Fruitless search for Black crowned Night Herons

Pine Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Apr 26, 2013

Eastern Screech Owl in Wood Duck box, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Apr 26, 2013

I spent about an hour and half this morning along the Mill River and Arcadia trying to catch up with a pair of Black crowned Night Herons seen there on Thursday. Despite a lot of looking I had no luck finding them but there is so much good habitat for them to hang out in they could easily still be around. Hopefully they turn up again at some point. As I looked for them I ran across a few pockets of birds including my first Black throated Green Warbler (#143) singing along the river path at Arcadia (I eventually had three of these warblers). Also had an Eastern Screech Owl sunning itself as it sat in the entrance to a Wood Duck box.  I got 46 species without trying too hard this morning with half a dozen of them warblers. Just the start of which should be a few great weeks of birding as all the migrants come north. I also ran across species #144 when I had a few Chimney Swifts over downtown Northampton later in the morning.

This evening I made a trip over to Covey WMA and Quabbin Park after sunset to try to find a whip-poor-will.  I had luck at my first stop within just a few minutes when I had an Eastern Whip-poor-will calling (#145).  My other couple stops did not produce any more of that species but I did have several American Woodcocks as well as a Barred Owl calling (making it a three owl day when you include the Great Horned Owl I had at home this morning).