Barnacle Goose (county species #299) and Cattle Egret in the last few days

Cattle Egret, Meadow Street, Amherst, MA, Oct 16, 2020

Cattle Egret, Meadow Street, Amherst, MA, Oct 16, 2020

Cattle Egret (taken through window), Meadow Street, Amherst, MA, Oct 16, 2020

The last few days have produced a few notable species around here including a Barnacle Goose and a Cattle Egret.  The first rarity to show up was the Cattle Egret that I found on Friday after getting out of work and after a fruitless search for the Barnacle Goose in the Hatfield area earlier on a rainy morning.  I covered several areas in Hatfield in the hopes that the Barnacle Goose that has been hanging around at the Tritown beach in Whately had moved a little south into Hampshire County.  I had no luck finding it and after an appointment in Hatfield I headed across the river as the rain continued to increase in intensity.  I decided to check some fields in Hadley and Amherst for geese as well as a recheck of the area where Scott had a Brewer's Blackbird several days ago.  I struck out on finding any interesting geese but as I was driving by a small farm on Meadow Street I noticed a Cattle Egret in among the cows.  I stopped briefly and got a few photos and then got the word out to others on the presence of the Cattle Egret and many got to see it.  The rain got heavier for the rest of the day and I didn't venture out much after getting home.  The other rarity was a Barnacle Goose that decided to move south (along with four Barnacle Goose x Cackling Goose hybrids) and ended up at Paradise Pond on the Smith College campus.  I managed to see it briefly but was unable to get any photos as I had no camera with me.  The Barnacle Goose was my 299th species in Hampshire County and one I have tried to catch up with for years (they are a very rare goose around here and for some reason always seem to show up to the north and south of the county but hardly ever stop here).  I tried to relocate the goose on Sunday morning to get some photos but no luck but I will keep looking over the next few days.  I checked Paradise Pond, Arcadia, Lower Mill Pond and a few fields but didn't turn up the Barnacle Goose.  I did find a few notable species for the morning including three Blue winged Teal at Lower Mill Pond.  So far for the month I have found 142 species so far which is well ahead of a typical October and on track to break my October record for the county that I set in 2018 with 152 species (at this point in 2018 I had 135 species so a very good chance I will break my record).  

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Home, Belchertown, MA, Oct 11, 2020

I checked the cameras on the water feature and found yet another new species captured with a Ruby crowned Kinglet on October 11th and becomes the 16th species captured at the new water feature.