Rainy and cool weather produces Bonaparte's Gull, Purple Martin and Lesser Black backed Gull (two new Quabbin birds in a day)

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2016

Rusty Blackbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2016

Although the weather today was cool, damp and raw it produced some unusual birds as I hoped it would. I started off early at Winsor Dam even before the rain hit and had a breeding plumage Bonaparte's Gull (#142) both in flight and on the water. I then stopped at Beaver Lake and through Quabbin Park before the heavier rain started. Quiet at Beaver Lake and no waterfowl beyond a single Common Loon at Quabbin Park. I also managed to find only my second (and third) record ever for Fish Crow at Quabbin when two flew past me at Hank's Meadow moving to the northwest. My last record of this species was back in 2006 at Winsor Dam. Also had a very vocal Rusty Blackbird at Hank's Meadow.

Later in the morning as the rain continued I stopped back at Winsor Dam and had around a hundred swallows feeding low over the water with most being Tree Swallows with a few Barn and Northern Rough winged Swallows mixed in. The best bird by far among the group was an obviously larger, darker bird that turned out to be a rare in the area Purple Martin (#143).  I attempted some digiscoped shots but the distance was too great and the rain too heavy to get any shots.  It was only my second record of it in the county with the other occurring in August last year.  The martin becomes a new addition to my Quabbin list which now stands at 240.  I made a few more stops over the course of the day at the dam but the Bonaparte's Gull and Purple Martin never made another appearance.

Lesser Black backed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2016

Lesser Black backed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2016

Lesser Black backed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2016

Lesser Black backed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 26, 2016

In the evening I decided to make one last swing by Winsor Dam and I'm glad I did.  I scanned the water and found nine Common Loons as well as a small gathering of gulls that included a Lesser Black backed Gull among the Herring and Ring billed Gulls.  The plumage was a little odd to me but after consultation with a few books and some affirmative e-mails from Ian and Keenan my initial ID on the bird proved to be correct.  The back was not as solid as I would expect on a full adult but the head and neck appeared clean white which would age the bird as a 3rd cycle individual.  The gull not only became another species for the county this year (#144) but became my second new Quabbin bird for the day...a very difficult feat to achieve short of a hurricane!