Big snow storm

Feeders waiting for action in the snow, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 3, 2019

Jabish Brook, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 3, 2019

Wilson with his favorite outside 'ball', Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 3, 2019

Dark eyed Junco with breast stripes, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 3, 2019 (date is off by 12 hours for some reason)

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Dec 3, 2019

Carolina Wren, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 2, 2019 (date is off by 12 hours for some reason)

Wilson enjoying the snow, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 2, 2019

Wilson as the snow moves back in on Monday evening, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 2, 2019

Wilson as the snow starts, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 1, 2019

We continue to dig out from one of the largest storms we have had in awhile and probably one of the biggest December storms ever.  It started snowing Sunday afternoon and continued overnight into Monday and we ended up with about 8" of snow and sleet from that part of the storm.  Light snow was with us almost constantly Monday but didn't amount to much until the evening when the storm off the coast really cranked up.  The forecast for Monday night into Tuesday was for perhaps 3-5", maybe less.  It was quite a surprise to wake up on Tuesday morning to at least another 18" of fresh snow!  The snow finally quit late in the morning on Tuesday and it took hours to dig out the yard and feeders from our 2+ feet of snow.  It looks more like the middle of winter after multiple storms....at least Wilson was happy!  I didn't venture too far from the house the last couple days beyond a quick stop at Winsor Dam today (lots of Bald Eagles but not much else).  The feeders were active throughout my time at home and although there was nothing too unusual I did see one of my banded Black capped Chickadee and the partially leucistic Tufted Titmouse (neither of which fed on the suet so no captures on the camera).  The camera did capture a unique looking Dark eyed Junco that had striping on the breast.  Hopefully I will be able to get out a little tomorrow although access to most locations will be limited or nonexistent due to all the snow.  Surprisingly the Pacific slope Flycatcher was seen and photographed in the snow on Monday in between our bouts of heavy snow (eBird list here).

The less than historic storm

Common Redpoll (with American Goldfinch and Dark eyed Junco), Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 27, 2015

Common Redpoll (with American Goldfinch and Dark eyed Junco), Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 27, 2015

 

American Goldfinch, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 27, 2015

The latest much hyped snow storm certainly did not live up to the predictions here but not really surprised.  We ended up with about 8-10" of snow (about 1/2 to a 1/3 of predictions).  The wind was a bit strong early on but not too bad at the house.  Areas to the east certainly got hit much harder than we did so no real complaints from me.  The feeders were quite active with highlights being a Common Redpoll, 50+ American Goldfinches and a Carolina Wren.

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 27, 2015

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 27, 2015

The storm fizzled out by late morning and by early afternoon I was able to make it over to Winsor Dam to quick check the area for the long shot chance of a storm blown bird.  The conditions at Winsor Dam were impressively windy with large snow drifts.  Despite some looking among the waves I only managed to turn up a handful of Ring billed Gulls and a single crow.

The last couple snowy days

Merlin, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Lapland Longspur, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Common Goldeneyes, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

With another 3-6 inches of snow forecast to fall today into tonight I decided to head out before dawn before the weather turned to crap again.  I started at the Honey Pot and ran into a group of just under forty Horned Larks plus a couple Lapland Longspurs in among them.  As I was watching the flock a Merlin zipped past just above the ground passing between my car and the snowbank and then landed atop a nearby telephone pole.  I then drove down to the river and scanned for waterfowl and found seven Common Goldeneyes, a few Black Ducks and a few dozen Mallards.  I then headed over to the river to see what might be around.

Common Goldeneyes, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Common Goldeneyes, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Common Goldeneyes, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Common Goldeneye, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Greater Scaup, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Greater Scaup, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Greater Scaup, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Greater Scaup, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Hooded Mergansers, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Wood Duck, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Northern Pintail, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Hooded Merganser, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2014

The stop at the Connecticut River was quite productive for waterfowl with the following species seen:  614 Canada Geese, the hybrid goose, a female Wood Duck, 21 Black Ducks, 428 Mallards, several mallard x black duck hybrids, two Northern Pintails, a male Ring necked Duck, a dozen Greater Scaup (ten males, two females...fairly unusual inland), 27 Common Goldeneyes (a nice influx of this species to the area today...hoped for a Barrow's Goldeneye but no luck), seven Hooded Mergansers and a couple Common Mergansers.  I also had a few Snow Buntings fly over.  No sign of the Red necked Grebe but it may have been upriver where I couldn't view it.

A brief stop at Aqua Vitae Road turned up 16 Horned Larks and 22 Snow Buntings but little else.  A stop along Moody Bridge Road didn't turn up any meadowlarks this morning but I didn't look too long for them. 

Eastern Coyote, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Eastern Coyotes, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Eastern Coyote, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2014

Winsor Dam at the beginning of the latest snowfall, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2014

I made a couple stops at Winsor Dam just before and after the snow started.  I hoped to come across the Golden Eagle but only had a few Bald Eagles.  Other birds around included around 35 American Robins and a few Cedar Waxwings feeding on various fruiting bushes.  The real highlight were the seven Eastern Coyotes out on the ice including one with an obviously injured front leg.  It was interesting to see the various coloration of the different individual coyotes.

Wilson guarding the feeders from squirrels, Feb 15, 2014

Looking down the driveway after the latest storm, Feb 14, 2014

Wilson jumping like a rabbit through the snow, Feb 14, 2014

Wilson deciding it is easier to follow my tracks!

After the latest snow, Feb 14, 2014

The latest storm dumped another 14 inches of snow plus some sleet yesterday.  We now have feet of snow on the ground with no end in sight from winter.  At least the snow kept me out shoveling for hours in the morning which allowed me to get a few good birds.  The best was a flyover Evening Grosbeak.  I was shovelling and heard a call that peaked my interest.  I stopped and listened and the grosbeak called several times as it seemed to circle the yard before disappearing to the east not to be seen again.  My first sighting of this species in the yard since 2010.  Evening Grosbeaks have been very tough to come by this year.  Other notable birds around the yard included a Winter Wren (first in several weeks) and a flyby group of a Black Duck and a Mallard...good luck to them finding any open water in this frozen tundra like landscape!  A walk though the woods east of the house found a couple Ruffed Grouse and a workout for Wilson and I as we broke trail through feet of snow.

Another snow storm today and a White winged Crossbill at home

Snow falling in Northampton, Mar 19, 2013

Despite the calendar saying it is almost spring we suffered through another snow storm overnight into the day today.  It snowed on and off with occasional bouts of sleet and rain mixed in.  We ended up with several inches of heavy, wet snow and sleet.   On my way in this morning during the snow storm I stopped briefly at Hadley Cove and had a few Common Mergansers, 300+ Canada Geese and a few Mallards.  Snow flurries and snow showers should continue through tonight and tomorrow with temperatures staying in the 30’s to near 40 during the day.  No real warm up is in sight but at least the sun should come back out to start melting our latest round of snow.  The bird of the day, by far, was a flyby White winged Crossbill I had at home early this evening as I shoveled snow.  I heard the bird (or birds) call a couple times and then caught a brief view of it as it flew through the pines near the house.  I went back in to get my binoculars but when I came back outside I could not find the bird again.  The White winged Crossbill became species #104.

Black Ducks, Route 9 marsh, Quabbin Park, Mar 18, 2013

I got out a bit late yesterday to check over at Quabbin Park for anything of note and came across a handful of waterfowl but nothing unusual. Given our low temperatures the last few days (in the low teens) many of the smaller ponds had frozen back over again and I hoped that would push waterfowl to the larger open bodies of water, like Quabbin. There seemed to be no real increase in waterfowl at Quabbin with numbers and variety relatively unchanged.

Snow storm

Looking down driveway at first light, Mar 8, 2013

A snow storm dumped a wide range of snow amounts in the local area over the last few days with amounts varying from an inch or two in Northampton to 8-10 inches here in Belchertown to 20 inches in nearby Ware.  The cut off in large vs. small amounts depended on just a few miles or a slight change in elevation.  Quite a difference from a year ago when we had temperatures in the 60’s!  The only bird of note today was a Red shouldered Hawk I found near East Hadley Road in Hadley on my way home

The snow arrives!

Red bellied Woodpecker, Belchertown, MA, Feb 9, 2013

Red breasted Nuthatch (two of at least six), Belchertown, MA, Feb 9, 2013

Although the snow started off slowly it really cranked up overnight and we got around two feet.  At 10pm last night we had maybe 4-5 inches and it was really starting to pick up.  We got the remainder of the snow between then and before 6am...some really intense snow overnight!  It took a few hours to shovel out, including around the feeders.  The birds have been hitting the feeders hard all day...it has actually been the busiest I have seen it around the feeders so far this season.  Nothing super unusual but good numbers of the typical birds plus a flyby group of around ten Cedar Waxwings and a late in the day (5:20) flyover Red winged Blackbird.

Wilson checks out the snowy scene

A lot of snow to shovel!

Storm begins slowly

Snowfall forecast from the National Weather Service as of evening of Feb 8, 2013

So far the storm has been less than impressive with just about an inch of snow so far as of 5pm.  The predictions are still for 'historic' snowfall totals.  The totals are suppose to approach two feet with blowing and drifting snow...perhaps even some 'thundersnow'....we shall see!  Will all the adjectives used for the storm measure up?

Leap day snowstorm

screen grab from Quabbin reservoir camera, evening Feb 29, 2012

No real bird sightings to report today but I could not pass up the once every four years opportunity to post on a leap day.  The addition of one of the only snowstorms of the year on this day just begged for a quick post.  It has snowed since late morning and we have managed a total of about 3 inches of slushy accumulation.  It is suppose to continue to snow/sleet/drizzle overnight through tomorrow likely adding a couple more inches to the storm total.  Amazingly this will likely be the largest storm since the late October storm and the largest snow storm of the actual winter season.  It should warm up by the weekend back to near 50 so hopefully the snow will be short lived.

Finally the power is back after the storm

The yard after the storm, Oct 30, 2011

Tree damage

After the storm, Oct 30,2011

The power has finally been restored to us here after being out for almost five days following the crippling snow storm of October 29-30th.  We lost power late Saturday evening and were completely cut off until late Monday.  There was no power, no phone, no water, no cell coverage for days.  Luckily we have a wood stove and kept the temperature up in the house enough to keep the pipes from freezing and keep ourselves somewhat comfortable.  The amount of damage caused by this historic early season snowfall was quite extensive.  The entire area was hit hard with hundreds of thousands without power in this state alone.  We ended up with about 15 inches of very heavy, wet snow that fell on trees still filled with leaves.  The trees could not take all the added weight and broke from the strain.  The entire night into the next morning was spent lying in bed listening to one tree after another break and fall to the ground.  It was certainly a storm to remember and hopefully will not be repeated any time soon.  I did very little birding during this time as I tried to clean up the yard and deal with the issues created by the storm.  The only bird of note was a fly by Pine Siskin on October 30th.  I hope to finally get out again this weekend a bit and see what I can find.  Here is a map of snowfall totals from this historic storm (courtesy of The Weather Channel).