Big influx of early season migrants

Green Heron, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 19, 2025

Eastern Towhee with white spots on face, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2025

Surf Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2025

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2025

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2025

Strong southerly winds overnight brought in the best influx of birds so far for the spring migration season with several early arrivals found for the day.  I figured this would be the case given the conditions and I was happy to be right.  I only had a couple hours available and stayed within about 15 minutes of home.  I tried for Eastern Whip Poor Wills at Quabbin early and didn't have any luck (the breeze probably cut down on the ability to hear any distant individuals).  I then hit the rail trail on the Amherst/Belchertown line and had an early Green Heron.  I then returned to the south Quabbin area with a brief stop at Winsor Dam and then a small portion of Quabbin Park.  I initially had nothing of note at the dam beyond an Eastern Towhee with some odd white markings on its face.  Quabbin Park produced a slightly early Black and White Warbler among a group of other migrants. I saw a report from Brian that he had a rare for spring Surf Scoter flying around at Winsor Dam so after my time in Quabbin Park I made another stop at the dam and was lucky to find the Surf Scoter on the water way out and got some marginal photos and some slightly better video.  After checking back at the house and then heading out with Wilson we had another Black and White Warbler during our walk.  The strong south winds drove the temps up to near 80 and kept raptors moving most of the day.  Year to date I'm at a record setting pace for the year and also at my highest total ever for the month as of the date (currently at 123 species for the month)

Today also marks the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord that kicked off the American Revolution...we now find ourselves as a country at a crossroads that may indeed tear the country apart and lead us down a path that the founding fathers tried to avoid with the checks and balances enshrined in the constitution.  Time will tell if we emerge on the other side of this current turmoil.

Black throated Green Warbler, Ware, MA, Apr 16, 2025

Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 17, 2025

Pied billed Grebes, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 17, 2025

I have also found a few other early arrivals the last few days including my earliest ever date for Black throated Green Warbler and increasing numbers of other migrants including Ruby crowned Kinglets and Yellow bellied Sapsuckers plus several waterfowl species

Mid April update

Field Sparrow, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 10, 2025

Louisiana Waterthrush, Fitzgerald Lake, Northampton, MA, Apr 10, 2025

Now that the middle of April has arrived the weather has finally started to feel like it should with warmer temps the last couple days ago after we have endured below average temps and occasional rain and snow for the previous several days.  I could not get out yesterday due top work but did get out this morning and added a number of species for the year during a number of stops including Fitzgerald Lake and Great Pond.  For the year I now stand at 141 species and 114 species for April with both totals a bit ahead of my ten year average in Hampshire County.

Eggs in duck box #1, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2025

Eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2025

Eggs in duck box #3, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2025

I also checked the ducks boxes today and found that I now have eggs in all three boxes with Hooded Mergansers sitting on eggs in two of the three boxes.  The last box didn't have eggs in it a few days ago so happy to see some in it today...another year of all three boxes being used.

Costa Rica Part 2 -Hotel Quelitales March 30-April 2

Sooty faced Finch, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

White bellied Mountain Gem, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Black bellied Hummingbird, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

After a successful (if at times wet) trip to the Arenal area I began the last part of my vacation with a few day stay at Hotel Quelitales located to the east of Cartago at an elevation around 1350 meters. I arrived at the location around six on Sunday to find out my reservation had been canceled because my credit card did not go through for final payment. Thankfully my room was still available so no real issue in the end. I had the place all to myself and enjoyed a nice dinner before heading for bed.

Chestnut capped Brushfinch, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Slaty backed Nightingale Thrush, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Masked Tityra, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Green Hermit, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Green Thorntail, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Green Hermit, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Mouse species, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Collared Trogon, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Butterfly species, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Montezuma Oropendola, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Common Tody Flycatcher, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Butterfly species, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Blue Morpho Butterfly, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Louisiana Waterthrush, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

White bellied Mountain Gem, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Red crowned Woodpecker, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Crimson collared Tanager, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

Waterfall, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Mar 31, 2025

I headed out a bit before sunrise after a fitful night of sleep on my first of two full days at Hotel Quelitales. I had a number of target species with a few more likely than others. I wandered around the immediate area of my room as well as a few trails before breakfast. After breakfast I came across my first target species with great looks at a White bellied Mountain Gem (species #2170). I then decided to walk the steep trail to the upper ridge to gain some more elevation and hopefully some other targets. I had a couple mixed flocks but no target species among them. I then returned down the trail to continue checking out the lower elevations. I once again hiked up to the top of the ridge a little later in the day. I eventually came across another target species when I made it back down with a Sooty faced Finch along a small stream…a second lifer for the day (number 2171). I also had great looks at a variety of other birds, especially hummingbirds as well as a few mammals and a wide variety of hummingbirds. To end the day I met the owner at a spot where Scaled Antpitta comes in to meals put out for it in the evening (at least when there are not any Coati around…which was the case for us). Nonetheless other species come in and I got some great photos of some of them, including better shots of Sooty faced Finch. The last species we got for the day was a Short tailed Nighthawk flying over at dusk. 

White eared Ground Sparrow, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

Black bellied Hummingbird, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

Basilisk?, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

Cabanis's Wren, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

Slate throated Redstart, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

Sunbittern, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

Butterfly species, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 1, 2025

On my last full day in Costa Rica I decided to focus on tracking down more of my target species. I decided to hike up the jungle trail to the highest elevation I could just as it was getting light. I got my first target species fairly early on when I had a Costa Rican Pygmy Owl calling from below my location. I didn’t want to back track to try to get a recording as I wanted to get up higher before it got too late. I made it up near the top and heard my second target with a calling Sharpbill, a tough to find species. I tried for a recording but the other nearby birds drowned it out and after a couple calls it didn’t call again. These two became species number 2172 and 2173 for me. I then continued my walk and then took a brief break for breakfast before I walked the entirety of the jungle trail once again in the hopes of coming across the two above mentioned species again. I had no luck finding either one. I had one more somewhat likely target species (Black bellied Hummingbird) that had eluded me so far despite lots of looking and I figured I would concentrate on that species. I had an area where it has been seen recently but all my multiple previous checks failed to turn it up. After another few checks I finally came across a female feeding on the row of flowers and I got some photos…my last life bird for the trip (#2174). I think one possible reason I had not seen it previously is that a Lesser Violetear seems to have a taken up residence along the hedge and chases off any other hummingbird that tries to feed there. When I saw the Black bellied Hummingbird the Lesser Violetear was not present for that short period of time. I birded a bit more around the property in the afternoon before spending some time packing for my return trip home. I once again met the owner before dinner in another attempt to see a Scaled Antpitta. On this try we had more success with stunning looks at the antpitta. The bird was a bit too distant in bad light to get a photo but any day you get to see any antpitta well is a good day. I managed an even 100 species for the day. 

Crested Owl, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 2, 2025

Green fronted Lancebill, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 2, 2025

Yellow throated Euphonia with nesting material, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 2, 2025

Scintillant Hummingbird, Hotel Quelitales, Costa Rica, Apr 2, 2025

I was up early to get a little birding in before making the long journey back home and tracked down a few more species for the trip plus got some photos of species I had seen before but not photographed including a roosting Crested Owl.  After a last breakfast I got picked up around nine and headed to the airport.  During my time at Hotel Qualitales I found a total of 135 species with five of those new for me. 

Overall for the entire trip  I found a total of 238 species including ten life birds. I also added 17 species to my Costa Rica list, which now stands at 573.

Huge numbers of Horned Grebes today plus loads of other stuff put down by the weather

Red necked Grebes, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Apr 11, 2025

Long tailed Ducks, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Apr 11, 2025

Horned Grebes, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Apr 11, 2025

Red breatsed Mergasners, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Apr 11, 2025

View toward Quabbin tower, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Apr 11, 2025

After a dusting of snow overnight I had hopes that the precipitation that came in overnight might have put down some migrant waterfowl (and perhaps others) so I headed to Winsor Dam at first light and started scanning the water.  I came across three Long tailed Ducks right away as well as a smattering of other species including dozens of birds that were just too far away to ID.  I decided to leave the dam and head to Gate 5 and see if I could get a better look at some of the birds from there.  I made the walk down to the water as quick as I could and started scanning and immediately started coming across noteworthy birds with many highlights including my highest count ever in the county for Horned Grebes with an amazing 114 individuals, blowing away my previous high count of 26 that I set back in December 2009.  I also had at least eight Red necked Grebes, two Ruddy Ducks, two White winged Scoters and 62 Long tailed Ducks as well as other more common species.  After about an hour at gate 5 I returned to Winsor Dam and could view some of the species from there although the numbers and diversity continued to drop as the day brightened up a bit and the precipitation lifted.  

Horned Grebes, Ware, MA, Apr 11, 2025

Red necked Grebes, Ware, MA, Apr 11, 2025

I tried a few other nearby areas for waterfowl and a small lake in Ware produced another ten Horned Grebes and four Red necked Grebes.  A really spectacular day for both species and not one I'm likely to repeat again.  I ended the morning with an impressive 18 species of waterfowl.