Trip to the hilltowns this morning

American Bittern, Cummington, MA, Apr 20, 2016

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2016

Pine Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2016

Pine Warblers, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2016

Palm Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2016

Yellow rumped Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2016

Ruby crowned Kinglet looking like an antpitta, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2016

After work this morning I headed up into the hilltowns of Hampshire County in search of some new species for the year and I had some great luck.  I first went to Worthington to try to find the Sandhill Cranes that have been around that area for a few years now and after a bit of looking I had  distant looks at one as it walked through a private orchard and then disappeared behind a hill not to be seen again.  Not the most satisfying view but good nonetheless and good enough to add another species to my county list for the year becoming species number 127.  I then headed over to a variety of marshy areas in Cummington and had a few calling Virginia Rails as well as an American Bittern (#128) that flew past me as it traveled between a couple different marshes.  The bonus species for the morning was a flyby Evening Grosbeak (#129) that never showed itself...a tough species to get around here but certainly a bit easier in the hilltowns.  I then spent most of the rest of the day at home where a few migrants were moving through including my fourth warbler species of the season in the yard (Louisiana Waterthrush) as well as a Ruby crowned Kinglet that looked a lot like an antpitta.

Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2016

Yesterday I made a brief stop at Winsor Dam on my way to work and was rewarded wityh a group of three Lesser Scaup (#126) hanging out on the reservoir.