June comes to an end with a summer like feel

American Redstart fledgling being fed by adult, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 30, 2023

American Redstart fledgling, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 30, 2023

Prairie Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 30, 2023

Gray Catbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 30, 2023

Yellow Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jul 29, 2023

The month of June has now come to an end and we now enter into the typically slow period of July as many species become less vocal and migration is very limited.  June was a bit slower than usual for me with just 134 species in Hampshire County (my lowest June total since 2018) due to a combination of work and Wilson recovering from surgery.  Nonetheless there were still some good birds around with lots of breeding species.  I completed a number of breeding bird counts during the month including my breeding bird survey on the 25th.  I decided to spend the last morning of the month at Quabbin Park with the focus being on warblers (as usual) and I had lots of evidence of successful breeding.  The last several days have also seen an impressive increase in the numbers of Red Crossbills moving into the area.  I have had them in a multitude of locations including right at the house.  I have managed a few recordings with the only confirmed Type being Type 12 with another recording highly likely to be Type 1.  I would encourage all to keep an ear out for crossbills and try to get recordings if possible.

Breeding Bird Survey route today

American Kestrel, Belchertown BBS stop 29, Monson, MA, Jun 25, 2023

Blue winged Warbler, Belchertown BBS stop 31, Monson, MA, Jun 25, 2023

Forest view Belchertown BBS stop 33, Conant Brook Reservoir, Monson, MA, Jun 25, 2023

Fields at Belchertown BBS stop 29, Monson, MA, Jun 25, 2023

Power line cut at Belchertown BBS stop 15, Palmer, MA, Jun 25, 2023

I finally got to conduct my annual breeding bird survey (BBS) route this morning.  I typically try to run the survey earlier in the breeding season but this year the weather, work and Wilson made it tough to complete any earlier than today.  I possibly could have run it on a weekday earlier but I always try to do it on a Sunday as the traffic is a minimum making birds easier to hear.  This marked the 14th year I have conducted the survey (I even did the route when the route was officially cancelled due to Covid).  The route starts at 4:42 in the morning in Belchertown and consists of 50 stops of three minutes duration each every half mile (which leaves little to no time to get photos so the ones attached are not the best).  The route travels down through Palmer and Monson to the Connecticut state line.  The conditions were really good despite some morning overcast as the winds stayed calm and the temps were warm (low for the morning was a balmy 69 degrees).  By the end of the route the sun was out and the temps warmed even more.  Despite my fear of not having as many species as usual given the later date I ended with a very respectable 77 species.  Highlights included a couple of Eastern Whip Poor Wills, a Barred Owl, an American Kestrel, an Eastern Meadowlark, 13 species of warblers and best of all, a new species for me along the route with a flyover Red Crossbill.  The Red Crossbill raised the total number of species I have had along the route in the last 14 years to 111.  The route has been active since 1967 so this marks the 56th year of the route. Below are the totals for species for each year I have conducted the survey plus the date the survey was conducted.

year                 # of species            date of survey

2010                 71                          June 20

2011                 64                          June 26

2012                 56                          June 3

2013                 67                          June 23

2014                 70                          June 15

2015                 75                          June 14

2016                 78                          June 19

2017                 73                          June 22

2018                 71                          June 22

2019                 83                          June 9

2020                 76                          June 14

2021                 71                          June 19

2022                 78                          June 5

2023                 77                          June 25

The ten most abundant species this year are listed in the table below (# of stops species present at)

American Robin                             43

Gray Catbird                                  34

Ovenbird                                        33

Red eyed Vireo                              30 

Northern Cardinal                          29   
Chipping Sparrow                          27

Tufted Titmouse                             23

Black capped Chickadee                22

Song Sparrow                                 22

House Wren                                    20

Waugh fields in the morning fog, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 24, 2023

Common Yellowthroat carrying food, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 24, 2023

Yesterday I finally made up to the restricted access Prescott Peninsula to conduct field bird surveys.  I usually try to make a few trips up there earlier in the nesting season but it just didn't work out this year.  I was not sure I would be able to make it up there yesterday with the prediction of early morning rain however the rain held off for a few hours.  No big surprises during my time on the peninsula beyond a handful of flyby Red Crossbills.  The overcast conditions with occasional drizzle probably kept some birds quiet.

                               

Close encounter with a Ruffed Grouse

 

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse checking out my camera, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

My big reward for heading out this morning included a close encounter with a Ruffed Grouse in Quabbin Park (I also had some other highlights for the morning that will be included at the bottom of this post).  I stayed local once again as Wilson had an appointment to get his stiches out and I wanted to make sure I made it back with time to spare.  I ended up running across the very friendly Ruffed Grouse as I was near the end of my time in the park.  Initially I noticed him walking through the woods and got a few photos and then it started walking directly toward me as it fed.  It eventually walked right up to me and it got too close to use the big camera, so most photos and videos were done with my iPhone.  After a bit of time staying still admiring the grouse I started walking down the trail and the grouse followed along with me for a few hundred feet.  On my return back down the same trail the grouse rejoined me and once again stayed with me for a few hundred feet.  I have had this experience just a few times before and it was been several years since the last time.  There are a couple of theories to explain this behavior.  One is that the bird is being hyper territorial and the other is that it is a genetic throwback to a time before the birds developed a necessary fear of  humans (link to article here...thanks Mary).  It is a really cool experience to have this happen with what is typically a very wary species that you getting fleeting glimpses of (if you see it at all).

Links to videos (well worth watching in my opinion)

video 1

video 2

video 3

video 4

video 5

video 6

video 7

video 8

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Gray Catbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Eastern Towhee juvenile, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Virginia Rail, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Wood Ducks, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Mountain Laurel blooming, Quabbin Gate 8, Pelham, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Beyond the grouse I had some other good stuff for the morning including my first Virginia Rail fledglings of the year at Lake Wallace.  I noticed an adult that didn't seem to be moving much and seemed really fluffed up.  I suspected it was sitting over some young and after a lot of looking I caught a few glimpses of two tiny black fledglings (one video captured one for a brief moment...link to video here: Virginia Rail video).  I also had a quick look at a silent Marsh Wren as I was scanning for rails.  Lots of other evidence of breeding species at every stop I made over the course of the morning.  I also relocated the Cerulean Warbler singing a parula like song in the same area I discovered it yesterday.  There are now two singing Cerulean Warblers within Quabbin Park and hopefully I will able to find some evidence of breeding (See an earlier post regarding the history of Cerulean Warblers breeding at Quabbin Park at the following link).

The third weekish of June

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 22, 2023

Cedar Waxwing, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 22, 2023

Great Blue Heron and Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 22, 2023

Wilson waiting for dinner, Home, Jun 21, 2023

Wood Duck with ducklings, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jun 21, 2023

Mallards, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jun 21, 2023

Barn Swallow fledgling, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jun 21, 2023

House Wren with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 21, 2023

Painted Turtle laying eggs, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 19, 2023

Lawrence's Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 19, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 17, 2023

Wood Duck with ducklings, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 17, 2023

Birding continues to be a bit curtailed as the third week of June has come and gone as I stay close to home to be with Wilson as he recovers from his surgery.  Nonetheless I have tried to get out a bit  early every day that I'm not working and I have found a number of decent birds including relocating the Lawrence's Warbler at Quabbin Park I last saw on June 1st and a Cerulean Warbler singing a parula like song today at Quabbin Park.  Breeding season is in full swing and I have found lots of evidence of successful breeding with some juveniles around and many adult birds carrying food at many different locations. 

Mid June update

Purple Martin, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jun 16, 2023

Blue winged Teal, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jun 16, 2023

Sora, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jun 16, 2023

Dawn over Hop Brook, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jun 16, 2023

American Redstarts in nest, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 15, 2023

Hooded Warbler, Westfield, MA, Jun 14, 2023

Eastern Coyote, Westfield, MA, Jun 14, 2023

Double crested Cormorants, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Jun 14, 2023

Muskrats, Pines Edge Conservation Area, Northampton, MA, Jun 12, 2023

Eastern Phoebe nest, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 9, 2023

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 11, 2023

Purple Martin, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jun 11, 2023

Song Sparrow, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 9, 2023

Eastern Phoebe, Grand Trunk Trail, Brimfield, MA, Jun 8, 2023

Swamp Sparrow, Grand Trunk Trail, Brimfield, MA, Jun 8, 2023

The middle of June has now arrived and I will post a quick update.  I have been able to get out just a bit over the last several days due to work and wanting to be home with Wilson as he recovers from surgery that he had done on the 8th meaning I'm only out for a few hours around dawn.  He is slowly recovering but it is tough to keep an active boy like him down and he just wants to be active again (more on his recovery below).  As far as birds go, nesting season is underway and I have found some nests I have been watching including an American Redstart nest I have been watching since mid May that fledged young today.  There have also been a few unusual species around including yet another Purple Martin that arrived at the nesting gourds in Hadley and male Blue winged Teal I found today at the same location.  There were also at least two Soras present in Hadley again this morning.  I also made an early morning trip down into Hampden County a few days ago to see the breeding Hooded Warblers there.  During my time at home I also made a brief post concerning Mourning Warblers this spring in the area.

Wilson finding another comfortable spot, Jun 13, 2023

Wilson sleeping, Jun 11, 2023

Wilson the day after surgery, Jun 9, 2023

Now to Wilson.  He had surgery on the 8th and he has been recovering as well as expected.  It is tough on all of us (especially Wilson) keeping his activity limited as the surgery site heals.  He does not like being limited in activity and I know he is itching to get out on walks again.  We are still a couple weeks away from even short (ten minute) walks but he wants to start now.  We have tried to keep him as comfortable as possible and have someone with him as much as possible so he doesn't have to wear a cone much.