January ends on a cold note but still gets me my second highest total ever for the month in Hampshire County

Merlin, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 23, 2025

Horned Lark, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 23, 2025

Bald Eagles eating goose carcass, Dawson Conservation Area, Hadley, MA, Jan 23, 2025

Black Vultures, Amherst, MA, Jan 23, 2025

Common Loons, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 23, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 23, 2025

Merlin, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 25, 2025

Savannah Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 25, 2025

Northern Harrier, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 25, 2025

Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Hadley, MA, Jan 26, 2025

Downy Woodpecker, Hadley, MA, Jan 26, 2025

Pileated Woodpecker, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jan 27, 2025

Barred Owl, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jan 27, 2025

White throated Sparrow, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jan 27, 2025

Mallards (with one dead), Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Jan 27, 2025

Our very cold weather continues with a brief respite for a few days with highs that finally broke freezing (barely).  The brutal cold certainly killed off some half hardy species trying to overwinter.  Most open water has now frozen over with even Quabbin nearly frozen solid (something that has not happened in several years).  The lack of open water has concentrated the remaining waterfowl still hanging in the area and has resulted in some unusual species and impressive counts of others.  Unfortunately bird flu has started to impact the area and the most obvious victims so far has been waterfowl and the concentrating of the ducks and geese around will only spread it faster.  I continue to have a great start to the year with an impressive 103 species in Hampshire County, my second highest total for the month ever with only 2021 beating it with a 105 species total.  Although there are a few days left in the month this total will be where January ends for me here as I head to the tropics of Costa Rica...much more on that when I get back. 

Productive start to March

Pine Warblers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Pine Warbler, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Eastern Bluebird, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Bald Eagles, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Song Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Northern Mockingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Downy Woodpecker, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

March has started off on a productive note with 72 species in Hampshire County in the first three days (a really good start even with working on one of those three days).  On the first I headed out after work with the goal being to find a warbler or two and I was lucky enough to find two species (Yellow rumped Warbler and Pine Warbler) and extended my unbroken streak to 83 months with at least one species of warbler in Hampshire County (and 24 consecutive months with two species of warbler in the county).  Beyond the warblers on the first I had a nice showing of waterfowl, both species of vulture, Red Crossbill and Chipping Sparrow.  I made a return trip to Winsor Dam late in the afternoon and found the Say's Phoebe had returned.  The phoebe now continues into its fourth month at the dam (originally found on Dec 10th).  

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Cackling Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Canada Goose with white spots on head and neck, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Pine Warbler, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Pine Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Mar 3, 2024

I had to work on the 2nd but on the third I was out again trying to track down a Yellow rumped Warbler to get some photos of and I had good luck with that goal at Arcadia where I had four individuals.  Arcadia also produced some other good stuff among some 43 species including a Cackling Goose, a Ruby crowned Kinglet and some Rusty Blackbirds.  I checked a few fields in Hadley and Amherst in search of unusual geese and found only groups of Canada Geese.  I eventually made it over to Winsor Dam where I once again had the Say's Phoebe and four Pine Warblers (I also had more Pine Warblers yet again at another location in Belchertown).  Although the weather for the month has been above normal temperature wise it is still not warm enough for me so I'm off to warmer locations soon...more on that to come.

Birds the last few days including a new yard species and nesting Hooded Mergansers at home

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

Pine Warbler, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

Downy Woodpecker, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

Chipping Sparrow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

American Goldfinch, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

Great Blue Heron at nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

I stopped by Lake Wallace on my way to work yesterday as well as on my way home this morning. Although I didn't have a lot of time during the morning yesterday I still turned up 30 species in about 15 minutes including four species of warbler.  Today I had a bit more time and spent over an hour exploring the area with the highlights among the 40 species including three species of swallows, nesting Great Blue Herons and 50+ Palm Warblers.

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 12, 2020

The camera at the water feature captured another new species (#48) with a Ruby crowned Kinglet showing up on Easter Sunday.  Another highlight for the yard was a breeding plumage Bonaparte's Gull that showed up over the marsh in a lull in the rain on Monday adding another species to the yard list which now stands at 167.

Hooded Merganser eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 13, 2020

Egg in duck box #3 , Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 13, 2020

Hooded Merganser on eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 15, 2020

In between the bouts of heavy rain on Monday I checked the duck boxes (except the first box which I know has a Hooded Merganser sitting on eggs and I didn't want to disturb her).  The second box which has had a single egg in it for well over a week now suddenly has several eggs in it.  The third box (which has never had birds nest in it before) now has at least one egg in it.  I relocated this box last year to a better location and the birds finally found it.  This is the first time I have had all three duck boxes used in a single year.  I decided to check the same two boxes on Wednesday and I was surprised to find a Hooded Merganser already sitting on eggs in box #2.

Record numbers of warblers for February and other sightings for the last couple days

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Feb 23, 2020

Yellow rumped Warblers 'myrtle' (four in view), East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 23, 2020

Red winged Blackbirds, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 23, 2020

Red winged Blackbirds, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 23, 2020

Black Ducks, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 23, 2020

Pine Warbler, Granby, MA, Feb 23, 2020

I took advantage of a sunny and calm (but a bit cold) morning to get out and try to find some late wintering species (mainly warblers) and any early migrants I could find.  My morning began at Arcadia where I arrived before sunrise and had a couple Yellow rumped Warblers before I even made it out of the parking lot.  I checked the Mill River and although mostly still frozen there was some open water which featured some good numbers of waterfowl but not too much variety.  I made it down to the Oxbow and then back to the area near the visitor center where I once again had Yellow rumped Warblers (with at least three and possibly four present).  The areas I checked also featured at least four Northern Flickers and multiple singing Red winged Blackbirds.  I then checked another nearby area and came across another group of Yellow rumped Warblers with this group containing at least 7 birds bringing my total for Arcadia up to at least ten!   My next stop for the morning was over to the East Meadows where I made it into and out of before it warmed up too much and made the place a mud pit.  I had even more luck with warblers there with at least eleven Yellow rumped Warblers present, bringing my total Yellow rumped Warblers for the morning up to 21!  Besides the warblers I had other notables including 34 Black Ducks, a Ruby crowned Kinglet, at least 215 Red winged Blackbirds and three Rusty Blackbirds.  With my time to bird rapidly running out for the morning I decided to make a stop by the private residence in Granby that has had a Pine Warbler visiting for several weeks and it once again showed up after a short wait, adding another warbler for the day (a thank you to the homeowner for once again allowing me to stop by).  I also stopped by Winsor Dam briefly where I had three Common Loons and a few Common Mergansers.  Not as much variety in waterfowl as I hoped for but I really didn't spend as much time looking for them as I did looking for warblers.  I expect to see an uptick in waterfowl as southern winds continue for a few days and temperatures make it into the 50's and more water becomes ice free. A more detailed post about warblers for the day can be found at the following link.

I have caught up with a number of other notable species the last few days including an Iceland Gull (among several hundred gulls) at Winsor Dam yesterday, one of the continued Red headed Woodpeckers along Bachelor Brook in South Hadley on Friday morning and the continued Vesper Sparrow at the Honey Pot in Hadley on Thursday morning on my way to work.  I have also run across multiple Turkey Vultures the last few days.

Red breasted Nuthatch, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 21, 2020

Red bellied Woodpecker, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 20, 2020

Eastern Bluebirds and Downy Woodpecker, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 19, 2020

The cameras at the house have captured a few interesting species the last several days but nothing too unusual.