Record setting August and an update on life totals thanks to the latest taxonomic update with eBird

Black capped Chickadee, Ware, MA, Aug 30, 2021

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Aug 29, 2021

Orchard Oriole, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Aug 29, 2021

White tailed Deer, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Aug 29, 2021

August is now about over and with it a record setting month once again for me in Hampshire County with a total of 152 species (beating my previous best August total of 151, which I reached last year).  The record setting total is a combination of some lingering unusual species as well as some early fall migration arrivals and some storm dropped birds (unfortunately I missed out on a few other species that dropped in at the end of Henri as I was stuck at work).  The first eight months of the year has produced 230 species in the county which is the highest total I have ever had at this point on the year (previous highest by the end of August totaled 222 in 2019 and 2020).  

Rufous capped Warbler, Florida Canyon, AZ, Mar 31, 2010

Chestnut capped Warbler, Casa Botanica, San Vito, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Sedge Wren, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 17, 2016

The latest update to the taxonomic list with eBird is now complete and I gained a couple species with the split of two species.  The first was the overdue split of Rufous capped Warbler into two species with the more southerly yellow bellied birds now being labeled as Chestnut capped Warbler and the northern birds (from Mexico/Guatemala border north) retaining the name Rufous capped Warbler. The second split that impacted my list involved Sedge Wren.  The northern migratory species was split from the more southern sedentary species that occurs from central Mexico into South America with the migratory species keeping the name Sedge Wren and the southern birds now known as Grass Wren.  With these changes I now have 1582 species on my life list according to eBird.  More on all the changes within the AOS in 2021 can be found at the following link.

Late August sightings including a lingering Snowy Egret

Black and White Warbler, Ware, MA, Aug 27, 2021

Black and White Warbler, Ware, MA, Aug 27, 2021

Snowy Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 27, 2021

Great Blue Heron, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 27, 2021

Wilson on Dog Appreciation Day, Belchertown Rec Trail, Belchertown, MA, Aug 26, 2021

Northern Harrier, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Aug 25, 2021

I have managed to get out a bit between days at work and although I failed to find any lingering storm blown birds from Henri I have nonetheless still found a few notable birds including a juvenile Snowy Egret that has continued at the Holyoke Dam since the 24th.  I also had a slightly late Virginia Rail as well as a Least Bittern at Lake Wallace this morning.  I also ran across a few mixed species flock at various locations and they gave a taste of what is to come as September arrives and with it the peak of fall migration for passerines.  Fingers crossed for some rarities to show up in the area.  Our fourth heat wave of the year ended today and the next few days will feature some cooler temps and hopefully some more early fall migrants.

The tropics continue to feature some activity with the most impactful storm being Hurricane Ida that is currently approaching Cuba as a Cat 1 hurricane but is forecast to reach Cat 3 status as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in central Louisiana as a major hurricane late on Sunday.  We may end up with the remnants of the storm moving through midweek next week but the chances of storm related birds from that storm in the local area is quite small.  There are a few other potential storms out in the Atlantic but none poise a threat to the area.  Tomorrow marks the tenth anniversary of the arrival of Irene into the area...by far the best day of storm birding around here in many years.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Henri birding

Lesser Black backed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

Lesser Black backed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

Lesser Black backed Gull with Ring billed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

Winsor Dam (view at 6:30am), Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

Winsor Dam (view at 10:00am), Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

Peregrine Falcon, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

Double crested Cormorant, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

Hurricane Henri turned out to be a bit of a let down as far as birding was concerned with no large influx of pelagic species being deposited inland.  The set up looked perfect for the storm to bring in loads of unusual species but it never occurred.  There were many reasons it looked good including the date of storm in late August with lots of potential rarities out in the Gulf Stream as well as loads of shorebirds (and others) migrating south, the strength of the storm at landfall (forecast to be a Cat 1 hurricane but it actually was a high end tropical storm instead), the forecast to rapidly dissipate over land (making it easier and safer to chase), a track over the gulf stream and an impact to an area with lots of birders looking.  More on the potential of the storm and the tinking behind it can be found at the following link.  Unfortunately the predictions were wrong and the storm way underperformed in regards to displacing birds.  My strategy from the start was to be at Winsor Dam for a large portion of the day and that is exactly were I spent the majority of Sunday.  I arrived at the dam around 5:30 and stayed at the location for nearly five hours before taking a break at home.  Mary was already there when I arrived and the winds were starting to build out of the northeast (the direction they stayed all day).  The rain held off for the first few hours before we started getting some intermittent light rain.  The wind continued to increase and the rain soon did the same but not before we started getting some decent birds with a flyby Black bellied Plover around 7:30 and a Lesser Black backed Gull around 8:15.  It really did look like we were on our way to finding lots of good stuff.  A few more birders joined us as the conditions continued to deteriorate and despite a lot of effort we failed to turn up anything else unusual.  It was fun to watch some Chimney Swifts flying around in the wind (before most quickly returned to their roost in one of the chimneys on the administration building).  A Peregrine Falcon also made a number of passes and effortlessly moved around through the windy conditions.  

Winsor Dam (view at 1:25pm), Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2021

After an early lunch break at home I returned to Winsor Dam and the weather continued to deteriorate with near horizontal rain at times.  Despite another three hours at the dam the best I could find was an unidentified peep species that zipped by.  As reports from near the coast continued to show little in the way of storm related birds I headed for home for a bit.  After a phone call from Marshall in mid afternoon and some early dinner I once again stopped by the dam for another hour.  Ted was already there and despite our best efforts we failed to turn up anything noteworthy.  Despite a lot of effort by several people on Sunday we failed to turn up much of anything storm related.  Nonetheless it was fun to try although I have to admit I was disappointed as the storm looked so promising to bring in rarities during its arrival.  There was some consolation in seeing that most every other area being watched throughout the northeast also failed to find much from the storm so we were not alone in being disappointed...you have to take the position that even negative data is still data and will hopefully help us figure out the interaction of birds and tropical systems in the future.

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Wilson's Snipe, Granby, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Wilson's Snipe, Granby, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Solitary Sandpiper, Granby, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Least Sandpipers, Granby, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Killdeer, Granby, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Spotted Sandpiper, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Least Sandpipers, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Northern Parula, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 23, 2021

On Monday morning I headed back again at dawn to Winsor Dam in the vain hopes of finding something unusual that dropped in overnight but I once again came up empty at the dam.  There was actually a bit of sun early on as Henri had moved off to our southwest and was centered in New York state on Monday morning. Although I had no luck in turning up any storm related birds I did have two nightjar species during the stop with at least two Eastern Whip Poor Wills still singing and a flyby Common Nighthawk. With little luck at the dam and ample rain during the storm I decided to make a few stops in search of shorebirds before having to return to the house to get a few things cleaned up after the storm. The small puddle in Granby that has featured a few shorebirds with a Wilson's Snipe showing well plus half a dozen Solitary Sandpipers as well as Least Sandpipers and Killdeer. My final stop was down to the Holyoke Dam where I had half a dozen Spotted Sandpipers and 13 Least Sandpipers. I checked multiple times through the roosting gulls in the hopes of finding something unusual but found only Ring billed Gulls.  As I was leaving I came across a small mixed species flock and had yet another early Northern Parula. 

Whimbrel, Oxbow, Northampton, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Whimbrel, Oxbow, Northampton, MA, Aug 23, 2021

Whimbrel, Oxbow, Northampton, MA, Aug 23, 2021

After arriving home I saw some interesting reports of rare shorebirds show up with the first being a Whimbrel at the Oxbow and then a report of initially 60, which was then revised up to 104, Hudsonian Godwits flying by in a single flock in Longmeadow.  Hudsonian Godwits are exceedingly rare inland many years between sightings.  The count of 104 is almost certainly the highest count ever for the species in western Massachusetts.  I have only seen the species once in the area and that was during Irene when we had a dozen flyby Winsor Dam.  I finally got the work done at the house and decided to try my luck in finding the Whimbrel before I had to head for work. At this point the remains of Henri were starting to pivot back through and the rain was starting to increase once again. I got good looks at the Whimbrel as it fed in a grassy field although it would occasionally disappear from view. I searched around for other stuff and was hopeful that the increasingly heavier rain would force more stuff down but I had no luck and was running short on time. Later in the afternoon I got a report from Steve of a Laughing Gull at the Oxbow and then more rarities started showing up including a Ruddy Turnstone and Black bellied Plover. The gull flew off after only a few people got to see it but the shorebirds stayed around for others to see it (unfortunately I was not one of them). The rain continued into the beginning of the overnight but came to an end around midnight.

Snowy Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 24, 2021

Snowy Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 24, 2021

Great Blue Heron and Great Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 24, 2021

Today dawned clear and that unfortunately meant the unusual species from the day before had probably already left (this typically occurs with storm downed birds...as soon as the weather clears they head out).  Nonetheless sometimes bird do stick around so I headed out after work to check a few spots before having to be in Hadley for an appointment.  I started at Arcadia and the heavy rain of the previous day had raised the water levels in the river to the point where there was almost no sandbar left at the Oxbow.  There were no shorebirds or unusual gulls to be seen so I decided to try my luck at the Holyoke Dam (mainly hoping to relocate the Laughing Gull).  I had no luck finding the gull but I was initially hopeful as among the Ring billed Gulls were two young Herring Gulls that were likely the same individuals I had at Arcadia the day before.  The river was much higher and there was little in the way of habitat for any shorebirds.  While scanning the area I came across a small white egret and after a while it showed itself well enough to determine it was a juvenile Snowy Egret.  It was a tough bird to get good looks at but eventually it came out into the open for a bit.  I also checked a few other puddles and open fields but didn't find anything unusual.  It appears no one else found anything else unusual in the area this morning despite a lot of people looking.

The tropics continue to be active with three more areas of potential development over the next several days including an area off Central America into the southern Gulf of Mexico, an area to the east of Bermuda and another wave coming off of Africa a few hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.  None of these are any threat at all to this area in the foreseeable future but always worth keeping an eye on the tropics as hurricane season peak is approaching.  

Latest update on Hurricane Henri and some birding today before the storm

Hurricane Henri forecast track as of 5PM, Aug 21, 2021

I have been watching the changing forecast all day today for Hurricane Henri and after a forecast jog over to the west this morning the latest forecast from the NHC has it coming right over the valley, which would put us in the sweet spot for unusual species to show up.  The storm is currently a Category 1 storm with winds of 75MPH with higher gusts.  It is forecast to gain a little more strength but should still stay a Category 1 storm before making landfall on Long Island.  It will rapidly lose intensity but should still be a tropical storm as it moves through inland Massachusetts.  The exact track will almost certainly change somewhat but the cone of uncertainty continues to tighten up as the storm gets closer and the potential is there for some really good stuff to show up in the area.  I will be out looking starting tomorrow morning and especially tomorrow afternoon into the evening as the worst of the storm moves in.  This will probably be the last update here on the storm until after it passes.  If you can get out there and hit bodies of water and flooded fields (if it is safe to do so) and try to get photos if you can to document any rarities and get positive identifications on species you do not know.  A great article on what to look for with the storm can be found at the following link.

Solitary Sandpiper, Granby, MA, Aug 21, 2021

Solitary Sandpiper, Granby, MA, Aug 21, 2021

Killdeer, Granby, MA, Aug 21, 2021

Northern Parula, Herman Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2021

Damage from breached beaver dam, Herman Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2021

Winsor Dam (the calm before the storm), Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 21, 2021

I headed out this morning and you would never know a hurricane was on the way.  It stayed very humid all day with temps into the 80's with a mix of sun and clouds (with the sun winning out).  I made a dawn stop at Lake Wallace and then down to check out a small puddle in Granby that has produced some shorebirds lately (and hopefully will attract more from the storm moving through).  Nothing unusual there but a count of eight Solitary Sandpipers was nice.  I then headed to Herman Covey WMA mainly to see if the large beaver dam that failed resulted in some good mud flats for shorebirds....it did not.  I did come across a decent mixed species flock there including another early Northern Parula and a Mourning Warbler among eight species of warbler.

Common Nighthawk, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2021

Common Nighthawk, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2021

Common Nighthawk, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2021

In the evening while going out to grill I noticed a few Common Nighthawks moving north and they just kept coming.  Over the course of around 40 minutes I had at least 406, which is my highest count ever at the house (previous high count was 388 on August 24, 2009).  

The remnants of one tropical storm and an upcoming hurricane

Least Sandpipers, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Aug 20, 2021

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2021

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 19, 2021

The tropics have certainly gotten much more active and there appears to be a high likelihood that a hurricane will have a direct impact on New England within the next few days (more on that below).  First I will take a look at the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred that moved through the area yesterday with the main impact being heavy rain and some wind (lost a few trees at home and spent today cutting those up). I was able to get out to check a few spots before an overtime shift yesterday morning but came up empty for unusual birds at both Winsor Dam and some farm fields in Hadley. I didn't see reports yesterday from anyone else of unusual species or numbers beyond a decent showing of Least Sandpipers (with at least 92 present) at the drained Watershops Pond in Springfield.  I had a little better luck after getting out of work this morning.  The weather continued to be very tropical like with high humidity and intermittent showers and drizzle.  I found a few species of shorebirds during my few stops on the way home with the best being a single Black bellied Plover that was flushed from its hiding place by a young Peregrine Falcon.  Other shorebirds around included Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeer.

Track forecast of Henri as of 2PM, Aug 20, 2021 (image courtesy of NOAA)

Now on to the main focus of this post which is Henri. It is currently a strong tropical storm located about halfway between the mainland US and Bermuda moving slowly west, northwest. There is currently some wind shear that is keeping the storm capped in strength a bit but this is forecast to weaken and the storm will almost certainly gain hurricane status as it takes a turn to the north and heads toward New England (possibly Category 2 for a time). There are many atmospheric variables at play here but it is looking more and more likely that the storm will landfall into southern New England as a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday and then slowly move through southern New England before turning east into the Gulf of Maine with another landfall in Nova Scotia. It is quite unusual for a hurricane to hit New England with the last landfalling hurricane about 30 years ago.  How does this impact the western Massachusetts area? It will certainly bring heavy rain (especially if the track remains off to our east). Wind could certainly be a major issue if the storm tracks further west with the eye closer to us. 

Now to the impact on birds for the area. Without question any tropical system can bring with it the chance for birds very seldom seen in the area with pelagic species of many types being the main focus. The storm began near Bermuda and has slowly moved southwest and then west and is now over the Gulf Stream. There are a wide variety of species that could be caught up in the storm and be transported inland as the storm moves north. Typically the most productive location for finding unusual species is just to the east of the eye (which at this point will be east of us here in western Massachusetts). With that said unusual stuff can still show up to the west of the track and it would be well worth the effort to get out and see what one can find and the track can still shift more to the west.

The question is always where do you put yourself for the storm?  There are many spots that could be productive from large lakes and reservoirs to multiple locations along the Connecticut River.  It is best to pick a spot that you can spend some time at and is somewhat close to your home so you have a higher likelihood of being able to get to the location (and then back home!) if the storm starts causing road closures due to downed trees, wires, etc.  Even small ponds and lakes could be productive during these types of storms.  Timing on the storm could produce birds from Sunday through Tuesday.  There are many variables to consider when picking a spot but always keep your safety in mind so a spot closer to home is sometimes the best choice.  I would highly encourage everyone to check nearby bodies of water, flooded fields and even just overhead as the storm moves through.  There are many possible unusual birds that could show up in a storm like this from pelagic birds that are seldom seen from shore to coastal birds pushed inland to migrants (like shorebirds) grounded by the storm.  Many times the birds offer just fleeting glimpses in less than ideal viewing conditions but if you can get any photos it can help with ID and documentation and I encourage people to post there sightings to the Facebook group and enter their sightings into eBird.

I have an older post that may assist people in what to expect with the upcoming storm including an overview of tropical systems in western Massachusetts as well as an eBird list from an epic day of birding here ten years ago during Irene.  I will post additional information as I can both here and on Facebook.