A nearly recording setting September comes to an end

Veery, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Sep 26, 2023

Northern Waterthrush, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Sep 26, 2023

Cape May Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 27, 2023

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 27, 2023

Swamp Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 27, 2023

Cape May Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 28, 2023

Northern Parula, UMASS demonstration forest, Belchertown, MA, Sep 28, 2023

Surf Scoters, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 29, 2023

A very productive September has now come to a close.  Although not record setting for overall species in Hampshire County it did come very close with a total of 170 species, which fell just short of my best ever September back in 2021 when I had 171 species.  Between other obligations and work for the end of the month I got out birding on a few mornings and I continued to concentrate heavily of warblers and finished with my highest total ever for me in September in the county with 28 species.  After work on the 25th the remnants of Ophelia continued to drop some rain on the area and I made a few stops on my way home and most every farm field I checked in Northampton and Hadley featured Pectoral Sandpipers (areas off to the south had several hundred birds as the storm forced birds migrating off the coast to come back to land).  On Tuesday I stayed local with stops in a few areas around Quabbin and in Ware with the most productive being along the rail trail.  On the 27th I spent a few hours at Arcadia and had a productive morning thanks to sunny conditions that got the birds active as it warmed up.  I had hopes for a full morning at Arcadia on Thursday but the low clouds and fog kept activity low and I cut my time short there and searched out other locations with more sun.  After a bit under two hours of waiting for the fog to burn off I headed across the river to look for fog free areas with my first stop at Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River where the fog continued.  I then headed further east and eventually got out of the fog in Belchertown.  Friday I had just a little bit of time before we had to head to Sturbridge for a ten o'clock appointment with Wilson (more on that below).  The weather was less than cooperative with rain that started around dawn and continued throughout the day, dropping a few inches of rain.  All was not lost with the crappy weather as it put down a few unusual species at Winsor Dam including half a dozen Surf Scoters and a Bonaparte's Gull.

Wilson out enjoying the start of foliage season, Belchertown, Sep 27, 2023

Wilson enjoying the sun, Home, Sep 27, 2023

After nearing his full recovery from surgery back in early June he unfortunately had the tumor on his right front paw rupture several days ago.  The tumor appeared almost exactly two years ago and after lots of consults and thought we decided to not take any drastic action at the time and we are still comfortable with that decision as it gave him almost two more years of being active (minus his unrelated surgery this summer).  We had a surgical consult regarding the tumor on Friday and as expected there are few good options.  His future holds at least a partial amputation (and possibly a full one).  Our aim is to give him the best possible quality of life for his remaining time with us.