MA - thrush morning - 03/19

Two Great Horned Owls dueting in the still pre-dawn air got the day off to a nice start. The birds were calling just north of Upinngil Farm on Main Road, Gill....the first time I've heard Great Horned Owl calling from this particular spot.

In mid-morning I checked a few spots around Turner's Falls finding Eastern Bluebirds singing at every stop. Bluebirds have been around throughout the winter but the volume of song has definitely picked up in the last few days. I also had slightly better views of the wintering Hermit Thrush that I found on the east side of Turner's Falls airfield a couple of weeks ago. And, as the snow slowly recedes, American Robins are becoming much more evident in open grassy areas and roadsides. All three species mentioned belong to the family Turdidae (thrushes) and represent three different genera.

At Barton Cove, the fine diving duck show continues with Canvasback, Redhead and Long-tailed Duck still present in and around the large raft of Ring-necked Ducks.

 American Robin - male, Turner's Falls airfield, Franklin Co., MA. March 19th, 2014. 

Hermit Thrush - first-winter, Turner's Falls airfield, Franklin Co., MA. March 19th, 2014. 

Prominant white tips to the greater coverts indicate a bird in its first winter. 

Eastern Bluebird - male, Montague Plains WMA, Franklin Co., MA. March 19th, 2014.