MA - Louisiana Waterthrush

If I was to nominate a 'bird-of-the-week' this week, it would have to be Louisiana Waterthrush. It's beautiful descending song is perhaps one of the most instantly recognizable bird sounds in the woodland around Franklin County and a sure sound of spring. In particular, the towns of Greenfield, Gill and Northfield seem to be especially good for them with most suitable wooded streams in those towns supporting one or more pairs. After hearing my first of the year on North Cross Road, Gill yesterday, they arrived en masse overnight - for example, three singing males along a one mile stretch of River Road in Gill this morning. They prefer fairly substantial fast flowing streams in mixed woodland dominated by Eastern  Hemlocks, a habitat shared by Winter Wren. Both species are shy and skulking, and much easier to hear than actually see. However, the canopy is still leafless at the moment and will be for a couple of weeks so the opportunity to is there to get out into the woods and get good views and audio of two of the more exciting species that we have in Western Massachusetts.

 Louisiana Waterthrush - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2015.

 Winter Wren - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2015.