Northern Harrier - juvenile, Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016.
Back into warm southerlies for a few more days, especially in the afternoon. The mornings, however, usually start chilly and foggy. Spectacular numbers of birds continue in the fields around Gill and Northfield. On the 11th, I counted no less than 185 Yellow-rumped Warblers in a single pumpkin field off North Cross Road, Gill. The field was literally heaving with them along with 20 or so Palm Warblers and a few Blackpoll Warblers. At dawn in the same area, I was surprised to hear an American Woodcock roding along with three calling Swainson's Thrushes and a Rusty Blackbird.
Yellow-rumped Warblers - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2016.
Yellow-rumped Warblers - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2016.
Impressive numbers working the field edges and woodland fringe in Gill.
Blackpoll Warbler - juv/first-winter, North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2016.
Savannah Sparrow - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2016.
Abundant migrant in Gill/Northfield in mid-October.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - juv/first-winter, Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016.
Swamp Sparrow - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016.
October 12th saw me taking a look at the fields to the north-east of the Northfield transfer station along Caldwell Road. Although I rarely bird this area, it's often productive when I do and the morning of the 12th was no exception, again producing hundreds of sparrows, mainly Song, Swamp, Savannah and White-throated but also two or three immature White-crowned Sparrows. There was also a 'getting-late' Bobolink, and another Rusty Blackbird giving its characteristic call as it flew north. A juvenile Northern Harrier was a real treat as it worked the fringes of the dirt roads, seemingly oblivious to me standing only meters away. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker also joined the fun, in fact single sapsuckers have been showing up in most of the spots that I've looked at in the last few days including; North Cross Road, Gill Elementary School, and River Road in Gill, and Unity Park in Turner's Falls.
Rusty Blackbird - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016.
Northern Harrier - juvenile, Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016.
A brief stop on River Road, Gill on the 13th saw much the same species profile but with increased numbers of Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets. The Ruby-crowneds seemed quite happy foraging along the field edges and sometimes even in the crops themselves, but the Golden-crowneds were much more tied to woodland. Late migrants here included Northern Parula and Red-eyed Vireo and an American Pipit flew over.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2016.
About five or six along River Road fields this morning.
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