Another birding program completed, closing of the water feature, a dangerous storm in the Caribbean and some late species

Black throated Green Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 24, 2025

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 23, 2025

White throated Sparrow, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 23, 2025

Swamp Sparrow, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 23, 2025

Savannah Sparrow, Aqua Vitae Road, Hadley, MA, Oct 23, 2025

Common Mergansers, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 22, 2025

Common Loons, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 22, 2025

White throated Sparrow, Home, Belchertown, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Nothing too noteworthy for species the last few days as we continue into the fourth week of October and the weather continues to cool down (although I have had a few late species).  I did complete my second presentation to a birding group in the last two weeks with a program for the bird club at Smith College last night on "Birding in the late fall and winter in the valley".  This follows my program at the Hampshire Bird Club (Endemic Warblers of the Caribbean) on the 14th.  I have actually really enjoyed putting together programs and presenting them.  They have been well received and well attended and I look forward to doing more in the future. 

The forecast shows northerly winds for the next few days with cooling temps before the arrival of some rain to end out the month of October and I suspect this will push in some late fall waterfowl. Elsewhere in the world a tropical system (currently a TS named Melissa) sits in the Caribbean south of Jamaica and is likely to strengthen into a major hurricane but move very little for days and will be devastating to Jamacia, Haiti and likely Cuba with high winds, extremely heavy rain and storm surge.  Not a good scenario for wildlife or people in the above mentioned areas. 

I also closed up the water feature at the house today as winter closes in.  The last capture on the camera was a White throated Sparrow which seems an appropriate species to end with.

Birding the morning after a bit of snow

 

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Arcadia, Easthampton, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Cedar Waxwing, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Freezing fog, Mitch's Way,  Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

White throated Sparrow, Mitch's Way,  Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

American Robin, Mitch's Way,  Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Mitch's Way,  Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Ring necked Ducks, Mitch's Way,  Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Cackling Goose, East Hadley Rd, Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Killdeer, East Hadley Rd, Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Killdeer, East Hadley Rd, Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Horned Larks, East Hadley Rd, Hadley, MA, Mar 10, 2022

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Mar 10, 2022

I headed out this morning in to see what I could find after a little bit of snow yesterday.  I mainly concentrated on areas that have had overwintering Yellow rumped Warblers and I once again found a few of them.  The morning started off fairly cold with some freezing fog in places.  I wanted to check Winsor Dam early but the fog made visibility there nearly nonexistent.  Instead my first stop was Arcadia which featured at least three Yellow rumped Warblers plus a large flock of Cedar Waxwings.  I then went over to a snowy Mitch's Way where I had another Yellow rumped Warbler plus a decent selection of waterfowl with seven species (there were probably more but the fog made viewing tough).  There were also a couple Yellow bellied Sapsuckers around plus a number of other species.  I also checked a few fields looking for geese and had my best luck in a field in Hadley that held a Cackling Goose among several hundred Canada Geese.  The field also had a couple flyover American Pipits, at least 22 Killdeer (which looked less than thrilled with the snow) and a large flock of Horned Larks that included a Lapland Longspur.  Overall a nice morning to be outside and my last chance to find new species around here until I get back home after another trip down to warmer locales.  

I checked the duck boxes at the house and at least two appear to have had a visitor recently.  The wood chips are matted down a bit which is usually the first step in the nesting process.  I suspect the first eggs will be laid in the very near future.

Snow Geese, Meadow St fields, Hadley, MA, Mar 9, 2022

Northern Pintails, Meadow St fields, Hadley, MA, Mar 9, 2022

Ring necked Ducks, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 8, 2022

Wood Ducks, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 8, 2022

Mallards, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Mar 8, 2022

I have got out a bit the last few days and mainly had a variety of waterfowl at various locations.  Nothing too unusual but certainly an ongoing influx of multiple species as the winter comes to an end and the beginning of spring migration starts up.  

PINK FOOTED GEESE today

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Pink Footed Geese, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

When the day began I did not think I would be looking at two Pink Footed Geese in Hadley but that is how the day played out.  I found myself in proximity to Hadley today (more on that below) so I was fairly close when I heard about two Pink footed Geese roosting on the river.  The birds were found by Mary and several others got to see them over the course of the late morning into the afternoon.  These two represent the third and fourth Hampshire County records of the species.  I found the first Hampshire County record of Pink footed Goose back in March of 2014 in Hatfield and then the second county record in December 2016.  This migration season has been great for the species in western Massachusetts with an amazing four seen in Hampden County in mid December (I think this is the highest count ever in the state) and two seen over a few days in Westfield in mid December also.  Although still a mega rarity the species has become more common in the northeast as the population in Greenland continues to increase.

Snow Goose, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Canada Goose with extensive white on neck, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Black Ducks (and others), Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

In addition to the Pink footed Geese there were a number of other notables at Mitch's Way including a juvenile Snow Goose and 40+ American Black Ducks.  I didn't have the time or energy to try to relocate the Yellow rumped Warblers I had here on the first or the Ruby crowned Kinglet seen the same day.

Northern Harrier, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Robin, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Black capped Chickadee, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Swamp Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Tree Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

White throated Sparrow, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

American Robin with leucism, Great Pond, Hatfield, MA, Jan 4, 2022

Before making my way over to see the geese I had a very productive morning in spite of the cold temps (10 degrees at dawn).  I had to be over in Northampton for an appointment midday (which got cancelled late morning) and I started my day up at Great Pond.  The recent cold snap froze all the water in the pond so I concentrated on sparrows and had decent numbers and variety including at least two Swamp Sparrows.  I then headed down to the East Meadows in the hopes of turning up an overwinter Yellow rumped Warbler (no luck with that).  I did have at least one Fish Crow in a large crow flock as well as at least one Lapland Longspur among a large Horned Lark flock.  I then got a message from Mary saying she had a possible Greater White fronted Goose in Hadley but didn't have a scope or camera...she later said it was just an oddly plumaged Canada Goose so I made a stop at the Honey Pot trying to get photos of the continued Western Meadowlark but the bird did not show while I was there.  As my appointment had been cancelled at this point I started heading home and then heard about the Pink footed Geese and then turned around to go back to Hadley.

A warm and damp beginning to 2022

Snow Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 2, 2022

Snow Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 2, 2022

Mute Swans, Hadley Falls Canal Park, South Hadley, MA, Jan 2, 2022

Common Goldeneyes, Hadley Falls Canal Park, South Hadley, MA, Jan 2, 2022

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 2, 2022

The first two days of the year have been warmer than average but also wet with bouts of rain and nearly continuous low clouds and drizzle.  The forecast calls for a big cool down for tomorrow for a couple days but still no big snow storms in the immediate future (although one is possible by the end of the week).  Despite the less than ideal conditions to be outside I made the most of the birding opportunities and took advantage of almost all bodies of water being ice free.  The first two days of the year landed me 68 species so far (with most of those on the first of the year...more on that below).  Today I had hoped the weather would have improved but when I went out before dawn listening for owls it was raining lightly and continued to do so throughout the entire morning.  No luck tracking down a saw whet owl this morning but I did have multiple Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls.  With the weather foggy and visibility around Quabbin greatly reduced I decided to head over to some areas along the river where the distances to view stuff on the water is much less.  My first stop was Arcadia where I had an adult Snow Goose in among a few hundred Canada Geese plus a female Gadwall that played hide and seek in the grassy edges of the marsh and I never managed to get a photo of.  I tried to find a Gray Catbird that is attempting to overwinter in the area of the old orchard but I failed to find it.  All the open water produced at least two Belted Kingfishers chasing each other around.  I next stopped in the area of Lower Mill Pond in Easthampton but it was quiet and there was no sign of any Black Vultures that have overwintered in the area in the past.  I then headed over the mountain to see what might be around the Holyoke Dam with stops at the Hadley Falls Canal Park and then the dam itself.  Nothing too unusual but a few new species for the year.  I then made a quick stop a very foggy Winsor Dam before going home to get Wilson to go for a walk in the rain.

Eastern Screech Owl, Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2022

Northern Harrier, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2022

Northern Harrier calling, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2022

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2022

Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2022

White throated Sparrow, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2022

Eastern Phoebe, Hadley, MA, Jan 1, 2022

Winsor Dam Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 1, 2022

Hooded Merganser, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Jan 1, 2022

After getting out of work on New Years Day I immediately started looking for birds to kick off 2022.  I had a couple of owls species before it even got light with Great Horned Owl and a very inquisitive Eastern Screech Owl.  My first longer stop was to the Honey Pot where I had a brief view of the continued Western Meadowlark as it got flushed by a Northern Harrier and then landed out of sight and called a few times.  I was unable to get a better view of the bird without trespassing so I had to be content with a brief view.  There were at least two Northern Harriers present too and one even called a bit when it landed on a fence near the landfill (not something I hear too often around here).  The other notable bird at the Honey Pot was a continued White crowned Sparrow which defied my attempts to get a photo.  As it got a bit later in the morning I decided to head to Mitch's Way in the hopes of finding some Yellow rumped Warblers there.  I found at least two of the warblers still present and feeding on poison ivy berries...a big goal for the month reached on the first day!  In addition to the warblers I had a late Ruby crowned Kinglet plus a few Red winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.  I then hit a few more spots in Hadley including an area where an Eastern Phoebe looks to be trying to overwinter for the third year in a row.  A stop at the campus pond found few geese present so no chance to add a Cackling Goose for the year.  I then headed toward home but not before a few stops in the Quabbin Park area to see if I could add something for the Quabbin CBC.  Unfortunately the fog was thick and the gates to the park were closed so no chance to add anything noteworthy for the count.  Although the weather was less than ideal but I still ended the day with 60 species, a very respectful start to the new year.  

Gray Squirrel with dark gray undersides, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 1, 2022

The feeders at the house continue to be active with loads of banded Black capped Chickadees plus a Gray Squirrel with some dark gray undersides and flanks...perhaps a bit of coloration of a typical Gray Squirrel with a black morph Gray Squirrel?