Migration update

Scarlet Tanager, Quabbin Park, MA, May 12, 2026

Wild Turkey, Quabbin Park, MA, May 12, 2026

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, May 11, 2026

Field Sparrow, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 11, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 11, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2026

Canada Goose with goslings, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2026

Blue winged Warbler with dark forehead, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Northern Waterthrush, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Lincoln's Sparrow, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Northern Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Birds Foot Violets, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 7, 2026

Although overall cooler than normal with mainly unfavorable winds there continues to be birds pushing in with multiple new species over the last several days.  No other major rarities for the season that I have been able to track down.  As you can tell from the photos it has been mainly about warblers...more on those here.  Too many travels and sightings so the photos will have to tell part of the story.  The next few days look to be unsettled with multiple bouts of rain and at least some favorable winds.  This will hopefully entice a push of birds and the bouts of rain could ground some species that otherwise just fly right by.  Could be some interesting few mornings.

A couple nights of decent migration brings in the birds

Black throated Blue Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 5, 2026

Blue Jay, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 5, 2026

Baltimore Oriole, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 5, 2026

White throated Sparrow, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 5, 2026

American Redstart, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 5, 2026

Bald Eagles, Quabbin Park, MA, May 5, 2026

The last couple nights have featured the best migration of the spring so far with loads of birds arriving including some rarities.  Yesterday I was guiding for a birder from India and we had a very productive morning. I birded a bit before I picked her up and then we started at the rail trail where we had a number of lifers for her and a few new species for me for the year here.  It was certainly obvious an influx of species had occurred overnight.  After about an hour and half along the rail trail we decided to head a bit south to Mitch's Way to look for more migrants and a Hooded Warbler.  We successful found more migrant species and heard the Hooded Warbler.  With the Hooded Warbler and an earlier Canada Warbler I ticked off two more species on my way to a warbler big year in the US.

Black and White Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 5, 2026

American Redstart, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 5, 2026

Northern Parula, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 5, 2026

As an indication of the influx I had three new warbler species at the water feature for the day.  

Black and White Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 6, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 6, 2026

Veery, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 6, 2026

Blue winged Warbler with black forehead, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 6, 2026

Brewster's Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 6, 2026

Gray Catbird, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 6, 2026

Eastern Towhee, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 6, 2026

Blue winged Warbler, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 6, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 6, 2026

Raccoon, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 6, 2026

Today was not as nice as yesterday with mainly overcast and breezy conditions until midday when rain got added to the mix for the rest of the day.  Although a bit too windy at times I still got out to cover a few areas and caught up with a few good ones today including the continued Hooded Warbler (still not photogenic, the Brewster's Warbler, an unusually plumaged Blue winged Warbler, two new species of warbler in the county for the year (Tennessee Warbler and Wilson's Warbler) and a total of six new species for me in the county for the year.  The main areas I hit for the morning before the rain included Mitch's Way, rail trail in Amherst and Herman Covey WMA.

Some birds for the first three days of May despite poor migration conditions

Brewster's Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 3, 2026

Orchard Oriole, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 3, 2026

Red winged Blackbird, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 3, 2026

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Northern Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Pine Warbler collecting nest material, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Eastern Towhee, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Gray Catbird, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Merlin, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Blue winged Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 1, 2026

Blue Jay, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 1, 2026

Chipping Sparrow, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

Wild Columbine, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

The first three days of May have overall been slower than usual for species with the weather being poor for migration with less than ideal winds, some bouts of rain and cool temps.  Nonetheless birds continue to push in as the desire to move north to breed can overcome some less than ideal conditions for migration.  To start off the month I headed out mainly looking for warblers and found some including my first Cerulean Warblers and Worm eating Warblers for the year.  I stayed mainly in the Hadley/Amherst area for morning and then spent the afternoon doing stuff around the yard.  Tuesday the 2nd started off rainy and I got as much birding in around Quabbin Park as the bouts of rain would allow.  Although birding conditions were tough at times, I did add one new warbler for my big warbler year in the US with a Chestnut sided Warbler that became warbler species #41 for the year.  With more north winds overnight I didn't expect to find too much this morning and was pleasantly surprised to have a number of good sightings including a Glossy Ibis I flushed out of a small pond at Silvio Conte NWR at Fort River, a Northern Harrier doing a courtship flight (also at Conte) and a Brewster's Warbler that showed up in the same spot in Amherst for a third year in a row and possibly a fourth year.  By mid morning it was getting too windy to see much and I headed home to take Wilson for a walk.  Overall not a terrible start to the month with 117 species so far for the county.

The next few nights look to feature some good migration conditions with strong southerly winds and some warm temps.  I expect a big influx of birds during the period before the weather turns less conducive for migration for multiple nights. 

April ends with some rain

Blackburnian Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 30, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 30, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Song Sparrow, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Wood Ducks, Belchertown Land trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Wilson relaxing after a walk, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Broad winged Hawk, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 28, 2026

Red breasted Mergansers, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 28, 2026

Purple Finch, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 28, 2026

White tailed Deer, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 28, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 27, 2026

Field Sparrow, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Apr 27, 2026

April ended on a rather rainy note with rain in the morning and cool temps and then drizzle and overcast conditions for the remainder of the day.  I had hopes the rain would have downed some unusual species but no luck for me in finding any.  The previous few days were more pleasant with mainly sunny conditions and warmer temps although the winds were less than great for migration.  Nonetheless some birds continued to move into the area and each day featured the arrival of a few more species with no real big influx yet.  On Wednesday I did some guiding for a birder from India and we had a decent day with a few targets found for her.  Warblers have been slow to arrive in the typical numbers and diversity for the end of April although I did manage to add one more warbler species for the end of the year today despite the rain (more on warblers for April at the following post).  I found a total of 142 species in Hampshire County for the month which given the poor migration conditions recently and being away for just over a week in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona was quite good and fits in around average for the last ten years or so for me.  Now comes May and with it the big influx of migrants from the south moving north to breed for the summer.