Lark Sparrow and a failed search for a Great Cormorant

Lark Sparrow, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Oct 24, 2020

Lark Sparrow, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Oct 24, 2020

Lark Sparrow, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Oct 24, 2020

Lark Sparrow and Dark eyed Junco, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Oct 24, 2020

Not one but two rare birds showed up yesterday but due to work obligations I was unable to try to find them until today. The first rare bird was a Lark Sparrow that Mike found near the airport in Northampton and was seen by many off and on over the course of the day yesterday and the other rarity was a Great Cormorant found by Ted at the Holyoke Dam in South Hadley. After I got out of work I headed over to the area of the airport to try my luck with the sparrow.  I arrived to find a few birders there already and after a bit of looking it turned up right next to a house along the road and showed fairly well.  The lighting was less than ideal for photos but I got some documentation shots as it fed with Chipping Sparrows and Dark eyed Juncos.  This is only the second Lark Sparrow I have had in the county with the last one showing up at the end of November back in 2014 at the nearby Honey Pot.  

Great Egrets, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Oct 24, 2020

Gadwall, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Oct 24, 2020

Gadwall and Common Mergansers, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Oct 24, 2020

I then headed south to the dam to look for the cormorant but came up empty on that rarity.  Even without the cormorant present there were other notable species around including two late Great Egrets, a female Gadwall and 132 Common Mergansers.  I was happy to find at least one of the rarities from the previous day still around.  The day was warm with our continued stretch of above normal temperatures with highs today in the 60's even with the overcast conditions and breeze. Unfortunately today was the last day of warm weather as a cold front comes through bringing more October like temperatures with highs in the 50's and some nights near freezing through the next week.  October continues to be a record setting month for me so far (even after missing a few recent rarities).  As of today I have seen 150 species for the month (my previous best October totaled 152 species).  In addition the year overall has been very productive and I currently sit at 236 species for the county as of today and although I'm not trying for a big year I'm getting closer and closer to a record setting year (my best year was 2018 when I had 241 species).

 Black capped Chickadee, Home, Belchertown, MA, Oct 23, 2020

I closed up the water feature for the season today and the list of species that have been captured is already at 16 with a Black capped Chickadee being the last one to show for this year.  Looking forward to next spring.

 Pineapple Sage, Home, Belchertown, MA, Oct 24, 2020

Wilson enjoying the sun, Home, Belchertown, MA, Oct 22, 2020

As mentioned above the last week of weather has been much warmer than normal and it has been a nice late season reprieve from the cold weather that is coming any day now.

The 2014 wrap up post

Roadside Hawk, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 24, 2014

Brown Violetear, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 22, 2014

Black bellied Whistling Duck, Green Cay Wetlands, Boynton Beach, FL, Dec 6, 2014

Black cheeked Woodpecker, Chilamate, Costa Rica, Mar 27, 2014

White Pelican, Merritt Island NWR, FL, Jan 19, 2014

Time once again for the end of the year wrap up for 2014.  Another productive year of birding both close to home and far afield.  I ended the year with 602 species overall with 93 of those being life birds bringing my life list total up to 911.  Trips away from my typical spots out here in western Massachusetts included two trips to Costa Rica (one in April and another in December), two trips to Florida (January and December) plus a few short trips to various parts of New England. Costa Rica was spectacular once again and even with these two trips being my fifth and sixth trips down there in the last few years, I still managed to add 91 life birds there this year (always helps to go to a bird rich country!)

Pink footed Goose, Old Pilgram Airport, Hatfield, MA, Mar 23, 2014 (a 1st Hampshire County record)

Snowy Owl, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 30, 2014 (the bird that set my all time Hampshire County record)

Little Blue Heron, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Aug 12, 2014

Lark Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, Nov 28, 2014

Red necked Phalarope, Quabbin Park, May 24, 2014 (a typical distant Quabbin bird!)

Nelson's Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Oct 13, 2014

Although I didn’t have intentions of doing another big county year in Hampshire County this year the species just started adding up early on with lots of unusual stuff so I just had to give it another try to beat my record of 236 set last year.  I managed to break the record ending the year with 237 species seen in Hampshire County with once again a Snowy Owl being the final new species seen for the year in the county.  I suppose with a good irruption year of northern species, a tropical system and a whole lot of luck 240 is possible but not sure when I will try to reach that goal…not next year I promise (unless the good stuff starts rolling in again!).  Lots of highlights this year including five new species for my overall Hampshire County list which now stands at 283 (my goal is to crack 300 for Hampshire County at some point but that will be very difficult!)  The five new species for me in the county include Pink footed Goose (a 1^st Hampshire County record ever) found on the Hatfield/Whately line, a Red necked Phalarope at Goodnough Dike at Quabbin, a Mississippi Kite that flew by in Belchertown, a Blue Grosbeak at Arcadia and a Lark Sparrow at the Honey Pot.  Also got a fair number of species this year I have only had once before in the county (such as Little Blue Heron, Upland Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, Snowy Owl, Yellow breasted Chat, Nelson’s Sparrow and Yellow headed Blackbird).  It is always amazing to see all the different species that you can find with a little effort (or perhaps a lot of effort!)

Peregrine Falcon, Honey Pot, Hadley, Mar 7, 2014

 

Hooded Mergansers eggs in nest box, Belchertown, MA, May 5, 2014

Northern Parula, Quabbin Park, May 7, 2014

Bay breasted Warbler, Belchertown, MA, May 14, 2014 (one of three males in yard at same time!)

I once again participated in several bird surveys over the course of the year including Eastern Whip Poor Will surveys (one from Quabbin Park south to Palmer and the other on the Prescott Peninsula), field bird surveys on Prescott Peninsula, a Breeding Bird Survey route from Belchertown down to the Connecticut line, the Christmas Bird Count, a few other bird surveys and of course, eBird.  Toward the end of the year I was made the eBird reviewer for the three CT river valley counties of Massachusetts (Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden).  I also passed the 15,000 eBird checklist point late in the year, which is just crazy!  It was a really good year for migrants with 30 species of warblers in the county this spring plus three more species in the fall.  The yard was once again quite productive with the big oaks attracting some good stuff.

Next year promises more good stuff with trips already planned back to Costa Rica, Florida and who know where else.

Lark Sparrow at the Honey Pot plus lots of other birds around the valley

Lark Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 28, 2014

Lark Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 28, 2014

Lark Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 28, 2014

Lark Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 28, 2014

White throated Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 28, 2014

After spending the early morning birding (more about that below) I was at home when I got a call from Scott S. telling me he had spotted a Lark Sparrow in the Honey Pot in Hadley.  As this would be a great bird to catch up with I headed right over, arriving around 10:30.  Scott was still there when I arrived but the bird had flown away and was not being seen at the moment.  After a bit of scanning around we were still having no luck finding the bird so I decided to walk one of the hedgerows trying to find it.  I spent about a half hour looking without success.  I then headed back to my car with the intention of checking a few other spots before I headed for home.  Thankfully the bird was waiting for me when I returned to my car as it happily fed near, and at times, under my car.  It was a very cooperative bird that fed right along the edge of the busy Cemetery Road.  I enjoyed close up looks of this species of the west.  Not only did this bird add a new species to my Hampshire County list for this year it was a new county bird (#283) overall as well as a new state bird (#315).  I have seen the species out west at numerous times but never out east.  The Lark Sparrow became species #236 for Hampshire County this year, matching my previous best year.  What (if any) species will be #237 and break my old record?  Who knows?  Besides the Lark Sparrow highlights at the Honey Pot included a Merlin, 85+ Horned Larks, a dozen Snow Buntings, a Savannah Sparrow, 11 White thoated Sparrows and an immature White crowned Sparrow.

Savannah Sparrow, Aqua Vitae Road, Hadley, MA, Nov 28, 2014

Canada Geese and Mallards, Hadley Cove, Hadley, MA, Nov 28, 2014

After my time at the Honey Pot I made a swing through Aqua Vitae Road and then over to Hadley Cove.  Aqua Vitae Road had a dozen Horned Larks, three Snow Buntings and 13 Savannah Sparrows.  Hadley Cove had some decent waterfowl numbers but nothing unusual.  My totals there included 428 Canada Geese, 8 Black Ducks, 118 Mallards and a few MallardxBlack Duck hybrids.

Pine Siskins, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 28, 2014

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 28, 2014

Hooded Merganser, Beaver Lake, Ware, MA, Nov 28, 2014

Before heading over to Hadley to go after the Lark Sparrow I spent a few hours this morning around the south Quabbin area with stops at Winsor Dam and Beaver Lake.  Quabbin Park itself remains closed as the roads have still not been plowed as of this morning.  Winsor Dam featured some waterfowl over the course of the morning including 140 Canada Geese (90+ on the water way out in the distance), 28 Black Ducks, 169 Mallards, a Hooded Merganser and a few Common Loons. Other species of interest included half a dozen Snow Buntings and around 50 Pine Siskins.  Beaver Lake held four Mallards, a female Bufflehead, 83 Hooded Mergansers and a lucky 13 Common Mergansers.