Odds and ends...update on banded bird, more Flickr sets and a few sightings despite the damn cold weather

With the cold weather I have had a little extra time on my hands so I have gone through my Flickr page and created some new sets for everyone’s enjoyment (or at least my enjoyment!)  I created a set of waterfowl pictures from around the area and further afield.  Many of the photos are distant but give a good representation of birds in flight and on the water in various weather conditions.  An interesting collection to give you a good idea of what you might see when looking through a spotting scope, especially at Quabbin.  The set can be found at the following link:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/sets/72157640540258003/

The next set is the various landscape views at Winsor Dam throughout the year…not really educational but interesting nonetheless.  That set can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/sets/72157640610576034/

The final new set contains hummingbird shots from both the local area and various trips to different parts of the country and beyond.  The link for that set can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/sets/72157640610821444/

Dunlin with leg band, Merritt Island NWR, FL, Jan 19, 2014

Dunlin with leg band, Merritt Island NWR, FL, Jan 19, 2014

I recently got back the information on the banded Dunlin I found dead at Merritt Island NWR in Florida in January.  The bird was banded May 14, 2012 in Fortesque, NJ by Dr. David Mizrahi of the Cape May Bird Observatory.  The bird was born in 2011 or earlier so it put on quite a few miles in migration before meeting its end from unknown causes on a dirt track at Merritt Island.  The banded bird was one of three Dunlin all freshly killed within 20 feet of each other.  They may have run in to a series of power lines or been killed by hunters.  None of the birds had any obvious trauma.  Sad end to a beauty of a bird.

Ring necked Duck, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 12, 2014

Wilson exploring the fields at Covey WMA, Feb 12, 2014

Winsor Dam at Quabbin (sadly no Golden Eagle today), Feb 12, 2014

As far as bird sightings the very cold weather has made it tough to get out much.  Monday morning was around zero in the morning and Tuesday morning was even colder at -5 with some extremely thick freezing fog along the river.  I stopped briefly to scope out the waterfowl below the Coolidge Bridge and had several hundred Canada Geese and Mallards as well as about a dozen Black Ducks and a single male Northern Pintail.  Today was the coldest morning yet with a low temperatures between -10 and -15...brutal cold.  I stopped briefly to check for waterfowl below the Coolidge Bridge and found a Northern Pintail, a Wood Duck, a Ring necked Duck, a couple Hooded Mergansers, five Common Mergansers, 16 Black Ducks, 447 Mallards and 420 Canada Geese.  After a doctors appointment I took Wilson for a walk at Covey WMA where the highlight was a male Purple Finch which became species #88 for the county this year which ties me with last year at this time (at least for a couple more days).  I also stopped by Winsor Dam in search of the adult Golden Eagle seen at Quabbin Park yesterday by Tom.  No luck on this visit.  Tomorrow the forecast is for another big snow storm with snow totals of a foot plus...winter just doesn't want to give up even if I do.  I can't get back to the tropics quick enough!

Loon survey and Prescott Peninsula

Common Loon on nest, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Common Loon, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Common Loon, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Common Loon with leg bands, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Common Loons, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Osprey, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Osprey, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Double crested Cormorant, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

View toward phragmite island, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Today I spent a few hours out on Quabbin assisting DCR staff with an ongoing loon census.  I met up with them around 9am at boat area 2 up in New Salem and we headed south visiting several areas and making it down to boat launch area 3 before heading back north. Some great views of various birds including at least two loons on nests and a total of twelve individual Common Loons (most paired). Other notable birds included at least one (possibly two) Osprey (which is an unusual species inland in July), three Spotted Sandpipers, a few Killdeer, three Double crested Cormorants, and at least 150 swallows over the phargmite island with the vast majority being Tree Swallows with a handful of Barn, Bank and Northern rough-winged Swallows. Although I hoped to find an unusual gull or a tern I was only able to find a few Ring billed Gulls.  I also got a report that a Forester's Tern was seen in this area in mid June and I will be getting a photo soon to check it out...an unusual bird for the area.

Bald Eagle at nest, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Bald Eagle, Quabbin, July 15, 2013

Among the total of five Bald Eagles seen this morning were two juveniles hanging around a new Bald Eagle nest that we ran across on one of the islands on the reservoir. We found the previously unknown nest and it appears that at least two birds have recently fledged from it. Overall a great day to be out on the water despite the warm temperatures.

Indigo Bunting, Prescott Peninsula, July 15, 2013

Wild Turkey, Prescott Peninsula, July 15, 2013

I spent a couple of  hours this morning checking out a few spots on Prescott Peninsula before meeting up for the loon survey. Prescott was active again and I ran across at least three Red Crossbills (two together and a single). I was not able to get a recording of them this morning but the birds were all in the same area as I had a couple of Type 1's a week ago and I suspect they are the same type today. Yet again lots of birds around with lots of evidence of breeding.

Wilson and a Painted Turtle, Belchertown Land Trust trail, Belchertown, MA, July 15, 2013

By the time I got home a bit after midday the temperature already topped 90 and continued to climb a bit more. Wilson and I took a walk along the land trust trail were we had 25+ species but nothing unusual. Wilson had a close encounter with a Painted Turtle and he didn't know what to make of a creature that can make its arms, legs and head disappear.

The next several days should feature temperatures above 90 with high humidity as we enter our fourth heat wave of the season. This one will likely last through Friday, making a six day heat wave.     

Fruitless search for new shorebirds but did find some raptors

Osprey, Quabbin Park, August 18, 2012

Bald Eagle, Quabbin Park, August 18, 2012

Old Pilgrim Airport fields, Hatfield, Ma, Aug 18, 2012

I started off this raining Saturday looking for shorebirds that had been grounded overnight but didn't have much luck despite a lot of looking.  I started predawn at the Belchertown state school fields and had 9 Killdeer.  I then drove over to the East Meadows in Northampton. The drive through there with several stops produced only two Least Sandpipers.  The swallow numbers however were quite impressive here (as well as other stops today).  There were several hundred in flight at once with most being Tree Swallows with a smaller number of Barn and Bank. I then headed up through Hatfield to the Whately line.  The only productive area for shorebirds was the old Pilgrim Airport which had 30+ Killdeer.  It looked like the shorebird search was a bust but worth the try nonetheless.  I decided to stay over in the Hadley/Amherst area with various stops including Silvio Conte NWR/Moody Bridge Rd, UMASS and the Amherst business park.  As mentioned in the title there were some decent raptors around including American Kestrel, Red shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk and Turkey Vulture in the Moody Bridge Road area and a Peregrine Falcon perched above the UMASS campus pond.  As usual this year, I missed finding any Black Vultures on this trip.  In the Amherst business park I stopped at a small man made wetland (water run off pond) that looked promising for rails but came up empty.  There was a Double-crested Cormorant there as well as a small group of passerines including a Warbling Vireo that easily could have been mistaken for a Philadelphia Vireo but once it sang that possibility ended.

Hairy Woodpecker, Quabbin Park, August 18, 2012

Monarch, Quabbin Park, August 18, 2012

Canada Goose with leg tag, unable to get entire number sequence, Quabbin Park, August 18, 2012

After lunch I decided to head over to Quabbin Park to check out a new trail that was recently completed there which runs from the HQ building through the woods down to the Swift River and back.  A nice walk with several good birds including at least three Red Crossbills (too far away to get any good photos or audio), two Osprey, at least a dozen Turkey Vultures, one Bald Eagle, a Brown Thrasher and others.

This evening at home in an hour of nighthawk watching I managed to see just one lone bird heading southwest...not a big night of movement for them here.