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.

The last few days of March

Brown Creeper, Podick/Katherine Cole/Szala Conservation Areas, Amherst, MA, Mar 29, 2024

Barn Swallow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 29, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 29, 2024

Tree Swallows, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 29, 2024

Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 29, 2024

Eastern Phoebe, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 29, 2024

March has now come to an end and although there was some warmth early on in the month the last week and a half has been either average or cooler than normal with a few bouts of rain.  Waterfowl migration was lackluster to say the least but given that the fall waterfowl migration was also very slow it is not too surprising.  Now that my cold symptoms have almost totally gone away I have been out the last few days of the month trying to catch up on more early season migrants.  On Friday I headed out on an overcast morning that eventually turned more sunny and quite windy.  I took a walk along the rail trail in the hopes of finding an early Palm Warbler but failed on finding one there (or any other spots I checked for the day).  I did have some Fox Sparrows singing both there and other spots for the day (a good spring for them this year).  I then checked some fields in Amherst and Hadley and had no geese at all.  The most notable species were a couple American Pipits that got flushed up by a harrier.  After running a few errands I stopped at Lake Wallace where I had some good stuff including an early Barn Swallow among 20+ Tree Swallows, a Great Blue Heron that might be starting to build a nest, at least nine Eastern Phoebes and a couple Yellow rumped Warblers (with some singing a bit).  

Eastern Bluebird, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Barn Swallow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Tree Swallow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Canada Goose building nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Ring necked Duck, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Black capped Chickadee, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Dark eyed Junco, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Eastern Phoebe, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2024

Saturday I headed out early with a brief stop at Winsor Dam which was just too windy to see too much.  I then went to nearby Lake Wallace where I once again failed to find an early Palm Warbler.  I did relocate the early Barn Swallow I found yesterday.  The wind and cool early morning temps were not too conducive to finding early warblers.  I then headed south with a stop in Granby and South Hadley near some wetlands but both areas were fairly quiet.  I then returned to Lake Wallace and yet again found the Barn Swallow in among at least 16 Tree Swallows plus had a Canada Goose building a nest and half a dozen Eastern Phoebes.

White throated Sparrow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2024

Song Sparrow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2024

Barn Swallow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 31, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 31, 2024

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 31, 2024

Hooded Merganser eggs in duck box #1, Home, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2024

To end out the month today I started my morning before dawn in a successful look for some owls before dawn at Quabbin.  I then made an hour and a half stop at Lake Wallace in a fruitless search for a Palm Warbler (I'm sure they will show up tomorrow once April starts).  It was a productive stop nonetheless with several Tree Swallows, the continued Barn Swallow, loads of White throated Sparrows and a Yellow rumped Warbler among some 42 species.  My next stop was over to Winsor Dam where I once again found the long staying Say's Phoebe contently hunting for insects.  The dam also featured my first Red necked Grebe of the year plus a flyover Red Crossbill.  A check of the duck boxes once I got home confirmed the second active nest to also be a Hooded Merganser (I didn't check the box I confirmed as Hooded Merganser a few days ago...want to keep her as undisturbed as possible).

Moose, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 9, 2024

Bobcat, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 8, 2024

Eastern Coyote, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 14, 2024

Raccoon, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 20, 2024

I finally got around to checking the camera at the house that sits along Jabish Brook and I was rewarded with the capture of my first Moose.  Lots of other stuff captured too over the last several weeks including Bobcat, Eastern Coyote, Beaver and lots of Raccoons and Gray Squirrels.  

I ended the month with 101 species in the county, which is a bit above average even with being away in Costa Rica in the middle of the month and then being down with a cold to end out the month.  April will bring more and more spring migrants (and hopefully warmer temps).