A cool end to the second week of October with loads of sparrows

 

Song Sparrow, Amherst, MA, Oct 14, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Amherst, MA, Oct 14, 2024

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Amherst, MA, Oct 14, 2024

Blue Jay, Amherst, MA, Oct 14, 2024

White throated Sparrow, Amherst, MA, Oct 14, 2024

Common Yellowthroat, Amherst, MA, Oct 14, 2024

Nashville Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 14, 2024

The second week of October ended with another damp, overcast and occasionally rainy morning.  Nonetheless it was not a downpour so I was out a bit in the morning before we had to take Wilson in for a check up.  I mainly concentrated on warblers and managed to find four species with the vast majority being Yellow rumped Warblers.  I also had a good show of sparrows with hundreds of individuals seen over the course of the morning.

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 14, 2024

Once the rain stopped and a bit before another cold front moved in, I headed over to Winsor Dam and had some luck with waterfowl including all three species of scoters (two of which were new for me this year...bringing me to 226 species for the year).  I also had the continued Common Goldeneye that seems to have reappeared after last being seen in mid August.

Yesterday was overall rainy and cold with temps in the 40's and I didn't get much birding in at all although the day was not a total bust as I finally caught up with the young Lesser Black backed Gull Ted had found several days before.  I tried for it before and failed to find it but figured with the crappy weather I would give it another try.  Although I got soaked in the rain and didn't get a photo of it I was happy to track it down finally on my third try.

Although the next couple days look to feature cool temps and windy conditions the weather should warm by the end of the week and we could then enjoy several days of fairly warm weather and sunny conditions...we shall see if that forecast holds true.

Northern Lights

Northern lights, Northampton, MA, Oct 10, 2024

After a big eruption from the sun that caused a severe geomagnetic storm a large portion of the country was treated to an incredible northern lights show last night.  Although I was at work and far from a really dark location the show was still impressive with pinks and greens with pillars that stretched over most of the sky.  It was the best show of northern lights I have seen since I lived in the Berkshires.  As we are in the midst of solar maximum the chances of future storms are still fairly high.  

White throated Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Oct 11, 2024

White throated Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Oct 11, 2024

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Oct 11, 2024

Savannah Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Oct 11, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Oct 11, 2024

I did get out birding for a bit on a chilly morning after work and spent about an hour and a half at Great Pond before heading home.  Great Pond featured a few notable species as well as a great shows of sparrow numbers.  The most unusual species was an adult male Yellow headed Blackbird that flew off to the north as the hordes of blackbirds, grackles, starlings and cowbirds were leaving their overnight roost.  I also had a slightly late Brown Thrasher among a total of 48 species.  I also made a brief stop at Winsor Dam where I saw an early Common Goldeneye female...there is a chance this is the same individual that stayed in the area of the dam through spring and into summer with the last sighting in mid August.  Very interesting for sure.

The first week of October

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Amherst, MA, Oct 1, 2024

Prairie Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 1, 2024

 Northern Parula, Amherst, MA, Oct 1, 2024

Red eyed Vireo, Amherst, MA, Oct 1, 2024

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Oct 1, 2024

Rusty Blackbird, Belchertown, MA, Oct 1, 2024

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Oct 1, 2024

The first week of October has now come to an end.  I had to work on a few days but otherwise was able to get out birding and catch up with the continued fall migration.  I began the month hitting a few spots mainly trying to find warblers and I was able to track down 14 species for the day including a few late species.  I had a few other late species among the 75 species I was able to find on the first.

Swamp Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 3, 2024

Northern Flicker, Amherst, MA, Oct 3, 2024

Chestnut sided Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 3, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Amherst, MA, Oct 3, 2024

Blue headed Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Oct 3, 2024

Northern Waterthrush, Belchertown, MA, Oct 3, 2024

I had to work the 2nd (with just a brief stop in the East Meadows on my way in) but got out on the morning of the 3rd and went right over to Arcadia where I had a selection of sparrows but given the poor management of the area for birds  the counts and diversity was down from previous years...sad for an area that has been stellar for years in the fall.  I turned up a few more species as I worked toward home to take Wilson for a walk before taking a nap.

Raccoon, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 5, 2024

Swamp Sparrow, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 5, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 5, 2024

I had to work again on Friday so not much for that day.  Although I was exhausted after another busy shift at work I nonetheless headed out to try to tack down some birds.  I made a stop at UMASS and then a few more stops in Amherst and Belchertown before I made it home.  I had a meeting with the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee late in the morning so I was not able to stay out as long as I wanted to.  Somehow I was able to stay awake during the entire five hour meeting before crashing after dinner.

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', UMASS, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2024

Dawn, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2024

Song Sparrows, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2024

American Redstart, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2024

Blue headed Vireo, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2024

Cedar Waxwing, Amherst, MA, Oct 6, 2024

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Oct 6, 2024

Wilson out for a walk, Belchertown, MA, Oct 6, 2024

There was a big night of migration on Saturday night into Sunday morning (the largest number of migrants in a single night this fall with an estimated 3.2 million plus birds crossing over the county per the estimate by Birdcast).  There was a big influx of several species with the largest numbers being White throated Sparrows and Yellow rumped Warblers.  The diversity certainly dropped as more and more birds moved off to the south.  Notables included a Gray cheeked Thrush, a late Ovenbird and the continued Black bellied Whistling Duck among nearly seventy species for the day.  It was a cold start in the low 40's but it warmed nicely to the low 70's with wall to wall sunshine.

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 7, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Oct 7, 2024

Song Sparrow, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Oct 7, 2024

Scarlet Tanager, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Oct 7, 2024

I ended the first week of October staying in the south Quabbin area.  As I headed out before sunrise I had to contend with breezy conditions and occasional rain that turned into a steady rain for a few hours.  Needless to say the results to start the day were less than great although I did turn up a single Bonaparte's Gull among the Ring billed Gulls at Winsor Dam.  Once the rain ended I took a few walks in Belchertown and had some somewhat cooperative photographic subjects.  The diversity of species was quite low but I was happy to just be out and not have it too cold.  I certainly concentrated on warblers for the week but did have some others and by the end of the first week I tallied 109 species...not too bad given the early migration this fall.