Western Kingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
Western Kingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
Western Kingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
Mourning Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
Philadelphia Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
Monarch, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
Philadelphia Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021
The migration conditions last night into this morning were great and the radars were busy with birds with loads of flight calls heard every time I was able to listen. Although I was functioning on very little sleep after a long shift at work I headed right out to see what I could find. I decided to focus my energy at Arcadia trying to track down any recently arrived migrants (with the hopes of a Connecticut Warbler). I hit a bunch of hedgerows and tree lines and found a few pockets of birds with highlights including three Philadelphia Vireos, a Great crested Flycatcher, loads of House Wrens and Common Yellowthroats, three Yellow Warblers, a Mourning Warbler and Dickcissel. As I was walking back to my car to shed some of my water resistant (but too warm) clothes I caught a brief glimpse of a bird perched near the top of a small bush but mostly obstructed from view. I could only see part of the head but knew it was something interesting. I stepped about a foot to the left to try to get a better look at the bird at which point the bird turned showed a pale yellow belly and then it promptly flew off. I decided to fire off as many photos as I could as it flew away for review later and eventually I got focus on the bird. My initial impression was a Myiarchus flycatcher but my views were brief and I was not totally sure of the identification. I got out the word to a number of birders I knew were nearby to have them be on the lookout for the bird. I then spent the next hour and a half looking in vain for the bird. Mary arrived just as I was leaving and I gave her the details I had. I was totally beat at this point and didn't have a lot of energy left so I headed for home. Not long after I got home I got a text from Mary saying she had a western type flycatcher in the general area I had my bird. Although I really needed a nap I decided instead to review my photos and the shots clearly showed a Western Kingbird (only my third Hampshire County record of the species with my previous records in September 2003 and December 2004). A number of other birders also found the bird independent of my sighting and many obtained some great photos. I initially sighted the bird around 8:40am and it was then seen again by other about a half hour later and then continued to show on and off for the remainder of the day. I was certainly happy that others were able to see this rarity. Besides the birds there was an impressive showing of Monarch butterflies for the morning.
Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021
Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021
Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021
Dawn, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021
On my way to work on Friday morning I decided to spend my limited time trying to turn up some shorebirds following the passage of a front and some overnight rain. A few days before I had noticed a field in the Honey Pot that had been freshly tilled and decided to start my morning there. The field has produced Buff breasted Sandpipers in the past and this species was very high on my list of potential sightings for the morning. I got there before dawn and immediately started to scan the field. Within just a few minutes I found a Buff breasted Sandpiper working its way through the field. I watched it for a bit and then noticed a second individual! The birds would go in and out of view as they worked through the dips and furrows of the field (video in the eBird report linked above). I took my eyes off them for a bit while I checked some other fields nearby with the scope. I then noticed a couple harriers working their way through the fields and they must have flushed the sandpipers but I never heard or saw them leave. I searched for awhile to relocate the sandpipers after the harriers moved on but failed to find them again. Chuck and Joe also looked for awhile after I left and they also came up empty. This species is tough to come by in the county with years between sightings sometimes. I have had them on about half a dozen occasions before in the county and always between late August and the first third of September (with my sighting yesterday being the latest date I have had them in the county so far).
Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 9, 2021
Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 9, 2021
Semipalmated Plover, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 9, 2021
Late in the afternoon on a rainy Thursday I got a text regarding a Sanderling that was found below the Holyoke Dam in South Hadley by Craig. I decided to make the trip down there as the weather was rainy and I figured the bird would stick around. I made it down to the dam a bit before four and ran into Scott who was just leaving and he let me know the bird was still there. I made the quick walk down to the edge of the dam and set up the scope and had distant views of the Sanderling as it fed along the base of the dam near the spillway. Other shorebirds present included a Semipalmated Plover and a Spotted Sandpiper. After getting some distant photos and video I headed back to the car to go home and then ran across Mary and quickly got her on the bird. This was only my third Sanderling I have ever had in the county with previous sightings in July 2018 and September 2020...a very common shorebird on the coast but quite rare inland.
Meanwhile the tropics continue to be active with Hurricane Larry hitting Newfoundland today and then continuing on toward Greenland as an extratropical system that will bring very heavy snow to Greenland. There are a number of potential areas of development including a high chance of storm development in the western Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Africa as well as a low chance of development east of the Bahamas. I expect a couple of new tropical system to develop in the next few days.
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