Purple Martin among the remnants of Hermine as some rain and wind arrives

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Cooper's Hawks, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Spotted Sandpiper, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Least Sandpiper, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Semipalmated Sandpiper, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Herring Gull, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Bobcat, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Bobcat, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 6, 2016

As the remnants of Hermine continued to get closer to us today we got more wind (in spots) and eventually some occasional light rain and drizzle.  I started off at Winsor Dam where it certainly felt like a storm was coming in with strong northeast winds (20-30 MPH with stronger gusts).  I had some faint hope that the strong winds might bring something noteworthy to the area so I decided to cover areas I felt held the most promise with the most likely species being shorebirds and gulls/terns.  After Winsor Dam I headed over to the Honey Pot in Hadley and found 13 Killdeer in one of the plowed fields but no other shorebirds.  A few Cooper's Hawks working back and forth through the fields might have kept some birds from settling in.  I then headed across the river to Arcadia to check the Oxbow and some fields.  Just Ring billed Gulls in the Oxbow and the fields were quiet.  The area where I have been having lots of waders was also fairly quiet with just four each of Great Egret and Great Blue Heron which is quite a reduction in just the last couple days (guess they are taking advantage of the northeast winds to start working south).  My next stop was down to the Holyoke Dam where I had 23 Double crested Cormorants, 9 Least Sandpipers, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, a Spotted Sandpiper, around seventy gulls with almost all being Ring billed Gulls (the others were Herring Gulls) and about 150 swallows with 120+ of them Bank Swallows plus some Tree and Barn Swallows mixed in.  After the Holyoke Dam I headed back to home with a brief stop at Quabbin Park before picking up Wilson and heading to Lake Wallace.  The best sighting of the day was probably the Bobcat I came across at Quabbin.  Sadly I only had my cellphone to get photos with as the cat was fairly cooperative and I could have gotten some great shots with my good camera.  Overall for World Shorebird Day I managed to find just four species...hopefully more will turn up soon.  I made a few more stops at Winsor Dam during the day in the hopes of finding something arriving with the rain and wind in the afternoon but no luck once again.  The cape and the islands of Massachusetts got the worst of it with some big waves, near hurricane force winds and more rain.  They also got some decent birds with the following eBird checklists detailing what showed up...I'm sure more will show up over the next couple days as the storm slowly pulls away and continues to weaken.

Race Point on Monday Sept 5th:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31439638
Andrew's Point on Monday Sept 5th:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31439563
Cohasset-Little Harbor on Monday Sept 5th: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31441392

Purple Martin, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Purple Martin, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Purple Martin, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 6, 2016

Purple Martin, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 6, 2016

I also came across an odd swallow at Lake Wallace that I had trouble coming to an ID on.  It was all by itself perched on a small branch in the middle of the marsh as the rain fell.  It had a dark back and light belly with a light upper breast band, a darker line running down the center of the chest and a slightly lighter throat.  The front 2/3 of the head was dark but the back 1/3 was light.  I original entered it as a swallow species until I could get home to get the photos to some other people.  Ian Davies got back to me with the proper identification of the bird...a Purple Martin!  A very unusual species in western Massachusetts and not one I expected to find here in early September.  It appears to be the only record for September in the county and one of only two records for this late in the year in all of western mass.

First snow storm of the season and a bit about the Yellow legged Gull at Barton's Cove

Snowy morning, Belchertown, MA, Feb 5, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2016

Wilson in the snow, Ware, MA, Feb 5, 2016

Wilson in the snow, Ware, MA, Feb 5, 2016

We got our first real snow storm today (which of course was not forecast to be as bad as it was).  We ended up with at least 6" of snow and although I hated it, Wilson loved it!  We went for a few walks around the neighborhood before the snow let up and then made a quick ride over to the Swift River to take a short walk later in the day.

I had hoped the snow would let up early enough in the day to make a drive up to Turner's Falls to try for the probable Yellow legged Gull there but it was just too slippery so I stayed home with Wilson instead.  I won't get another chance to try for it until maybe early next week so hopefully it sticks around.  More about that bird below.

Ring billed Gulls floating by on piece of ice, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Canada Goose with odd markings on neck, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Canada Goose with odd markings on neck, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Bufflehead, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Herring Gull (clean looking individual that had me thinking yellow legged gull for a second), Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Merlin, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

I had to head north yesterday to pick Wilson after his ordeal at the hospital (more about that below) so I had just a few minutes to try to catch up with what appears to be a Yellow legged Gull that was found by James Smith a few days ago.  Trying to identify a true member of this species vs. a hybrid Lesser Black backed Gull x Herring Gull is very difficult but the consensus from gull experts both from this side of the pond as well as those from Europe seems to be pointing toward it being a genuine Yellow legged Gull.  There were at least fifty birders there looking for the gull to arrive to roost on the rapidly dwindling ice.  I had no luck with finding the bird while I was there but did manage a couple of unusual species including a male Bufflehead and a Merlin.  I had to leave to get Wilson and of course the bird came in about ten minutes after I left but I couldn't head back...oh well!
More about the bird can be found on James blog:
http://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/2016/02/ma-interesting-yellow-legged-type-gull.html

Wilson resting after getting home from the hospital, Feb 4, 2016

Poor Wilson had to spend about a day and a half up at the animal hospital to get some tests done to try to figure out the root of his GI issues.  he also had to go without eating for two days.  We felt so bad for him so it was great to pick him up and bring him home....he slept like a rock!

A little more snow today, some unusual waterfowl yesterday and other 'stuff'

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 9, 2015

Mallards and Black Ducks, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 9, 2015

In order to keep an otherwise cold and miserable month a bit more tolerable and interesting (at least to me) I decided yesterday to try to see more species in January in Hampshire County then I have before and I'm off to a decent start despite the cold. I have looked at the last three years in the county for what I have managed to see in the first month of the year and the totals may be tough to beat.  Below are the last three years with number of species seen in the first ten days, the first twenty days and then by the end of January (thanks to eBird for making it easy to find this data).  As of today I'm at 72 so well on my way to making a run at my January Hampshire County record.

Year                 Jan 10                   Jan 20                       Jan31
2014                 71                         75                              81
2013                 75                         82                              85
2012                 50                         52                              60

The snow this morning certainly slowed down the birding a bit but I still managed to get out around the house as the snow fell and then over to a few spots later once the snow stop including Winsor Dam and Covey WMA.  Winsor Dam had up to 74 Mallards, 11 Black Ducks and three Hooded Mergansers while the nearby Covey WMA held 16 Hooded Mergansers and a Great Blue Heron along the Swift River and a flyby Pileated Woodpecker (first one for the year).

Wilson out in the snow, Belchertown, MA, Jan 9, 2015

Wilson seemed to enjoy the snow much more than I did this morning.

Long tailed Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 8, 2015

Long tailed Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 8, 2015

Long tailed Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 8, 2015

White winged Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 8, 2015

Great Black backed Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 8, 2015

Ring billed Gulls and Herring Gulls, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 8, 2015

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 8, 2015

Yesterday I managed to catch up with a few nice birds for January with a Northern Shrike in North Hadley along route 47 near the Sunderland town line plus a Long tailed Duck and White winged Scoter at Winsor Dam. Other new species I added for the day included a Red winged Blackbird on Aqua Vitae Road, a adult male Northern Harrier flying over some fields in Hadley and a couple Great Black backed Gull at Winsor Dam (oddly a quite unusual species there). 

Also got a look at Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) last evening before the clouds moved in.  It is now somewhat visible with the naked eye and easily seen with binoculars.  The next several days should provide nice views of the comet before it moves back out of the local area, not to return for 8000 years.

Northern Saw whet Owl becomes species #230 for Hampshire County this year

Wood Ducks, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Hanks Meadow looking toward Gate 52, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Spotted Sandpiper, record shot of late record, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Ring necked Ducks (L) and White winged Scoter (R), Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Black Ducks, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Herring Gull (L) and Ring billed Gulls, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Northern Harrier (male), Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

View near Winsor Dam as fog lifted, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

American Crow, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Wild Turkeys, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

Wild Turkey, Quabbin Park, Oct 26, 2013

As we all know (or at least should know) finding particular birds involves a certain amount of luck and I proved that this morning when I found another new county bird for the year. I had every intention of sleeping in a little this morning before heading out as I knew it would be in the upper 20's and my cold continues to hang on to some degree ('sleeping in' is a relative thing....perhaps not getting up until 6:30 instead of before six. However that plan didn't work out as the coffee maker went off at the typical weekday time of 5:45 instead of the weekend time of seven. With the signal to begin the day with the starting of the coffee maker, the animals all decided to come in and wake us up. I decided to just stay up and perhaps do a little unplanned owling. I headed over to Covey WMA and after a few stops before dawn I had a Northern Saw whet Owl respond to some playback. The owl became species #230 for Hampshire County for me this year. This species is the last really likely species for me to get this year and I was very happy to get it. Glad the start of the morning worked out the way it did!

As the sun came up I started my way around Quabbin Park once again looking for waterfowl. I made a quick stop at Winsor Dam but it was just too foggy to see anything yet so I headed over to the park itself with a stop at Hanks Meadow and then a brief stop at Goodnough Dike and then the Route 9 marsh. The fog was a bit of a challenge in spots while other spots were already getting windy...very odd weather! Hanks Meadow featured a group of 100+ individuals of various species on the water (I'll give the totals later) plus a couple of hooting Great Horned Owls and a somewhat late Spotted Sandpiper. Goodnough was too foggy to see much early on. The route 9 marsh featured more waterfowl with the expected species there. I then headed to Winsor Dam just as the fog was lifting and stayed there for about an hour before heading back to one area near Goodnough Dike. The only waterfowl at Winsor Dam were all flying by and featured nothing unusual. Yet again I had an adult Northern Harrier flying by, moving southwest. The trip back to the area of Goodnough Dike produced some more waterfowl but again, nothing too unusual. My totals for waterfowl included a White winged Scoter, 15 Ring necked Ducks, 99 Black Ducks (some seen flying later in morning may have been repeats seen earlier), 21 Wood Ducks, a couple Hooded Mergansers, 4 Horned Grebes, 8 Common Loons, a Double crested Cormorant, 40 Mallards and 41 Canada Geese.

 

The morning got progressively more windy with a strong southwest breeze with gusts approaching 30 MPH.  With the strong south winds that originate in the deep south the chance is always there for some bird to get caught up and pushed north.

 

A year ago Hurricane Sandy was moving through the Caribbean on her way to the Atlantic seaboard.  Quite a change from last year with no tropical activity and a quiet season overall so far.