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.

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.

New Years Day birds

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2026

Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2026

 

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2026

Snowy Owl, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jan 1, 2026

Horned Larks and Snow Buntings, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jan 1, 2026

Field Sparrow, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jan 1, 2026

Eastern Bluebird, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jan 1, 2026

New Years Day is always a fun day to get out and bird as an annual count resets on January 1.  Despite cold, snow and wind to start off the new year I headed out to try to track down species to kick off 2026 before we headed south to warmer temps.  My main focus was warblers and more on those can be found at the following link: New Year's Day warblers.  I was out the door before dawn to try to track down owls before the arrival of a cold front with gusty winds and snow squalls.  I hit a variety of areas from Quabbin Park to Hadley before dawn and had the four typically occurring owl species here.  The snow squalls arrived a bit before dawn but the Eastern Screech Owls didn't seem to mind and were calling even during the snow.  Once it was light enough to see I started looking for warblers and found both the continued Audubon's as well as at least five Myrtle's, extending my consecutive streak of at least one warbler species in Hampshire County to 105 months.  During my search for the warblers I found a number of other notables along the river in Hadley over the course of an hour and a half including all the expected species of woodpeckers, a Ruby crowned Kinglet and Hermit Thrush.  As I was leaving the winds were really picking up so I knew it would be tough to track down passerines so decided to head to the East Meadows to see if any of the Snowy Owls were still around.  It was very tundra like there with strong winds and blowing snow and loads of Horned Larks, Snow Buntings and a couple Lapland Longspurs plus at least one Snowy Owl.  I didn't stay too long in the meadows before heading out with a brief stop near the Coolidge Bridge that produced multiple species of waterfowl including two male Ring necked Ducks.  I then headed to Hickory Ridge Conservation Area where I added multiple species of sparrows including at least two Field Sparrows and a Swamp Sparrow.  I then headed home and picked up Wilson for a walk and we added a few more species for the year.  The rest of the day was mainly spent cleaning up the snow and finishing up packing for our long trip south.  By the end of the day I had found 66 species to start the year...not too bad considering the conditions and my lack of time.  Now for a long drive south.

A hundred species so far for December in Hampshire County

Field Sparrow, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Dec 18, 2025

Cedar Waxwing, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Dec 18, 2025

Swamp Sparrow, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Dec 18, 2025

Hermit Thrush, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Dec 18, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Dec 18, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'Audubon's', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Dec 18, 2025

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Dec 18, 2025

Gray Catbird, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Dec 18, 2025

On a beautiful, sunny day I reached 100 species for the month of December today in Hampshire County with a Clay colored Sparrow and Red necked Grebe.  This now ties me for the second highest total I have ever had for December in the county and just two species behind my best ever.  With a week and a half left in the month I certainly have a chance to add new species although it is tougher and tougher as I have seen most of the expected species.  Sadly no photos of either the sparrow or the grebe for the day. However I did get photos of a number of notable species for the day including Ruby crowned Kinglet, Gray Catbird, Field Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow and both subspecies of Yellow rumped Warbler.  We look to have a bit of a warm up overnight into tomorrow with strong southerly winds and rain which hopefully will get rid of a lot of snow and ice.

Prescott Peninsula field surveys today

Bobcat, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Bobcat, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Bobcat, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Cedar Waxwing, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Ovenbird, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Great Blue Heron, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Field Sparrows, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

Site of old observatory, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 21, 2025

I finally made it up to the Prescott Peninsula to conduct a breeding bird survey within the various remaining fields on the peninsula.  I also wanted to follow up on a possible Cerulean Warbler on the lower end of the peninsula as well as see if I could track down any Red Crossbills.  I arrived a bit before six and started my surveys.  I spent quite a bit of time at the largest field complex and was rewarded with a number of breeding species found at no other location on the peninsula as well as my first flyover Red Crossbills (I would have multiple groups during my morning there but none cooperated enough to get recordings to figure out the Type).  One of the best sightings of the day took place while I was there when I had a Bobcat show quite well.  I initially saw it for a brief second as I was walking back toward my car and I thought it was a Bobcat.  When I walked the few hundred feet up to where I saw it the Bobcat was perhaps a hundred feet away on a grassy side road.  It seemed totally unfazed by my presence.  It eventually slipped away into the grasses of the fields and out of view.  I also ran into Dale and Ki who were out checking on the various game cameras set up on the peninsula.  A large tree down forced me to reroute a bit before I was able to make it down to the southern part of the peninsula top follow up on a possible Cerulean Warbler.  I had no luck finding a Cerulean Warbler at the location but did have two Black throated Blue Warblers singing a Cerulean Warbler like song so that is likely what was heard.  Oddly enough the location is very close to where I had Cerulean Warblers confirmed breeding several years ago during the state Breeding Bird Atlas.  I then worked my way back north and surveyed a few other fields before heading back home as the day heated up.  Always fun to get out to one of the least travelled places in the state.