First week of January

Merlin, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 2, 2020

Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 2, 2020

Red tailed Hawk, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 2, 2020

American Robin, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 2, 2020

 Cedar Waxwing, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 2, 2020

It has been a productive start to the new year in Hampshire County with 76 species seen so far, which is my best start for a year I have ever had with my previous best for the first week of the month being back in 2013 when I had 69 species.  I'm not even going to attempt another big year for the county as it is not a flight year for northern birds and I don't have the energy but it is fun to build up the list early.  I think most of the increase is due to above normal temperatures and lack of snowfall and ice making access easier and allowing lingering species to stick around a bit.  The beginning of the year was a bit warmer than normal which made being outside somewhat comfortable.  I covered the first day of the year in an earlier post so this post will sum up the remainder of the week.  On January 2nd I started off before dawn in Hadley where I picked up a Short eared Owl hunting some farm fields.  I then headed down south to the Holyoke Dam to pick up a couple Mute Swans but unfortunately I was too early to add any new gulls.  I then moved back north to 'sail along with Mitch' at Mitch's Way  Although I failed to locate any of the Yellow rumped Warblers I had there at the end of December I did add a Merlin (which made an unsuccessful dive at a group of waxwings) plus two Yellow bellied Sapsuckers among the many woodpecker species present.  After the walk at Mitch's Way I was off to areas further north including the Honey Pot and UMASS where the highlights included an adult male Northern Harrier at the Honey Pot (still no luck finding the Eastern Meadowlark that others have had there) and a Rough legged Hawk at UMASS.  Other notables for the day included a Hermit Thrush at Piper Farm Conservation Area in Belchertown and a Red breasted Nuthatch at home.

Black capped Chickadee, Swift River fishing access area, Ware, MA, Jan 3, 2020

Horned Grebes, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 3, 2020

Looking north toward baffle dams, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 3, 2020

Wilson checking out some deer, Piper Farm Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Jan 3, 2020

On the third day of the new year I stayed fairly local in the morning looking and listening for owls before the sun came up and I had some luck with a Barred Owl and at least three Great Horned Owls.  Once the gates at Quabbin Park opened I made my way to Hank's Meadow where I picked up multiple species of waterfowl including my first Horned Grebes of the year.  I made a number of other stops during the morning between the running of some errands but didn't find anything too unusual.  In the afternoon I had to make a trip over to Hadley to pick up some items for an upcoming vacation so I took the opportunity to stop along the rail trail in Amherst where I found a Swamp Sparrow in a large marsh (no luck getting any photos).

The fourth day of the year was rainy throughout and I didn't get out as much as I wanted to but I nonetheless still found some new species for the year including a Great Black backed Gull and Purple Finch at Winsor Dam before the rain was too bad.  I also added a Great Blue Heron along the Swift River.  Overall a rather wet and cold day that was not too conducive to being outside.

Eastern Bluebird, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Jan 5, 2020

Winter made a bit of a return on Sunday with colder weather and a few snow showers early on along with a cold north wind.  Despite the forecast for strong winds I tried my luck early on trying to catch up with a Northern Saw Whet Owl at Quabbin and this time I actually had some luck between bouts of wind.  I tried a brief stop at Winsor Dam but the winds were just too strong so I instead hit a variety of areas along the Swift River mainly looking for waterfowl but could not find anything beyond a few Mallards but with all the hunting pressure there and the lack of ice so far I guess it was not too surprising.  I then explored a bit around the wetland at the Quabbin Cemetery where I turned up the continued Ruby crowned Kinglet and at least two Winter Wrens.  No luck with a Ruffed Grouse at that location or at another usually reliable spot at Quabbin Park later...just not many of this species around so far this year.

I had just a short time to look for stuff before work on Monday morning and my best find was the continued Short eared Owl in Hadley

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Easthampton, MA, Jan 7, 2020

Downy Woodpecker, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 7, 2020

Horned Grebes, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 7, 2020

Common Mergansers, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 7, 2020

To finish out the first week of the year I headed down to Arcadia after work and found a number of good birds including a Field Sparrow, three Northern Flickers and a group of five Yellow rumped Warblers among some 32 species seen or heard.  I then headed across the river stopping off at the Honey Pot in search of an Eastern Meadowlark there but came up empty once again.  I didn't have much luck finding anything in the Connecticut River either.  After taking Wilson for a walk I made a brief visit to Hank's Meadow at Quabbin Park where I caught up with a Red necked Grebe (presumed to be the same individual that has been reported in the area at least since the Quabbin CBC), half a dozen Horned Grebes and 38 Common Mergansers. 

Eastern Bluebirds, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 1, 2020

Blue Jay, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 2, 2020

Red breasted Nuthatch, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 2, 2020

Eastern Bluebirds and Downy Woodpecker, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 4, 2020

Tufted Titmouse with partial leucism, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 4, 2020

Eastern Bluebirds, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 5, 2020

Eastern Bluebirds, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 6, 2020

The camera I have on one of the suet feeder continues to capture some birds including a group of Eastern Bluebirds that showed up to start the year and have continued through the first week of the month.