Continued rarities the last couple days

Blue Grosbeak, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Aug 2, 2020

Great Egret, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Aug 3, 2020

Wood Duck, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Aug 3, 2020

Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 3, 2020

Green Herons, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 3, 2020

I have caught with a few more the lingering rarities that have been around for weeks including at least two Blue Grosbeaks in the Honey Pot on Sunday morning and then a Least Bittern and Marsh Wren at Great Pond this morning.  The numbers and variety of waders continues to increase with lots of post breeding bird but so far nothing too out of the ordinary although there have been several Little Blue Herons just to the south in Hampden County.  Perhaps the upcoming tropical system will entice them to come just a little further north.  The storm (Isaias is currently a strong tropical storm but is forecast to become a hurricane once again before making landfall in the carolinas and then continuing northeastward through the mid Atlantic and then into the northeast with the storm forecast to be just to our west tracking through far western Massachusetts late Tuesday into Wednesday.  The worst of the storm looks to arrive overnight Tuesday around here and may indeed bring in some unusual birds but I would not expect lots of pelagic birds as it will be tracking mainly overland after making landfall in the carolinas.  There is certainly the chance of pelagic birds but the more likely species would including migrating shorebirds forced down or near shore species such as gulls and terns getting pushed inland.