Prescott Peninsula surveys

Wild Turkey poult, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Wild Turkey poults with adult, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Blackburnian Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Pine Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Pine Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Purple Finch, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Least Flycatcher, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Ruby throated Hummingbird

Magnolia Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Moose, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

Pond and marsh, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 30, 2018

I spent the last morning of the month conducting a few bird surveys on the permit only Prescott Peninsula.  Lots of breeding activity noted (and lots of deer flies and mosquitoes) throughout the morning with several highlights including fledgling Ruffed Grouse and Wild Turkeys, several cuckoos of both species, Barn and Bank Swallows (quite unusual on Prescott), Red breasted Nuthatches at multiple stops, a dozen warbler species and at least four Red Crossbills noted at two different locations.  I first had two flyovers calling and then heard at least two more a mile or so away.  I tried to get recordings to figure out the specific type but I didn't have any luck.  I also tried to track down the area the birds might have been headed to without any luck either.  I will try again later to see if I can relocate them and get some recordings.  No trip onto the peninsula is complete with a Moose sighting and I was able to watch one for several minutes as it fed at the edge of a pond.  The next several days look to feature continued 90+ degree weather, likely breaking records once again.

Breeding Bird Survey route completed and other sightings the last couple weeks

Looking toward remains of tornado on far hill, Monson, MA, Jun 22, 2018

Eastern Box Turtle remains, Conant brook Reservoir, Monson, MA, Jun 22, 2018

I completed by annual Breeding Bird Survey route yesterday travelling from Belchertown south through Ware, Palmer and Monson down to nearly the Connecticut line.  The route starts bright and early at 4:42 am with three minute stops every half mile along the 25 mile route.  I managed to find a total of 71 species with 1042 individuals.  The total number of species is down slightly from the last few years but around the expected average.  Below are the number of species each year since I have conducted the survey:

2010-71
2011-64
2012-56
2013-67
2014-70
2015-75
2016-78
2017-73

The ten most frequent species by a percentage of stops present include the following:

Red eyed Vireo  (66%)
Tufted Titmouse  (66%)
Chipping Sparrow  (64%)
Black capped Chickadee  (62%)
American Robin  (50%)
Mourning Dove  (48%)
House Wren  (48%)
Gray Catbird  (48%)
Ovenbird  (48%)
Northern Cardinal  (44%)

In addition to the birds I had several mammals including White tailed Deer, Raccoon, Eastern Cottontail, Gray Squirrel, Red Squirrel and Eastern Chipmunk.  I also sadly found a dead Eastern Box Turtle at Conant Brook Reservoir.

Virginia Rail juvenile, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 16, 2018

Virginia Rails (adult with juvenile in background), Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 16, 2018

Great Horned Owl fledgling, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 16, 2018

House Wren with leg bands carrying food, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 15, 2018

House Wren with leg bands carrying food, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 15, 2018

Blue gray Gnatcatchers at nest, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 14, 2018

American Redstart on nest, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 14, 2018

Great Blue Heron on nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 11, 2018

American Robin building nest, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 21, 2018

As the breeding season continues there are fledglings starting to be seen as well as a number of birds in nests.

Turkey Vultures, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Jun 8, 2018

The Holyoke Dam continues to be a great spot to see large numbers of vultures (both Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures) as well as Great Blue Herons and Chimney Swifts.  I stopped by the dam on my way home on the 20th and had a couple Black Vultures and 52 Turkey Vultures.  An earlier trip there on June 8 also produced two Black Vultures but an even higher number of Turkey Vultures (63)...the highest single location count I have ever had of the species in Hampshire County.  I wish the location was a little closer as it certainly would produce additional notable species with frequent visits.

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jun 13, 2018

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 8, 2018

As far as warblers go the Brewster's Warbler I first found in Amherst on May was still present as of June 13 in the same area.  The Mourning Warbler I had singing on territory trying to attract a mate in Quabbin Park was present though the 10th but has not been detected during several subsequent visits so it appears to have moved on.

Red Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 20, 2018

The Red Fox family has become much more sporadically seen on the cameras but at least some are still around.

Indigo Bunting, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 8, 2018

The camera at the water feature captured another new species on June 8 when a female Indigo Bunting showed up (species #41 for the water feature).

Neighborhood Nestwatch 2018

House Wren being banded, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 7, 2018

House Wren, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 7, 2018

Eastern Phoebe with bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 7, 2018

Eastern Phoebe, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 7, 2018

Black capped Chickadees in net, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 7, 2018

Black capped Chickadee, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 7, 2018

The Neighborhood Nestwatch Program returned to the yard for the fourth year today to band a variety of target birds.  The banders arrived at 7AM and after a quick point count they started setting up the nets.  The first two birds to get captured were the nesting pair of House Wrens (including the female that was banded last year).  The next bird to fly into the nets was a Tufted Titmouse which was quickly released as it was not a target species and then there was a bit of a lull before another House Wren and an Eastern Phoebe eventually made their way to the nets.  There were a number of Gray Catbirds and American Robins (both target species) that just would not fly into the nets.  The most productive single net check turned up four Black capped Chickadees (a male and three females) all captured at the same time.  Overall the morning produced nine birds captured with eight of those target species (three House Wrens, an Eastern Phoebe and four Black capped Chickadees).  The previous three years have each produced eight new birds to be banded so this year was just one below with seven (plus the recapture of the House Wren banded last year).  The nets got closed for the morning around 10 so they could then wander the area around the house in search of previously banded birds for a couple hours. Their effort turned up a Black capped Chickadee and a Gray Catbird with bands in yards nearby.  No luck finding any of the three American Robins with the GPS packs that were captured and outfitted last year.  More about the program and previous years of banding can be found at the following links: 2017, 2016, 2015.

American Robin fledgling, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 7, 2018

Pine Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 6, 2018

White tailed Deer, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 5, 2018

Red Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 3, 2018

The cameras around the yard continue to capture a variety of creatures including my first fledgling American Robin of the season and occasionally the Red Fox family plus other stuff.

May wrap up

Cattle Egret, Hadley, MA, May 7, 2018

Yellow billed Cuckoo, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

Baltimore Oriole, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

Hooded Mergansers, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, May 29, 2018

Scarlet Tanager, Quabbin Park, MA, May 23, 2018

Black billed Cuckoos mating, Quabbin Park, MA, May 21, 2018

Olive sided Flycatcher, Quabbin Park, MA, May 20, 2018

Ruby throated Hummingbird building nest, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2018

Cape May Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Bay breasted Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 21 2018

Golden winged x Blue winged Warbler hybrid, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Mourning Warbler (eastern vocal group), Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2018

Cerulean Warbler building nest, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 15, 2018

May has now come to an end and it was once again a great month for migration with a total of 175 species in Hampshire County over the course of the month (a tie with 2014 for my highest May total).  Among the species seen were a number of highlights including a number of unusual waterfowl species at Winsor Dam May 12 during bird-a-thon, a Red throated Loon (among dozens of Common Loons) at Winsor Dam on May 22, a couple Cattle Egrets in Hadley, multiple Soras, a few unusual shorebirds including a Dunlin in Hadley, decent numbers of both species of cuckoo (taking advantage of yet another terrible season for Gypsy Moth caterpillars), a White eyed Vireo in Amherst, a total of 30 species of warblers (highlights including a Brewster's, another hybrid, an Orange crowned Warbler, three Hooded Warblers, at least 9 Mourning Warblers and above normal numbers of Tennessee, Cape May and Bay breasted Warblers) and a Grasshopper Sparrow in Northampton.  A more detailed review of warblers can be found at the following link: Warblers spring 2018.  I also completed my two Eastern Whip Poor Will surveys.  There are still some late season migrants moving through but for the most part the birds around are now breeders.