The first week of February

 

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Northern Flicker, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Red Squirrel, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Belted Kingfisher, Slobody Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 1, 2023

I began February bright and early as I headed out before dawn with the main goal being to track down a warbler for the new month.  I started along the river in Hadley that I last saw on January 10th but have had in the area since December.  I spent nearly two hours walking in the areas where I had the bird before and eventually I heard it calling distantly but could not pursue it as it was on posted property but I nonetheless had a warbler species for the month and continued my unbroken streak of finding at least one warbler species in Hampshire County to 70 consecutive months!  Besides the Yellow rumped Warbler I had a nice selection of woodpeckers plus hundreds of American Crows heading north from their roost in Springfield as well as hundreds of Red winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.  I then headed across the river to the East Meadows to try to catch up with another Yellow rumped Warbler but I had no luck finding the individual I last had in the area in early January.  The day continued to warm up a bit so I headed over to Amherst to try to catch up with at least one of the two Common Yellowthroats I have had overwintering in the area.  I tried the first spot with no luck and then moved on to the next one and also struck out on finding a yellowthroat.  With the upcoming predicted bitter cold weather I decided my best chance of finding the species for February would be this day so I headed back to the first spot again and after a bit of waiting and walking through some wet areas I had one call a couple times but it was totally uncooperative for photos.  This marks my latest date ever for Common Yellowthroat in the Hampshire County and perhaps the only record for the county ever in February.  With a little time left late in the morning I returned to the spot along the river in Hadley and was able to get a photo of the Yellow rumped Warbler.

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 3, 2023

Black capped Chickadee, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 3, 2023

Wilson enjoying the wood stove on a cold day, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 3, 2023

I had to work on the 2nd and after another incredible busy shift I headed out for home.  The arctic blast was just starting to arrive but the winds were already gusty out of the northwest and the temperatures continued to drop through the teens as I made my way home.  I made a few very brief stops but it was just not pleasant at all to be outside.  Wilson and I got a walk in but I don't think either of us enjoyed it too much.  The day was not a total loss as a new camera I ordered (Canon R7) arrived and I had to endure the cold a bit at the feeders to try it out.  The temperatures continued to drop overnight and the strong winds continued with lows that eventually reached -13 at the house with wind chills south of -35 at times...bone chilling cold for sure!  Saturday was another cold day at work but eventually the winds let up a bit by late in the day.  Many temperature records were set in the area and I suspect the bitter cold took out a number of half hardy species that have been attempting to overwinter but time will tell.

Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser and Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Ring necked Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Hooded Merganser and Bufflehead (blurry but shows just how small Bufflehead are!), Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Hooded Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

On Sunday the 5th I got out of work and although it was still cold it was not quite a bitter as the previous couple days.  I was unfortunately very tired and I made just a couple brief stops on my way home with the most productive being to Winsor Dam where I had a decent selection of waterfowl, totaling nine species with a few somewhat unusual species including both Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup plus Bufflehead and my first Ring necked Duck in the county for the year (the Ring necked Duck became species #100 for the year in Hampshire County for me).  I presume the cold weather froze out many bodies of water and this concentrated the waterfowl at the dam. I also had a flyby light morph Rough legged Hawk that I was able to see well through the scope but was unable to get a photo of through the scope.  It was last seen heading south, occasionally be harassed by a Red tailed Hawk.  The Rough legged Hawk was a new species for me at Winsor Dam (my total number of species at the dam now stands at an amazing 217...I will probably do a post of birds at the dam at some point...so many cool records from there for me).  

Red tailed Hawk, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Full moon, Slobody Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Common Grackle, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Song Sparrow, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Monday I went out looking to see if any of the yellowthroats (and other half hardy species) made it though the record cold snap.  I had no luck finding either yellowthroat despite some effort.  I also checked some areas at UMASS and had at least one Swamp Sparrow continuing at the stadium marsh.  The number of geese were fairly low and I didn't find anything unusual among the Canada Geese.

Mute Swans, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 7, 2023

Red shouldered Hawk, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 7, 2023

Eastern Bluebird, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 7, 2023

Swamp Sparrow, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 7, 2023

To end the week I once again went out looking for surviving half hardy species.  Before I stopped at some areas in Amherst I started out the morning in the south Quabbin area with my first stop at Winsor Dam.  It was in the upper teens with a breeze so a bit cold but I figured I would make a quick stop.  I scanned with the binoculars and quickly picked up two white swans on the water.  My pulse quickened a bit until I got the scope on the birds and saw they were Mute Swans (thankfully this invasive is still quite rare at Quabbin).  I really was hopeful for a more unusual swan but not today!  I also had some Common Mergansers on the water plus the continued Ring necked Duck and a scaup species (probably the continued Lesser Scaup) in the same area as the Ring necked Duck.  I tried a couple spots along the Swift River for more waterfowl but the best I could find were slightly above normal numbers of Hooded Mergansers.  I then headed over to Amherst with about an hour spent at Wentworth Farm Conservation Area.  Although I missed on finding any of the reported Field Sparrows at the location I had great looks at an adult Red shouldered Hawk and at least two Swamp Sparrows.  I once again failed to find any yellowthroats so I suspect the bitter cold did them in (I will still check a few more times before I write them off completely).