MA - Red-throated Loons (4) in Turner's Falls.

Red-throated Loons - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 20th, 2018. 

Distant records shots in a snowstorm. 

Another winter weather event brought a small but significant arrival of waterbirds to Barton Cove and Turner's Falls this morning, the most thrilling of which was the appearance of four Red-throated Loons. The completely overcast conditions combined with a persistent wintery mix of rain, sleet and snow seemed like just the ticket to force them down and strongly recalled the arrival of four Red-throated Loons on November 14th last year; https://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/2017/11/ma-more-red-throated-loons.html

Red-throated Loons - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 20th, 2018. 

Distant records shots in a snowstorm. 

This morning, two of the loons were inside Barton Cove best viewed from the public boat ramp whilst the other two were at the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun where new birds included a Surf Scoter (first-winter male) and Lesser Scaup (first-winter male) and a juvenile Common Loon. A female Surf Scoter, 10 Ring-necked Ducks, 6 Common Goldeneye and around 65 Hooded Mergansers continued inside Barton Cove.

Red-throated Loons - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 20th, 2018. Distant digi-scoped shot.

Red-throated Loons - Turner's Falls Rod and Club, Franklin Co., MA. November 20th, 2018. 

Distant records shots in heavy snow. 

Earlier I checked the Caldwell Road fields in Northfield but found just four Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrow by the roadside and it looks like the flock containing the longspurs has moved on. Noteworthy passerines elsewhere included an American Pipit at Barton Cove boat ramp, plus a Ruby-crowned Kinglet on Riverview Drive, Gill.