More waterfowl at Quabbin Park

 

Ruddy Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Ruddy Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Gadwall, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Gadwall, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Gadwall, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Surf Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Surf Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Surf Scoter, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Red necked Grebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Route 9 Marsh, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Common Loons, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Common Loons, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Common Loons, Quabbin Park, Oct 20, 2013

Despite a cold that has really started to make me feel under the weather I felt well enough to head over to Quabbin Park for awhile and got rewarded with some decent waterfowl although the park itself produced less than yesterday with most of the best stuff showing up at Winsor Dam.  The predicted rain of last night did not amount to much so no big groups of birds being forced down.   Within Quabbin Park I had the following waterfowl: 8 Wood Ducks, 4 Black Ducks (big drop off but I did get to the typical roost area a bit late), a single Long tailed Duck (flew in from the north near Goodnough Dike and circled around before heading back north), 8 Common Loons, 3 Horned Grebes, a Double crested Cormorant and 4 Mallards and a dozen Canada Geese. Other birds within Quabbin Park included a couple Rusty Blackbirds, good numbers of Yellow rumped Warblers and other typical migrants for mid October. 

Although I was starting to fade I decided to make a stop at Winsor Dam to quick check to see what might be hanging around. Almost as soon as I arrived Bob Z. walked over and said he was just leaving when he saw me so he headed back over. He said he and Scott had not had much on the water. I quickly scanned the water and almost immediately turned up a male Surf Scoter. The bird must have come in after those guys had scanned the water. I then turned up a couple Common Loons, a group of three dark birds way out that defied identification and a group of 7-8 that also remained unknown. We then turned up a couple birds flying in that turned out to be a pair Gadwall (unusual here) that disappeared into the cove out of our view. Several minutes later seven Gadwall flew out of the cove and landed out in front of our view point. As we continued to scan we turned up another bird that flew in from the north that turned out to be a Ruddy Duck (another unusual species of waterfowl here). A bit later a Red necked Grebe flew in and hung around for a time fishing before heading back north. I started feeling worse so decided to call it a morning. A very productive stop that I almost didn't make but was glad I did. It is always amazing what the view point from Winsor Dam will produce with a little luck and a little bit of time put in watching.

Near sunset I made another quick stop at Winsor Dam and turned up a couple Common Loons, seven Black Ducks and a Ring necked Duck.  Also robins heading north to roost...I counted about 45 in just a few minutes so a dedicated count would probably find hundreds or more.

Gate 22 this morning

 

Dawn at gate 22, Aug 17, 2013

Bald Eagle on Osprey platform, Gate 22, Aug 17, 2013

Merlin (one of two), Gate 22, Aug 17, 2013

I headed up to Quabbin Gate 22 in New Salem before dawn to see if I could catch up with any of the egrets seen there over the last few days (Great and Snowy Egrets). I started the long walk down to the water just before six and arrived about a half hour later. The fog and early morning light made it difficult to see the islands really well but after quite a bit of time looking I'm fairly certain there were no egrets there this morning on the west side of the island. I did have some good stuff including two Merlins that were harassing the crows and I eventually had one perch in a tree at which point it was harassed by a hummingbird. The only shorebirds I had there included two each of Greater Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpipers. Other notable birds at Gate 22 included a Northern Harrier and at least five Common Loons plus a Bald Eagle perched up on the Osprey platform the entire time I was down at the waters edge. I had a handful of passerines around but nothing too unusual.

 

Green Heron, Route 9 marsh, Aug 17, 2013

Double crested Cormorant and Ring billed Gull, Winsor Dam, Aug 17, 2013

I then headed back south and made a brief stop at Winsor Dam and the Route 9 marsh. Winsor Dam had a couple of Double crested Cormorants and the marsh had a few Wood Ducks and a Great Blue Heron and Green Heron.

Search for shorebirds this morning and Great Egrets this evening

Winsor Dam at dawn, Aug 2, 2013

 

Solitary Sandpiper, Arcadia, Aug 2, 2013

Solitary Sandpiper, Arcadia, Aug 2, 2013

With the occasional showers and downpours overnight I decided to spend a little time this morning trying to find some downed shorebirds or other migrants.  I started off early at Winsor Dam but found nothing too unusual with just a couple loons, a cormorant and a handful of Ring billed Gulls.  I then headed west with a brief stop at Lake Metacomet before going to the Honeypot section of Hadley.  Some of the fields have been harvested so at least there are now areas that could host some shorebirds.  The Connecticut River has also dropped enough to have a few sandbars exposed.  I had a few shorebirds over the fields and along the river including a couple Killdeer, a Spotted Sandpiper and a couple Least Sandpipers.   I also had a few juvenile Great Blue Herons working the banks of the river.  I bet a kayak trip up or down the river would produce some good stuff if you could make the trip before the boat traffic starts up for the day.  With a little luck for the morning so far I decided to spend my few remaining free minutes checking out Arcadia.  There were a variety of shorebirds seen there a couple days ago and I hoped a few were still around despite the fact that the water levels were probably higher due to the recent rain.   I briefly checked the oxbow on the way in but the several boats already moving around insured little in the way of interesting activity.   I made a quick walk out to the marsh and scanned the area and found a few shorebirds including two Solitary Sandpipers and a couple of Least Sandpipers.  The mosquitoes were horrendous so I didn’t stay too long.  With the recent reports of West Nile and EEE infected mosquitoes around I wanted to limit my exposure as much as possible.  I’m sure there were more birds hidden in the grasses but I didn’t have the time to check too closely.  The marsh also held about half a dozen Great Blue Herons, a Green Heron and a smattering of Wood Ducks and Mallards.  If the water falls just a little more some mudflats should develop that could prove quite productive. 

Great Egret, Route 9 marsh, Aug 2, 2013

Great Egrets (three of seven), Route 9 marsh, Aug 2, 2013

Great Egret, Route 9 marsh, Aug 2, 2013

Route 9 marsh (seven Great Egrets in view), Aug 2, 2013

As I was getting ready to leave work I got a message from Steve Motyl that Bob Z had at least five Great Egrets at the Route 9 marsh late in the afternoon.  I decided to head right over there after work and when I got there I had seven Great Egrets in view....by far the most I have ever had at this location (or anywhere else in Hampshire County!).  The Great Egrets became species #215 for Hampshire county this year.  Also had a Green Heron there.  Thanks Steve and Bob for the heads up about the egrets.

Southern Quabbin area

 

Dawn at Hanks Meadow, Mar 30, 2013

Ring necked Duck (showing its ring neck), Route 9 marsh, Quabbin Park, Mar 30, 2013

Ring necked Duck, Route 9 marsh, Quabbin Park, Mar 30, 2013

I decided to spend the day around the local area starting out before dawn trying to find some owls around south Quabbin. No luck with owls but did have a few American Woodcock. I stopped by Winsor Dam and had 17 Common Mergansers, 14 Mallards and a few Canada Geese plus hundreds of gulls but nothing unusual among them that I could find. I then headed through Quabbin Park and had  two Common Goldeneye, seven Ring necked Ducks, 16 Common Mergansers, three Hooded Mergansers, 7 Black Ducks, 21 Mallards and 11 Canada Geese.  I also had a kingfisher, a lucky 13 Wild Turkeys, a couple Tree Swallows and a Winter Wren singing.

Tree Swallow, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 30, 2013

I next headed over to Lake Wallace where I caught up with species #108 when I found a Swamp Sparrow calling. Other birds there included 7 Ring necked Ducks, 4 Wood Ducks, 4 Hooded Mergansers and a Tree Swallow.

Common Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Mar 30, 2013

Common Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Mar 30, 2013

Common Merganser, Winsor Dam, Mar 30, 2013

Winsor Dam panoramic, Mar 30, 2013

Bufflehead, Winsor Dam, Mar 30, 2013

Quabbin Reservoir from Winsor Dam, Mar 30, 2013

I then headed back over to Winsor Dam and had more waterfowl including a couple Bufflehead,  three Common Goldeneye, a dozen Common Mergansers, nine Mallards, three Black ducks and 74 Canada Geese with most of those headed north. I spent almost 45 minutes there watching for migrants moving by but nothing too unusual.  There was a movement of blackbirds and grackles and a few robins plus at least two Killdeer flying by.

Great Blue Herons on nest, Quabbin Gate 9 marsh, Pelham, MA, Mar 30, 2013

In the early afternoon I took a ride up to Gate 9 to check the marsh nearby for waterfowl. A large portion of the marsh was still iced in so I only had a few Hooded Mergansers, Mallards and Canada Geese in the small parts of open water. I did have four Great Blue Herons sitting on nests in the small rookery there.

Tomorrow and Monday could be good with south winds kicking in and bringing a new influx of migrants with it. Anything is possible but I expect to see more waterfowl, Tree Swallows and sparrows plus early warblers and other early season migrants and possibly some of the irruptive species from the winter moving back north.

Quabbin Park area

Eastern Bluebird, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 24, 2013

Wood Ducks (and Mallards), Route 9 marsh, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 24, 2013

Hooded Mergansers, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 24, 2013

I decided to spend the day around the local area visiting Quabbin Park, Covey WMA and Lake Wallace.  The weather started off cold with temperatures in the 20's but eventually warmed into the 40's but the wind kicked up again from the northwest.  With the cold weather and northerly winds migration continues to be stalled with little movement obvious and this is unlikely to change through the next week.  Perhaps by next weekend the conditions will improve and the migration will pick up.

At Quabbin Park I had the following waterfowl (with almost all at Winsor Dam or Route 9 marsh):  13 Common Mergansers, four Hooded Mergansers, 16 Wood Ducks, three Ring necked Ducks, three Black Ducks, 20 Mallards and 11 Canada Geese.  I tried to find a Pine Warbler (which should have arrived by now) but couldn't find a one.  No other new bird species for the day at all.

Lake Wallace had 27 Hooded Mergansers, a Common Merganser, four Wood Ducks, nine Mallards and 15 Canada Geese.  Also present were at least four Tree Swallows, a few Eastern Bluebirds prospecting nest holes and a singing Winter Wren.

Covey had a little raptor activity happening with four Red tailed Hawks, a pair of Cooper's Hawks in courtship flight and a couple Turkey Vultures but little else.

Quick stops in the morning to look for early arriving waterfowl

Common Loons (three in mid scope view), Winsor Dam, Sept 25, 2012

I attempted to find some early arriving waterfowl on Tuesday morning before work and I made brief stops at Winsor Dam and the route 9 marsh.  The fog on this chilly (35 degrees) morning made viewing difficult at times but I was still able to view most areas fairly well.  At Winsor Dam the only waterfowl around were four flyby Mallards and three Common Loons together.  There was also a rather late Ruby throated Hummingbird that flew past the dam.  At the route 9 marsh there were eleven Wood Ducks and nearly forty Canada Geese.  I also tried to see if there was any activity on Lake Metacomet but the fog was just too thick.  The best bird of the morning there was actually a hummingbird that flew past just before dawn.  Perhaps one of the last ones I will see this season around here.

I once again tried for some waterfowl at Winsor Dam this morning but again there was just a little around.  A couple of Common Loons and a Mallard at Winsor Dam and a total of 23 Wood Ducks and 59 Canada Geese at the route 9 marsh.

Mid August weekend birding

Least Sandpiper, old state school soccer fields, Belchertown, MA, August 11, 2012

Least Sandpiper, old state school soccer fields, Belchertown, MA, August 11, 2012

Least Sandpiper, old state school soccer fields, Belchertown, MA, August 11, 2012

Killdeer, old state school soccer fields, Belchertown, MA, August 11, 2012

Yet another couple days of humidity with on and off showers and thunderstorms.  The last few days have been similar and have given the area a very tropical feel with temperatures staying in the low 70’s at night and rising to the 80’s to near 90 during the day.  Some of the storms have had torrential downpours and we have added several inches of rain to the annual total in a matter of a few days.  Given the continuous threat of poor weather I stayed fairly close to home all weekend.

I started Saturday morning at Lake Wallace and the soccer fields near the old state school here in Belchertown.  The fields held 31 Killdeer as well as a Least Sandpiper.  The number of Mallards and Wood Ducks has dropped a bit but that may be due to arriving a little later at the lake and many of the birds had already moved in the reedy area where the birds slip from view.  Still a good number Green Herons with at least eight present.

Common Mergansers, Quabbin Park, August 11, 2012

Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Quabbin Park, August 11, 2012

I next went over to Quabbin Park to try to find the Red Crossbills again and get additional recordings but I was never able to find them.  I did have some good birds despite the low clouds and poor lighting.  There was a very vocal Yellow-billed Cuckoo near Goodnough Dike.  There were a few groups of Common Mergansers with groups of 11 and 5.  A total of 7 Red-breasted Nuthatch's point toward a good season for them and the potential of a decent flight year.  One of the more vocal birds still around were Eastern Wood Pewee's with at least a dozen still calling.  A final stop at the Route 9 marsh on the way home added three Solitary Sandpipers, a Spotted Sandpiper and two Least Sandpipers coming in and out of view as they all worked the far edge of the marsh.


On Sunday I started once again at Lake Wallace and the old state school fields.  The day started off warm and humid again with lows around 73.  A slightly increased number of Killdeer (34) around as well as a slight increase in the number of Wood Ducks from yesterday.  There was yet another vocal Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the area.  Today was the first day in weeks I did not find a Great Egret present.  I then headed over to Quabbin just as it started to rain.  I stopped at Winsor Dam, the marsh and one other spot but I got rained out.  After quite a bit of early rain I decided to head for home to wait it out. 

A few other birds of note from the weekend included a Louisiana Waterthrush still singing at 5:30am at home on Saturday and another found along the land trust trail on Sunday.

No luck with crossbills on Monday

Route 9 marsh, Quabbin Park, MA, August 6, 2012

Yesterday I tried to catch back up with the Red Crossbills I found Sunday at Quabbin Park but I did not have any luck.  There is a lot of good habitat here and the birds certainly can wander a bit so I would guess they are still around.  I spent most of my time around the route 9 marsh and the road between route 9 and Goodnough Dike and then up to Hank's Meadow.  I did have a Yellow-billed Cuckoo near Hank's Meadow (only the second one I have seen all year in western Massachusetts). 

Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, August 6, 2012

Killdeer (1 of 38 present), old state school socceer fields, Belchertown, MA, August 6, 2012

Great Blue heron landing on foggy morning, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, August 6, 2012

Mallard with ducklings, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, August 6, 2012

Double crested Cormorant, Covey WMA, August 6, 2012

In addition to my trip to Quabbin Park I also visited Lake Wallace, Covey WMA and the Belchertown Land Trust trail.  The number of Wood Ducks, Mallards and various waders continue to be impressive at Lake Wallace.  The nearby soccer fields near the old state school had at least 38 Killdeer on them.  Covey WMA was fairly quiet later in the morning with the only unusual sighting being a Double-crested Cormorant fishing in a very small pond near the main road.  The best bird along the land trust trail was a Solitary Sandpiper in a small marsh.