sunday....

Managed a short walk before being driven back to the car by the deer flies, etc. Some interesting birds along the Belchertown Land Trust trail included a Field Sparrow carrying nest material and a several begging juveniles of various species.

Back at the house a pair of Broad winged Hawks flying low and calling provided great looks on this humid warm day.

Prescott Peninsula Breeding Bird Atlas Saturday

I spent a few hours saturday morning in Prescott surveying for the breeding bird atlas. I went less than half way down the Peninsula and concentrated most of my time in one block. Yet again some great stuff to be seen. I tracked down a group of three Evening Grosbeaks which were feeding in a large group of pines. The odd thing with this group is that it included a juvenile Rose Breasted Grosbeak which appeared to be following them around from tree to tree. The Rose Breasted seemed to be begging from one of the adult male Evening Grosbeaks but the Evening Grosbeak wanted nothing to do with him. It was strange behavior indeed. I also heard and then briefly saw two Red Crossbills. The lighting was bad and the fog didn't help. I was unable to determine age, etc of the birds. These were a few miles north of were I had a female feeding juveniles earlier this season. I also found groups of warblers that appeared to be forming into mix species feeding groups. Some truly fabulous looks at the various species of various ages. Again many juvenile birds were around including great looks at a Broad winged Hawk. The amount of song continues to drop off but a few birds still continue. Also had a Red Tailed Hawk perched in a small apple tree which took off as I approached and I managed a quick shot as it flew off.

Prescott

Wood Duck 4 one female, three ducklings
Mallard 1
Hooded Merganser 8
Great Blue Heron 2
Broad-winged Hawk 1 juvenile
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 11
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3
Downy Woodpecker 5
Northern Flicker 5 feeding young
Eastern Wood-Pewee 4 one juvenile
Alder Flycatcher 1
Least Flycatcher 2
Eastern Phoebe 7
Eastern Kingbird 7
Blue-headed Vireo 8
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 48 a few juveniles
Blue Jay 11
American Crow 5
Tree Swallow 155
Black-capped Chickadee 20
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 7
White-breasted Nuthatch 8
Brown Creeper 4
House Wren 5 three juveniles
Golden-crowned Kinglet 4
Veery 4
Hermit Thrush 7 all singing
Wood Thrush 6
American Robin 39
Gray Catbird 34
Cedar Waxwing 34
Nashville Warbler 1 juvenile
Yellow Warbler 2 feeding young
Chestnut-sided Warbler 12 several juveniles
Magnolia Warbler 9
Black-throated Blue Warbler 9 three juveniles
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Black-throated Green Warbler 9 a few juveniles
Blackburnian Warbler 3 feeding young
Pine Warbler 9 feeding young
Black-and-white Warbler 5
American Redstart 5
Ovenbird 4 one juvenile, one bird still calling
Common Yellowthroat 41
Scarlet Tanager 6
Eastern Towhee 41
Chipping Sparrow 9
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 11
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 2 feeding young
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3 one juvenile bird following group of evening grosbeaks.
Indigo Bunting 7 all males calling
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 2
Baltimore Oriole 1
Purple Finch 2
Red Crossbill 2 calling, seen in flight, lighting too bad to see if there was a juvenile
American Goldfinch 9
Evening Grosbeak 4 one single and a group of three togetherThis report was generated

Life List Book Giveaway

An interesting giveaway from 10,000 birds. Worth a check.

Life List Book Giveaway

Quabbin Park and Loon survey north Quabbin

I finally got a nice day off to spend out looking for some good stuff. Good stuff was certainly out there to be found. Although the bird song has dropped off quite a bit there are still some vocal birds out there and alot of birds to be found with a little looking. A nice traveling group of a dozen Baltimore Orioles together at Quabbin park was nice as were the several juvenile warblers of a few species feeding with them. Although I only spent a short time at Quabbin Park it was nice to get back in there.

The highlights of the day spent with a DCR biologist surveying for loons included a total of 13 adult loons and three chicks as well as an adult still on an active nest. Also had two large groups of Common Merganser ducklings with a total of 33 little guys (and girls). Another great bird for the day was a Merlin that shot past us being pursued by Eastern Kingbirds. The Merlin took a swipe at something on a sandbar and then continued south. An early migrant? Another possible breeder in the area? Who knows?

Breeding Bird Atlas- Prescott

Spent four hours this morning birding the Prescott again for the breeding bird atlas. Nothing too unusual around today but still some nice birds. Managed to confirm a few more species. The most interesting sighting was of a Chimney Swift around a beaver pond miles away from any chimneys. I have had Chimney Swifts in this area for the last three years of the breeding bird atlas. As there are no chimneys for several miles in any directions I assume if they are breeding here they are using an old tree. I have looked briefly but have not had any luck. This is far from surprising given the vast area and the lack of easy access to much of it. Hopefully I will have some luck in the future. As far as non bird observations the number and variety of butterflies continues to increase and the number of bats roosting in their usual spot continues to decrease. In years past there would be dozens now its usually only a handful. Only three seen today.

I also hiked about a mile in gate 15 to try to find an Acadian Flycatcher. No luck on finding one but the area is in the midst of logging so they may not be nesting in their usual spot this year due to all the noise and activity.

In sad news some predator knocked down a bird house at the house containing the nest of a House Wren. Hopefully the wrens will try again.

Morning list.

Wood Duck 1

Hooded Merganser 6 three adults, three juveniles

Ruffed Grouse 1 adult

Wild Turkey 1

Great Blue Heron 1

Red-tailed Hawk 1

Mourning Dove 7

Chimney Swift 1

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3

Belted Kingfisher 2

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 20 several juveniles

Downy Woodpecker 7

Hairy Woodpecker 2

Northern Flicker 4

Eastern Wood-Pewee 4

Alder Flycatcher 1

Least Flycatcher 12

Empidonax sp. 1

Eastern Phoebe 3

Eastern Kingbird 6

Yellow-throated Vireo 1

Blue-headed Vireo 7

Red-eyed Vireo 57

Blue Jay 12

American Crow 4

Tree Swallow 183

Black-capped Chickadee 16

Red-breasted Nuthatch 12 a few juvenilesWhite-breasted Nuthatch 6

Brown Creeper 3

Winter Wren 2

Golden-crowned Kinglet 15 including one group of nine together...a mix of adults and juveniles

Veery 34 several juveniles

Hermit Thrush 2

Wood Thrush 9

American Robin 35

Gray Catbird 51

European Starling 1

Cedar Waxwing 33

Blue-winged Warbler 1

Yellow Warbler 7

Chestnut-sided Warbler 46

Magnolia Warbler 13 female carrying food

Black-throated Blue Warbler 9

Yellow-rumped Warbler 3

Black-throated Green Warbler 13

Blackburnian Warbler 9

Pine Warbler 17

Prairie Warbler 2

Black-and-white Warbler 2

American Redstart 18

Ovenbird 11

Common Yellowthroat 110

Canada Warbler 1 female near nest

Scarlet Tanager 6

Eastern Towhee 49

Chipping Sparrow 27

Field Sparrow 1

Song Sparrow 13

Swamp Sparrow 3

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5

Indigo Bunting 5

Red-winged Blackbird 8

Common Grackle 8

Brown-headed Cowbird 2

Baltimore Oriole 3

Purple Finch 3

American Goldfinch 14

Merlins and Orchard Orioles

I made a quick stop at a couple locations in Northampton this morning before work to try and catch up with a few birds I had heard about. My first stop was the community gardens in Northampton were I found three Orchard Orioles (one adult female and two juveniles). In addition I had a few Baltimore Orioles, a Scarlet Tanager, Rose Breasted Grosbeak and other species all feeding in the few mulberry trees located in the gardens. Some very nice looks at this birds as they fed on the fruit. In addition there were alot of recently fledged birds around the gardens including mockingbird, house wren, and eastern bluebird

I next stopped briefly at the Merlin nest in Florence and was rewarded with quick looks at young in the nest and the appearance of one of the adults. Not the best looks at the nest but it is over 80 feet in a pine and quite hidden. Only the second nesting record in the state and in an unexpected location in a suburban neighborhood.

Another Red Crossbill at Quabbin

During a morning trip through three atlas blocks on prescott peninsula another Red Crossbill was found. This bird was first heard and then seen briefly as it flew by. This bird was a few miles away from where I had a female feeding two juveniles last month. Another neat record for Quabbin. Today almost had a winter birding feel with species such as the crossbill, Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Golden crowned Kinglet, Red Breasted Nuthatch and Winter Wren. These, along with a couple Pine Siskins seen yesterday, certainly remind me of species expected during the winter (or at least looked for!). Other birds of note today included a small Sharpshinned Hawk, a Cooper's Hawk, a Woodcock walking along the road and a Northern Mockingbird (very unusual in this area of Quabbin) Several butterflies of various species also seen as the day warmed up. The usual variety and numbers of ticks which is expected with any trip into Quabbin.