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.

Black headed Gull at Winsor Dam this morning

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

Gadwall (right) with American Black Ducks, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

Gadwall (right) with American Black Ducks, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

Northern Pintails and Mallards, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

Northern Pintails and Mallards, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

Red breasted Merganser and White winged Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

White winged Scoters, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

White winged Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

Bald Eagle, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 1, 2025

November started off on the right foot with a very rare for the area Black headed Gull this morning at Winsor Dam.  After heavy rain overnight and very windy conditions today dawned mainly clear with a strong westerly wind.  I certainly had high hopes that something good would show up at Winsor Dam so that is where I went before sunrise.  I arrived just after Ted and we immediately started scanning the water and the air.  We could see hundreds of gulls milling about way, way out with many seeming to want to head out to the southwest before mainly being blown back.  It was tough to make out much for species as they were so distant.  Eventually groups started coming in closer and most were Ring billed Gulls.  As we were sorting through one group of perhaps 35 gulls Ted said he had an interesting bird in the flock.  I was able to get on it with the scope as the birds milled around and fought the wind.  The interesting bird had a dark carpel bar on the upper side, dark tail tip and dark trailing edge which seemed right for Bonaparte's Gull but the underside of the wings showed a dark triangle and the bird was only slightly smaller than the Ring billed Gulls and seemed to be able to fight the wind as well as the Ring billed Gulls (unlike the Bonaparte's Gull we saw perhaps 15 minutes after seeing this bird).  With the field marks there was nothing else would could come up with besides a Black headed Gull...a truly rare sighting in the area.  The gulls within this group all disappeared off to the southwest and were not seen again.  As mentioned above another group of gulls arriving from the north a bit later contained a Bonaparte's Gull and the two individuals were quite different in size, plumage and behavior when compared.  This is only my third Black headed Gull I have ever had in the county with the other two records both being in spring with one in March 2013 and another in April 2015 and both in the farm fields on the Hadley/Amherst border.  Beyond the gulls we had a decent diversity of waterfowl with a total of eleven species as well as some raptors migrating.

Three Pine Warblers today plus a few more new species for the year

Pine Warblers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 5, 2024

Pine Warbler, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 5, 2024

After so many attempts at the end of last year and into the new year trying to relocate at least one Pine Warbler at Winsor Dam I finally had some great luck today when I found at least three travelling with a mixed species flock.  I have looked for the species at least for a bit every day I had free since the beginning of 2024 and this is the first time I have found them again.  I last had one on December 28th (just in time to add it to the count week for the Quabbin CBC).  The Pine Warblers become the second warbler species for me in the county after finding some Yellow rumped Warblers to start the new year.  More photos and info on the Pine Warblers at the following link.

Common Mergansers, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 5, 2024

Pileated Woodpecker, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 5, 2024

Gadwall (with American Black Ducks and Canada Goose), Lower Mill Pond, Easthampton, MA, Jan 5, 2024

American Black Ducks, Lower Mill Pond, Easthampton, MA, Jan 5, 2024

Ring necked Duck, Lower Mill Pond, Easthampton, MA, Jan 5, 2024

Before I headed toward home and Quabbin I made a few stops in Northampton and Easthampton and turned up a few unusual species including Gadwall and Ring necked Duck and also added an American Pipit in Hadley.

The forecast points to our first substantial snow storm arriving Saturday and continuing into Sunday with perhaps a foot of snow.  I can't get back to the tropics quick enough!

Continued warmth and lack of snow for the second week of February

Green winged Teal, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Feb 14, 2023

Turkey Vulture, Moody Bridge Rd, Hadley, MA, Feb 14, 2023

Northern Harrier, Moody Bridge Rd, Hadley, MA, Feb 14, 2023

Dark eyed Junco, Slobody Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 14, 2023

Gadwall, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 14, 2023

The second week of February was overall warmer than normal with no snow (just like most of the rest of this winter season so far) and with the warm weather some early arriving waterfowl have started showing up as well as increased numbers of both Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures in multiple locations.  I added three new species of waterfowl for the year in the county this morning with American Wigeon, Wood Duck and Gadwall.  I started my morning before dawn at Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River where I had at least one (possibly two) American Woodcocks (also new for the year for me).  I then went across the river to Hatfield where I had a eight species of waterfowl including the above mentioned American Wigeon and Wood Ducks plus two female Northern Pintails and five Green winged Teal as well as other more expected species.  A flyover Rusty Blackbird added to the unusual species in Hatfield.  The wigeon flushed early and I was unable to relocate it.  I hoped to check a few nearby areas but some of the farm roads were a bit too muddy so I instead headed back across the river.  I stopped at UMASS and had 400+ Canada Geese but no unusual geese among the flock.  I then stopped along Moody Bridge Road and had some raptors around.  A final stop in the Amherst area didn't turn up anything too noteworthy.  I continued east and made a brief stop at a nearly ice free Lake Wallace (quite unusual in mid February!) and had the expected species there.  I then noticed a report of a Gadwall at Quabbin Park so I headed over and after making the short trek down to the water, had a male Gadwall among the geese and Mallards and American Black Ducks.  A productive morning for sure and my total for the county for the year got bumped up to 106 species (107 if you count Ring necked Pheasant)...not my highest total year to date but a close second  (last year when I was at 111 by this date).

Eastern Bluebird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Feb 13, 2023

Eastern Bluebird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Feb 13, 2023

American Tree Sparrows, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Feb 13, 2023

Yesterday after work I made a stop over to Arcadia and despite the windy conditions I still had some nice looks at a number of species.  Nothing too unusual but did have a high count of American Tree Sparrows.  I had other obligations for the rest of the morning so not much else to report for birds.

American Tree Sparrow, Arcadia, Easthampton, MA, Feb 11, 2023

Pale Canada Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Feb 11, 2023

Feeders after a bear visit, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 11, 2023

I had to work on the 10th and had to be in early so not much of a chance for any birding.  After work Saturday morning I headed to Arcadia but the winds were fairly strong so I had no luck tracking down an unusual passerines.  The waterfowl made up for it a bit with the highlight being the continued pale Canada Goose among the flock.  Once I got home I noticed a Black Bear made an overnight visit and took down all the feeders, including the ones that were part of a UMASS PhD student project.  I never thought I would have an issue with the feeders in early February but I think it speaks volumes on just how warm it has been for the majority of the winter.

American Robin with long bill, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 9, 2023

American Robins, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 9, 2023

Red winged Blackbird, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 9, 2023

Sunrise, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 9, 2023

Blue Jay, Lawrence Swamp, Amherst, MA, Feb 9, 2023

Lesser Scaups, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 9, 2023

Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 9, 2023

On Thursday I headed over to the East Meadows for sunrise and then spent about an hour and a half checking multiple spots and turned up some good stuff despite failing yet again to find a Yellow rumped Warbler at the location.  Highlights included a large group of American Robins feeding on bittersweet and sumac (including an individual with a very elongated bill) plus the first Red winged Blackbirds I have had singing in awhile.  I then went back across the river and searched in vain yet again for a Common Yellowthroat in Amherst (after multiple checks in both locations I think the bitter cold snap did them in).  I ended my morning outing at Winsor Dam where I had a pair of Lesser Scaup in quite close.

Common Goldeneye, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 8, 2023

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 8, 2023

To start off the second week I stayed around the south Quabbin area with a few stops but I didn't find anything unexpected.

Bobcat, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 4, 2023

Gray Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 7, 2023

Black Bear, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 11, 2023

Raccoon, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 14, 2023

I checked the camera along Jabish Brook at the house and caught a number of mammals including Bobcat, Raccoon, Gray Fox and Black Bear (very unusual in February but it has been extremely warm for sure).