Ruddy Duck at Lake Metacomet

Ruddy Duck, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Oct 14, 2014

Ruddy Duck, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Oct 14, 2014

Ruddy Duck, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Oct 14, 2014

Great Blue Heron, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Oct 14, 2014

Common Raven, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Oct 14, 2014

After a warm front passed through last night we were treated to warm temperatures today (in the low 70’s) courtesy of southerly winds and this will likely continue through Thursday when a front passes through giving us a chance of some heavy rain and potentially severe weather.  With these conditions migrants from the north will be few and far between but perhaps the southerly winds will bring in something from the south?  I still tried to turn up something of interest at Winsor Dam this morning but the low clouds and occasional drizzle made it tough to view the water.  During the day I heard from Evan that he has had a Ruddy Duck at Lake Metacomet in Belchertown the last few days and I stopped by briefly to try to get a look.  I managed to pick up the bird fairly quickly but the glare off the water and the distance made viewing a bit tough but I still got some good looks.  The bird was actively feeding and didn't seem to be in much of a hurry to leave.  Other birds around included a Pied billed Grebe, a Great Blue Heron that landed just in front of me and a vocal Common Raven as well as several sparrows.  The Ruddy Duck becomes species #232 for Hampshire County this year...two new birds for the year in as many days in October is great as far as I'm concerned.

Visit to the hilltowns produces an early Eastern Kingbird (plus other new stuff in the valley)

Long tailed Ducks, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Apr 19, 2013

Long tailed Ducks, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Apr 19, 2013

Long tailed Ducks, Lake Metacomet, Belchertown, MA, Apr 19, 2013

I headed out before dawn this morning to meet up with Ian and check a variety of areas. We went over to Arcadia but the area was quite flooded and fairly unproductive. We decided to take a ride up to some of the hill towns to try to catch up with an American bittern and/or Evening Grosbeak. Although we didn't find either of these two species we still managed to find some good stuff including an early Eastern Kingbird (#134) in a small marsh near the Cummington Fairgrounds. I didn't have my DSLR with me but Ian did and got some photos of the bird.  We also had a calling Virginia Rail in the same area. We made stops at Fisk Meadow WMA plus the series of wetlands in Cummington before heading to Great Pond in Hatfield. The wind really started to pick up by this point so the pond was fairly quiet. The winds for the remainder of the day continued to be strong out of the south (20 MPH sustained with gusts over 30 MPH) in advance of a cold front that is forecast to arrive tonight. It will be interesting to see what the rains associated with the front force down overnight. 

 

Common Goldeneye (left) with Bufflehead, Winsor Dam, Apr 19, 2013

On my way home I stopped briefly at Winsor Dam and had a Common Goldeneye in with a group of half a dozen Bufflehead plus I had a Peregrine Falcon.  Once I arrived home I picked up Wilson and we headed to the Jabish Canal. Birds of note included 54 Double created Cormorants heading northeast in a single flock, several Common Mergansers heading north as well as a Great Blue Heron. Oddly there was little raptor movement seen. As we were returning from our walk I got a message from Evan Dalton that three Long tailed Ducks were on the water at Lake Metacomet (a very unusual bird inland in spring). I was able to stop on my way home and add the Long tailed Ducks (#135) to my county list. I was able to add yet another species in the afternoon while I was home when I had a Blue headed Vireo (#136).

Quabbin Park, Lake Wallace and Lake Metacomet looking for birds brought down by the storms

Blue winged Teal, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2012

Pied billed Grebe, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2012

Large group of Mallards, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 29, 2012

Black Ducks and Mallards, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 29, 2012

The low clouds, cool temps and occasional drizzle continued today so I decided to stay in the local area trying to catch up with any birds that may have been grounded by the rain.  I stopped at Winsor Dam as well as other locations in Quabbin Park as well as Lake Wallace and Lake Metacomet in Belchertown.  Nothing way out of the ordinary but there were certainly some new birds around.  Waterfowl is starting to move in and I had a total of nine species of waterfowl today including three Green winged Teal, 214 Mallards (with 148 of them in a small flock feeding along shore and 66 heading south at dawn at Winsor Dam), eleven Black Ducks, eleven Wood Ducks and 61 Canada Geese plus a couple of Common Loons all at Quabbin and five Blue winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, two Pied billed Grebe's and 21 Wood Ducks at Lake Wallace.    Lake Metacomet had no waterfowl but did have a immature Green Heron working a small mudflat. 

American Kestrel, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2012

Rusty Blackbirds, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2012

Warbler variety has dropped off a bit with only five species seen this morning. There certainly has been an influx of Yellow rumped Warblers with dozens seen today. I also had a handful of Pine Warblers with a few still singing, a few Palm Warblers with a mix of 'western' and 'yellow' types plus singles of Magnolia and Black throated Green Warblers. More and more sparrows have arrived with White throated Sparrow being the most common. In addition more junco's, Ruby crowned Kinglets and Golden crowned Kinglets have moved down from the north.  Lake Wallace also had an Osprey sitting in the tallest tree near the reeds, a very wet looking American Kestrel and a handful of Rusty Blackbirds to round out the birds of note.