Very hot start to July with a multi day heat wave

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 1, 2026

Red eyed Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 1, 2026

Scarlet Tanager, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 1, 2026

Yellow throated Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 1, 2026

Peregrine Falcons, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jul 2, 2026

Common Yellowthroat during banding process, Silvio Conte NWR- Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jul 2, 2026

Blackburnian Warbler fledgling, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jul 3, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jul 3, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jul 3, 2026

Turkey Vultures, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jul 3, 2026

Downy Woodpecker, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, Jul 3, 2026

Sun through the trees on a very humid morning, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jul 3, 2026

White spotted Skipper, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 3, 2026

Eastern Bluebird nest construction underway, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jul 3, 2026

Chestnut sided Warbler fledgling, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 4, 2026

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 4, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 4, 2026

Wood Duck with ducklings, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 4, 2026

White tailed Deer, Quabbin Park, MA, Jul 4, 2026

A heat wave that started on the last day of June continued into the first four days of July with highs that reached the upper 90's with high humidity on multiple days.  I started the month by tracking down all the regularly occurring warblers in Hampshire County and getting lots of other species along the way.  After a number of thunderstorms overnight into the 2nd I headed out before dawn to track down more species for the month hitting multiple spots along the Connecticut River from the Holyoke Dam north to Hadley.  On July 3rd I started in Belchertown and then over to Amherst before ending my morning in Granby.  It was incredibly humid and the low temp to start the day was 72!  Really felt like being in the tropics.  Saturday was the last day of the heat wave and for that day I went after a few nocturnal species at Quabbin Park and nearby Ware before a longer walk along the rail trail in Ware.  I then spent a few hours in Quabbin Park plus a brief stop at Lake Wallace before heading home early to get Wilson a walk.  Lots of evidence of breeding around as expected for early July.  Despite the heat the first four days of the month have been productive in the county with 123 species so far.

Third week of November ends with a late Palm Warbler and increasing numbers of irruptives

Palm Warbler 'western', North Hadley, MA, Nov 21, 2025

Song Sparrow, North Hadley, MA, Nov 21, 2025

House Finch, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 20, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Hadley, MA, Nov 20, 2025

White throated Sparrow, Hadley, MA, Nov 20, 2025

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

Fox Sparrow, Ware, MA, Nov 19, 2025

Purple Finches, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Nov 19, 2025

Peregrine Falcon, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 17, 2025

Bald Eagle, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 17, 2025

Canada Geese, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 17, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 17, 2025

Northern Cardinal, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Nov 16, 2025

Hooded Merganser, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Nov 16, 2025

Surf Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 16, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 16, 2025

Eastern Bluebird, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 15, 2025

The third week of November has now come to an end and our largely cooler than average and windy weather has continued with a few flurries on a couple days.  Given these weather conditions, the time of year plus the ongoing issues with Wilson (see below) I have concentrated on birds in the south Quabbin area (particularly around Winsor Dam).  Waterfowl is always the big draw here this time of year with gulls not far behind.  The best waterfowl species of the week was certainly the Barrow's Goldeneye at the Holyoke Dam on the 12th (and continued through the week).  No huge shows of waterfowl at Winsor Dam although the diversity has been decent overall with some mornings more productive than others.  The gull show has been good too with the best for the week being an Iceland Gull on the 17th.  Irruptives of multiple species continue to arrive into the area.  The best was a flyover White winged Crossbill on the 17th.  Evening Grosbeaks and Red Crossbills continue to be around in small numbers at multiple locations.  Pine Siskins and Purple Finches also continue to show quite well plus increasing numbers of American Goldfinches.  The Finch Forecast (which I contribute data to) called for the potential of a large flight of many species and so far the forecast is looking to be playing out.  It will be interesting to see what the rest of winter brings in.  With a little extra time away from home I covered a few spots the last couple mornings trying for late warblers and find a group of half a dozen Yellow rumped Warblers in an area they have overwintered in the past and a very late 'western' Palm Warbler today.

Wilson continues to occupy my time and thoughts as we struggle through what we will do with him.  For now we are just in monitor mode of the tumor and trying to stay on top of him making things worse.  As I said before there are no good options available for us and it continues to be some stressful times.  Thankfully he is still acting happy (although he really wants to lick at his foot every chance he gets!).

The first week of September

Great Egret, Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area, Northampton, MA, Sep 2, 2024

Northern Flickers, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 3, 2024

Magnolia Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 3, 2024

Indigo Bunting, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 3, 2024

Gray Catbird, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Sep 4, 2024

Eastern Towhee, Ware, MA, Sep 4, 2024

Yellow bellied Flycatcher, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Sep 4, 2024

Wood Thrush, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Sep 4, 2024

Northern Parula, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Sep 4, 2024

Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 5, 2024

Peregrine Falcon, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 5, 2024

Gray Catbird, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Sep 5, 2024

Black throated Green Warbler, Quabbin Gate 8, Pelham, MA, Sep 5, 2024

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 6, 2024

Common Yellowthroat, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2024

Gray Catbird with leg band, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2024

Pine Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 7, 2024

The first week of the big fall migration month of September has now come to an end and I have so far run across 126 species (which is around average for me for the first week).  I have mainly concentrated on warblers and have probably missed other species I could have gotten if I visited other habitats.  Overall the weather has been mainly sunny with cool (to even cold) mornings that warmed up nicely, giving the week a typical fall feel.  I have had a number of unusual species for the first week including Sandhill Crane, Sanderling, Sedge Wren and Mourning Warbler.  Unfortunately I aggravated my most recent back injury again and I will have to keep my walking on mainly level areas.  This should not be too much of an issue in the fall.  Looking forward to seeing what the rest of the month brings as fall migration peaks.  A big miss to end the week for me was a Sabine's Gull that Ted found midday at Winsor Dam today.  The bird flew out with a group of Ring billed Gulls and was not seen again by anyone despite a valiant effort.  This is only the second county record ever for the species and only the second inland record ever in the state...a truly rare bird and another tough one to miss.

Raccoons, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 6, 2024

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 4, 2024

Short tailed Weasel, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 3, 2024

Raccoon, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 3, 2024

Scarlet Tanager, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 2, 2024

Black capped Chickadee and Ruby throated Hummingbird, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 2, 2024

The game cameras continue to impress at the house and I have captured stuff both at the water feature and along Jabish Brook.  The water feature has featured several species of birds plus a few mammals.  The camera along the brook produced a new mammal with what appears to be a Short tailed Weasel...video attached below.  The family of Raccoons also continued and put on quite a show one night with lots of chasing, playing and fighting.  I have linked multiple videos below:

Short tailed Weasel video

Raccoon videos:

video 1

video 2

video 3

video 4

video 5

video 6

video 7