Glossy Ibis, Northampton, MA, Apr 20, 2024
Glossy Ibis, Northampton, MA, Apr 20, 2024
Glossy Ibis, Northampton, MA, Apr 20, 2024
Black and White Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 20, 2024
White throated Sparrow, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 20, 2024
Hooded Merganser with odd plumage, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 19, 2024
Hooded Merganser with odd plumage with typical Hooded Merganser, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 19, 2024
Hooded Merganser with odd plumage, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 19, 2024
The last several days have featured mainly less than perfect migration conditions but nonetheless birds have arrived with a few notables. The biggest news was the arrival of the largest group of Glossy Ibis to grace the county on Thursday the 18th when a group of 23 were found in the East Meadows flying around but not landing. I looked a bit that rainy morning in the Arcadia area without luck. Part of the group was relocated later that day near the fairgrounds in Northampton were lots of people were able to see them. I didn't get to try for them until Friday morning and when I arrived in the location the ibis were not present. With no ibis obvious in the area I birded a bit elsewhere before work and decided on a quick stop off at Fitzgerald Lake where I ran into Mary. As I scanned the water I noticed an oddly plumaged male Hooded Merganser with a typical male. I made a quick walk back to get my scope to get some photos of the bird before I had to head out...an interesting individual. As I was heading out to work I saw a post that a group of ibis had returned to the puddle where they were seen the day before. I made a quick drive by and had 18 individuals before I had to rush off to work. After getting out of work on Saturday morning on yet another rainy morning I headed back to the area to try to relocate the ibis and get some photos and found a lone individual enjoying the puddle. I got some photos and then headed across the bridge to go to the rail trail as the rain was coming to an end. I walked a bit of the rail trail and turned up my first Black and White Warbler of the year (as well as some other good stuff) before meeting up with Taylor who was making a brief return to the valley from Canada (she worked for neighborhood nestwatch back in
2016 and banded a bunch of birds in my yard as part of the program). We walked another part of the trail and turned up some more species but nothing too unusual. I was getting very tired by that point and after giving her some details on some other target species for her I headed for home.
Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024
Black capped Chickadee excavating nest hole, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024
Black capped Chickadee excavating nest hole, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024
Ruby crowned Kinglet, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024
Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2024
Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 21, 2024
Today started off sunny but cold with temps at freezing with an occasional light breeze which gave the morning a very non spring like feel. I decided to stay close to home concentrating my efforts in the Ware/Belchertown area. Nothing extreme for the day but did get my first Eastern Whip Poor Will of the year before dawn and then a Bank Swallow in Ware. I also had a number of Red Crossbills and the continued group of four Common Goldeneye still lingering at Winsor Dam. The Say's Phoebe has been MIA for almost a week and it may have finally moved on...time will tell as it has defied expectations on its ability to stick around since its arrival in December. Another interesting sighting was watching a pair of Black capped Chickadees excavate a nest hole in a small dead tree. The conditions for migration will hopefully improve a bit going into Monday night so fingers crossed for more arrivals into the area.
