MA/VT - Cackling Geese, more owls and a longspur (or two)

November has gone out on an extremely mild note with lots of rain in the last two days of the month. The autumnal feel is tapering as many bird species settle down for the early part of the winter. In particular, large numbers of Canada Geese remain in the Turner's Falls/Greenfield area with perhaps as many as 1500 geese at large. One or two Cackling Geese have been with them  throughout the last days of the month.

Cackling Goose - Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 29th, 2016. 

Cackling Goose - Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 30th, 2016. 

The excellent season for Northern Saw-whet Owls continues unabated with six birds being found at new site in Northfield on the 28th. These birds gave an exciting range of about half a dozen different vocalizations, with good visuals of at least four of the six recorded. A Barred Owl was seen at the same site, and Barred Owls continue to be seen in the daytime in the Gill area, especially on damp, foggy days. 

Barred Owl - on a very wet afternoon, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 30th, 2016. 

On Monday (Nov 28th), I joined Laura Gaudette for a tour of the Putney Great Meadow in southern Vermont and had a very enjoyable morning getting familiar with the place and sharing some of the birds on Laura's patch. Highlights included a late Turkey Vulture, Merlin, several Bald Eagles and a couple of swirling flocks of Horned Larks. The latter were typically difficult to observe but eventually gave themselves up providing excellent views. After a while we also detected one, possibly two Lapland Longspurs among them. 

 Horned Lark - Putney Great Meadow, Windham Co., VT. November 28th, 2016.

 Lapland Longspur (with Horned Lark) - Putney Great Meadow, Windham Co., VT. November 28th, 2016.

  American Tree Sparrows (with American Goldfinches) - Putney Great Meadow, Windham Co., VT. November 28th, 2016.