Some birds for the first three days of May despite poor migration conditions

Brewster's Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 3, 2026

Orchard Oriole, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 3, 2026

Red winged Blackbird, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 3, 2026

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Northern Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Pine Warbler collecting nest material, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Eastern Towhee, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Gray Catbird, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Merlin, Quabbin Park, MA, May 2, 2026

Blue winged Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 1, 2026

Blue Jay, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 1, 2026

Chipping Sparrow, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

Wild Columbine, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 1, 2026

The first three days of May have overall been slower than usual for species with the weather being poor for migration with less than ideal winds, some bouts of rain and cool temps.  Nonetheless birds continue to push in as the desire to move north to breed can overcome some less than ideal conditions for migration.  To start off the month I headed out mainly looking for warblers and found some including my first Cerulean Warblers and Worm eating Warblers for the year.  I stayed mainly in the Hadley/Amherst area for morning and then spent the afternoon doing stuff around the yard.  Tuesday the 2nd started off rainy and I got as much birding in around Quabbin Park as the bouts of rain would allow.  Although birding conditions were tough at times, I did add one new warbler for my big warbler year in the US with a Chestnut sided Warbler that became warbler species #41 for the year.  With more north winds overnight I didn't expect to find too much this morning and was pleasantly surprised to have a number of good sightings including a Glossy Ibis I flushed out of a small pond at Silvio Conte NWR at Fort River, a Northern Harrier doing a courtship flight (also at Conte) and a Brewster's Warbler that showed up in the same spot in Amherst for a third year in a row and possibly a fourth year.  By mid morning it was getting too windy to see much and I headed home to take Wilson for a walk.  Overall not a terrible start to the month with 117 species so far for the county.

The next few nights look to feature some good migration conditions with strong southerly winds and some warm temps.  I expect a big influx of birds during the period before the weather turns less conducive for migration for multiple nights. 

A record early Magnolia Warbler for me today plus a few other new arrivals despite lackluster migration conditions

Magnolia Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 25, 2026

Ovenbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 25, 2026

Merlin, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 25, 2026

Blue gray Gnatcatcher, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 25, 2026

Wild Turkey, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Apr 25, 2026

Barred Owl, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Apr 25, 2026

Although I didn't expect to get a whole lot this morning given the ongoing poor migration conditions the bird gods shined down on me a bit for my birthday with a record early Magnolia Warbler at Quabbin Park.  Before going to Quabbin Park I took a walk at Gate 5.  The weather was a bit cool with temps in the upper 30's with a slight north wind...at least it was sunny.  Nothing too unusual at Gate 5 although always fun to see turkeys displaying and have Blue Jays going crazy due to a Barred Owl showing itself.  Once I made it to the park I started adding species and had some decent counts of a variety of species including Yellow bellied Sapsuckers, Purple Finches (lots around the last several days), Eastern Towhees and Pine Warblers.  I had the pair of Merlins that are likely going to nest again in the area.  I then started getting some warbler variety as I continued walking with a Northern Yellow Warbler and then the Magnolia Warbler.  I was not expecting to find the species today but I heard it sing and immediately recognized it and knew it was very early so got some recordings and eventually some photos.  The species usually starts arriving in the area in early May and to get one this early is very unusual, especially with poor migration conditions.  My previous early date for the species in the county was April 29th back in 2011...a long standing record for me.  It was my best day for warbler diversity in the area so far this year with eight species total.  

The last week back home

Black and White Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 21, 2026

Pine Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 21, 2026

Purple Finches, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 21, 2026

Beaver gathering grasses, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Apr 21, 2026

Wilson checking out some deer, Belchertown, MA, Apr 21, 2026

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2026

Merlin, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 20, 2026

Osprey carrying nest material, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 18, 2026

Osprey carrying nest material, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 18, 2026

Ring necked Ducks, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 18, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 18, 2026

Tree Swallow, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Apr 18, 2026

American Robin building nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Apr 17, 2026

Red Eft, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 17, 2026

Now that I have been back from my trip to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona for almost a week I will try to catch up on some sighting here.  When I first arrived home last Wednesday we were in the midst of a big warm up with highs in the 70's and 80's and I got to enjoy the beautiful weather for a few days before it got much cooler and eventually cold.  There were some early arrivals during the warm spell but now things have slowed a bit as expected with colder weather and poor migration conditions.  Nonetheless birds still trickle in as it is getting toward the end of April and birds will move even in less than ideal conditions.  I have added a dozen new species for the year here since getting back with the most unusual one being an American Bittern plus a few early arrivals including Solitary Sandpiper, Northern House Wren and Black and White Warbler.  Birds are starting to nest in numbers including a variety of raptor species that only breed in small numbers in the county including Osprey at Lake Wallace plus Merlins and Sharp shinned Hawks at Quabbin.

Great Cormorant at Winsor Dam this morning

Great Cormorant, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Great Cormorant, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Great Cormorant, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Great Cormorant, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Great Cormorant, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Common Loon, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Gray Catbird, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Eastern Phoebe, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Nov 8, 2025

Merlin, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Nov 8, 2025

After some overnight rain that was just coming to an end at dawn I headed over to Winsor Dam once again.  Ted was already on location and had a smattering of waterfowl on the water and moving around a bit.  Given the more southerly winds I was not expecting an epic day but figured there would be at least some stuff around to see and there certainly was.  It seemed to be a merganser morning with all three species present with a few showing fairly well.  As we continued to scan for waterfowl we had a cormorant fly in from the east/south and circle around before it settled on the water fairly close in.  Ted got on it and immediately called my attention to it as it looked like it was a Great Cormorant!  A great species inland for sure (see a note on all my previous sightings in the area below).  It was a juvenile showing its large dark bill and white chin.  It also had a fairly white neck with a dark chin strap like plumage giving it a rather unique look.  It was very actively hunting near the dam and didn't stay on the surface very long.  Eventually it perched on the dam for a short period and then continued fishing.  It then caught a massive fish and with a bit of effort managed to swallow it.  It then swam around for a bit before hauling back out on the rocks of the dam where it stayed for an extended period digesting its meal.  We got the word out to other birders and they were continuing to arrive when I left.  Great Cormorant is a rare species inland and I have only seen a Great Cormorant in Hampshire County on two other occasions with one at Arcadia in late October 2004 and another at Quabbin Gate 5 in mid October 2008.  I also saw one in Turners Falls in February 2004 and another at Quabbin in Worcester County near the baffle dams in late November 2009.  I know there are a few Great Cormorant records in the county the last decade or so but they all occurred when I was out of the country.  Although I have the species at Quabbin before this was the first one I have had at Winsor Dam and with the recent addition of a Black headed Gull at the dam on November 1st I have now expanded my species list at the dam to 225 species!  As we watched the cormorant we also had two Gray Catbirds in the thickets in front of the visitors center...hopefully they will try to overwinter.  After leaving the dam I headed over Lake Wallace to try to find a Common Yellowthroat for November.  Although I failed to find that species I did have a late Eastern Phoebe.  Not a bad morning and nice diversion from some recent stress.  

At this point in the year I now stand at 242 species, which puts me ahead of an average year and even if I add no more species this will end up being my fourth best year ever in Hampshire County.

Decent start to August with 100 species today

Semipalmated Plover, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Killdeer fledgling, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Groundhog, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Merlin, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 1, 2025

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

Gray Catbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Ovenbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Northern House Wren, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Northern House Wren, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 1, 2025

Northern House Wren, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 1, 2025

After the heavy rain of yesterday into this morning with some north winds I knew some migrants would be moving south and I got out before sunrise to head over to the East Meadows of Northampton.  The best species I had was right at the beginning of the day with an adult White rumped Sandpiper in a small muddy puddle with a few Least Sandpipers and a Semipalmated Plover (I only managed to get a photo of the plover).  The White rumped Sandpiper headed off to the south toward the phalarope puddle but a check there failed to relocate it.  The puddle was almost too full of water with just some muddy edges.  Nonetheless there were still shorebirds around and I had a total of nine species of them there...no sign of the Glossy Ibis I had there yesterday.  I then tried the Honey Pot and had just Killdeer for shorebirds but did have a female Blue Grosbeak during my short stop.  Silvio Conte NWR in Hadley held a number of species including the singing Grasshopper Sparrow and a slightly late Orchard Oriole.  My next stop was to Lake Wallace where the number of Green Herons continued to impress.  I then headed to Quabbin Park and covered just a small portion of the area and added a number of species for the day.  A walk with Wilson and then yard work around the house added even more species and by the end of the day I had gotten to a hundred species...a great start to August for sure.