MA - a phoebe...finally! 04/01

It was really good to hear an Eastern Phoebe singing in the yard at dawn this morning. It sounded strong and I expected to hear it all morning but alas it didn't appear to stick around after sun up. We usually get phoebes well before the end of March and Susannah has had them as early as March 17th but I think this must be our latest first arrival date since we moved to Gill in 2010...'''but at least they're arriving!

Canvasback - long staying male, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 1st, 2014.

Despite a much milder weekend with some south in the wind, relatively little changed at  Barton Cove and the remarkable show of diving ducks continued unabated - Long-tailed Ducks, Canvasback, Red-breasted Merganser (displaying!) have all been present among the 140 Ring-necked Ducks with Greater and Lesser Scaups, Common and Hooded Mergansers and lots of Common Goldeneye. Gull numbers definitely seem to be dwindling as might be expected in late March but the fine show of Kumlien's Iceland Gulls continues with up five present through to the last day of March.

Long-tailed Ducks - pair, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 31st, 2014.

Red-breasted Merganser - male displaying, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 1st, 2014.

 Kumlien's (Iceland) Gulls - three first-cycle birds with American Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 30th, 2014.

 Purple Finch - male, Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA. April 1st, 2014.

At the feeders in our yard, another or the same male Purple Finch showed up in the afternoon and looked pretty comfortable as it sat enjoying the sunshine on our most spring-like day so far this year.