A big warm up and multiple nights of good migration conditions

Purple Martin and Tree Swallows, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Purple Martin, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Northern Cardinal with nest material, Bachelor Brook Conservation Area, South Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Mourning Warbler, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Gray cheeked Thrush, Belchertown, MA, May 19, 2026

Raccoon swimming, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2026

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Quabbin Park, MA, May 18, 2026

Lawrence's Warbler, Hardwick, MA, May 18, 2026

Gray Catbird, Ware, MA, May 18, 2026

Butterfly species, Quabbin Park, MA, May 18, 2026

Blue gray Gnatcatcher constructing nest, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2026

Rainbow Scarab, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2026

Solitary Sandpiper, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

Magnolia Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

Tree Swallow with nest material, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

Bay breasted Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Blackpoll Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Hooded Merganser eggs in duck box #2, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 17, 2026

We have had multiple nights of great migration conditions thanks to southerly winds that also ushered in record setting temps in the 90's.  As expected I have been out as much as I can each morning before returning to take the Wilson for his required walk.  Even with some species still moving through to points to the north breeding activity around here is in full swing with the first waterfowl young out and about and many species collecting nesting material and building nests.  I have added several new species for the year in the county as well as some rarities.  The highlights included Purple Martin, Gray cheeked Thrush, Yellow breasted Chat, two new species of warbler for the year as part of my warbler big year in the US and a Lawrence's Warbler.  Migration has now peaked at this point and now we begin the downhill slide of another spring migration.  

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.

Remnants of Hurricane Debby moving through and then sunny, dry conditions

Prairie Warbler, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Aug 13, 2024

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 13, 2024

Chestnut sided Warbler, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 13, 2024

American Goldfinch, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 13, 2024

Red eyed Vireo, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 11, 2024

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 11, 2024

Veery, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 11, 2024

Great Egrets, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 11, 2024

Common Yellowthroat, Ware, MA, Aug 11, 2024

House Wren nestlings, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 10, 2024

Tennessee Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 8, 2024

Sedge Wren, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 8, 2024

Purple Martins, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 8, 2024

Common Goldeneye, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 7, 2024

We finally got a break in our long duration weather of hot and humid conditions that has lasted most of July and more intermittently into the early part of August.  Although I love the tropical feel, without the hordes of tropical birds to go with it, it is a bit harder to take.  The break came after the remnants of Hurricane Debby moved through.  Although we were a bit too far off the track of the remnants we still got some decent rain and some wind.  The storm was over land since its second landfall in the carolinas so true storm birds although I did have a decent selection of shorebirds as the rain grounded a few migrants including a little early Black bellied Plover among a total of eight species of shorebirds during the Friday to Saturday time frame.  Sunday featured low humidity and mainly sunny conditions and a feel of the real start of passerine migration.  Nothing too rare but certainly some migrants moving through.  Today I enjoyed a day off and stuck close to home with my time spent around the Ware and south Quabbin area.

Least Bittern in Amherst (plus other stuff) today

 

Least Bittern, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2024

Least Bittern, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2024

Least Bittern, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2024

Least Bittern, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2024

Although I have been concentrating on finding warblers at the handful of areas I have been walking a lot the last few weeks, I also have my eyes out for everything else.  There have been a few recent reports of a Least Bittern along the rail trail and although I have walked by the area several times and listened and looked I had no luck until today.  I arrived in the area and started scanning the reeds with no luck for a few minutes and I figured it was probably too late in the morning or the bird was not around.  As I was getting ready to continue my walk I heard the bittern calling (its a low call that is easily lost among the chatter of everything else in a wetland).  I then really intently started scanning and after a few minutes I had the bittern perched up about a foot in the reeds where it stayed for a few minutes before disappearing.  I thought there might have been two individuals calling but it may have been the same bird just moving around a bit.  Least Bittern is a rare species in the county and a tough one to actually see.  These were probably some of the best looks I have ever gotten of the species around here.  They have bred in the same general area for a few years so hopefully they will do so again.

Blue Jay carrying nest material, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2024

Blue Jay building nest, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2024

Rose breasted Grosbeak, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2024

American Redstart building nest, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2024

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2024

Ovenbird looking very irritated by the arrival of another Ovenbird, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2024

Red eyed Vireo, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2024

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2024

Although migration conditions have been poor the last few nights as we continue to get northerly winds I still made the most of seeing what species are around and getting down to nesting for the season.  I came across several species collecting nest material and building nests.  It was just nice to have a sunny and calm morning after a few raining ones...good for mental and physical health for sure.