September wrap up

Connecticut Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 28, 2019

Marsh Wren, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 28, 2019

Eastern Wood Pewee, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 28, 2019

Swamp Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 27, 2019

Least Flycatcher, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 27, 2019

Snowy Egret with Great Egrets, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 22, 2019

Gray Fox, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Sep 21, 2019

Prairie Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 16, 2019

Yellow billed Cuckoo, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Sep 15, 2019

Clay colored Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Sep 7, 2019

Now that September has come to an end I will take a quick look at what the month brought in.  Overall migration was good but did not feature as much variety or numbers as I expected but with so many days (and nights) of great migration conditions I think a lot of birds just moved past rapidly.  I found a total of 155 species for the month which just slightly above average but nine short of the record set last year when I had 164.  There were a number of highlights for the month including continued numbers of Great Egrets, a Snowy Egret, a number of late lingering flycatchers, a couple Marsh Wrens, an early Clay colored Sparrow (among ten species of sparrows), a Worm eating Warbler and seven Connecticut Warblers among 27 warbler species for the month and a Blue Grosbeak.  A more detailed look at warblers for the month (with loads of photos) can be found at September warblers.

Bobcat, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2019

Bobcat, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2019

White tailed Deer, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 23, 2019

Blackpoll Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2019

I also continue to catch both Bobcat and White tailed Deer on the game cameras at home.  The camera on the water feature has been very quiet for most of the month but did have a Blackpoll Warbler make a stop yesterday.

Mid September birding update

Yellow billed Cuckoo, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Sep 15, 2019

Eastern Wood Pewee, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Sep 15, 2019

American Redstart, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Sep 15, 2019

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2019

Song Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2019

Common Buckeye, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 13, 2019

Blue winged Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 11, 2019

Now that the middle of September has arrived I'm using the last of my vacation time to catch up on the peak of fall migration.  The last several days have featured some decent mornings as well as a few slow ones.  On the 10th I stopped on my way to work at Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River and had a Mourning Warbler that tried its bets to turn itself into a Connecticut Warbler but no luck.  After work on September 11th I headed over to Arcadia where I caught up with a few notable species including a late Worm eating Warbler (a species I seldom get in the fall but several others have been reported in the area lately so it appears a number are hanging around a bit longer than usual).  This past Thursday I planned on starting my first full day of vacation exploring UMASS but when I arrived there it was already breezy and that usually means a lot less activity so I ditched that plan and instead headed Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River where I had ten species of warbler including four Tennessee Warblers plus other 'stuff'. On Friday I started off the day before dawn at Arcadia and spent about four hours exploring various parts of the sanctuary and found quite a few good birds including my first Connecticut Warbler of the year (warbler species #52 for the year for me...you can keep tabs on my warblers here.) and a Marsh Wren.  On Saturday I started off before dawn at Quabbin Park where I still had at least one Eastern Whip Poor Will.  I then headed back over to Silvio Conte where I spent a couple hours in the gloom but still managed to turn up some birds but not as many as I had hoped for.  Today dawned foggy but I thought it might still be good so I headed over to UMASS where I spent almost the entire morning.  I had a number of good sightings with a few multiple species flocks around.  Highlights included four Common Nighthawks moving southeast at around 10AM, a trilling Eastern Screech Owl, a Merlin that zipped through and almost got a goldfinch, four vireo species, at least four Wood Thrush calling early in the morning, 15 species of warblers and four Scarlet Tanagers.  Tomorrow looks to be a bit rainy at times but there should be a big influx of birds for Tuesday morning...time will tell.

Ruby throated Hummingbird, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 13, 2019

White tailed Deer, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2019

White tailed Deer, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2019

White tailed Deer, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 13, 2019

The trail cameras at home have captured White tailed Deer fairly often the last several days and have continued to capture Ruby throated Hummingbirds as they fuel up for the journey south.

May wrap up

Cattle Egret, Hadley, MA, May 7, 2018

Yellow billed Cuckoo, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

Baltimore Oriole, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

Hooded Mergansers, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, May 29, 2018

Scarlet Tanager, Quabbin Park, MA, May 23, 2018

Black billed Cuckoos mating, Quabbin Park, MA, May 21, 2018

Olive sided Flycatcher, Quabbin Park, MA, May 20, 2018

Ruby throated Hummingbird building nest, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2018

Cape May Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Bay breasted Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 21 2018

Golden winged x Blue winged Warbler hybrid, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Mourning Warbler (eastern vocal group), Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2018

Cerulean Warbler building nest, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 15, 2018

May has now come to an end and it was once again a great month for migration with a total of 175 species in Hampshire County over the course of the month (a tie with 2014 for my highest May total).  Among the species seen were a number of highlights including a number of unusual waterfowl species at Winsor Dam May 12 during bird-a-thon, a Red throated Loon (among dozens of Common Loons) at Winsor Dam on May 22, a couple Cattle Egrets in Hadley, multiple Soras, a few unusual shorebirds including a Dunlin in Hadley, decent numbers of both species of cuckoo (taking advantage of yet another terrible season for Gypsy Moth caterpillars), a White eyed Vireo in Amherst, a total of 30 species of warblers (highlights including a Brewster's, another hybrid, an Orange crowned Warbler, three Hooded Warblers, at least 9 Mourning Warblers and above normal numbers of Tennessee, Cape May and Bay breasted Warblers) and a Grasshopper Sparrow in Northampton.  A more detailed review of warblers can be found at the following link: Warblers spring 2018.  I also completed my two Eastern Whip Poor Will surveys.  There are still some late season migrants moving through but for the most part the birds around are now breeders.

Several bird surveys, more Mourning Warblers and an epic list from Quebec

Goodnough Dike at dusk, Quabbin Park, MA, May 23, 2018

I conducted both of my Eastern Whip Poor Will surveys in the past several days and found a decent number of birds (and actually saw several).  The routes consist of 10 stops at one mile intervals with passive listening at each stop for six minutes...the conditions have to be clear, calm and the moon has to be up so it can be tough to get the routes in as lining up all the right conditions with time off can be tough.  My first route, which goes through Quabbin Park and then south along the Swift River, was completed on May 23rd and was very productive (at least within Quabbin Park) with a total of 26 Eastern Whip Poor Wills with 25 of them in Quabbin Park.  My second route goes from the southern part of the Prescott Peninsula all the way up to the northern end of the peninsula and I completed that route last night.  Last night was the first time I have ever had two species of nightjars during one of my survey when I had singing Eastern Whip Poor Wills and a calling Common Nighthawk at one of my stops...very cool.  Someday perhaps I will find a Chucks Wills Widow on one of my routes.  I also had a Northern Saw Whet Owl at one of my stops last night...only the second time I have recorded that species during a EWPW survey.  In addition to the birds I had a family of Black Bears at my first stop and a Moose near the end of the survey plus way too numerous ticks and mosquitoes.

Here are the comparisons of the previous surveys since I started running them..it was a good year:

Prescott

2012 -9 total individuals with 7 at survey stops
2013 -9 total individuals with all at survey stops
2014 -7 total individuals with all at survey stops
2015 -10 total individuals with 7 at survey stops
2016 -10 total individuals with 7 at survey stops
2017 -15 total individuals with 11 at survey stops
2018 -19 total individuals with 7 at survey stops

Quabbin Park

2013 -6 total individuals with 5 at survey stops
2014 -14 total individuals with all at survey stops
2015 -13 total individuals with 11 at survey stops
2016 -6 total individuals with all at survey stops
2017 -19 total individuals with 15 at survey stops
2018 -26 total individuals with 14 at survey stops

On Monday I assisted in the 10th annual bird survey at Poverty Mountain in Shutesbury.  Although the weather was less than ideal there were still birds active but the rain certainly reduced the overall numbers and variety.  Even in bad weather it is a joy to bird at Kevin and Cynthia's farm. 

American Redstart on nest, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

American Robin feeding nestlings, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

Yellow billed Cuckoo, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 29, 2018

Hooded Mergansers, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, May 29, 2018

Today I spent my time around the local area with an early morning visit over to Lake Wallace before heading into Quabbin Park for a few hours where I had a decent selection of birds including at least three Mourning Warblers among some 70+ species.  The number of migrants continues to drop with most birds around now being breeders.

Red Foxes, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 27, 2018

Red Foxes, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 27, 2018

Red Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 25, 2018

The Red Fox family is still around the house but not sure for how much longer as the kits are almost the same size as the adults.  I have caught just fleeting glimpses of them but the cameras around the yard have captured them quite a bit.

Eastern Phoebe with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 26, 2018

House Wren with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 26, 2018

American Robin with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 26, 2018

Tufted Titmouse and Chipping Sparrow watching a Garter Snake, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 28, 2018

Tree Swallow nest with egg, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 23, 2018

Swainson's Thrush, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 24, 2018

Eastern Phoebe nestlings, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 28, 2018

Multiple birds are breeding in the yard with some nests with eggs and others with nestlings being fed.  There has been a Swainson's Thrush that was hanging around the yard and occasionally singing for nearly a week but it seems it may have finally continued on with its migration.  I also continue to see a number of banded birds around the yard including Eastern Phoebe, House Wren and American Robin.  Still no sign of any of the GPS tagged robins but I'm keeping an eye out.  With any luck we will catch one (or more) when we band again on June 7th.  Besides the birds and mammals that I have caught on the camera I captured a Garter Snake on the camera yesterday.


I also just have to post a link to an absolutely incredible eBird list from former valley resident and good friend Ian Davies from yesterday up in Tadoussac, Quebec (located along the St. Lawrence River northeast of Quebec City).  I noticed a post from Ian last night regarding the day after I got home from my whip poor will survey.  When Ian started his post off last night regarding the list with the simple words "Today was the greatest birding day of my life" I knew I was in for a treat.  I opened the list to see totals of several species that were just mind blowing...721,000+ total warblers with 144,000+ Bay breasted Warblers, 108,000+ Cape May Warblers, 72,000+ Tennessee Warblers, 108,000+ Magnolia Warblers, etc, etc, etc.  Given the drastic drop in populations of so many neotropic migrants it is even more amazing to see these kind of numbers at a single point in a single day.  It truly does boggle the mind. As words cannot truly describe the absolute epic-ness of the the day I will let the list speak for itself: Tadoussac.  One of the largest (if not the largest) count of warblers in a single count...and the best part is the birds were just moving through on their way to breeding grounds....there have been a few high counts in the past but usually it is the result of weather grounding birds and resulting in high mortality but not the case with yesterdays list.  I know we had several great days of birding in the valley when Ian was here they don't even come close to his day yesterday.  Congrats to Ian and the others for being present (and documenting) a truly amazing day of migration.