PINK FOOTED GEESE today

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

When the day began I did not think I would be looking at two Pink Footed Geese in Hadley but that is how the day played out.  I found myself in proximity to Hadley today (more on that below) so I was fairly close when I heard about two Pink footed Geese roosting on the river.  The birds were found by Mary and several others got to see them over the course of the late morning into the afternoon.  These two represent the third and fourth Hampshire County records of the species.  I found the first Hampshire County record of Pink footed Goose back in March of 2014 in Hatfield and then the second county record in December 2016.  This migration season has been great for the species in western Massachusetts with an amazing four seen in Hampden County in mid December (I think this is the highest count ever in the state) and two seen over a few days in Westfield in mid December also.  Although still a mega rarity the species has become more common in the northeast as the population in Greenland continues to increase.

Snow Goose, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Canada Goose with extensive white on neck, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Black Ducks (and others), Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

In addition to the Pink footed Geese there were a number of other notables at Mitch's Way including a juvenile Snow Goose and 40+ American Black Ducks.  I didn't have the time or energy to try to relocate the Yellow rumped Warblers I had here on the first or the Ruby crowned Kinglet seen the same day.

Northern Harrier, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Robin, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Black capped Chickadee, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Swamp Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Tree Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

White throated Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Robin with leucism, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Before making my way over to see the geese I had a very productive morning in spite of the cold temps (10 degrees at dawn).  I had to be over in Northampton for an appointment midday (which got cancelled late morning) and I started my day up at Great Pond.  The recent cold snap froze all the water in the pond so I concentrated on sparrows and had decent numbers and variety including at least two Swamp Sparrows.  I then headed down to the East Meadows in the hopes of turning up an overwinter Yellow rumped Warbler (no luck with that).  I did have at least one Fish Crow in a large crow flock as well as at least one Lapland Longspur among a large Horned Lark flock.  I then got a message from Mary saying she had a possible Greater White fronted Goose in Hadley but didn't have a scope or camera...she later said it was just an oddly plumaged Canada Goose so I made a stop at the Honey Pot trying to get photos of the continued Western Meadowlark but the bird did not show while I was there.  As my appointment had been cancelled at this point I started heading home and then heard about the Pink footed Geese and then turned around to go back to Hadley.