Record setting March ends

Pied billed Grebe, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2026

Hooded Mergansers, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Mar 31, 2026

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 31, 2026

Pine Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2026

Egg in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2026

Black capped Chickadee, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 29, 2026

Common Merganser, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 29, 2026

Rusty Blackbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 28, 2026

Red breasted Nuthatch, Ware, MA, Mar 26, 2026

March came to an end with some warm temperatures and that certainly brought in some new birds.  The warmer air arrived on Monday with highs that made it to near 70 with southerly winds.  More birds certainly arrived that day with Eastern Phoebes seeming to be everywhere plus a few Pine Warblers.  It was a nice reprieve from the ongoing cold.  The warmth continued along with some rain early on Tuesday and even more birds arrived with multiple new species for me.  

By the end of the month I had a total of 113 species which eclipsed my previous highest total ever in the county for March, with the old record being 109 (set last year).  I had a number of unusual species for the month including Greater White fronted Goose, Cackling Goose, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Barrow's Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck, Sandhill Crane, both species of yellowlegs, Snowy Owl, Barn Swallow, Evening Grosbeak, Red Crossbill and Yellow rumped Warbler (plus others).  A really decent spring for waterfowl (even with few rare geese) with 28 species.  I also got the first egg in my duck boxes at home.

Yellow rumped Warbler 'Audubon's' subspecies today to end a fairly productive November

Yellow rumped Warbler 'Audubon's', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Nov 30, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'Myrtle', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Nov 30, 2025

Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead and Mallard, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 30, 2025

Common Loon, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 29, 2025

Hooded Mergansers, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 29, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 29, 2025

Red breasted Nuthatch, Quabbin gate 8, Pelham, MA, Nov 28, 2025

Eastern Phoebe, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Nov 27, 2025

Bald Eagle, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 26, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Nov 25, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Nov 24, 2025

White crowned Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Nov 24, 2025

White throated Sparrow, Hadley, MA, Nov 23, 2025

A long and rather cold November has come to an end.  A slightly above average total for the month in Hampshire County with a total of 117  species (my third highest ever total for November here).  The very end of the month certainly felt more like winter than fall with cold temps and some flurries.  The highlight by far for me was catching up with an 'Audubon's' subspecies Yellow rumped Warbler that Ted found this morning in Hadley (much more on that bird can be found at the following link: Audubon's Warbler)

This subspecies should be elevated back to full species status at some point.  It is very rare in the area with just one other documented record in western Massachusetts (Greenfield in 1988) and no other records in the county.

With my commitments at home I have stayed fairly close to home most of the time to end the month, concentrating on the south Quabbin area which has gotten me a fair assortment of waterfowl.  There are a number of other lingering species around the area plus increasing numbers of multiple irruptive species.  The forecast looks to feature more winter like conditions as we enter December with a snow storm forecast for Tuesday into Wednesday.

Finally got a Clay colored Sparrow after a couple attempts plus some other stuff the last few days

Clay colored Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 24, 2025

Clay colored Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 24, 2025

Lincoln's Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 24, 2025

Lincoln's Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 24, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 24, 2025

 

Spotted Lanternfly, Belchertown, MA, Sep 24, 2025

Cooper's Hawk, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 23, 2025

Lincoln's Sparrows, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 23, 2025

Eastern Phoebe, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Sep 23, 2025

Eastern Wood Pewee, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Sep 23, 2025

Magnolia Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 23, 2025

Yellow Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 22, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 22, 2025

Red breasted Nuthatch, Belchertown, MA, Sep 22, 2025

Yellow bellied Flycatcher, Belchertown, MA, Sep 22, 2025

Wood Duck, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 22, 2025

I finally managed to get at look at one of the Clay colored Sparrows at Honey Pot this morning in overcast conditions and occasional light rain.  I initially was not going to try again but when I woke up and saw it was not raining as much as expected and after hearing Joe had one again the previous evening I made the trip back.  I also figured there was a chance of shorebirds being forced down by the weather (this turned out to not be the case).  I managed to get a couple second view of the sparrow not long after arriving and then it did not show again for me for an hour and a half.  I then decided to check other areas around the Honey Pot before giving it one more try.  This time the sparrow was much more cooperative and I was able to get some great looks and some photos plus got Scott and Julie on the bird before I left.  Another new species for the year in the books.  Despite the drizzle at times I headed to a few areas to look for warblers and found a few pockets of them.

Yesterday I made my first attempt to find the Clay colored Sparrow(s) at the Honey Pot found by Joe and Aaron the day before without any luck despite spending well over an hour in the area.  A bunch of other sparrows were in the area including my highest count yet for the fall of Lincoln's Sparrows.  I made a few other stops on my way and turned up more migrants but nothing unexpected.

To start off the third week of September I stayed in the Belchertown/Pelham area and had a number of notable species including Virginia Rail, Warbling Vireo, yet another Yellow bellied Flycatcher, loads of Red breasted Nuthatches, 14 species of warblers including another Connecticut Warbler and a very early Orange crowned Warbler.  It was another sunny and beautiful day and a great start to another week.  

I also got some sad news yesterday evening when I got a phone call letting me know my uncle Ed had died at home out in Washington.  He had an eventful and varied life including a full career in the navy and we shared many of the same outlooks on life and I always saw a lot of myself in him.  We always had a great connection and I will sorely miss our messages back and forth regarding so many topics.  He had an exceptionally sharp mind and certainly lamented the mess this country has become at the hands of those who want to take away our freedoms. We were scheduled to meet up with him this coming summer when we would be going out that way on vacation but that plan has changed.  

More arrivals the last few days

Gray Squirrel juvenile, Belchertown, MA, Sep 10, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2025

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Sep 9, 2025

Tennessee Warblers, Belchertown, MA, Sep 9, 2025

Yellow throated Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Sep 9, 2025

Scarlet Tanager, Belchertown, MA, Sep 9, 2025

Red breasted Nuthatch, Belchertown, MA, Sep 9, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Ware, MA, Sep 8, 2025

Black throated Green Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 8, 2025

Bay breasted Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 8, 2025

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

The last few days have featured mainly good conditions for migration and I have found more and more migrants including my first American Pipits, White Throated Sparrow and Ruby crowned Kinglet of the fall (all today in various spots).  I have concentrated mainly on warblers and although I have not found any new species for the month in the last few days I have run across multiple mixed flocks which featured a variety of species (including continued good numbers of Cape May Warblers, Bay breasted Warbler and Tennessee Warblers).  The number of Red breasted Nuthatches continue to climb and we are certainly seeing an incursion of them.  Beyond birds I ran across a fresh out of the nest juvenile Gray Squirrel today.  It was totally unfazed by me and I do hope it is able to survive...they become a menace at times when adults but as young they are damn cute.  

Good start to September

Black and White Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 1, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 1, 2025

Yellow bellied Flycatcher, Belchertown, MA, Sep 1, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 1, 2025

Red breasted Nuthatch, Belchertown, MA, Sep 1, 2025

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

Ring billed Gull with leg bands, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 2, 2025

Ring billed Gull with leg bands, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 2, 2025

American Redstart, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Sep 2, 2025

Wood Ducks, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 2, 2025

Northern Waterthrush, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 2, 2025

Red necked Phalarope (really!), Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 2, 2025

Wilson sleeping, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 2, 2025

Magnolia Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 3, 2025

Red eyed Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Sep 3, 2025

Wilson's Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 3, 2025

Cedar Waxwing nest with nestlings, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Sep 3, 2025

Chestnut sided Warbler, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Sep 3, 2025

Great Egret, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 3, 2025

I have been able to get out quite a bit during the first few days of September and have tracked down quite a few birds, including some continued rarities as well as newly arriving migrants.  On the first I stayed around the south Quabbin and Belchertown area and among the highlights were a few Virginia Rails, Red Crossbill and a distant Red necked Phalarope at Winsor Dam.   Also had three Yellow bellied Flycatchers (a migrant that can be tough to find sometimes) plus 17 species of warblers with the most unusual being multiple Cape May Warblers.  

On the second I started off at the Holyoke Dam and had one of the two Sanderlings that have been there for several days plus a color banded Ring billed Gull.  I sent the info out to the banding lab and they got back to me right away with the details of the bird.  It was banded in June 2013 as an adult (so born in 2010 or earlier) in Varennes, Quebec just upriver from Montreal.  I then worked north with stops off at Arcadia, Silvio Conte NWR and Hickory Ridge with the highlight of these stops being a slightly late Willow Flycatcher calling and seen at Arcadia.  I added several other new species for the month but overall it was quite quiet as far as migrants were concerned.  I also made a stop at Winsor Dam and was quite happy to see a Red necked Phalarope in a bit closer than the previous day (although still quite distant).  Certainly an incursion of both Red Phalarope and Red necked Phalaropes into the area for the past few days...very cool given there were no storms forcing them down.

Today I stayed again in the Ware and Belchertown area and concentrated again on warblers with 19 species seen for the day including multiple new species for the month.  I added a few non warblers for the month as well but nothing too unusual.  So far for the month in Hampshire County I stand at 121 species which puts me well above average for the first three days of the month.