A push of migrants before a big cool down with wind, freezing rain, sleet and rain for the middle of the month

Palm Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 13, 2018

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Apr 13, 2018

Great Egret, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 13, 2018

Red necked Grebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 12, 2018

Hermit Thrush, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 13, 2018

Horned Grebes, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 15, 2018

Wilson's Snipe (L) and Greater Yellowlegs (R), Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 15, 2018

Eastern Towhee, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 13, 2018

The weather roller coaster has continued with temperatures on Friday reaching near 70 and into the 60's early on Saturday before the cold air started draining back on progressively stronger northerly winds.  Today started out cold and the temperature never managed to get out of the mid 30's all day with a strong wind and occasional drizzle (today actual set a record for the lowest high temp for the day).  The forecast calls for freezing rain and sleet overnight into early tomorrow before it warm enough to change it all to rain.  The rain should fall quite heavily throughout the day on Monday with up to a few inches possible.  The conditions certainly have the chance to ground some migrants such as waterfowl, gulls, waders and others but will also be very hard on the insectivores that have already made it here.  The warm push before the cold brought in some migrants with large counts of Palm Warblers, kinglets and my first Great Egret, Red necked Grebe, Blue headed Vireo and Eastern Towhees among many others.  I was able to get out a bit on Friday as well a little early on Saturday.  I checked a few spots briefly today for grounded birds on my way home but the best I could come up with were two near breeding plumage Horned Grebes at Winsor Dam.  Some errands midday brought me back over to Amherst so I took the opportunity to check Hop Brook along the rail trail where I found three Wilson's Snipe and a Greater Yellowlegs.  The first half of the month has produced a total of 103 species in the county so far.

Hermit Thrush, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 13, 2018

Eastern Phoebe, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 13, 2018

American Robin with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 13, 2018

The waterfall in up and running again at the house and has so far attracted five species including one of my banded robins and a Hermit Thrush.