Poverty Mountain bird survey ends out May

Red tailed Hawk, Pelham, MA, May 31, 2026

Eastern Phoebe, Pelham, MA, May 31, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Shutesbury, MA, May 31, 2026

Pink Ladyslippers, Pelham, MA, May 31, 2026

Adams Brook, Shutesbury, MA, May 31, 2026

As is always the case May has gone by too fast and I ended the month assisting with the 21st year of the Poverty Mountain bird survey at Kevin and Cynthia's fantastic property in the corner of Amherst, Pelham and Shutesbury.  I stuck around the house longer than usual this morning to make sure Wilson was doing well enough after some surgery he had yesterday.  It was a tough afternoon and overnight for him (and us) but he had improved quite a bit so I headed out for a few hours to assist with the count.  It was not the highest count but not too bad given the cold weather to start the day.  I found a total of 50 species for the count and I'm sure a few other species got added by others elsewhere.  

Eastern Bluebird nestlings, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 31, 2026

Hooded Merganser eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 31, 2026

Eastern Bluebird fledglings, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 31, 2026

Once back home late in the morning I checked the nest boxes and found some very freshly hatched Eastern Bluebirds and the Hooded Merganser still sitting on eggs in duck box #2.  I also have a Gray Catbird on a nest in some of the low bushes near the house.  A check of the camera on the water feature turned up a number of captures including at least three Eastern Bluebird fledglings.

Overall the month was fairly productive with 168 species in Hampshire County, which is slightly below usual but it did produce my first new Hampshire County species for the year with a Loggerhead Shrike a couple days ago. 

 

Update on duck boxes at home

Hooded Merganser nestlings in duck box #3, Belchertown, MA, May 21, 2026

Hooded Merganser eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 21, 2026

A quick update on the duck boxes at the house.  I went down along the brook today to check for Olive sided Flycatcher (and found one) and during my walk down the Hooded Merganser in duck box #2 flushed off the nest so I took the opportunity to check the box and found it still full of unhatched eggs.  I then walked over to duck box #1 and yet again found no eggs (it has been a struggle to keep wasps out of the box this year and at this point it is certainly too late for a duck to use for breeding this year). I then went over to duck box #3 which I have not checked in weeks after finding a Hooded Merganser sitting on eggs a few weeks ago.  When I opened the box I found it full of freshly hatched nestlings.  They will likely leave the nest box tomorrow and with any luck the camera mounted at the base of the nest will capture the little ones leaving the nest.  Oddly duck box #2 was the first one with an egg this year but the single egg seemed to be unviable with a crack in the shell and at some point the egg was removed from the box and a new set of eggs laid.  No idea how the egg was removed as it is not something I have ever had happen before and certainly was not easy to accomplish.  

A big warm up and multiple nights of good migration conditions

Purple Martin and Tree Swallows, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Purple Martin, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Northern Cardinal with nest material, Bachelor Brook Conservation Area, South Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Mourning Warbler, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Gray cheeked Thrush, Belchertown, MA, May 19, 2026

Raccoon swimming, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Quabbin Park, MA, May 18, 2026

Lawrence's Warbler, Hardwick, MA, May 18, 2026

Gray Catbird, Ware, MA, May 18, 2026

Butterfly species, Quabbin Park, MA, May 18, 2026

Blue gray Gnatcatcher constructing nest, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2026

Rainbow Scarab, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2026

Solitary Sandpiper, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

Magnolia Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

Tree Swallow with nest material, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

Bay breasted Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Blackpoll Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Hooded Merganser eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 17, 2026

We have had multiple nights of great migration conditions thanks to southerly winds that also ushered in record setting temps in the 90's.  As expected I have been out as much as I can each morning before returning to take the Wilson for his required walk.  Even with some species still moving through to points to the north breeding activity around here is in full swing with the first waterfowl young out and about and many species collecting nesting material and building nests.  I have added several new species for the year in the county as well as some rarities.  The highlights included Purple Martin, Gray cheeked Thrush, Yellow breasted Chat, two new species of warbler for the year as part of my warbler big year in the US and a Lawrence's Warbler.  Migration has now peaked at this point and now we begin the downhill slide of another spring migration.  

Record setting March ends

Pied billed Grebe, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2026

Hooded Mergansers, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 31, 2026

Pine Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2026

Egg in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2026

Black capped Chickadee, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 29, 2026

Common Merganser, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 29, 2026

Rusty Blackbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 28, 2026

Red breasted Nuthatch, Ware, MA, Mar 26, 2026

March came to an end with some warm temperatures and that certainly brought in some new birds.  The warmer air arrived on Monday with highs that made it to near 70 with southerly winds.  More birds certainly arrived that day with Eastern Phoebes seeming to be everywhere plus a few Pine Warblers.  It was a nice reprieve from the ongoing cold.  The warmth continued along with some rain early on Tuesday and even more birds arrived with multiple new species for me.  

By the end of the month I had a total of 113 species which eclipsed my previous highest total ever in the county for March, with the old record being 109 (set last year).  I had a number of unusual species for the month including Greater White fronted Goose, Cackling Goose, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck, Sandhill Crane, both species of yellowlegs, Snowy Owl, Barn Swallow, Evening Grosbeak, Red Crossbill and Yellow rumped Warbler (plus others).  A really decent spring for waterfowl (even with few rare geese) with 28 species.  I also got the first egg in my duck boxes at home.

End of the fourth week of May

Magnolia Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 23, 2025

Wilson sleeping, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 23, 2025

Hooded Merganser egg remnants in duck box #3, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 24, 2025

Lincoln's Sparrow, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, May 24, 2025

Olive sided Flycatcher, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, May 24, 2025

Tiger Swallowtail, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 26, 2025

Gray Catbird, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 26, 2025

Blue Jay, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 26, 2025

Willow Flycatcher, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 26, 2025

Eastern Bluebird nestlings, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 27, 2025

Veery, Quabbin Park, MA, May 27, 2025

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 27, 2025

Red eyed Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, May 27, 2025

Beaver, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 28, 2025

Dawn over marsh, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 28, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 28, 2025

Migration conditions finally improved to end out the last full week of May.  Late season migrants continue to move through but the big numbers have already come and gone.  It was nice to finally get some sun and warmth to end out the week.  Notables for the week have included the arrival of  Olive sided Flycatchers, Mourning Warblers and a Gray cheeked Thrush.  One of my Hooded Merganser nests fledged and I got video of them leaving (link to them leaving nestbox).  Now comes several breeding bird counts over the next few weeks as migration comes to an end.  Not a lot of time to add more details for the week so will just add some photos to summarize it all.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention an interaction I had with another birder today.  I was listening to a rare and threatened breeding species in the area and a car pulled up a few hundred feet away from me.  They got out and immediately started blasting playback of the species.  Keep in mind the species was singing very closely and with even a minor amount of effort could be seen.  Instead they got out of the car and with 30 seconds started using amplified playback.  I immediately approached and called them out their extremely unethical behavior.  They had no excuse beyond 'we wanted to see the bird'...no effort at all to actually look for it so instead they figured they would stress out the bird in breeding season so they could see a bird they knew was there.  They thankfully walked away with their heads hung low and left the area.  This was not a new birder and someone I know should know better.  It was disheartening to see and only reinforces my decision to report less and less of the birds I see in a timely manner.  The amount of unethical behavior from both birders and photographers seems to be getting worse and makes more and more people stop reporting rarities (myself included).