April ends with some rain

Blackburnian Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 30, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 30, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Song Sparrow, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Wood Ducks, Belchertown Land trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Wilson relaxing after a walk, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 29, 2026

Broad winged Hawk, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 28, 2026

Red breasted Mergansers, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 28, 2026

Purple Finch, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 28, 2026

White tailed Deer, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 28, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 27, 2026

Field Sparrow, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Apr 27, 2026

April ended on a rather rainy note with rain in the morning and cool temps and then drizzle and overcast conditions for the remainder of the day.  I had hopes the rain would have downed some unusual species but no luck for me in finding any.  The previous few days were more pleasant with mainly sunny conditions and warmer temps although the winds were less than great for migration.  Nonetheless some birds continued to move into the area and each day featured the arrival of a few more species with no real big influx yet.  On Wednesday I did some guiding for a birder from India and we had a decent day with a few targets found for her.  Warblers have been slow to arrive in the typical numbers and diversity for the end of April although I did manage to add one more warbler species for the end of the year today despite the rain (more on warblers for April at the following post).  I found a total of 142 species in Hampshire County for the month which given the poor migration conditions recently and being away for just over a week in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona was quite good and fits in around average for the last ten years or so for me.  Now comes May and with it the big influx of migrants from the south moving north to breed for the summer.

My second best August in the county ends with phalarope and Sanderlings

Hermit Thrush, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Red eyed Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Red breasted Nuthatch, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Raccoon, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Blackburnian Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 30, 2025

Eastern Towhee, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 30, 2025

Nashville Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Common Nighthawk, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Magnolia Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Black throated Green Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Olive sided Flycatcher, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 28, 2025

Gray Catbird, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 28, 2025

Rose breasted Grosbeak, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 28, 2025

As August comes I managed to find a total of  165 species in Hampshire County, which puts me in the number two spot for the most species I have ever had for the month in the county (just one species behind my best total in 2023, when I had 166 species).  I have been concentrating hard on warblers (as one would expect) and I have found a number of early arrivals for the month with an especially good showing of Bay breasted Warblers and Cape May Warblers.  I managed a total of 26 species of warblers for the month.  Beyond warblers the last few days of the month have had a few rarities including a couple of Sanderlings at the Holyoke Dam yesterday and a extremely distant phalarope at Winsor Dam today plus an very early Red necked Grebe.  In addition there seems to be a bit of an incursion of Red breasted Nuthatches ongoing as well as slowly increasing numbers of Red Crossbills and Purple Finches...hopefully the beginning of a good season of irruptives to come.  The end of August (the 28th to be exact)  brought the 14th anniversary of the arrival of Hurricane Irene into the area and with it some of the most epic birding ever.  The tropics are quiet right now but we are rapidly approaching the peak of hurricane season and perhaps this year a tropical system will once again impact the area...we shall see.  The models are hinting at some activity coming up.

Brief trip to the Finger Lakes

 

Chestnut sided Warbler feeding juvenile, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Just back from a quick trip out to the Finger Lakes in New York. Sherri had a conference to go to and I was along to help out and bird when she was in the conference. We have made several trips out to the area over the years so have gotten a lot of the possible species out that way. Nonetheless I still had a number of new species possible for my New York list with high on the list being a few warblers (more on the warblers at the following link.)                      

                             

Alder Flycatcher, Allen Wetland Preserve, Alpine, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Blackburnian Warbler, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler feeding juvenile, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Magnolia Warbler, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Hooded Warbler, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Black throated Green Warbler, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

American Redstart, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025    

Downy Woodpecker, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025 

Dark eyed Junco, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025 

Yellow billed Cuckoo, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025 

Tiger Swallowtails, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025 

Canada Warbler, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025 

Black throated Blue Warbler, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Ovenbird, Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale, NY, Jul 12, 2025

Ovenbird, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 12, 2025

 

Dragonfly species, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 12, 2025

I headed out on Saturday morning to hit a nearby spot before I had to go back to our Airbnb to pick up Sherri to get her to the conference in Ithaca. I decided Cayuta Lake to try for a few state targets and I found two new species with Canada Warbler and Hooded Warbler. I then added another species at the nearby Allen Wetland Preserve with a couple Alder Flycatchers. My next stop was to Shindagin Hallow State Forest where I spent about two and a half hours exploring the area. It was great birding with a decent showing of warblers as well as other species and I added three new New York species with Ruffed Grouse, Yellow billed Cuckoo and Mourning Warbler. I then headed a bit west to Lindsey Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, arriving around 11:30 and then spent about an hour there. There was some bird banding taking place as part of the MAPS program that looks at breeding species in a particular area. Despite the heat of the day with temps pushing 90 I did add a Prairie Warbler to my New York list. I then headed back to the house before picking up Sherri in the mid afternoon. The rest of the afternoon was spent at various wineries. It was a good day of birding with half a dozen new species for me in New York state. 

Yellow Warbler, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 13, 2025

Blue winged Warbler, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 13, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 13, 2025

Prairie Warbler with leg band, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 13, 2025

Rose breasted Grosbeak, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 13, 2025

Song Sparrow, Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, Spenser, NY, Jul 13, 2025

 

Eagle Cliff Falls,  Montour Falls, NY, Jul 13, 2025

Sunday was another hot and humid day with daybreak temps already in the upper 70’s. I was up slightly earlier than the previous day and headed south to Connecticut Hill WMA just before sunrise. It was a little breezy but the bugs (especially deer flies) were bad. Nonetheless I still found birds including a state first Barred Owl for me. With a few hours free in the morning I had to decide where to go and settled on a return trip to Lindsey Parsons where I arrived around 6:30 and stayed for about an hour and a half. It was really getting warm by the end of my time there, especially when out in the sun in the open fields. Nothing too unusual but some good looks at a variety of species. I then headed back to the house to pick up Sherri and we headed down south of Watkins Glen to check out a few waterfalls. The highlight for birds was an unusual for the area Black Vulture…no good camera with me at that point so no photos.

Gray Catbird, Taughannock Falls SP, Ulysses, NY, Jul 14, 2025

Ring billed Gulls, Taughannock Falls SP, Ulysses, NY, Jul 14, 2025

 

Taughannock Falls, Taughannock Falls SP, Ulysses, NY, Jul 14, 2025

After some strong thunderstorms overnight the morning dawn mainly clear and warm. I had a couple of hours free in the morning before we would start the long drive back home. I decided to head north to Taughannock Falls SP with the main goal being to find a Peregrine Falcon there. I heard at least one not long after arriving but could never get looks at it. The fog cut down on visibility initially so not surprised I could got get eyes on the falcon. Nonetheless I added yet another New York species to my list. After a little less than an hour and a half of walking I headed back to the Airbnb to pack up and then make the long drive home. 

I ended the short getaway with 98 species with nine new for me in the state. With the additional my New York state total now stands at 165.