A record setting pace for the first week of July in Hampshire County

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Jul 1, 2022

Song Sparrow, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jul 1, 2022

Red headed Woodpecker, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 2, 2022

Red headed Woodpecker and Red bellied Woodpecker, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 2, 2022

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 3, 2022

Red breasted Nuthatch, Cadwall Memorial Forest, Pelham, MA, Jul 4, 2022

Cerulean Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Jul 5, 2022

Dark eyed Junco, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Jul 5, 2022

Blue Grosbeak, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jul 5, 2022

Peregrine Falcon, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jul 5, 2022

Belted Kingfisher, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 6, 2022

Ovenbird, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jul 6, 2022

Common Loon taking off, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 6, 2022

Broad winged Hawk, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 6, 2022

Marsh Wren, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jul 7, 2022

Great Blue Heron, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jul 7, 2022

Savannah Sparrow, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jul 7, 2022

Killdeer, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jul 7, 2022

Black Vultures, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Jul 7, 2022

I began the month of July with a few stops on my way to work where I found the continued Lawrence's Warbler that has successfully bred for another year in Belchertown.  I had very limited time to bird for the day but still turned up 67 species to start the month.  

After work on the second I added a few unusual species on my way toward home with a singing Blue Grosbeak in Hadley, the continued Brewster's Warbler in Amherst and then the continued Red headed Woodpecker at Quabbin Park. 

I once again had to work on the third but still managed a few stops on my way in but didn't find anything too unusual.

On the fourth of July I got out of work and headed up to Great Pond to add a few Marsh Wrens for the month (no luck finding the Least Bitterns but I didn't stay long).  I then went north and crossed the river and headed up to Pelham with multiple stops that yielded a number of new species including multiple warbler species, a flyover group of Type 10 Red Crossbills in Pelham and the continued Acadian Flycatcher along the Gate 8 road.  There have been more and more Red Crossbills being reported lately and I have also noticed more than usual Red breasted Nuthatches around for this time of year...perhaps this will be another irruptive year for multiple species.

On Tuesday the 5th I woke up early so decided to head out before dawn to catch up with a variety of locally rare species (plus others) and after hearing an American Bittern at home my first stop was over to Winsor Dam where I had multiple Eastern Whip Poor Wills singing.  I then made a quick stop at Lake Wallace where I had a Sora calling once again (perhaps breeding here this year?).  I then headed down to the Holyoke Dam to add a few other species for the month.  I then headed north along the river with a hike to the top of the mountain at Skinner SP and added unusual breeders there including Dark eyed Junco, Cerulean Warbler and Worm eating Warblers.  After an hour and a half there I headed up to the Honey Pot to see the nesting Blue Grosbeaks and other grassland species.  I also got to see a pair of adult Peregrine Falcons zip through together and take out a Mourning Dove.  I made a few other stops for the day as some intermittent rain fell and I ended the morning with 103 species without hitting some areas that certainly would have produced several more species.  

Wednesday I started my morning at Lake Wallace and then went down to Granby before heading back to Quabbin Park.  Nothing too unusual (beyond the continued Red headed Woodpecker at Quabbin) but I had a nice selection of species

On the 7th I decided to make several stops to catch up with a few possible rarities as well as other species I had not yet seen for the month.  I started my morning once again at Lake Wallace but didn't find anything new.  I then stopped at the Holyoke Dam where I had a decent count of Chimney Swifts and Double crested Cormorants plus a couple Black Vultures.  I then went north and walked around part of the East Meadows and turned up quite a few Savannah Sparrows plus numerous Killdeer (oddly only adults) plus a couple Horned Larks (one of the few spots they breed in the county).  My next stop as I headed north along the river was to Great Pond in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the Least Bitterns that have been seen there.  No luck with the bitterns despite a lot of looking but I did have several Marsh Wrens as well as other marsh birds.  Since I was already on the west side of the river I headed over to Williamsburg and added Evening Grosbeaks and Red Crossbills for the day (unfortunately I failed to get any identifiable recordings of either species).

With the end of the first week of July I'm well on my way to breaking my previous best July in Hampshire County.  At this point I'm at 129 species for the month (which is my highest total for the first week of July ever).  My previous best first week of July was last year with 123 species.  My best overall July was back in 2018 when I topped out at 143 species.  Not sure I will be able to beat that total as there were a number of rare shorebirds late in the month that year but I will give it a try.