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

Sanderling at Holyoke Dam

Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Jul 25, 2024

Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Jul 25, 2024

Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Jul 25, 2024

I got a message from Brian Z. this morning regarding a shorebird he had at the Holyoke Dam in South Hadley that he suspected was a Sanderling (a fairly rare shorebird inland).  After looking at a couple of photos he sent the Sanderling was confirmed and a number of birders made their way down to the dam and got the bird.  I was stuck at work until late morning and was not able to get down to the dam until after eleven but thankfully the bird stuck around.  Unfortunately it stayed somewhat hidden very close to the wall of the dam and the accessible vantage point.  After a fair amount of waiting it popped out briefly before once again going out of view.  Although my shots didn't capture it the bird retained some rufous breeding colors (not a plumage we get to see too often inland in western Mass.).  I eventually got some photos of the bird as it was seen from nearly directly overhead...an odd look at shorebirds for sure.  Sanderling is a less than annual visitor to the county.

July comes to an end

Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 24, 2023

House Wren, Ware, MA, Jul 24, 2023

Blue winged Warbler, Ware, MA, Jul 24, 2023

Great Egrets, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Jul 27. 2023

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Gate 8, Pelham, MA, Jul 27. 2023

Sanderling, Easthampton, MA, Jul 29, 2023

Least Sandpipers, Easthampton, MA, Jul 30, 2023

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 31, 2023

A quite wet July has now come to an end and with it one of my better July's overall in the county for overall numbers despite the weather and being away for several days when we took a trip a bit south plus working a fair amount of overtime.  I ended the month with 143 species in Hampshire County, which is my second best July ever in the county, only beat out by last year when I had 144 species.  The flooding we experienced during the month has led to some good shorebird habitat and the birds have continued to take advantage of it with a variety of shorebirds showing up.  Waders are also starting their late summer dispersals and I'm sure an unusual one or two will come into the area over the next few weeks.  Warblers are also starting to form up into mixed species flocks as breeding largely comes to an end for another year.

More shorebirds today

Sanderlings, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

Sanderling, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

Sanderling, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

Killdeer, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

Least Sandpipers, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

Semipalmated Sandpiper, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

I headed out before dawn this morning to head over to the East Meadows in the hopes that some of the shorebirds seen yesterday were still around (more rarities showed up throughout the day after I left but I didn't have the energy to go back again yesterday).  I arrived in the area when it was still dark but I could already hear Killdeer.  As the light slowly increased I started picking out the birds near the remaining large puddle (amazing how fast the water soaked up...shows just how dry it has been).  I picked up several Least Sandpipers and a single Sanderling before a Peregrine Falcon zipped in and flushed up everything.  As the light steadily increased more birders arrived but the large variety of yesterday appeared to have largely moved on (this is what typically occurs with shorebirds downed by heavy rain...as soon as the rain stops most move on).  I tried a few other spots in the meadows with a few other birders but did not turn up too much else.  I then headed over to Arcadia to try to turn up some passerines but activity was very low there so I retuned once again to the East Meadows.  On this stop I had great looks at the continued Sanderlings and got some decent digiscoped photos.  With some decent shorebird habitat continuing I would not be surprised if a few more shorebirds make an appearance over the next few days.

Bobolinks, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Sep 7, 2022

Besides the shorebirds there were lots of Bobolinks and Red winged Blackbirds around but no other rarities (at least that I could find).  The next couple nights look to feature good migration conditions and I suspect the next few mornings could be really good for seeing birds.

Western Kingbird today and rare shorebirds the last few days

Western Kingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

Western Kingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

Western Kingbird, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

Mourning Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

Philadelphia Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

Monarch, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

Philadelphia Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2021

The migration conditions last night into this morning were great and the radars were busy with birds with loads of flight calls heard every time I was able to listen.  Although I was functioning on very little sleep after a long shift at work I headed right out to see what I could find.  I decided to focus my energy at Arcadia trying to track down any recently arrived migrants (with the hopes of a Connecticut Warbler).  I hit a bunch of hedgerows and tree lines and found a few pockets of birds with highlights including three Philadelphia Vireos, a Great crested Flycatcher, loads of House Wrens and Common Yellowthroats, three Yellow Warblers, a Mourning Warbler and Dickcissel.  As I was walking back to my car to shed some of my water resistant (but too warm) clothes I caught a brief glimpse of a bird perched near the top of a small bush but mostly obstructed from view.  I could only see part of the head but knew it was something interesting.  I stepped about a foot to the left to try to get a better look at the bird at which point the bird turned showed a pale yellow belly and then it promptly flew off.  I decided to fire off as many photos as I could as it flew away for review later and eventually I got focus on the bird.  My initial impression was a Myiarchus flycatcher but my views were brief and I was not totally sure of the identification.  I got out the word to a number of birders I knew were nearby to have them be on the lookout for the bird.  I then spent the next hour and a half looking in vain for the bird.  Mary arrived just as I was leaving and I gave her the details I had.  I was totally beat at this point and didn't have a lot of energy left so I headed for home.  Not long after I got home I got a text from Mary saying she had a western type flycatcher in the general area I had my bird.  Although I really needed a nap I decided instead to review my photos and the shots clearly showed a Western Kingbird (only my third Hampshire County record of the species with my previous records in September 2003 and December 2004).  A number of other birders also found the bird independent of my sighting and many obtained some great photos.  I initially sighted the bird around 8:40am and it was then seen again by other about a half hour later and then continued to show on and off for the remainder of the day.  I was certainly happy that others were able to see this rarity.  Besides the birds there was an impressive showing of Monarch butterflies for the morning.

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021

Dawn, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 10, 2021

On my way to work on Friday morning I decided to spend my limited time trying to turn up some shorebirds following the passage of a front and some overnight rain. A few days before I had noticed a field in the Honey Pot that had been freshly tilled and decided to start my morning there. The field has produced Buff breasted Sandpipers in the past and this species was very high on my list of potential sightings for the morning. I got there before dawn and immediately started to scan the field. Within just a few minutes I found a Buff breasted Sandpiper working its way through the field. I watched it for a bit and then noticed a second individual! The birds would go in and out of view as they worked through the dips and furrows of the field (video in the eBird report linked above). I took my eyes off them for a bit while I checked some other fields nearby with the scope. I then noticed a couple harriers working their way through the fields and they must have flushed the sandpipers but I never heard or saw them leave. I searched for awhile to relocate the sandpipers after the harriers moved on but failed to find them again. Chuck and Joe also looked for awhile after I left and they also came up empty. This species is tough to come by in the county with years between sightings sometimes. I have had them on about half a dozen occasions before in the county and always between late August and the first third of September (with my sighting yesterday being the latest date I have had them in the county so far). 

Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 9, 2021

Sanderling, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 9, 2021

Semipalmated Plover, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Sep 9, 2021

Late in the afternoon on a rainy Thursday I got a text regarding a Sanderling that was found below the Holyoke Dam in South Hadley by Craig. I decided to make the trip down there as the weather was rainy and I figured the bird would stick around. I made it down to the dam a bit before four and ran into Scott who was just leaving and he let me know the bird was still there. I made the quick walk down to the edge of the dam and set up the scope and had distant views of the Sanderling as it fed along the base of the dam near the spillway. Other shorebirds present included a Semipalmated Plover and a Spotted Sandpiper. After getting some distant photos and video I headed back to the car to go home and then ran across Mary and quickly got her on the bird. This was only my third Sanderling I have ever had in the county with previous sightings in July 2018 and September 2020...a very common shorebird on the coast but quite rare inland. 

Meanwhile the tropics continue to be active with Hurricane Larry hitting Newfoundland today and then continuing on toward Greenland as an extratropical system that will bring very heavy snow to Greenland.  There are a number of potential areas of development including a high chance of storm development in the western Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Africa as well as a low chance of development east of the Bahamas.  I expect a couple of new tropical system to develop in the next few days.