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).  

A long time with a Connecticut Warbler plus some other unusual species for the day

Connecticut Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Connecticut Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Connecticut Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Connecticut Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Yellow Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Today was one of those days that is not soon to be repeated as I got to spend over 45 minutes with a Connecticut Warbler (much more detail on the warbler at the following post).  After finding my second Connecticut Warbler of the fall in Ware yesterday I had an exceptional long visit with another individual today in Belchertown.  I was really not expecting the species in the area I was in but as I was trying to get some photos of warblers in a small mixed flock at the edge of some small birches I noticed some movement down low and expected to see a Common Yellowthroat but instead had a Connecticut Warbler.  It quickly dropped out of view and I was afraid that would be my only view as is typically the case with this retiring species.  I'm happy to say I was wrong and after I relocated it after a few minutes of looking I had the bird in view for over 45 minutes as it worked through a grove of Eastern White Pine eating a variety of caterpillars and stayed higher up then I usually see the species.  I took hundreds of photos in marginal conditions and got a few that were decent enough (plus a video).  It was super cool to watch the bird walk up and down the branches feeding.  Link to the eBird list with additional photos and the video here.

 

Virginia Rail, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 19, 2025

   

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 19, 2025

Before finding the Connecticut Warbler I also had some other noteworthy sightings for the day including a slightly late Eastern Whip Poor Will at Winsor Dam at dawn and at least two Virginia Rails at Lake Wallace.  

A productive few days with both birds and mammals as fall migration continues

Bobcat, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Sep 18, 2025

Prairie Warbler, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Sep 18, 2025

Lincoln's Sparrow, Ware, MA, Sep 18, 2025

Connecticut Warbler habitat, Ware, MA, Sep 18, 2025

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Sep 17, 2025

Black throated Blue Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 17, 2025

Northern Flicker, Belchertown, MA, Sep 17, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park,  MA, Sep 17, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Sep 16, 2025

Sandhill Cranes, Arcadia, Easthampton, MA, Sep 16, 2025

Black and White Warbler, Arcadia, Easthampton, MA, Sep 16, 2025

    

Red eyed Vireo, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 16, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2025

Osprey, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2025

Broad winged Hawk, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2025

Northern House Wren, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2025

Northern Waterthrush, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2025

Barred Owl, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 15, 2025

Virginia Rail, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2025

The first few days of the third week of September have largely continued our sunny and pleasant weather with great migration conditions overall.  I have continued to concentrate on warblers and managed to find my second Connecticut Warbler of the fall this morning.  Another big highlight while out this morning was getting up close looks at a Bobcat that popped out on the trail and stayed put long enough for me to fire off a number of shots and get to admire it as it stared back at me.  It has been a good few days for mammals overall with several species beyond the Bobcat including a family of four Black Bears yesterday.  Yesterday I stayed fairly close to home in the morning and had a few pockets of birds and had my first Rusty Blackbirds of the fall.  In the afternoon I was over at Smith College to give a brief talk on eBird to a biology class there followed by a bird walk along the Mill River...hopefully the talk was well received and was not too boring!  On Tuesday I tried my luck over at Arcadia but due to poor bird management choices there it was quite quiet (they have mowed down almost all the weedy fields leaving very little sparrow habitat).  Nonetheless I still had some birds there including the continued pair of Sandhill Cranes plus my first Lincoln's Sparrows of fall plus another Philadelphia Vireo.  To start out the third week of the month I stayed close to home again and started my morning with a couple Virginia Rails at Lake Wallace and then added some other neat sightings including a good look at a Barred Owl at Quabbin Park and a number of raptor species migrating south. 

Worked my last shift and now retired

Group photo on my last shift, Northampton, MA, Jul 27, 2025

  

Last shift at work, Northampton, MA, Jul 27, 2025

I seldom post anything besides birds, wildlife and Wilson here but I will make a rare exception in this case given what a big milestone it is for me.  Yesterday was my last shift on the fire department and ends a 33 year career in the fire and EMS field.  I'm sure it will all hit me in a few weeks that I will never go into work another shift.  It has been quite a journey and I have worked with a lot of great people over the years.  Now I will be spending all my time birding, traveling and spoiling Wilson.  

Virginia Rail, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 28, 2025

Wood Ducks, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 27, 2025

  

Green Heron, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jul 27, 2025

I did get in some brief birding on my way to work and on my way home after my last shift.  Lots of Green Herons, some Virginia Rails and my first Grasshopper Sparrow of the year.

Lots of breeding birds for the middle of June

 

Virginia Rail juvenile, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 17, 2024

Great Blue Herons at nest, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 17, 2024

Eastern Towhee carrying food, Quabbin Gate 5, Belchertown, MA, Jun 17, 2024

House Wren nest with young, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 13, 2024

Common Mergansers, Mill River, Northampton, MA, Jun 12, 2024

Mourning Dove on nest, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jun 11, 2024

Eastern Bluebird nest with young, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jun 10, 2024

A quick post for the middle of June.  Migration is mainly over and most birds around now are in the midst of breeding with lots of adults carrying food to nests and young and a number of recently fledged birds around.  There is still lots of song but it has started to slow down, especially for some species.  Just a small sample of photos of breeding species shown above. 

Close encounter with a Ruffed Grouse

 

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse checking out my camera, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Ruffed Grouse, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

My big reward for heading out this morning included a close encounter with a Ruffed Grouse in Quabbin Park (I also had some other highlights for the morning that will be included at the bottom of this post).  I stayed local once again as Wilson had an appointment to get his stiches out and I wanted to make sure I made it back with time to spare.  I ended up running across the very friendly Ruffed Grouse as I was near the end of my time in the park.  Initially I noticed him walking through the woods and got a few photos and then it started walking directly toward me as it fed.  It eventually walked right up to me and it got too close to use the big camera, so most photos and videos were done with my iPhone.  After a bit of time staying still admiring the grouse I started walking down the trail and the grouse followed along with me for a few hundred feet.  On my return back down the same trail the grouse rejoined me and once again stayed with me for a few hundred feet.  I have had this experience just a few times before and it was been several years since the last time.  There are a couple of theories to explain this behavior.  One is that the bird is being hyper territorial and the other is that it is a genetic throwback to a time before the birds developed a necessary fear of  humans (link to article here...thanks Mary).  It is a really cool experience to have this happen with what is typically a very wary species that you getting fleeting glimpses of (if you see it at all).

Links to videos (well worth watching in my opinion)

video 1

video 2

video 3

video 4

video 5

video 6

video 7

video 8

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Gray Catbird, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Eastern Towhee juvenile, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Virginia Rail, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Wood Ducks, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Mountain Laurel blooming, Quabbin Gate 8, Pelham, MA, Jun 23, 2023

Beyond the grouse I had some other good stuff for the morning including my first Virginia Rail fledglings of the year at Lake Wallace.  I noticed an adult that didn't seem to be moving much and seemed really fluffed up.  I suspected it was sitting over some young and after a lot of looking I caught a few glimpses of two tiny black fledglings (one video captured one for a brief moment...link to video here: Virginia Rail video).  I also had a quick look at a silent Marsh Wren as I was scanning for rails.  Lots of other evidence of breeding species at every stop I made over the course of the morning.  I also relocated the Cerulean Warbler singing a parula like song in the same area I discovered it yesterday.  There are now two singing Cerulean Warblers within Quabbin Park and hopefully I will able to find some evidence of breeding (See an earlier post regarding the history of Cerulean Warblers breeding at Quabbin Park at the following link).