Sunday, January 25, 2015

MA - Redpolls and other local delights

The last few days have been relatively mild for January with a small weather event on the 24th bringing some fresh snow but not too much accumulation. Locally, I stumbled across a few decent birds whilst jogging or doing other incidental activities. Jan 23rd saw two Common Redpolls joining the American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins on the feeders at home in Northfield. They appeared before sun up and had gone by the time the sun came up over the hills. On the 24th, I heard a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in North Cemetery, Gill just off Main Road and a surprise Belted Kingfisher behaving more like a Northern Shrike, teed up above a snow covered meadow off Main Road, Gill. Still in Gill, I again saw a Hermit Thrush on North Cross Road and a spectacular Barred Owl hunting close to the intersection with Boyle and Main Roads, both birds on the 25th.


Common Redpolls - Northfield yard, Franklin Co., MA. January 23rd, 2015.


Belted Kingfisher - Main Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. January 24th, 2015.

On Saturday afternoon, Brian Kane and I got together at the power canal and went through some gulls before eventually getting 'weathered-out' by an encroaching snow storm. However, the male Barrow's Goldeneye arrived nice and early among the first flocks of the 400 or so Common Goleneye that had arrived by 5pm. Goldeneyes were still coming in when we left. It's really been an amazing diving duck spectacle at the power canal so far this winter.

Kumlien's (Iceland) Gull (right) - first-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 24th, 2015.


Kumlien's (Iceland) Gull - second-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 24th, 2015.


 Kumlien's (Iceland) Gull - first-cycle & second-cycle together, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. 
January 24th, 2015.


 Lesser Black-backed Gull (right) - adult, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 24th, 2015.




Barrow's Goldeneye (left) - male in snowstorm, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 24th, 2015.

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