MA - Glaucous Gull and other good birds around 'the valley'.

Glaucous Gull - first-cycle (left), Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 15th, 2016. 

Some nice incidental birding around 'the valley' lately including the following;

Barrow's Goldeneye - a pair coming into the Turner's Falls power canal on Jan 14th and 15th, the male actively displaying to the female.

Lesser Scaup - female continues at Turners' Falls and Barton Cove through to Jan 17th.

Common Loon- five on Quabbin Reservoir (north end), seen by walking in from Gate 35 on Jan 16th.

Peregrine - 1 adult in the East Meadows, Northampton on the 15th.

Northern Harrier - a juvenile in Gill, hunting off Main Road below the NMH campus on the 14th and another juvenile in the East Meadows of Northampton on the 15th.

Rough-legged Hawk - 1 light-morph perched above a reed covered island at Quabbin Reservoir, north end. Seen by walking in from Gate 35. The bird itself was very distant and a scope essential to see it.

Glaucous Gull - beautiful first-cycle bird at Turner's Falls power canal on Jan 15th. First of this particular winter season.

Kumlien's Iceland Gull - two (first-cycle and third-cycle) at Turner's Falls power canal on Jan 15th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - adult, continuing bird from late November, being seen daily at Turner's Falls through to Jan 17th at least.

Barred Owl - nice early morning views on North Cross Road, Gill. January 14th.

Horned Lark - flock of about 110 in the East Meadows, Northampton. January 15th.

Snow Bunting - flock about 85 with the Horned Larks, East Meadows, Northampton. January 15th.

American Tree Sparrow - about 55 East Meadows, Northampton. January 15th.

White-crowned Sparrow - immature with American Tree Sparrows, East Meadows, Northampton. January 15th.

Savannah Sparrow - still good numbers, about 20, in the East Meadows, Northampton. January 15th. No sign, however, of the Ipswich Savannah Sparrow last seen on January 9th.

Male (center left) and female (right) Barrow's Goldeneyes, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. 

January 15th, 2016. 

Male (center) and female (left) Barrow's Goldeneyes, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 15th, 2016. 

Male (center) Barrow's Goldeneyes, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 15th, 2016. 

Lesser Scaup - female, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. January 13th, 2016. 
Long stayer continuing through to Jan 17th at least. 

Common Loons - (two of five present), Quabbin Reservoir, New Salem, Franklin Co., MA. January 16th, 2016.
Unusual in the depths of mid-winter, but then so is lots of open water. It should be frozen in mid-Jan!

Northern Harrier - juvenile, East Meadows, Northampton. Hampshire Co., January 15th, 2016.

Rough-legged Hawk - light-morph, Quabbin Reservoir, New Salem, Franklin Co., MA. January 16th, 2016.

First noted and described by Bill Lafley on Jan 15th. 

 Kumlien's Iceland Gull - third-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 15th, 2016. 

Kumlien's Iceland Gull - first-cycle (left), Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 15th, 2016. 
With first-cycle Glaucous Gull bathing to the right. 

 Snow Buntings and Horned Larks - East Meadows, Northampton. Hampshire Co., January 15th, 2016.

White-crowned Sparrow - immature, East Meadows, Northampton. Hampshire Co., January 15th, 2016.