Productive start to March

Pine Warblers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Pine Warbler, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Eastern Bluebird, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Bald Eagles, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Song Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Northern Mockingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Downy Woodpecker, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 1, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 1, 2024

March has started off on a productive note with 72 species in Hampshire County in the first three days (a really good start even with working on one of those three days).  On the first I headed out after work with the goal being to find a warbler or two and I was lucky enough to find two species (Yellow rumped Warbler and Pine Warbler) and extended my unbroken streak to 83 months with at least one species of warbler in Hampshire County (and 24 consecutive months with two species of warbler in the county).  Beyond the warblers on the first I had a nice showing of waterfowl, both species of vulture, Red Crossbill and Chipping Sparrow.  I made a return trip to Winsor Dam late in the afternoon and found the Say's Phoebe had returned.  The phoebe now continues into its fourth month at the dam (originally found on Dec 10th).  

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Cackling Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Canada Goose with white spots on head and neck, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Say's Phoebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Pine Warbler, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 3, 2024

Pine Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Mar 3, 2024

I had to work on the 2nd but on the third I was out again trying to track down a Yellow rumped Warbler to get some photos of and I had good luck with that goal at Arcadia where I had four individuals.  Arcadia also produced some other good stuff among some 43 species including a Cackling Goose, a Ruby crowned Kinglet and some Rusty Blackbirds.  I checked a few fields in Hadley and Amherst in search of unusual geese and found only groups of Canada Geese.  I eventually made it over to Winsor Dam where I once again had the Say's Phoebe and four Pine Warblers (I also had more Pine Warblers yet again at another location in Belchertown).  Although the weather for the month has been above normal temperature wise it is still not warm enough for me so I'm off to warmer locations soon...more on that to come.

The first week of December

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Dec 6, 2022

Marsh Wren, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Dec 6, 2022

Carolina Wren, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 6, 2022

White tailed Deer, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Dec 6, 2022

Winter Wren, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Dec 5, 2022

American Robin, Manhan Rail Trail, Easthampton, MA, Dec 5, 2022

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Dec 4, 2022

Gray Catbird, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Dec 4, 2022

Black Vultures, South Maple St, Hadley, MA, Dec 4, 2022

Northern Mockingbird, Hadley malls thicket, Hadley, MA, Dec 4, 2022

American Pipits, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Dec 1, 2022

The first week of December has come to a close and I have managed to find a handful of lingering species.  The weather continues to slowly grow colder as winter settles in but so far no big snow storms or bitter cold air.  I have primarily spent my available days off from work looking for late warblers and found two species to start off the last month of the year including a Yellow rumped Warbler on the 4th and a very late Common Yellowthroat on the 6th.  I'm a bit ahead of a typical December in Hampshire County with a total of 76 species so far.  Beyond the warblers I have a had a few other notable species for the month including a Killdeer, multiple Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures, a Marsh Wren (in the same area as the Common Yellowthroat and a fearless White tailed Deer), a Gray Catbird, a White crowned Sparrow, Red Crossbills and a Pine Siskin.  

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Female banded Jun 2021, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 7, 2022

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Female banded Jul 2021, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 7, 2022

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Undetermined sex banded Jul 2021, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 7, 2022

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Female banded Jul 2021, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 7, 2022

Black capped Chickadee with leg band, Unknown...missing some bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 7, 2022

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Female banded Jun 2021, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 7, 2022

I have now put up some of my feeders for the winter as well as some from a PhD student who is conducting research in the yard for a second winter.  As part of his initial study he came by and banded a few target species back in 2021 (more on that the following posts: banding June 2021 and banding July 2021).  I continue to see banded Black capped Chickadees everyday and I spent a little time at the feeders this afternoon and found at least half a dozen banded individuals.  All but one I was able to determine the background on with all of those banded during the two banding events in 2021.  A final individual I could not figure out.  It had a single light blue looking band on the left leg and unknown bands on the right...it was certainly missing some bands as nothing matched my database of banded birds.  The band may be a faded purple band but not certain.  I will be keeping my eyes out for the bird returning and hopefully I will get a look at the band(s) on the right leg.  

September comes to an end

Yellow throated Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Sep 30, 2022

Magnolia Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 30, 2022

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 30, 2022

Bay breasted Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 30, 2022

Song Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 30, 2022

Northern Mockingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 30, 2022

Sun halo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 30, 2022

The last couple nights have featured the largest number of migrants for the fall so far (according to Birdcast) with an estimated 2.2 million birds last night and 3.0 million the night before.  Due to work the only morning I could get out for an extended was today after finishing my shift and I headed right over to Arcadia.  Overall it was slower than I expected but I still found 63 species in a bit under a couple hours.  I was really surprised by the lower number of sparrows as I expected a huge increase in number given the date and migration conditions.  Among the highlights for my time there included continued numbers of Blue Jays migrating, my first Dark eyed Junco in the valley and eleven species of warbler (more on warblers to end the month at the following link).  I then headed over to a spot in Belchertown in the hopes of turning up a continued Connecticut Warbler that had been present at the location for a few days.  I had no luck with that warbler but did have a decent mixed species flock that held a late Yellow throated Vireo and eight species of warblers among other species.  

Overall for the month I had 158 species in Hampshire County, which is around average for the last several years for me but well off my best September which occurred last year when I had 171 species.  October will certainly see less species overall as the peak of diversity of fall migration is past us but it will feature the peak of sparrow migration, a large amount of waterfowl migration and the increased chance of rarities.  

Dawn, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 29, 2022

I had very limited time on Thursday morning before work so made a stop in the Honey Pot area of Hadley but the birding was slow.  I'm sure it got better once the sun came up and warmed it up a bit.

Blackpoll Warblers, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2022

Red breasted Nuthatch, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2022

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2022

Swainson's Thrush, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 30, 2022

The camera at the water feature has caught both migrants and some resident species the last couple days....nice to have something watching for birds when I'm not there.

The last few days with the arrival of a strong cold front today plus a look at the tropics

Common Yellowthroat, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 22, 2022

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 22, 2022

I have not been able to get out as much as I wanted the last few days due to work and the weather but I did get out at least a little.  We had a few bouts of heavy rain and thunderstorms associated with a strong cold front today.  Just before the storms arrived I was able to make it over to Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River after work and I was able to turn up at least one (possibly two) Marsh Wrens that have been at the location for a few days.  I was unable to get any photos but did get a recording of the bird(s) singing.  The skies then opened up and that ended birding for most of the morning.  I did make a brief stop at Winsor Dam to look for any storm dropped birds but didn't find any.  The rain had a brief lull late in the morning before returning until mid afternoon.  The next couple days look to feature the coldest air of the year so far and windy conditions out of the northwest thanks to the cold front and the winds from Hurricane Fiona well off to the east (more on tropical systems at the end of the post).  I suspect some unusual species will show up but trying to find them with all the winds the next couple days will be tough but I will try.  On my way to work yesterday I made a brief stop around dawn in the East Meadows but didn't find too much in the limited time I had available.

Northern Mockingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 20, 2022

Red eyed Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 20, 2022

Scarlet Tanager, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 20, 2022

Yellow Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 20, 2022

American Redstart, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 20, 2022

Bay breasted Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 20, 2022

Philadelphia Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 20, 2022

Once I got out of work on Tuesday morning I headed down to Arcadia where I spent a couple hours scouring the area in search of migrants.  I mainly ran across single birds here and there but eventually ran across a somewhat decent mixed flock not long before I left that contained half a dozen species of warblers and other migrants.  Highlights for the morning there included a Least Flycatcher, a Veery, three Swainson's Thrushes, a slightly late Yellow Warbler among 13 species of warblers and three Scarlet Tanagers.  I also had a family group of Northern Mockingbirds that included some fairly recently fledged young.  

Now on to the tropical season.  After a bit of a slow start to the hurricane season (at least compared to the last few years) the conditions have changed with multiple systems occurring and more likely to form in the near future.  The main feature right now is Hurricane Fiona, a Category 4 storm that looks to make a fairly close approach to Bermuda tomorrow morning before accelerating rapidly north for a landfall in Nova Scotia as a strong extra tropical storm (the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane at landfall most likely).  The storm already hit Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and the Turks and Caicos with lots of damage mainly due to flooding.  The strong cold front coming through today is keeping the storm out of the northeast US and helping to funnel the storm into southeast Canada.  I'm certain some rare birds will show up in Canada this weekend with the arrival of the storm.  There is also Tropical Storm Gaston in the far North Atlantic that will impact the Azores (a fairly unusual location for a tropical system).  There is another tropical wave coming off Africa that will likely develop and impact the Cape Verde Islands.  The final system (currently labeled as 98L) is off the north coast of South America and heading west.  It is almost certain to develop into a storm within the next couple days.  Where it actual develops will determine where it eventually ends up as a storm (likely a hurricane).  Some models move it north and into Cuba and Florida and others into the Gulf of Mexico and others as far south as the Yucatan.  It is sure to be a major impact somewhere down south but the exact location is far from certain.  There is certainly a chance we will eventually see the remnants of the storm in the local area at some point.  I have a post from several years ago that looks at tropical systems in the area and has lots of links to info on hurricanes...the post is linked here.

****update on birds from Nova Scotia during and after Fiona:  The storm was one of the strongest to hit Canada (at least as far as low pressure goes with a reading 932mb!).  Those brave enough enough to get out and bird were rewarded with some fantastic birds.  Highlights included a Trindade Petrel, two Sooty Terns, a Bridled Tern and two White tailed Tropicbirds and lots of other stuff in Iona on Cape Breton and two more Trindade Petrels in East Bay (also on Cape Breton)...other reports continue to come in and I will update further as I hear of them.

****great summary link through the ABA at the following link: Hurricane Fiona report.