Breeding in full swing including Cerulean Warbler cooperative breeding

Cerulean Warbler male with leg bands and female with nestlings, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Jun 17, 2026

Cerulean Warbler adult male without bands with nestlings, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Jun 17, 2026

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 16, 2026

Virginia Rail fledgling, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 16, 2026

Common Ravens, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 15, 2026

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Jun 14, 2026

Looking southwest from peak, Skinner SP, South Hadley, MA, Jun 14, 2026

As mid June arrives and the longest days of the year are upon us here in western Massachusetts breeding activity rapidly reaches its peak.  Loads of species are on nest, feeding nestlings or feeding nestlings.  The next few weeks will bring more of the same as the next generation of many species head out into the big (and at times cruel) world.  A highlight for me today was seeing a Cerulean Warbler nest at Skinner SP being tended by two males and a female (cooperative breeding with this species is extremely rare).  

The first two days of August with lots of birds and fall like weather

View of East Meadows from summit, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 1, 2023

Red eyed Vireo, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 1, 2023

Cerulean Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 1, 2023

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Cadwell Memorial Forest, Pelham, MA, Aug 1, 2023

Black and White Warbler, Cadwell Memorial Forest, Pelham, MA, Aug 1, 2023

Ovenbird, Cadwell Memorial Forest, Pelham, MA, Aug 1, 2023

Canada Warbler, Pelham, MA, Aug 1, 2023

August has started off quite productive as I was able to take advantage of some days off and very cooperative weather.  The weather to begin the month has felt more like mid September with sunny skies, low humidity and cool temps that set a record this morning with a low in the mid 40's.  Yesterday I headed out before dawn with the main goal being to catch up with a few species of warblers that by and large have already headed south including Louisiana Waterthrush, Worm eating Warbler and Cerulean Warbler.  I started off with a hike up to the top at Skinner SP, braving the mosquitoes and finding eight species of warblers including the three mentioned above.  A couple more brief stops in Hadley turned up a number of new species for the month.  I then headed up to the Pelham area before making a late morning stop at a small area in Quabbin Park.  I ended the day with an amazing 97 species despite not hitting some habitat that certainly would have produced several more species plus dealing with some winds that kicked up mid morning.

Common Yellowthroat, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 2, 2023

Common Yellowthroat, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 2, 2023

Sunrise through fog, Ware, MA, Aug 2, 2023

Today I stayed in the south Quabbin area and started my morning listening to Eastern Whip Poor Wills, American Woodcock and Virginia Rails at Quabbin Park.  I then made a short visit to an area in Ware before returning to Quabbin Park once the gates to the park opened up.  I had two goals for the day and they were to track down the remaining expected warblers I did not find yesterday and record more Red Crossbills.  I was successful with both goals, with my warbler total reaching 19 species already for the month and recording multiple groups of Red Crossbills.  By the end of the morning I had reached 113 species for the month in the county...my highest early season total ever.

The first few days of a hot and humid August

 

House Wren, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Aug 1, 2022

Eastern Kingbirds, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 1, 2022

Blue Grosbeak, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Aug 2, 2022

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 2, 2022

Marsh Wren, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Aug 3, 2022

House Wren with leg bands feeding young at nest, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 3, 2022

House Wren with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 3, 2022

Black and White Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 5, 2022

Dark eyed Junco, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 5, 2022

Chipping Sparrow, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 5, 2022

Blue gray Gnatcatchers, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 5, 2022

Looking northeast from summit, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, Aug 5, 2022

I began the month with yet another visit to Lake Wallace before I headed up the west side of Quabbin before finally making it onto the Prescott Peninsula to do some late season bird surveys.  I ran across multiple Red Crossbills in the my travels as well as lots of evidence of breeding species with loads of juveniles around and adults carrying food.  The weather continued to be hot and humid throughout the period with some near record highs in the 90's.  I was not able to get out much due to work on the 2nd and 4th beyond brief stops on my way to work.  

On my in between day of work on Wednesday I made a stop at Great Pond where I had at least two Marsh Wrens continuing to sing but no sign of the Least Bittern.  There were a few shorebirds around at various spots during the morning but nothing unusual among them.  

After getting out of work this morning I decided to make the hike up to the summit at Skinner SP to track down some forest birds for the month plus to see if any Cerulean Warblers were still around.  It was a hot, sweaty hike to the top but worth the effort with at least one Cerulean Warbler still present and possibly two.  Other highlights included several Blue gray Gnatcatchers, Dark eyed Juncos (including a juvenile) and numerous juvenile birds and adults carrying food.  

I also discovered that a pair of House Wrens somehow managed to building a nest in the exhaust area of a bathroom vent on the house.  I was outside several days ago and could hear some chirping and eventually I saw a House Wren fly up to the vent with food.  An odd spot to have a nest for sure.  It was neat to see that one of the adults was a bird banded in the yard last year.  I think the young fledged today.

End of the first week of May brings in a big influx

Prairie Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2019

Great Blue Heron, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 7, 2019

Canada Goose goslings, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 7, 2019

Orchard Oriole, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 7, 2019

 Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybird, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 7, 2019

 Cape May Warbler, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 7, 2019

Cerulean Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 7, 2019

Looking southwest from summit area, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 7, 2019

Today started out a little cool with temperatures in the 40's but the sunny morning conditions warmed it up to 70 before clouds and more rain came in late in the day.  I had high hopes for a productive morning as the migration conditions were quite good overnight with southerly winds and the radar showed lots of birds aloft.  I was not disappointed!  I covered several areas and turned up a total of 108 species with 26 warbler species among them (plus a hybrid)...not my highest total for warblers on a single day in Hampshire County but very good for May 7...my best day for warblers was on May 16 last year when I had 29 species of warbler in a single day.  Below are the main stops for the morning as well as a selected list from the house later in the day.

Skinner SP
Mitch's Way
Sweet Alice Conservation Area
Norwottuck Rail Trail
Quabbin Park
home

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Home, Belchertown, MA, May 6, 2019

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 6, 2019

Yesterday was a rare sunny and warmer day and after I got out of work I made a few stops including the rail trail, Winsor Dam and Quabbin Park.  I picked up a four new species for the county for the year with the most notable being a Common Tern way out at Winsor Dam.  There were also at least five Bonaparte's Gulls at the same location.  I also picked up more new species for the year but nothing too unexpected beyond those mentioned above.

Black Bear, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 5, 2019

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Home, Belchertown, MA, May 6, 2019

Blue Jay, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 6, 2019

House Wren, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 7, 2019

I captured a new mammal species at the water feature when a Black Bear showed up late on the evening of the 5th (I have caught them before on other cameras but never at the water feature).  With a break in the rain a few birds also showed up to be captured at the water feature.

Two Eastern Whip Poor Will surveys, lots of Tennessee Warblers and loads of other stuff the last several days

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, May 22, 2016

Common Nighthawk, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 22, 2016

Common Nighthawk, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 22, 2016

Common Nighthawks, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 22, 2016

After getting out of work today I made a stop along the rail trail looking for some shorebirds and found a Killdeer, a Solitary Sandpiper, three Spotted Sandpiper and a Least Sandpiper.  A brief stop at Winsor Dam was unproductive and I was too tired to go looking anywhere else for birds so I headed home.  Just as the clouds started to lift in the early afternoon I had at least 13 very vocal Common Nighthawks feeding over the house.

Black Vultures, Moody Bridge Rd, Hadley, MA, May 21, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, May 21, 2016

Before work yesterday I hit a few spots including Winsor Dam where the male Lesser Scaup continues (present since at least May 1st) and over to Moody Bridge Rd where I had two Black Vultures in among the roosting Turkey Vultures.  The rail trail was fairly quiet but my stop there was brief.  I also made a quick pass by a location where a probable Black crowned Night Heron has been heard a few times over the past week but I didn't have any luck finding it.

Cerulean Warbler on nest, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 20, 2016

Tennessee Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 20, 2016

Wilson's Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 20, 2016

I spent the last day of my vacation on Friday out exploring on what started out as a foggy day but turned into a beautiful sunny day.  I initially had plans to stay around Quabbin but a walk at Gate 4 seemed quiet so I decided instead to make a trip west to UMASS which proved to be a good choice when as soon as I arrived I started hearing Tennessee Warblers.  I had at least eight on Orchard Hill and I think there were likely quite a few more.  The best bird of the morning turned out to be a calling Grasshopper Sparrow (#205) in the small field near the old observatory which I never got a look at despite my best efforts...a very odd location for this species.  I then worked south eventually ending at Skinner SP before heading back toward home.  I got fantastic looks at a Cerulean Warbler nest at Skinner which seems to be in a relatively exposed location but hopefully the nest will be successful.  I ended the day with a total of 25 species of warblers which is about as high a total as I have gotten this year.  Full lists from the day below:

Quabbin Gate 4: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29789420

UMASS Orchard Hill: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29790876

UMASS Northwest campus:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29791079

Mitch's Way:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29792425

Skinner SP:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29793667

Land trust trail-Belchertown:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29795362


Although I was tired the conditions were perfect to conduct my second whip poor will survey on Friday evening so I made a last minute decision to head to Prescott Peninsula to get it done.  I started the survey just before 8:30 at the southern end of the peninsula and then headed north making the ten stops.  Once again the lower part of the peninsula contained the majority of the whip poor wills and I ended the evening with a total of ten Eastern Whip Poor Wills heard with seven of those at official stops and three in between stops.  This total is three higher than last year but the same when looking at official stops only.  Just one Moose sighting as one crossed my path about half way down the peninsula at dusk.

Rose breasted Grosbeak on nest, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2016

Rose breasted Grosbeak, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, May 19, 2016

Pileated Woodpecker, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 19, 2016

On Thursday I headed over to Orchard Hill at UMASS to follow up on a Hooded Warbler that was seen there on Wednesday but not surprisingly the bird was gone.  Although the forecast called for rain later in the day, it showered on and off through the first several hours of the morning which made most locations fairly quiet (at least by mid May standards).  Nonetheless I still turned up two Tennessee Warblers and a Bay breasted Warbler at UMASS and my first Willow Flycatcher (#204) at Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River.  A text from Mike regarding a possible Acadian Flycatcher at Conte NWR had me looking high and low for it but having no luck...oh well.  Full lists from the morning below:

UMASS:  
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29769600
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29769764
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29770512

Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29771850

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, May 18, 2016

I conducted the first of two Eastern Whip Poor Will surveys on Wednesday evening and I made a quick stop at the dam before I started the route and had the male Lesser Scaup still there (present on and off since May 1).  The whip route goes through Quabbin Park and then south along the Swift River.  It involves ten stops of six minutes each with passive listening (no playback).  This year only four of the ten stops had any birds calling, which is lower than last year.  The total number of whips came to six which is half of what I had last year on the same route.  Perhaps the breeze at a few productive spots just kept them quiet and the birds are still around.  I managed to get some audio of one of the whips...link below (you will need to crank the volume to hear it)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/26840504720/in/dateposted-public/

I also added a new species to the yard list on Thursday morning when I went out with Wilson before dawn and heard an Eastern Whip Poor Will calling distantly to the east....species #161 for the yard!

Eastern Towhee, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 21, 2016

The list of birds seen at the new water feature continues to grow and now stands at 25 with new species added being Eastern Towhee and Tufted Titmouse.