The first week of February

 

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Northern Flicker, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Red Squirrel, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, Feb 1, 2023

Belted Kingfisher, Slobody Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 1, 2023

I began February bright and early as I headed out before dawn with the main goal being to track down a warbler for the new month.  I started along the river in Hadley that I last saw on January 10th but have had in the area since December.  I spent nearly two hours walking in the areas where I had the bird before and eventually I heard it calling distantly but could not pursue it as it was on posted property but I nonetheless had a warbler species for the month and continued my unbroken streak of finding at least one warbler species in Hampshire County to 70 consecutive months!  Besides the Yellow rumped Warbler I had a nice selection of woodpeckers plus hundreds of American Crows heading north from their roost in Springfield as well as hundreds of Red winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.  I then headed across the river to the East Meadows to try to catch up with another Yellow rumped Warbler but I had no luck finding the individual I last had in the area in early January.  The day continued to warm up a bit so I headed over to Amherst to try to catch up with at least one of the two Common Yellowthroats I have had overwintering in the area.  I tried the first spot with no luck and then moved on to the next one and also struck out on finding a yellowthroat.  With the upcoming predicted bitter cold weather I decided my best chance of finding the species for February would be this day so I headed back to the first spot again and after a bit of waiting and walking through some wet areas I had one call a couple times but it was totally uncooperative for photos.  This marks my latest date ever for Common Yellowthroat in the Hampshire County and perhaps the only record for the county ever in February.  With a little time left late in the morning I returned to the spot along the river in Hadley and was able to get a photo of the Yellow rumped Warbler.

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 3, 2023

Black capped Chickadee, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 3, 2023

Wilson enjoying the wood stove on a cold day, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 3, 2023

I had to work on the 2nd and after another incredible busy shift I headed out for home.  The arctic blast was just starting to arrive but the winds were already gusty out of the northwest and the temperatures continued to drop through the teens as I made my way home.  I made a few very brief stops but it was just not pleasant at all to be outside.  Wilson and I got a walk in but I don't think either of us enjoyed it too much.  The day was not a total loss as a new camera I ordered (Canon R7) arrived and I had to endure the cold a bit at the feeders to try it out.  The temperatures continued to drop overnight and the strong winds continued with lows that eventually reached -13 at the house with wind chills south of -35 at times...bone chilling cold for sure!  Saturday was another cold day at work but eventually the winds let up a bit by late in the day.  Many temperature records were set in the area and I suspect the bitter cold took out a number of half hardy species that have been attempting to overwinter but time will tell.

Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser and Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Lesser Scaup, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Ring necked Duck, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Hooded Merganser and Bufflehead (blurry but shows just how small Bufflehead are!), Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

Hooded Mergansers, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 5, 2023

On Sunday the 5th I got out of work and although it was still cold it was not quite a bitter as the previous couple days.  I was unfortunately very tired and I made just a couple brief stops on my way home with the most productive being to Winsor Dam where I had a decent selection of waterfowl, totaling nine species with a few somewhat unusual species including both Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup plus Bufflehead and my first Ring necked Duck in the county for the year (the Ring necked Duck became species #100 for the year in Hampshire County for me).  I presume the cold weather froze out many bodies of water and this concentrated the waterfowl at the dam. I also had a flyby light morph Rough legged Hawk that I was able to see well through the scope but was unable to get a photo of through the scope.  It was last seen heading south, occasionally be harassed by a Red tailed Hawk.  The Rough legged Hawk was a new species for me at Winsor Dam (my total number of species at the dam now stands at an amazing 217...I will probably do a post of birds at the dam at some point...so many cool records from there for me).  

Red tailed Hawk, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Full moon, Slobody Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Common Grackle, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Song Sparrow, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Feb 6, 2023

Monday I went out looking to see if any of the yellowthroats (and other half hardy species) made it though the record cold snap.  I had no luck finding either yellowthroat despite some effort.  I also checked some areas at UMASS and had at least one Swamp Sparrow continuing at the stadium marsh.  The number of geese were fairly low and I didn't find anything unusual among the Canada Geese.

Mute Swans, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Feb 7, 2023

Red shouldered Hawk, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 7, 2023

Eastern Bluebird, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 7, 2023

Swamp Sparrow, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Feb 7, 2023

To end the week I once again went out looking for surviving half hardy species.  Before I stopped at some areas in Amherst I started out the morning in the south Quabbin area with my first stop at Winsor Dam.  It was in the upper teens with a breeze so a bit cold but I figured I would make a quick stop.  I scanned with the binoculars and quickly picked up two white swans on the water.  My pulse quickened a bit until I got the scope on the birds and saw they were Mute Swans (thankfully this invasive is still quite rare at Quabbin).  I really was hopeful for a more unusual swan but not today!  I also had some Common Mergansers on the water plus the continued Ring necked Duck and a scaup species (probably the continued Lesser Scaup) in the same area as the Ring necked Duck.  I tried a couple spots along the Swift River for more waterfowl but the best I could find were slightly above normal numbers of Hooded Mergansers.  I then headed over to Amherst with about an hour spent at Wentworth Farm Conservation Area.  Although I missed on finding any of the reported Field Sparrows at the location I had great looks at an adult Red shouldered Hawk and at least two Swamp Sparrows.  I once again failed to find any yellowthroats so I suspect the bitter cold did them in (I will still check a few more times before I write them off completely).  

The last week plus of January

Barred Owl, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 22, 2023

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 24, 2023

Common Loon, Hadley Falls Canal Park, South Hadley, MA, Jan 24, 2023

Snowy landscape, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jan 24, 2023

Wilson in the snow, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jan 24, 2023

After getting home from Florida during the afternoon of the 22nd I spent most of the next few days at home as we had a few bouts of snow and I didn't want to deal with it much after being in the warmth but I did get out a bit as Wilson insisted.  The best bird by far was a Common Yellowthroat that showed very briefly for me on the 24th and became my latest date ever for the species in the county.

Pale/leucistic Canada Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 26, 2023

Pale/leucistic Canada Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 26, 2023

Horned Grebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 26, 2023

Black capped Chickadee with leg bands, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 26, 2023

Thankfully the predicted snow for the 25th into the 26th never really materialized so we didn't get another 2-4 inches as predicted but instead got just a dusting.  After getting out of work on Thursday morning I made a few stops including Arcadia and a few spots in Amherst.  Arcadia featured my first Great Black backed Gull of the year plus the pale Canada Goose that has been in the area the last few winters.  Winsor Dam had a very close Horned Grebe which I was able to get some digiscoped shots of between its bouts of diving.  I had loads of chickadees at the feeders though out the day including multiple banded birds...always fun to see banded birds. 

Northern Harrier, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 28, 2023

American Tree Sparrow, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 28, 2023

Common Yellowthroat, Slobody Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jan 28, 2023

Rusty Blackbird, Slobody Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jan 28, 2023

I had to work on Friday but I did get out a bit after work on Saturday morning.  I started at Arcadia where I tried to find an Eastern Towhee that Mary had on Friday but I had no luck.  It was a bit breezy so the bird was probably around but just hunkered down.  I did have a large number of American Tree Sparrows in the area plus a flyover flock of Common Grackles.  After Arcadia I headed across the river and decided to make a stop in Amherst to try to turn up a Common Yellowthroat I last had in the area on January 7th.  I arrived in the area but had no luck initially in the spot I had it earlier.  However as I was walking out I heard a yellowthroat calling distantly and got some recordings.  The bird would call occasionally but stayed out of view almost the entire time and I managed just a few brief looks and some blurry photos.  This sets yet another new record late for me for the species in the county and is different from another individual in the area that I have had along the rail trail on and off since late December.  As I waited for the yellowthroat I had another unusual species with a single male Rusty Blackbird that flew in and allowed for a few photos.

Ross's Goose, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Ross's Goose, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Canada Goose with white spots on head and neck, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Ross's Goose, East Hadley Rd, Hadley, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Swamp Sparrow, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 29, 2023

The highlight of Sunday came with texts from a number of people letting me know about a Ross's Goose at the UMASS campus pond.  I was already out walking with Wilson so had to finish up that walk before I headed over to try to see the goose.  I arrived at the pond around 11:30 and immediately got the goose in among the 1000+ Canada Geese.  There were lots of other birders there seeing it too.  I scanned through the entire flock a couple times to try to find a Cackling Goose but had no luck finding one but I did have some uniquely plumaged Canada Geese with extensive white on their necks and heads.  A bit before noon just as I was leaving I saw the Ross's Goose take off with a group of Canada Geese and head south.  I was able to track the flock as it continued to move south and eventually I caught back up with them as they landed in a small field behind some houses in Hadley.  Luckily some people who missed it at the pond were able to catch up with it in Hadley.  

Earlier in the morning I was out before the sun was up and my first stop was over to Quabbin Park where I had a Northern Saw Whet Owl plus some Great Horned Owls.  I then stopped at Winsor Dam and had hundreds of Ring billed Gulls plus at least five Common Loons.  I then headed west and hit a few spots at UMASS including some time at the stadium marsh which produced a couple Swamp Sparrows.  

Common Mergansers, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 30, 2023

Looking east from Hank's Meadow, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 30, 2023

Hooded Merganser and Bufflehead, Ware, MA, Jan 30, 2023

Bufflehead, Ware, MA, Jan 30, 2023

Horned Grebe, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Jan 30, 2023

On Monday I stayed around the area of south Quabbin and Ware mainly trying to find waterfowl and perhaps a vulture roost.  I started off before dawn at Winsor Dam and found a single Iceland Gull in among the large numbers of Ring billed Gulls and a smattering of Herring Gulls.  I last saw the bird heading off to the southwest in a group of other gulls.  With the continued warmer than average weather I checked a few bodies of water and turned up a total of seven species of waterfowl over the course of a couple hours.  I didn't have any luck finding a vulture roost but I know there must be one somewhere in the area as there are large numbers of vultures being reported in Ware.  Another notable sighting was a group of three Red Crossbills I had fly out of some pines near Beaver Lake.  

Pale Canada Goose (rear) and leucistic Canada Goose (front), Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 31, 2023

Leucistic Canada Goose, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 31, 2023

Leucistic Canada Goose (on right), Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 31, 2023

Leucistic Canada Goose (on right), Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 31, 2023

Common Mergansers and a Hooded Merganser, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Jan 31, 2023

To end out the month I decided to make a trip over to Arcadia with the main goal being perhaps some waterfowl taking advantage of all the open water (at least until the big cool down for the end of the week into the weekend).  I arrived and started scanning the oxbow and came away with an impressive total of at least 256 Common Mergansers (plus a few Hooded Mergansers).  There were also some geese around and as I scanned through I found the pale individual that has popped up in various spots in the valley for the last few years.  As I scanned through the rest of the geese I noticed some more geese flying in and among them was a unique looking leucistic bird that had lots of white patches throughout.  It settled in and at times was fairly close to the pale bird and I got them both in the same view for a bit.  After getting my fill of the waterfowl I decided to walk a few thicket areas in the hopes of finding something unusual and my eventual reward was an Eastern Towhee that called a few times but did not show well at all (Mary found the individual a few days ago in roughly the same area but she was able to get a photo and I had to be happy with a recording).  I'm actually surprised this is the only towhee around in the area this winter given the mild temps so far this season.  The towhee became species #99 for me in the county so far this year (#100 if one were to count a Ring necked Pheasant I saw earlier this month).  I then checked the East Meadows in the hopes of finding the Yellow rumped Warbler I have had there occasionally this winter but no luck today but it was a bit cool and breezy. I then checked a few fields in Amherst and Hadley for geese but didn't find anything beyond a few groups of Canada Geese.

Gray Foxes chasing each other, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 22, 2022

Bobcat, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 27, 2022

Gray Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 30, 2022

Bobcat, Home, Belchertown, MA, Dec 31, 2022

Gray Foxes, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 11, 2023

Gray Fox, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 17, 2023

Eastern Coyote, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 21, 2023

Bobcat, Home, Belchertown, MA, Jan 23, 2023

I finally got around to checking the game camera along the Jabish Brook at the house and turned up quite a few captures with most being Gray Fox and Bobcat.  It looks like there is a pair of Gray Foxes so really looking forward to the potential for Gray Fox pups being around this spring.

Ross's Goose in Amherst and Hadley

Ross's Goose, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Ross's Goose, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Ross's Goose, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Ross's Goose, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Canada Goose with white spots on head and neck, UMASS, Amherst, MA, Jan 29, 2023

Ross's Goose, East Hadley Rd, Hadley, MA, Jan 29, 2023

After spending a couple hours in the morning checking various areas in the area for birds I was out for a walk with Wilson when I got a text from Mary with a photo of a Ross's Goose asking me a question about the bird.  I assumed it was the Ross's Goose seen the day before in Longmeadow but she texted back that the bird was at the ever productive campus pond at UMASS so I figured I would make my way over after I finished the walk.  As I was finishing the walk I got more messages about the bird and as soon as I could I headed over to the campus pond arriving around 11:30 and immediately saw the bird in among 1000+ Canada Geese (The Ross's Goose becomes the 7th goose species I have had at the campus pond and my 187th species on the UMASS campus).  There were quite a few other birders there enjoying the bird too.  I got some digiscoped shots and then started scanning through the large flock to see if any Cackling Geese were hiding among the Canada Geese but I found none.  I did have a number of Canada Geese with extensive white on their necks and heads and got some photos of them.  A bit before noon the Ross's Goose took off with a group of Canada Geese and I was already in my car so I headed south along with the geese.  I could see the flock from time to time as I drove and eventually I caught up with the group circling over the area of East Hadley Road and got some photos of the birds in flight.  They eventually settled onto some private property and were mostly hidden from view.  Ross's Goose is a rare species in the county with my last sighting being February 2018 when I had one along East Hadley Road on the 23rd.  That individual stuck around for a few days and survived a serious neck injury through at least the 26th.  Prior to the 2018 record I a single in April 2015 and a group of between 5-8 that bounced around the area for almost a week in mid March of 2009.  Other recent sightings have included an individual seen in Easthampton in mid March of 2019 (I missed this bird as I was down in the Caribbean at the time.  Certainly a rarity and a species that is still on the state review list.