Hooded Warbler today

Louisiana Waterthrush, Hadley, MA, Apr 23, 2024

Black and White Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Apr 23, 2024

Ruby crowned Kinglet, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Apr 23, 2024

After several nights of nearly nonexistent migration conditions, last night finally brought in some better conditions (not quite perfect but certainly better).  I set out before dawn with the hopes of finding some new arrivals.  I started my morning in Hadley where I spent a bit over an hour walking along the river and finding some stuff with nothing out of the ordinary.  The morning temps started off below freezing which almost certainly explains the lack of activity early on.  Once I finished up in Hadley I headed up to UMASS where I had five species of warbler including my first Yellow Warbler of the season and a photogenic Black and White Warbler.  There were also loads of Ruby crowned Kinglets constantly fliting through the trees.  

Great Blue Heron on nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 23, 2024

By this point it was around 8:30 and I had to decide where to go next before heading home and I was originally going to go to Silvio Conte NWR I decided instead to head to Lake Wallace.  Not long after I arrived there I got a message from Greg letting me know that a group of young birders had found a Hooded Warbler at Silvio Conte.  Although I would not typically go back to a general area I just left, for an unusual warbler I almost always will. 

Hooded Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Apr 23, 2024

Hooded Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Apr 23, 2024

Black capped Chickadee with nesting material, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Apr 23, 2024

I made my way back to Hadley to Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River where I arrived around 9:30 and headed to the area where the warbler was reported.  Although I had a few Palm Warbler and Yellow rumped Warbler I had no luck seeing or hearing the Hooded Warbler.  I decided to try a few nearby areas that had great habitat for the warbler.  Along the way I had great looks at a chickadee as it collected nest material.  After looking for a bit I heard an odd song that I was almost certain was the Hooded Warbler and after looking for a bit I had looks at the Hooded Warbler (an unusual sighting at any point and even more unusual given the date...my previous earliest of the species in the county was April 30th in 2021).  I got some recordings and photos and was able to get a few other nearby birders on the bird.  I got word out to others and most got to see it.   A more detailed write up on the warbler can be found at the following link: Hooded Warbler.  

I then headed home to pick up Wilson to go for a walk where we added a Northern Waterthrush for the year and then once home I added a House Wren.  Overall for the day I added five new species for the year in the county...just a taste of what is to come as migration ramps up.  As a note there was a male Painted Bunting seen at a feeder today so certainly possible some other southern overshoot species are out there just waiting to be found.

 

Glossy Ibis among others to end the third week of April

Glossy Ibis, Northampton, MA, Apr 20, 2024

Glossy Ibis, Northampton, MA, Apr 20, 2024

Glossy Ibis, Northampton, MA, Apr 20, 2024

Black and White Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 20, 2024

White throated Sparrow, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 20, 2024

Hooded Merganser with odd plumage, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 19, 2024

Hooded Merganser with odd plumage with typical Hooded Merganser, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 19, 2024

Hooded Merganser with odd plumage, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 19, 2024

The last several days have featured mainly less than perfect migration conditions but nonetheless birds have arrived with a few notables. The biggest news was the arrival of the largest group of Glossy Ibis to grace the county on Thursday the 18th when a group of 23 were found in the East Meadows flying around but not landing. I looked a bit that rainy morning in the Arcadia area without luck. Part of the group was relocated later that day near the fairgrounds in Northampton were lots of people were able to see them. I didn't get to try for them until Friday morning and when I arrived in the location the ibis were not present. With no ibis obvious in the area I birded a bit elsewhere before work and decided on a quick stop off at Fitzgerald Lake where I ran into Mary. As I scanned the water I noticed an oddly plumaged male Hooded Merganser with a typical male. I made a quick walk back to get my scope to get some photos of the bird before I had to head out...an interesting individual.  As I was heading out to work I saw a post that a group of ibis had returned to the puddle where they were seen the day before. I made a quick drive by and had 18 individuals before I had to rush off to work.  After getting out of work on Saturday morning on yet another rainy morning I headed back to the area to try to relocate the ibis and get some photos and found a lone individual enjoying the puddle. I got some photos and then headed across the bridge to go to the rail trail as the rain was coming to an end. I walked a bit of the rail trail and turned up my first Black and White Warbler of the year (as well as some other good stuff) before meeting up with Taylor who was making a brief return to the valley from Canada (she worked for neighborhood nestwatch back in 2016 and banded a bunch of birds in my yard as part of the program). We walked another part of the trail and turned up some more species but nothing too unusual. I was getting very tired by that point and after giving her some details on some other target species for her I headed for home. 

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024

Black capped Chickadee excavating nest hole, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024

Black capped Chickadee excavating nest hole, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 21, 2024

Today started off sunny but cold with temps at freezing with an occasional light breeze which gave the morning a very non spring like feel.  I decided to stay close to home concentrating my efforts in the Ware/Belchertown area.  Nothing extreme for the day but did get my first Eastern Whip Poor Will of the year before dawn and then a Bank Swallow in Ware.  I also had a number of Red Crossbills and the continued group of four Common Goldeneye still lingering at Winsor Dam.  The Say's Phoebe has been MIA for almost a week and it may have finally moved on...time will tell as it has defied expectations on its ability to stick around since its arrival in December. Another interesting sighting was watching a pair of Black capped Chickadees excavate a nest hole in a small dead tree.  The conditions for migration will hopefully improve a bit going into Monday night so fingers crossed for more arrivals into the area.

Mid April update

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 13, 2024

Song Sparrow, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 13, 2024

Belted Kingfisher, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 13, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 13, 2024

Black capped Chickadee, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Apr 14, 2024

Great Blue Heron at nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 14, 2024

Pileated Woodpecker, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 14, 2024

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 14, 2024

Barred Owl, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 15, 2024

Chipping Sparrow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2024

Bald Eagle and Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2024

Great Blue Herons at nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2024

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2024

Mourning Dove on nest, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 15, 2024

The mid part of April has now arrived and with each day comes more and more in the way of somewhat early season migrants.  Overall the migration conditions for the month have been less than perfect although there was a big influx of birds overnight on Tuesday the 9th into Wednesday the 10th and more arrivals have come in the last few days in lesser numbers.  Nonetheless I have managed to add a few new species over the last few days with many more to come as migration increases as we press toward May.

Early migrants arriving with better migration conditions

Pine Warbler, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 10, 2024

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Lake Wallace,  Belchertown, MA, Apr 10, 2024

Chipping Sparrow, Lake Wallace,  Belchertown, MA, Apr 10, 2024

Garter Snake, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 10, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 10, 2024

Pine Siskins, Photo through window, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 10, 2024

Migration conditions finally improved a bit the last couple days and various species took advantage with a number of new arrivals and increased numbers of others.  Sadly I was stuck at work yesterday when the temps made it into the 70's with sunny conditions.  I got out this morning and headed to Fitzgerald Lake where I had at least one Marsh Wren, an American Bittern and my first Louisiana Waterthrush of the migration season.  I was going to stop by Silvio Conte NWR on my way home to try to get looks at the two American Bitterns found there yesterday but when I arrived there were way too many people for me so I skipped it and headed to Lake Wallace where I had 20+ Palm Warblers and my first snake of the year.  I also made a brief stop at Winsor Dam where I quickly located the long staying Say's Phoebe (now present for four full months after being discovered by Mary on Dec 10th).  Once I got home and did some work around the yard I had a number of good birds including three species of warblers and loads of Pine Siskins and American Goldfinches.  I'm now at a respectable 101 species in Hampshire County for April.

Nearly full solar eclipse

Wilson ready for the eclipse, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 8, 2024

Eclipse view through binoculars, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 8, 2024

Today marked a nearly complete solar eclipse at the house with about 93% of the sun covered by the moon.  It was a very neat astronomical event to witness and although we missed the path of totality seeing nearly the entire disk of the sun covered was memorable.  We really lucked out with the weather with nearly clear skies with just a bit of high clouds at the end of the event and warm temps in the 60's.  There was a noticeable drop in temps as the max coverage of the sun occurred.  The next total eclipse in the US is not until 2044 and it will only be visible in the Dakotas and Montana.

Black Vultures, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Apr 8, 2024

Turkey Vulture, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Apr 8, 2024

Wilson's Snipes, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 8, 2024

White tailed Deer, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 8, 2024

Before the onset of the eclipse I was out birding for the morning and although I didn't find anything too unusual it was a beautiful morning to be out.  Although it started cool in the upper 20's it warmed up rapidly once the sun got to work.

Eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 8, 2024

Before the eclipse I checked duck box #2 to see if by chance a duck had finally found the box to lay some eggs and I was pleasantly surprised to find several eggs in the box.  Not sure on species yet but I'm sure to find out soon enough.  I didn't check the other two boxes as I didn't want to disturb the Hooded Mergansers sitting on the eggs.  I put on cameras in a couple weeks to prep for the young ones fledging.

Productive start to April (and the Say's Phoebe continues)

Sandhill Cranes, Hatfield, MA, Apr 2, 2024

White crowned Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Apr 2, 2024

Tree Swallows, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Apr 2, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 2, 2024

Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 2, 2024

After another exhausting shift at work I headed out on a somewhat breezy morning trying to track down some rarities.  My first stop was up to the old Pilgrim Airport on the Hatfield/Whately line to see if the Sandhill Cranes that have been in the area for a few days were still around.  Thankfully they were still there and showed well as I scoped from the road (the old airport property is private).  I also had at least one and possibly two early Pectoral Sandpipers there.  My next stop was to nearby Great Pond where I had seven species of waterfowl (including large numbers of Green winged Teal but no Eurasian Green winged Teal despite a lot of looking), an early Northern Rough winged Swallow, a White crowned Sparrow and a Yellow rumped Warbler.  I then headed across the river with a stop at Lake Wallace and then Winsor Dam.  The lake was fairly quite although the lone Great Blue Heron still seemed to be possibly looking to nest again...just seemed to be waiting for a mate.  Winsor Dam produced the long staying Say's Phoebe which is now into its fifth month at the location...an amazingly long staying rarity.  By the end of the second day of the month I wracked up 74 species...my best first two days of April ever.

Yesterday I had just a little time before work and I made the most of my limited time with a couple brief stops along the way and then a walk at Pine's Edge Conservation Area.  By the end of the day I had added 45 species to start the month.

The next few days feature work and what looks like a prolonged period of rain, wind and possibly some snow so unlikely to add more species until the weather takes a turn for the better by the weekend.