Poverty Mountain bird survey and a fruitless search for a Hooded Warbler

Worm eating Warbler, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Hadley, MA, May 23, 2020

Worm eating Warbler, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Hadley, MA, May 23, 2020

After a very warm day yesterday (mid 80’s) it cooled a bit for today with some very light rain overnight and fog and low clouds that stuck around through most of the morning before clearing out and getting windy. The morning began with a modified bird survey at Kevin and Cindy’s property in Shutesbury. With the ongoing Covid issues no groups of people this year and no interaction at all. I covered my typical area by myself and started earlier than usual. Nothing way out of the ordinary this year but it was fun to take part again (I think this might be the tenth year of the survey). After the survey was completed I headed down to the Mount Holyoke Range SP and walked up the steep trail to Bare Mountain and then beyond to Mount Hitchcock in search of a singing Hooded Warbler that Don had as he was making recordings of Worm eating Warblers there yesterday. Despite checking the area fairly well I could not find it but did have a nice showing of Worm eating Warblers all along the ridge with at least ten individuals (nine were singing) in the just over 1.5 miles I covered to a bit past Mount Hitchcock including an individual singing an odd two part song very similar to another individual at Mount Holyoke that has been present for a couple years. By the time I made it back down to the parking area the wind was picking up and the crowds were increasing so I headed back toward home but did make one more quick stop at Quabbin Park hoping to find an odd sounding Blue winged Warbler that someone sent me a recording of yesterday that could have been something more unusual than a typical Blue winged Warbler but no luck with that either.

Gray Catbird on nest, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 22, 2020

Tree Swallow in nest box 2, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 22, 2020

Tree Swallow in nest box 1, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 22, 2020

Tree Swallows both nest boxes, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 22, 2020

Nesting birds continue at home and I have oddly had a couple occasions when I have noticed Tree Swallows in both of my closely located boxes.  I checked today and the second box still has just the beginnings of the a nest and the other box has a bird on a nest with eggs.  The banded Gray Catbird is now sitting tight on her nest that is thankfully becoming better camouflaged as the foliage leafs out.