Migration update

Scarlet Tanager, Quabbin Park, MA, May 12, 2026

Wild Turkey, Quabbin Park, MA, May 12, 2026

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, May 11, 2026

Field Sparrow, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 11, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 11, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2026

Canada Goose with goslings, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2026

Blue winged Warbler with dark forehead, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Northern Waterthrush, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Lincoln's Sparrow, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Northern Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Birds Foot Violets, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 7, 2026

Although overall cooler than normal with mainly unfavorable winds there continues to be birds pushing in with multiple new species over the last several days.  No other major rarities for the season that I have been able to track down.  As you can tell from the photos it has been mainly about warblers...more on those here.  Too many travels and sightings so the photos will have to tell part of the story.  The next few days look to be unsettled with multiple bouts of rain and at least some favorable winds.  This will hopefully entice a push of birds and the bouts of rain could ground some species that otherwise just fly right by.  Could be some interesting few mornings.

Winter continues into spring with some new arrivals

Green winged Teal, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 25, 2026

Wood Ducks, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 25, 2026

Sunrise, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Mar 25, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 24, 2026

Wilson enjoying a fresh coating of snow, Covey MWA, Belchertown, MA, Mar 24, 2026

Hooded Mergansers, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 21, 2026

Canada Goose with neck tag with solar panel on it, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Mar 15, 2026

Ring necked Ducks, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Mar 15, 2026

Wilson on his 15th birthday, Home, Belchertown, MA, Mar 15, 2026

Redhead (with American Black Duck, Northern Pintail and Mallard), Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Mar 15, 2026

The never ending winter continues to drag on with mainly average to below average temps with even a few short bouts of snow moving through.  Thankfully the vast majority of the snow is gone and the water bodies are rapidly losing their ice (even the long frozen Quabbin).  Although the huge flocks of geese have moved further north additional species of waterfowl continue to arrive and the last week and a half has produced multiple new species for me for the year in the county including Northern Shoveler, Pied billed Grebe, Red necked Grebe and Ruddy Duck.  Other notables have included a group of three Sandhill Cranes flying north mid month, the continued female Redhead, first Virginia Rail and Tree Swallows plus some continued irruptives (Evening Grosbeak and Red Crossbills).  The remainder of March will bring more of the same weather with the exception of tomorrow when it will get into the 60's thanks to strong southerly winds.  Mid month also marked Wilson's 15th birthday.

Neck banded Canada Geese and other waterfowl as the weather cools down again

Canada Geese with neck bands, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Mar 13, 2026

Canada Geese with neck bands, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Mar 13, 2026

Ring necked Ducks, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Mar 13, 2026

Northern Harrier, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Mar 13, 2026

Gadwall, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 12, 2026

Canada Geese, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 12, 2026

Canada Geese, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 12, 2026

Lesser Scaup, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 12, 2026

Green winged Teal, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 12, 2026

Despite a return to cold temps the waterfowl continue to move into and through the area.  Today was more winter like compared to the previous few days with wind and temps that struggled to reach 40.  I tried to find an early Virginia Rail at Lake Wallace without any luck so I decided I would head over along the river to Mitch's Way where a female Redhead showed up yesterday.  The Redhead was still present but tough to pick out as it moved among the trees in a flooded part of the river.  I tried to walk the length of the road for passerines but the high water levels flooded the road about a half mile in so I headed back out without finding anything noteworthy.  I tried again without any luck to find the Redhead and perhaps get some photos.  I did however find two neck tagged Canada Geese that were banded in Greenland (details on those to follow when I hear back from the researchers up there).  There were quite a few Canada Geese dropping into the East Meadows out of view and I didn't feel like driving over and making the long walk down to see them so I instead headed to Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River and turned up my first Eastern Meadowlark of the year in the county plus some Northern Harriers.  Yesterday I did spend some time in the East Meadows just as the cold front arrived and kicked up the winds, cleared out the fog and dropped the temps.  Although the numbers and variety were down a bit from the previous days there were still tons of waterfowl to look through and watch flying overhead.

Warm weather brings in early season migrants and starts melting the tons of snow

Lesser Yellowlegs, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Cackling Goose, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Cackling Goose, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Snow Goose, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Killdeer, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Ring necked Ducks, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Green winged Teal, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Canada Geese, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Canada Geese, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Canada Geese, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Mar 11, 2026

Green winged Teal, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2026

Wood Ducks, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2026

Red breasted Merganser, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2026

Common Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 9, 2026

Hooded Mergansers, Swift River, Ware, MA, Mar 9, 2026

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Banded in the summer of 2021, Home, Belchertown, MA, Mar 9, 2026

Wilson eating snow, Home, Belchertown, MA, Mar 9, 2026

The last three days (especially the last two) have featured well above normal temps with highs in the low 60's today and in the low 70's yesterday which has resulted in lots of snow melt (except in the yard!) and has induced a number of species to move in with waterfowl leading the way.  I stayed in the Ware/Belchertown area on Monday and added a couple new species for the year with Rusty Blackbird and American Woodcock.  I also got photos of a surviving banded Black capped Chickadee that was banded as an adult in the summer of 2021...a very hardy chickadee when the average life span is 2-3 years!  With the major warm up on Tuesday I started my morning at the Holyoke Dam and had ten species of waterfowl including my first Green winged Teal, Red breasted Merganser and Great Black backed Gull for the year in the county.  I briefly stopped along the river at Mitch's Way and could hear what sounded like many geese in the East Meadows so I headed there and had to walk in on the muddy and icy farm roads to get a look at the geese enjoying the newly uncovered cornfields.  I had a few thousand Canada Geese as well as single Snow Goose plus my first Wilson's Snipe and American Pipits (the Wilson's Snipe became species #100 for the year in the county).  With continued warm temps thanks to southerly winds I headed back to the East Meadows before dawn today and once again walked in and could hear geese as I walked as well as a number of Killdeer and at least one Wilson's Snipe and an American Woodcock.  I got down past the four corners area and as it became light enough to see I started scanning the fields and turned up tons of Canada Geese, multiple species of ducks and a single Snow Goose.  More and more geese began to arrive from every direction and the numbers quickly climbed into the thousands with many stopping the the fields (many dropping out of views in the various flooded swales). I estimated at least 13,700 Canada Geese and I know this is an undercount.  I scanned through the flocks over and over, both on the ground and as groups dropped in and I eventually found at least two Cackling Geese (one very pale individual), a single Greater White fronted Goose and two Snow Geese.  I tried to find some neck tagged Canada Geese without having any luck.  I also had a very early Lesser Yellowlegs fly in and stop for a bit in one of the pools...easily my earliest record for the species and the earliest record ever for western mass (at least in eBird).  A four shorebird species day here on March 11th is noteworthy for sure!  Other notables included at least 650 Horned Larks, more American Pipits, at least none Fish Crows and a swan that was almost certainly either a Tundra or Trumpeter Swan.  As I reached my car to head out just before ten I heard a roaring noise that turned out to be all the geese taking flight...an amazing sight and sound.  I also added an Eastern Phoebe at the house in the afternoon.  By the end of the day I had reached 105 species for the year in the county.