MA - Bobcat, and more winter finches and geese

Bobcat - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. December 9th, 2020.

A Bobcat hunting voles in rough pasture would have to be the highlight of the latter part of this week. Generally, I have about 15 - 20 encounters with Bobcats each year in Franklin County, most of them too brief for photos so to have prolonged views of a big male actively foraging in the middle of the day was a real treat. He looked over in my direction a couple of times but seemed quite unconcerned by my presence and nonchalantly caught three voles as I watched, swallowing them whole and licking his lips afterwards.

Bobcat - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. December 9th, 2020.

Bird-wise, irruptive finches continued to attract attention and just when I thought Evening Grosbeaks were starting to taper there seems to be more than a hint of an ongoing second 'wave' with five in Gill and four over Turner's Falls Dec 11th, another 10 over Main Road, Gill on the 12th and 29 at East Hill Road in Bernardston on the 10th. The latter was the largest single flock that I've seen in Franklin County. 

Five Red Crossbills were at the same location in Bernardston on Dec 10th, with a further five over Barton Cove boat ramp on the 9th. Impressive though these were, the boreal finch that really caught my imagination this week was the Pine Grosbeak. Six birds continued at Meadow Road, Montague on the 9th and on the 10th I stumbled across a flock of 14 near Upinngil Farm, Gill that continued through to the 12th at least. The well watched flock at Wendell State Forest also continued where Scott Surner recorded an impressive18 on the 10th, and Susannah and I tallied a 'whopping' 22 on Dec 12th. All the flocks appeared to be composed of females and russet female/imm males thus far. 

Pine Grosbeaks - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. December 10th, 2020.

Pine Grosbeak - Wendell State Forest, Franklin Co., MA. December 12th, 2020. One of a flock of 22.

Common Redpolls, while certainly present in numbers, remained quite difficult to observe at close range though I did have a little more success of late with 20 on North Cross Road, Gill on the 10th and 65 at the Turner's Falls power canal on Dec 11th. 

Common Redpoll - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 11th, 2020. 

Barnacle Goose (center) - Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. December 12th, 2020. 

The long staying Barnacle Goose and at least one Cackling Goose continued within the greater Canada Goose 'spectacle' at the Turner's Falls power canal with both birds present through to Dec 12th allowing many birders and photographers to catch up with both species at leisure. 

Barnacle Goose - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 11th, 2020. 

Dropping into the power canal after spending the morning feeding in Greenfield. 

Barnacle Goose - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 10th, 2020. 

Cackling Goose - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 10th, 2020.