A roller coaster of weather looks to continue with slow migration so far

 

Black Bear, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 19, 2021

Black Bear, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 19, 2021

Hooded Merganser eggs in nest box #1, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 20, 2021

Snowy Egret, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Apr 19, 2021

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Apr 19, 2021

The last couple days have featured our continued roller coaster of weather with a little rain yesterday and mainly sunny conditions today with temps that topped out around 70.  The weather over the next few days look to continue this up and down trend with everything from windy and warm to windy and cold, rain and maybe even a little more snow.  Winds should be gusty out of the south tomorrow and then a cold front will come through and turn the winds again late in the day and temps on Thursday may barely make it into the 40's with cold northerly winds.  By the end of the week into the weekend it should warm up again into the upper 60's.  Overall migration is a bit slow so far with not a whole lot of early arriving migrants so far.  The Snowy Egret that showed up after our last snow storm continued through at least yesterday.  After work today I hit a few spots but didn't have anything unexpected and in fact the numbers of early migrants (including Palm and Yellow rumped Warblers) seem lower than the last few years around this date.  Today was a good day for raptor migration early with several species heading northeast fairly high on strong southwest to west winds.  Around the yard I was able to check the cameras and got some great shots of a Black Bear (among other stuff) and I also confirmed that both active duck nest boxes contain Hooded Mergansers once again.

Various stops in the valley

Common Mergansers, Quabbin Park, Feb 25, 2013

I tried for the Gyrfalcon this morning but had no luck.  Several other birders present were also unsuccessful in their search.

After my unsuccessful bid to find the Gyrfalcon I headed to the East Meadows to try to catch up with some of the Lapland Longspurs that have been seen there in the company of Horned Larks and Snow Buntings down near the red barn.  I had a few flyover Horned Larks but no big groups.  On my way out I stopped along the road near the airport when I noticed a group of sparrows.  I believe this is the same group that Jacob Drucker had a White crowned Sparrow in but I could not find one (although I thought I heard a chip that sounded like a White crowned Sparrow a few times but the road noise was terrible).  I did have singing Song Sparrows and at least 21 Savannah Sparrows.

I then headed over the river to the Coolidge Bridge, Aqua Vitae Road, the Honey Pot, North Lane, and eventually South Maple Street.  The Vesper and Clay colored Sparrow were in their typical spots.  Not many other highlights at these locations.

In the afternoon I headed over to Quabbin and found the area fairly quiet with the only waterfowl around a few Common Mergansers.

Hooded Merganser chicks in nest box last year, April 30, 2012

Hooded Merganser egg in nest box last year, April 30, 2012

Later in the afternoon I spent some time cleaning up and preparing the three wood duck boxes I have here at home.  I put them up last year and had one box that hosted a successful brood of Hooded Mergansers.  Hopefully this year will be even more productive. 

Last day of April...and nest box update

Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

Pine Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

Common Loons, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

The last day of April dawned cold and clear with a temperature in the 20's.  Thankfully the wind backed off today so it did not feel nearly as cold.  Eventually the temperatures made it into the 60's.  Although the winds last night were not great for a big push there were still more birds that did show up.  I had three first of year birds today including Chimney Swift, Merlin (way overdue for me) and the most surprising- a Yellow-throated Vireo.  The date of the vireo is the earliest I have ever had one here.  The bird was with a mixed species flock along the shoreline near Goodnough Dike.  It was feeding in the tops of some oak trees.  I got great looks in good light but before I could get a photo the bird flew further down the shore.  I followed it for a few hundred feet and then lost it before I could get close again.  I didn't add any new warbler species today but did manage to find all the species I had previously seen so far this year including the Blackburnian.  Lots of other good stuff around today too.  I spent over an hour at Winsor Dam late AM trying for some raptors.  The only obvious migrants were Ospreys flying quite high heading northeast.  The Merlin I saw was actually fairly low and heading west.  During my vigil at the dam I also had the only Chimney Swift of the day as one lone bird moved through heading northeast.  Tomorrow should bring in a real good push of birds if the winds stay south and the rain doesn't shut down migration too early.

Hooded Merganser chicks in nest box, April 30, 2012

The Hooded Merganser eggs have hatched and the birds are probably only a few days away from fledging out of the new nest box.  This was the only one of the three boxes used this season so far but the birds appear to have been successful.