Another fruitless search for Long eared Owls but did find a Northern Shrike and some unusual waterfowl (at least unusual for winter)

Cedar Waxwing, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 19, 2016

Ring necked Pheasant, Hatfield, MA, Feb 19, 2016

I started off a rather cold morning in southern Hatfield looking for any Long eared Owls that might be around. Despite a lot of looking over the course of a few hours I didn't have any luck but there is so much good habitat for a roosting bird to hang out in I may have just missed them. The best I could come up with was an old owl pellet but no new ones. The best bird I had there was a male Ring necked Pheasant that called a few times and gave brief looks. I worked my way north up through Whately but didn't see anything noteworthy although a few of the fields look ripe to welcome geese as they move north in a few weeks. I then crossed back across the river and headed south on Route 47. When I was just past the Hadley/Sunderland line I had a Northern Shrike (#93) sitting at the top of a small tree just off the road. I got a great but brief look at it before I had to move due to traffic. I turned back around and came back but the bird was gone. I could not find a good spot to park in the area so I couldn't spend more time trying to relocate it.

Green winged Teal, UMASS campus pond, Amherst, MA, Feb 19, 2016

Gadwall, UMASS campus pond, Amherst, MA, Feb 19, 2016

Canada Geese on fields, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Feb 19, 2016

I checked numerous fields in northern Hadley and Amherst but didn't find any geese until I stopped at UMASS where I had 1300+ geese on the athletic fields near the Mullins Center. I scanned through them all three times but couldn't find anything besides Canada Geese although some birds were hidden from view, others were tucked in and the heat shimmer was a bit of an issue. My biggest group of geese so far this year and hopefully a good sign of more to come. I also stopped by the nearby campus pond and the Green winged Teal and Gadwall continue along with a few Black Ducks and hundreds of Mallards (much better looks at the birds today compared to a few days ago in a wind swept rain). I searched a few more fields to the south for geese or some other notable species but no luck.

Common Loons, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 19, 2016

Common Loon, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 19, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 19, 2016

Cedar Waxwing, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 19, 2016

I then headed over to Winsor Dam where I had four Common Loons (the highest count ever for this species around here in February on eBird). The only other waterfowl I had there were 22 Common Mergansers. I then made it home to get Wilson and we went for a walk at Covey WMA and also stopped along the Swift River where we had a dozen each of Hooded Mergansers and Mallards. A pair of Mallards kept repeatedly diving under the water for up to ten seconds at a time....not very dabbling duck like behavior! Overall another nice morning out despite the cold start.

Wild weather day and some late day waterfowl at UMASS

Green winged Teal, UMASS campus pond, Amherst, MA, Feb 16, 2016

Gadwall, UMASS campus pond, Amherst, MA, Feb 16, 2016

The day started out with some snow/sleet/freezing rain with temperatures around freezing and ended with a windswept rain and temperatures in the mid 50's!  The swing in temperatures from yesterday morning (at -17) to early this afternoon (54) is quite extreme in this area...from near record lows to near record highs in a day and a half.  I saw a post about a nice selection of waterfowl at the UMASS campus pond and I made a brief stop there in the evening on my way home.  The conditions were far from ideal with the rain and wind (and the optics fogging due to the rapid temperatures change).  I eventually got looks at both a Gadwall and a Green winged Teal in among the 130+ Mallards, half a dozen Black Ducks and a couple Canada Geese.  The Green winged Teal was new for the year and became species #92.  I managed a few photos of both species despite the poor conditions but they are not my best work.

Very cold morning out on President's Day

American Robin, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2016

Common Goldeneyes in the fog (part of flock of 54), Holyoke Dam, South Hadley, MA, Feb 15, 2016

Winsor Dam (iced over completely overnight), Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2016

Common Mergansers (part of flock of 71), Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2016

Savannah Sparrow, East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 15, 2016

Dark eyed Junco, Belchertown, MA, Feb 15, 2016

Winsor Dam (after a brief snow shower), Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 15, 2016

Despite near record cold temperatures (-15!) I headed out this morning to check various locations.  I started off predawn in Amherst looking for owls (Long eared Owls in particular) and found just a single Great Horned Owl.  As the sun started coming up I made it to the river which was almost totally ice covered and featured just a few Common Mergansers and Canada Geese.  A brief stop along Aqua Vitae Road turned up a few Savannah Sparrows and I ran into even more of them at the Honey Pot.  I then decided to head south to the area of the Holyoke Dam which usually has some open water when everything else is frozen solid.  I arrived to find some open water but the low fog caused by the very cold temperatures made viewing a bit of a challenge.  Nonetheless I turned up a feeding flock of at least 54 Common Goldeneyes plus the usually expected waterfowl.  Oddly there were very few gulls around (just four) and I had no luck finding any concentrations of gulls at all during the entire day despite hitting several spots that typical host decent flocks in past winters....no idea where they all are.  After the dam I worked back north to the snow filled East Meadows where I struck out on the White crowned Sparrows that have been around all winter but I did find another dozen Savannah Sparrows.  I then went back across the river and worked my way back to Quabbin.  When I arrived at Winsor Dam I was surprised to see the entire area frozen.  It was totally open water yesterday and frozen solid today.  As I was scanning the sky I noticed a large flock of Common Mergansers (at least 71 individuals) heading south and then east, probably searching for some open water to land in.  The nearby Swift River had just a couple small open spots of water and these held just a few Hooded Mergansers and Mallards.  Without much activity around the south Quabbin area I headed home and picked up the Wilson and headed to the land trust trail but not before making my first of a couple attempts to catch up with a Fox Sparrow that showed up the Griffith's house yesterday.  No luck finding the bird but with so many good bits of habitat around it may indeed still be around....hopefully it shows back up again.

A very cold weekend

Winsor Dam (with ice forming), Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 13, 2016

Mallards, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 13, 2016

Belted Kingfisher, Mass Wildlife fish hatchery, Belchertown, MA, Feb 14, 2016

Winsor Dam (with low fog as strong northwest winds blow over open water), Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 14, 2016

The arctic chill certainly arrive for the weekend as predicted. Saturday morning was thankfully quite calm and not extremely cold to start (around 10 degrees) so I managed to get out a little before the winds picks up by mid morning. I stayed around the south Quabbin area and managed to find a few noteworthy birds including an adult Iceland Gull at Winsor Dam sitting on the rapidly forming ice with a small group of Ring billed Gulls. All the gulls took flight and headed southeast before I could get any photos. The Iceland Gull becomes species #90 for the county so far this year. Other notable birds around included at least 92 Common Mergansers around Quabbin as well as a calling Common Loon. The rest of the day just got colder and windier with the temperature in the low single digits by nightfall. Overnight lows bottomed out around -12 with wind chills down near -40.  I didn't even venture out on Sunday until midday when the winds slackened up a bit and the temperatures reached a toasty 5 degrees.  Winsor Dam was fairly quiet but it was neat to see the low fog being created by the cold winds blowing across the open water.  A check along the Swift River produced a Belted Kingfisher at the fish hatchery and seven each of Hooded Merganser and Mallard in a small section of open water.  Late in the afternoon while driving to Northampton I came across a group of at least 42 Wild Turkeys along Bay Road in Belchertown and also spotted two Turkey Vultures circling over the area of Bay Rd/East Hadley Rd/ South Maple St in Hadley.  The Turkey Vultures became species #91 for Hampshire County this year so far.  The cold weather looks to continue overnight with lows tomorrow bottoming out between -10 and -15.

Various stops in the valley before the arctic chill

Black capped Chickadee, Swift River, Ware, MA, Feb 12, 2016

American Robin, Swift River, Ware, MA, Feb 12, 2016

Dark eyed Junco, rail trail near mall, Hadley, MA, Feb 12, 2016

American Tree Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Feb 12, 2016

White crowned Sparrow (adult), East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 12, 2016

White crowned Sparrow (juvenile), East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 12, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 12, 2016

I figured I would get out a bit this morning before the real arctic chill and strong winds arrive for the weekend.  It ended up being colder this morning then forecast with a low just below zero.  Thankfully there was light wind and it eventually warmed into the 20's.  The weekend looks to feature highs around ten (or less) and lows possibly getting to -15 on Sunday morning plus winds throughout the period with wind chills to -40...cold stuff!  I covered quite a bit of territory during the morning with stops in the East Meadows, the Honey Pot, fields throughout Hadley, a small area of the rail trail near the malls (looking in vain again for a Pine Warbler seen there early this month), then over to Quabbin Park and few spots along the Swift River.  All the small bodies of water were ice covered and the rivers were mostly frozen too.  Quabbin itself remains mostly ice free although some of the coves have started to ice up.  Not many highlights this morning but some decent sightings nonetheless.  The two White crowned Sparrows continue in the East Meadows among a mixed sparrow flock.  A number of Savannah Sparrows were in another mixed flock along Aqua Vitae Road in Hadley.  Quabbin Park produced a lingering Common Loon as well as 40+ Common Mergansers but no other waterfowl.  I could only find one open spot along the Swift River that contained waterfowl (Mallards and seven Hooded Mergansers).

I was going to try for 'the gull' in Turner's Falls yesterday evening but couldn't make it there (and it was apparently a no show so I guess I didn't miss anything!).  I gave some thought to going up that way late this morning but with negative reports from the night before and the bird seldom being seen before early evening I decided against it.  Perhaps I will make another try for it next week if it reappears.

Wilson in the snow, Belchertown, MA, Feb 12, 2016

Wilson in search of something under the snow, Belchertown, MA, Feb 12, 2016

Once I got back home I picked up Wilson and we went for a walk along the Jabish Canal.  Fairly quiet as far as birds go but Wilson had a great time trying to find critters under the snow.

Post snowstorm birding over the weekend

American Tree Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, Feb 7, 2016

Savannah Sparrows, Honey Pot, Hadley, Feb 7, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 7, 2016

Red necked Grebe, Hank's Meadow, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 7, 2016

I made an attempt to get over to Quabbin Park early in order to check out the waterfowl roost but the gates didn't open until too late in the morning.  Without any luck in getting into Quabbin Park itself I instead went to Winsor Dam where I had a gathering of around three hundred gulls with most being Ring billed Gulls with about a dozen Herring Gulls and two Great black backed Gulls.  With the gates still closed at Quabbin I decided to head over to Hadley and check the Honey Pot and a small part of the rail trail.  The Honey Pot had just over forty Horned Larks, 45+ American Tree Sparrows and at least 13 Savannah Sparrows.  A brief stop along the rail trail near the mall was unproductive.  With the calm conditions I decided to use my remaining time in the morning over at Quabbin looking for waterfowl.  On my way there I had a group of 32 Wild Turkeys at a house that feeds them on Bay Road in Belchertown (largest group I have had there in a while...I guess the snow pushed them in).  Quabbin Park produced 15 Common Mergansers, a calling Common Loon, a Red necked Grebe (a darker individual compared to the one I had yesterday at Winsor Dam...see below), a kingfisher and a flyby Snow Bunting.

American Tree Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, Feb 6, 2016

Dark eyed Junco, Honey Pot, Hadley, Feb 6, 2016

Savannah Sparrow, Honey Pot, Hadley, Feb 6, 2016

Dawn in the East Meadows, Northampton, MA, Feb 6, 2016

Predawn, Honey Pot, Hadley, Feb 6, 2016

I spent the entire morning yesterday at various areas along the Connecticut River with most of my time spent in the East Meadows and the Honey Pot. I was not sure how accessible the areas would be after the snowfall on Friday but the area of Hadley/Northampton received only a few inches of snow so access was not really an issue. It was very cold (8 degrees before dawn) but it was thankfully not breezy. The cold temperatures created some ground level fog as well as lots of ice crystals on everything along the river which made for some spectacular views. The East Meadows were a bit tricky in spots due to some snow and ice and ruts but I still managed to hit a few spots that were not occupied by hunters. Flocks of Horned Larks were around as well as the typical sparrows plus a single Red winged Blackbird. The Honey Pot was a bit more active with a heard only White crowned Sparrow that sang a partial song a couple of times but was never seen (it was in the same area where the 'Gambel's' has been but I never got a look at the bird). More Horned Larks were around too as well as numbers of American Tree Sparrows plus at least eleven Savannah Sparrows. I spent some time along the rail trail near the mall looking for a Pine Warbler that Harvey had there a few days ago. He said it was associating with a flock of juncos and bluebirds but I was only able to find juncos and the warbler was not with them.

Cedar Waxwing, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 6, 2016

Cedar Waxwing, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 6, 2016

Cedar Waxwing, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 6, 2016

Red necked Grebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 6, 2016

I made a quick stop at Winsor Dam in the early afternoon and found a Red necked Grebe (#89) as well as all three species of mergansers including a female Red breasted Merganser. The fruiting trees also attracted a number of Cedar Waxwings and American Robins and they allowed for some close up photos...no Bohemian Waxwings with them but I certainly hoped for them.

The early through mid part of the upcoming week looks to feature at least the chance of snow with the potential for either just a few minor bursts of snow or a big storm. No one wants to commit to any concrete forecasts at this point...I assume because they flubbed the last storm so badly.

First snow storm of the season and a bit about the Yellow legged Gull at Barton's Cove

Snowy morning, Belchertown, MA, Feb 5, 2016

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2016

Wilson in the snow, Ware, MA, Feb 5, 2016

Wilson in the snow, Ware, MA, Feb 5, 2016

We got our first real snow storm today (which of course was not forecast to be as bad as it was).  We ended up with at least 6" of snow and although I hated it, Wilson loved it!  We went for a few walks around the neighborhood before the snow let up and then made a quick ride over to the Swift River to take a short walk later in the day.

I had hoped the snow would let up early enough in the day to make a drive up to Turner's Falls to try for the probable Yellow legged Gull there but it was just too slippery so I stayed home with Wilson instead.  I won't get another chance to try for it until maybe early next week so hopefully it sticks around.  More about that bird below.

Ring billed Gulls floating by on piece of ice, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Canada Goose with odd markings on neck, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Canada Goose with odd markings on neck, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Bufflehead, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Herring Gull (clean looking individual that had me thinking yellow legged gull for a second), Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

Merlin, Barton's Cove, Turners Falls, MA, Feb 4, 2016

I had to head north yesterday to pick Wilson after his ordeal at the hospital (more about that below) so I had just a few minutes to try to catch up with what appears to be a Yellow legged Gull that was found by James Smith a few days ago.  Trying to identify a true member of this species vs. a hybrid Lesser Black backed Gull x Herring Gull is very difficult but the consensus from gull experts both from this side of the pond as well as those from Europe seems to be pointing toward it being a genuine Yellow legged Gull.  There were at least fifty birders there looking for the gull to arrive to roost on the rapidly dwindling ice.  I had no luck with finding the bird while I was there but did manage a couple of unusual species including a male Bufflehead and a Merlin.  I had to leave to get Wilson and of course the bird came in about ten minutes after I left but I couldn't head back...oh well!
More about the bird can be found on James blog:
http://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/2016/02/ma-interesting-yellow-legged-type-gull.html

Wilson resting after getting home from the hospital, Feb 4, 2016

Poor Wilson had to spend about a day and a half up at the animal hospital to get some tests done to try to figure out the root of his GI issues.  he also had to go without eating for two days.  We felt so bad for him so it was great to pick him up and bring him home....he slept like a rock!