MA - Gill in November (recent sightings).

American Woodcocks have been pretty consistent at dawn on most mornings flying over Boyle, North Cross and Main Roads, sometimes flushing from the roadside. On the 7th, yet another Snow Bunting, this time flying over Lyons Hill Road, just off Main Road less than a half mile from our house.


Predawn on the 8th saw a Northern Saw-whet Owl spontaneously give a drawn out 'whine' (or 'wail') call from a nice patch of mixed woodland along Boyle Street. Only seconds later, a Great Horned Owl began calling from the opposite side of the street. This is not a rare event in my experience, and over the last two years I've heard numerous Barred and Great Horned Owls calling back in response to my imitation of Northern Saw-whet Owl. In this case the Great Horned seemed to be responding to the real thing! Later, in mid-morning, our yard was suddenly full of birds: 10+ American Goldfinches on the feeders, a calling Purple Finch, 15+ Cedar Waxwings, and 4 Northern Cardinals amongst the rest.

 American Goldfinches - Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA. November 8th, 2011.

  Cedar Waxwing - Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA. November 8th, 2011.

 Eastern Chipmunk - Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA. November 8th, 2011.

Dawn temperatures have gone from freezing at the weekend to currently mild, balmy and foggy. It couldn't be more of a contrast to last week. This morning (11/09) in the predawn fog a Catharus thrush called just once, which I think was a Hermit Thrush though I couldn't rule out Swainson's - but it's getting late for the latter. A Golden-crowned Kinglet spent much of the day in the yard, as did 10 or so American Goldfinches which have finally discovered the thistle seed feeders after a 'cool' two weeks or so.