Wallace heron rookery is now up to three active nests.  I was home around nine and took Wilson for a walk but otherwise I stayed home as the rain continued to pick up in intensity (plus we got a short period of sleet)

American Robin with white on tail, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 25, 2020

American Robin with white on tail, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 25, 2020

Saturday was finally a sunny and seasonable day (even if it did start a bit cool and cloudy)...just in time for my birthday. I got out of work in the morning and then had to decide where to go. With it being a weekend and knowing how many people had no work to go to I decided to stay away from spots I knew would probably be good for birds but would be overrun with people. I decided on UMASS but it was very slow so I left there and headed toward Quabbin Park where I spent about an hour before heading home. The only new species for the year in the county was a Black and White Warbler near the end of my walk. I really expected it to be a bit busier but alas it was not. Although it was still early I decided to head for home and I was glad I did. I was walking around the yard as the sun really started breaking through and I had two Glossy Ibis fly by heading northeast toward Quabbin. They were long gone before I had any chance of running back inside to get a camera. Not really was I was expecting to flyby the house on my birthday but I was happy. I actually had a Glossy Ibis in Amherst on the same date last year. The ibis became species #168 for the yard.

The pattern of rainy, breezy and cooler than average temperatures may finally be changing by the end of the week into the weekend with at least some sun for the weekend and temperatures well into the 60's.  I suspect this will lead to a big influx of migrants to end the month and begin May.  Before that happens we have another rain storm on tap for Thursday into Friday.