End of August

Dawn, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Aug 30, 2018

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 26, 2018

Upland Sandpiper, Hatfield, MA, Aug 2, 2018

Bonaparte's Gull, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 24, 2018

Snowy Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 2, 2018

August has quickly come to an end as summer comes to an end.  The fall migration has been on going for weeks but will really start heating up now.  The month was warmer than average with humid and hot conditions on quite a few days.  I managed to find a total of 143 species in the county for the month which is well above average and beats my previous best August by several species.  Highlights during the month included 13 species of shorebirds including Black bellied Plover , Upland Sandpiper and Buff breasted Sandpiper, a Bonaparte's Gull at Winsor Dam, a Snowy Egret at the Holyoke Dam, a large concentration of Green Herons at Lake Wallace that topped off at 37 mid month, 20 species of warblers including a couple early Cape May Warblers and a flyover Dickcissel.

Red Foxes, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 23, 2018

Monarch Caterpillars, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2018

European Starling, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 20, 2018

Veery (juv), Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 17, 2018

The water feature continues to host a number of species with one new species (European Starling) showing up this month.  The other motion cameras also continue to catch various species moving through the yard.  The yard also played host to a large number of Monarch caterpillars that showed up on some milkweed.

Upland Sandpiper and Snowy Egret among other notables the first two days of August

Upland Sandpiper, Hatfield, MA, Aug 2, 2018

Upland Sandpiper, Hatfield, MA, Aug 2, 2018

Snowy Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 2, 2018

Snowy Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 2, 2018

Snowy Egret, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Aug 2, 2018

Green winged Teal, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 2, 2018

Great Egret, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 1, 2018

 Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 1, 2018

Great Blue Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 1, 2018

August has started off with continued hot and humid weather but with some great birds too.  I have managed to find a total of 105 species without too much effort including some nice rarities.  Yesterday I had an Eastern Whip Poor Will still calling at Winsor Dam before dawn and then added my first Great Egrets of the fall at Lake Wallace (plus the continued Marsh Wren).  The egrets yesterday where part of a push of post breeding egrets into the area which included several reports of multiple Great Egrets and a group of eight Snowy Egrets in Hampden County (one of the largest groups of this species I can ever remember hearing about in Western Mass).  Today I had even better luck with rarities starting off with an Upland Sandpiper in Hatfield (only my fifth county record).  The bird was quite wary (probably due to the hawks and eagles crisscrossing the area).  It only settled out in the open a couple times and was last seen flying out to the west-southwest.  My good luck with shorebirds that started at the end of July appears to be continuing into August as I have already had six species of shorebirds despite there being little decent habitat for shorebirds among the mainly full farm fields and a very high Connecticut River.  I checked a few other areas on my way to the Holyoke Dam and didn't find too many noteworthy sightings.  Once I arrived at the Holyoke Dam I found a single Snowy Egret among a small group of gulls below the dam.  I also had another Great Egret a little bit further downstream.  I would not be surprised if an even rarer egret or heron shows up in the next several days given the incursion so far.  My last stop for the morning was to Lake Wallace where I once again had the Marsh Wren and a Green winged Teal.

Searching for wrens (and other stuff) yesterday and today

Barred Owl, Robert Frost Trail, Amherst, MA, July 15, 2016

Robert Frost Trail/Well #4 Rd, Amherst, MA, July 15, 2016

After my luck with finding some Marsh Wrens in Hampden County yesterday (see below) I spent this morning hiking a portion of the Robert Frost Trail, the rail trail and Atkins Flat Conservation Area in Amherst near Lawrence Swamp in search of wrens (both Marsh and Sedge Wrens).  I covered several miles on a very warm and humid morning but didn't have any luck finding any wrens.  Best birds were two families of Barred Owls at widely separate locations with lots of vocalizations. The deer flies were horrendous despite putting on a ton of bug spray but I managed to kill a fair number of them (I stopped counting after fifty!).

The status of Marsh Wrens in Hampshire County is unusual in that the species has bred here in the past but there are no recent records.  The odd part is that the species breeds to the north, south, east and west of the county but not here despite some marshes that look perfect for them.  I have tried for several years to find a spot were they currently breed in the county but no luck so far.  I usually have to wait until fall to catch up with the species in migration.  I will have to do a longer post of this species sometime in the future looking at locations were it has bred in the past in the county but not today.

Great Egret, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 15, 2016

Great Egret, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, July 15, 2016

Once I came home and picked up Wilson we headed over to Lake Wallace and walked for a bit before the heat got to be a little too much for both of us.  Best sighting there was a Great Egret fishing the water along with several Great Blue Herons....hopefully a sign of more unusual egrets/herons to follow (a Little Blue Heron was sighted in the south Berkshires yesterday).  I got a few record shots of the egret with my phone through the binoculars.

Upland Sandpiper, Stoney Brook Wetland Area, Ludlow, MA, July 14, 2016

Bald Eagle (with leg bands) eating fish, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, July 14, 2016

Bald Eagle (with leg bands) eating fish, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, July 14, 2016

Bald Eagle (with leg bands) eating fish, Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, July 14, 2016

Despite the occasional showers and drizzle yesterday morning I headed over to Hadley and then over the bridge to Northampton and then down south to the Holyoke Dam before making a stop outside the county at the Stoney Brook Wetland Area in Ludlow.  Not much luck finding any unusual waders or shorebirds but I did find some decent birds.  Highlights in the Hampshire County included at least three Vesper Sparrows at the Honey Pot; typical stuff at Arcadia and Lower Mill Pond; a banded adult Bald Eagle and at least 90 Chimney Swifts at the Holyoke Dam.  The area of Stoney Brook Wetland Area had several good birds including two Upland Sandpipers, both species of cuckoo, four Marsh Wrens, a Grasshopper Sparrow, three Field Sparrows and four Eastern Meadowlarks.  The wrens and meadowlarks were new species for my Hampden County list.

Morning at Aracdia produces Upland Sandpiper, Connecticut Warbler and Marsh Wren (and much more)

Marsh Wren, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Marsh Wren, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Marsh Wren, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

House Wren, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Red tailed Hawk, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Red tailed Hawk, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Savannah Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Indigo Bunting, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2014

Another weekend birding day with Jacob and another great morning of birding. I really didn't think we could match last Sunday morning when we had Buff breasted Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, Dickcissel and Clay colored Sparrow and others but we did. Highlights this morning included another(!) Upland Sandpiper, Connecticut Warbler and Marsh Wren...plus lots of other stuff. The Connecticut Warbler became species #227 for Hampshire County this year. We spent about three and a half hours at Arcadia and then briefly checked along the Connecticut River before parting ways. Although I had hoped for some early sun we were socked in with clouds the entire time except right at the end when some blue patches started showing up. The breeze was not as bad as yesterday but it was still quite cool (50's).  No mudflats visible in the marsh (damn river tides!) so no shorebirds (except for flybys).  A little more diversity with warblers today but still no big numbers (perhaps tomorrow or Monday will see a big influx?). I have included the entire list for the morning below....a great morning to be out birding.

Video link of Upland Sandpiper in flight:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/15204435356/in/photostream/

 

Arcadia

 

Canada Goose  18
Wood Duck  3
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  17
Green-winged Teal (American)  2
Great Blue Heron  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Solitary Sandpiper  1
Upland Sandpiper  1     Rare.  Initially heard giving flight call and then picked up in flight.  Bird continued to call as it flew directly overhead and then continued north.  Small billed, small headed with long tail.  My third county record ever with two in the last week!
Ring-billed Gull  2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  28     peregrine falcon making run at group in flight
Mourning Dove  14
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  7
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  4
Pileated Woodpecker  3
Peregrine Falcon  2     at least two, possibly more
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)  1     Silent bird, Ibis pool area
Eastern Phoebe  6
Philadelphia Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  4
Blue Jay  16
American Crow  4
Barn Swallow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  24
Tufted Titmouse  6
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
House Wren  7
Marsh Wren  1     Unusual.  Seen along old trolley line
Carolina Wren  1
Wood Thrush  2
American Robin  17
Gray Catbird  31
European Starling  12
American Pipit  7     Flyby group of six calling, plus a single bird
Cedar Waxwing  34
Ovenbird  1
Connecticut Warbler  1     Unusual.  Found in area where I have this species in previous falls.  Heard giving chip call from area of jewelweed but never showed itself
Common Yellowthroat  19
American Redstart  2
Northern Parula  2
Magnolia Warbler  2
Yellow Warbler  6     Minimum...variety of plumage
Blackpoll Warbler  4
Palm Warbler  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
warbler sp.  6     flight calling birds
Chipping Sparrow  2
Field Sparrow  2
Savannah Sparrow  19
Song Sparrow  66
Lincoln's Sparrow  1
Swamp Sparrow  4
sparrow sp.  1     small individual flushed from edge of grass, flew very low to ground for approx 20 feet before landing and running rapidly into deeper grass not to be seen again.  Grayish back but look not great.  Very possibly a Grasshopper Sparrow but not certain
Scarlet Tanager  1
Northern Cardinal  7
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  3
Indigo Bunting  7
Bobolink  17
Red-winged Blackbird  65
Common Grackle  12
Purple Finch  2     flybys calling
American Goldfinch  2

Buff breasted Sandpiper and Upland Sandpiper!

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Upland Sandpiper, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Cooper's Hawk, Honeypot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

I spent the morning birding with Jacob and what a great morning we had.  It started out a bit slow as we worked our way through the East Meadows.  We had high hopes with the rain of yesterday and good migration conditions overnight that we would find some good stuff with the focus being on shorebirds.  We scanned though several fields in the East Meadows but all we could come up with were three Killdeer in the field they have been in my last few stops down there.  Several hundred swallows moving through including loads of Tree Swallows and lesser numbers of Bank and Barn.  Without much luck so far we had to decide where to go next to try to find some shorebirds so we decided on the Honeypot, which turned out to be a great decision!  We checked a few fields when we arrived there with much luck until I picked out a Buff breasted Sandpiper in a field close to the dike.  We got great looks at this bird as it fed out in the open and occasionally stopping and crouching down when a raptor (and a cormorant!) came by.  After scanning around and watching the bird for some time we headed deeper into the Honeypot but not before getting an early flyby American Pipit that was calling (Jacob managed some shots of the bird).  We then came across our next great bird of the day when we heard an odd call that we could not identify.  A few minutes the call repeated and then we saw a bird in the air.  First impressions were of a large shorebird with a small bill, small head, large body and long tail.  I thought 'Upland Sandpiper' but I had never heard the call before.  The bird headed south and then east calling the entire time.  We managed lots of distant shots but nothing great.  We puzzled over the bird for a few minutes until listening to the flight call of an Upland Sandpiper...dead on match!  Only my second county record of this species and the first in seven years.  A very unusual species in western Massachusetts away from its breeding area at Westover ARB to our south.  We searched for the Upland Sandpiper in several fields to the east but could not find it again.  The Buff breasted Sandpiper remained in the area we had seen it in earlier and some other birders arrived and we were able to get them on it (a life bird for some).  The one individual was joined by a second Buff breasted Sandpiper after we left the area.  I managed to add two new species for Hampshire County this year with our stop at the Honeypot...Buff Breasted Sandpiper (#224) and Upland Sandpiper (#225).

Lesser Yellowlegs, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Solitary Sandpiper, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Spotted Sandpiper, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

Least Sandpiper, Connecticut River, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2014

We then took a quick spin through the Aqua Vitae Road area but no shorebirds due to all the fields being full of unharvested corn.  We didn't strike out completely here as we had a Dickcissel calling over and over for a couple minutes from a corn field along with Indigo Buntings and Chipping Sparrows.  Our final stop for the morning was along the Connecticut River in Hadley where we added four more species of shorebird including two Spotted Sandpipers, three Solitary Sandpipers, a Lesser Yellowlegs and a dozen Least Sandpipers.  Ended the morning with seven species of shorebirds...certainly a day of quality and not quantity...typical for the valley when it comes to shorebirds.

At home the warblers started to heat up late in the afternoon with both Bay breasted and Blackpoll Warblers in the yard.  After dark I went out to check out the migration and had quite a few flight calls as well as birds moving past the moon at a rate around 8-10 a minute.  Here are a few links to video of moon passing birds:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/15181395572/in/photostream
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/14995292947/in/photostream/