First three warm days of November

Savannah Sparrow, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Nov 1, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Nov 1, 2026

American Pipits, Aqua Vitae Road, Hadley, Hadley, MA, Nov 1, 2026

American Robin, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Nov 1, 2026

Blue Jay, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Nov 1, 2026

Eastern Bluebird, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 1, 2026

Purple Finch, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Nov 1, 2026

Low water at Gate 52, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 2, 2026

Rusty Blackbird, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Nov 2, 2026

American Robin, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Nov 2, 2026

River Otter, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Nov 2, 2026

River Otter, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Nov 2, 2026

Gray Catbird, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Nov 3, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Nov 3, 2026

Carolina Wren, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Nov 3, 2026

Fox Sparrow, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 3, 2026

Rusty Blackbird, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 3, 2026

Black capped Chickadee, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Nov 3, 2026

During the first three days of November I have mainly been out searching for warblers as we continue to enjoy mainly sunny and warmer than usual conditions.  The mornings have been cool with some frost but once the sun comes up it warms nicely with highs in the 60's.  I have covered areas on either side of the Connecticut River and then back toward home and have been out most of the morning each day.  I have so far found a total of 80 species with four of those being warblers (three of those species being late including Palm Warbler, Black throated Blue Warbler and Common Yellowthroat).  Other late or unusual species included Red Crossbills, Gray Catbird and Dickcissel plus continued increased numbers of Purple Finches and Pine Siskins.  The weather looks to continue to be abnormally warm through the end of the week when some rain finally arrives and then we cool down in a big way after that.

The end of October

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 28, 2026

Black Scoters, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 28, 2026

Eastern Marsh Wren, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 29, 2026

Purple Finches, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 29, 2026

Savannah Sparrow, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 29, 2026

Carolina Wren, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Oct 29, 2026

Red breasted Nuthatch, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Oct 29, 2026

Song Sparrow, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 30, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 31, 2026

The end of October has now arrived and with it comes the tail end of fall migration.  The days of warblers and other neotropical migrants are now largely behind us.  The upcoming month of November will feature more waterfowl, late season migrants and the ever present possibilities of rarities showing up.  It also brings progressively colder weather and eventually snow.  We enjoyed continued mainly sunny weather to end out the month with largely pleasant days with a few cold starts.  I spent a lot of time trying to track down late season warblers and as I searched for late season warblers I came across some other decent species including a Marsh Wren and ever increasing numbers of Purple Finches and Pine Siskins.

White throated Sparrow, Home, Belchertown, MA, Oct 29, 2026

I also closed up the water feature for the year with the last visitor this year being a White throated Sparrow. 

Cooler day with north winds brings in more waterfowl at Winsor Dam

Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

Long tailed Ducks, Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

Red breasted Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

Our sunny weather continues although today we cooled down on the heals of some stronger northerly winds and with the winds came more waterfowl.  I spent about two hours at Winsor Dam with Ted, Jack and Scott (plus another birder that showed up at the tail end of the time).  It stayed active throughout the time although the busiest (and windiest) time was early on.  We had 14 species of waterfowl including at least one Gadwall, a small mixed group of Greater and Lesser Scaup, lots of Black Scoters, a few White winged Scoters, Long tailed Ducks and all three merganser species.  In addition to the waterfowl I had at least one Pine Warbler in with a mixed flock of mainly Dark eyed Juncos and Eastern Bluebirds plus a couple Bonaparte's Gulls and some raptors.

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

American Black Ducks, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 27, 2026

After making a short trip elsewhere to get out of the wind for a bit I returned to the dam to try to get photos of the Pine Warbler with no luck in relocating it.  Waterfowl continued to move a bit while I walked around the area and a number of Black Scoters continued way out.

In the midst of a long period of sunny weather with a few interesting species

Orange crowned Warbler, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 23, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 23, 2026

Turkey Vulture, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 23, 2026

Eastern Towhee, Belchertown, MA, Oct 23, 2026

Mourning Dove, Belchertown, MA, Oct 22, 2026

Ring necked Duck, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 22, 2026

White tailed Deer, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 22, 2026

Very low water at Gate 52, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 22, 2026

Dark eyed Junco, Ware, MA, Oct 21, 2026

House Finch, Ware, MA, Oct 21, 2026

Porcupine, Belchertown, MA, Oct 21, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown, MA, Oct 20, 2026

Savannah Sparrows, Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Oct 20, 2026

Dickcissel, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Oct 20, 2026

Cape May Warbler with unusual bicolored bill, Belchertown, MA, Oct 19, 2026

Cape May Warbler with unusual bicolored bill, Belchertown, MA, Oct 19, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Belchertown, MA, Oct 19, 2026

Red breasted Nuthatch, Belchertown, MA, Oct 19, 2026

Black Scoter, Amherst, MA, Oct 19, 2026

We are the midst of a week long plus period of sunny weather thanks to multiple high pressure systems.  Some days have been fairly breezy with temps around normal to above normal.  Migration conditions have largely been very good and lots of late season migrants have arrived and many species have largely headed south until next spring.  I have gotten out every day for at least a bit and have found a few late species including a few warblers with the most unusual being a Cape May Warbler with a bicolored bill plus some rarities including a few Dickcissel.  The number of Purple Finches and Red breasted Nuthatches continue to increase and Red Crossbills are still around at multiple locations.  I have also had some close encounters with a few mammals as well as a very close Black Scoter on a small pond (usually I see the species at great distance at Quabbin).  Waterfowl continues to increase and sparrow migration has peaked as we make the slide toward late fall and eventually winter.  It will continue to be largely sunny until at least the middle of next week with most lows overnight at or below freezing.  The chances of rarities from out west showing up will continue to increase as November rapidly approaches.  Certainly glad to have finalized plans to get away from this arctic wasteland for the majority of winter.