My second best August in the county ends with phalarope and Sanderlings

Hermit Thrush, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Red eyed Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Red breasted Nuthatch, Belchertown, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Raccoon, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 31, 2025

Blackburnian Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 30, 2025

Eastern Towhee, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 30, 2025

Nashville Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Common Nighthawk, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Magnolia Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Black throated Green Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2025

Olive sided Flycatcher, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 28, 2025

Gray Catbird, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 28, 2025

Rose breasted Grosbeak, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 28, 2025

As August comes I managed to find a total of  165 species in Hampshire County, which puts me in the number two spot for the most species I have ever had for the month in the county (just one species behind my best total in 2023, when I had 166 species).  I have been concentrating hard on warblers (as one would expect) and I have found a number of early arrivals for the month with an especially good showing of Bay breasted Warblers and Cape May Warblers.  I managed a total of 26 species of warblers for the month.  Beyond warblers the last few days of the month have had a few rarities including a couple of Sanderlings at the Holyoke Dam yesterday and a extremely distant phalarope at Winsor Dam today plus an very early Red necked Grebe.  In addition there seems to be a bit of an incursion of Red breasted Nuthatches ongoing as well as slowly increasing numbers of Red Crossbills and Purple Finches...hopefully the beginning of a good season of irruptives to come.  The end of August (the 28th to be exact)  brought the 14th anniversary of the arrival of Hurricane Irene into the area and with it some of the most epic birding ever.  The tropics are quiet right now but we are rapidly approaching the peak of hurricane season and perhaps this year a tropical system will once again impact the area...we shall see.  The models are hinting at some activity coming up.

Third week of August ends with some cooler conditions and a small influx of migrants

Prairie Warbler, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Olive sided Flycatcher, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Northern House Wren, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2025

American Goldfinch, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Eastern Meadowlarks, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Pied billed Grebe, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Veery, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2025

 Lesser Yellowlegs, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Dawn, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Aug 21, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Ware, MA, Aug 19, 2025

Pine Warbler, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 19, 2025

Cedar Waxwing on nest, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 19, 2025

Eastern Kingbird, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 19, 2025

Dawn, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 19, 2025

The third week of August snuck up on my fast so will mainly let the photos speak for themselves.  We had a bit of rain yesterday (over an inch) with north winds overnight into this morning.  The winds increased throughout the day as Hurricane Erin made it closest approach.  The last week has featured some decent birding conditions although not much in the way of obvious migrants.  Today was a different story with multiple species of obvious migrants around including an early Philadelphia Vireo, a Mourning Warbler and a Pied billed Grebe plus my second Olive sided Flycatcher of the fall migration season.  I'm currently it at 154 species for the month in the county (tied for my highest total for August at this point) and 228 species for the year (two ahead of my best year ever in the county YTD).  We shall see what the rest of fall into winter holds for me before we head off to warmer climates for the winter.

End of the fourth week of May

Magnolia Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 23, 2025

Wilson sleeping, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 23, 2025

Hooded Merganser egg remnants in duck box #3, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 24, 2025

Lincoln's Sparrow, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, May 24, 2025

Olive sided Flycatcher, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, May 24, 2025

Tiger Swallowtail, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 26, 2025

Gray Catbird, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 26, 2025

Blue Jay, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 26, 2025

Willow Flycatcher, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 26, 2025

Eastern Bluebird nestlings, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 27, 2025

Veery, Quabbin Park, MA, May 27, 2025

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 27, 2025

Red eyed Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, May 27, 2025

Beaver, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 28, 2025

Dawn over marsh, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 28, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 28, 2025

Migration conditions finally improved to end out the last full week of May.  Late season migrants continue to move through but the big numbers have already come and gone.  It was nice to finally get some sun and warmth to end out the week.  Notables for the week have included the arrival of  Olive sided Flycatchers, Mourning Warblers and a Gray cheeked Thrush.  One of my Hooded Merganser nests fledged and I got video of them leaving (link to them leaving nestbox).  Now comes several breeding bird counts over the next few weeks as migration comes to an end.  Not a lot of time to add more details for the week so will just add some photos to summarize it all.  I would be remiss if I didn't mention an interaction I had with another birder today.  I was listening to a rare and threatened breeding species in the area and a car pulled up a few hundred feet away from me.  They got out and immediately started blasting playback of the species.  Keep in mind the species was singing very closely and with even a minor amount of effort could be seen.  Instead they got out of the car and with 30 seconds started using amplified playback.  I immediately approached and called them out their extremely unethical behavior.  They had no excuse beyond 'we wanted to see the bird'...no effort at all to actually look for it so instead they figured they would stress out the bird in breeding season so they could see a bird they knew was there.  They thankfully walked away with their heads hung low and left the area.  This was not a new birder and someone I know should know better.  It was disheartening to see and only reinforces my decision to report less and less of the birds I see in a timely manner.  The amount of unethical behavior from both birders and photographers seems to be getting worse and makes more and more people stop reporting rarities (myself included).  

The first week of June

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Jun 1, 2023

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 1, 2023

Lawrence's Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 1, 2023

Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 1, 2023

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 3, 2023

Louisiana Waterthrush fledgling, Hadley, MA, Jun 5, 2023

Winsor Dam with wildfire smoke, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 6, 2023

Eastern Towhee, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 6, 2023

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 6, 2023

Olive sided Flycatcher, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Jun 6, 2023

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Jun 6, 2023

American Redstarts at nest, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 7, 2023

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 7, 2023

Eastern Towhee, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 7, 2023

Gray Catbird, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jun 7, 2023

Hooded Merganser, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jun 7, 2023

American Robin building nest, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jun 7, 2023

Blackburnian Warbler, Cadwell Memorial Forest, Pelham, MA, Jun 7, 2023

The first week of June has now come to a close and although there are still a few species moving through to points further north, most birds around now are breeders.  I'm certainly still trying to track down late migrants and have had some luck with a few late moving warblers and flycatchers (much more on warblers for the first week of June at the following link).  As the breeding season arrives I will be spending even more time tracking down breeding species and conducting a variety of breeding bird surveys.  I have already completed my two Eastern Whip Poor Will surveys and will soon be doing some field surveys on Prescott plus conducting my annual Breeding Bird Survey from Belchertown down to the Connecticut line as well as other surveys.  It is a fun time of year and not nearly as hectic as May when every day brings lots of new potential and I'm usually out the door well before the sun comes up.  There certainly is the chance of rarities to still show up but chances are a bit less and I'm not out looking as hard for them as most birds around now are here to breed.  The weather has been a bit more unsettled and cooler than normal and we continue to get smoke from wildfires in Canada which at times has cut visibility way down.  Nonetheless there are lots of birds to see and it well worth getting out to look and listen as much as you can.

Wilson getting belly rubs, Home, Jun 6, 2023

Wilson enjoying a walk a few years ago

Tomorrow my buddy Wilson goes in for his surgery and we are all hopefully it goes smooth with no complications and he will be back to getting around without difficulty after several weeks of healing.  I miss our walks and can't wait to get back to doing them again.