December - not too shabby at all!

Smith's Longspur - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 14th, 2022.

A fabulous find for hard working local birder Scott Surner. Fifth state record and the first documented in the Pioneer Valley.

Discovered on Dec 12th delighting hundreds throughout its stay and still present on the last day of the year!

December, traditionally a month of minimal daylight, falling temperatures and usually lots of snow. Compared to October and November, my expectations for birding in December are generally pretty low, yet over the years the month has produced exciting birding in the Connecticut River Valley. Look no further that the near simultaneous appearance of two Sage Thrashers in 2020, one in Hampshire Co., MA and one in Cheshire Co., NH!

Rufous Hummingbird (fem/juv)- Millers Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 16th, 2022.

As hardy as they come - Rufous Hummingbird in a blizzard!! First noted on Oct 7th by home homeowner

Bruce Kanash. Banded and identified on Nov 14th by Anthony Hill. Present and thriving at Bruce's home through to about Dec 21st. 

In addition to the long staying Rufous Hummingbird in Millers Falls, the month brought another major rarity in the form of a Smith's Longspur to the Hadley floodplain. Kudos must go to Scott Surner who found this bird lingering at the side of a busy thoroughfare in the Hadley Honey Pot on December 12th. To the joy of many, myself included, the longspur was courteous enough to stick around for weeks allowing hundreds of birders to share in Scott's discovery and to find itself added to the local Christmas Bird Count! At the time of writing (Dec 31st) it was still present favoring the same general area along Cemetery Road in the Honey Pot. Scott's find furnishes the fifth state record for Massachusetts and the first ever in the Pioneer Valley though there is an historical report by Harvey Allen from the nearby East Meadows April 1st, 1993. Though this record wasn't accepted by the MARC, it's always intrigued me largely because of the compelling elements of the description with comments such as "tame", "observed as close as ten feet" and "un-streaked buffy underparts indicating a female". But, birding in the modern era demands a high standard of documentation and in this respect the Hadley bird was a gift being absurdly tame, calling frequently and usually returning to the same feeding spot day after day, even when it was flushed. 

Smith's Longspur - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 14th, 2022.

An amazing find by Scott Surner and extra-ordinarily approachable. 

I've had quite a lot of luck with Smith's Longspurs over the years having seen them in the breeding areas on the Denali Highway, Alaska multiple times. But, the Hadley bird was only my third away from Alaska after chasing singles at Jones State Beach, Long Island, NYS in Feb 2007 (2nd state record) and Tuthill Road, Maricopa Co., AZ in Jan 2012 (2nd state record). To have one so close to home and showing so well was an absolute dream. Thank you Scott!

Other passerines of note this month but closer to home included a lingering Hermit Thrush and a late Eastern Towhee on North Cross Road, Gill on Dec 23rd and a small handful of Red Crossbills (Type 12) over Gill and along Green River Road, Colrain towards the end of the month. 

Redheads - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 25th, 2022.

Loafing with the Mallards at Unity Park on Christmas morning, a lovely surprise though they didn't stick around for long.

View of Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 25th, 2022.

Frigid temperatures and major ice flows over the Christmas period brought some unexpected waterfowl to Turner's Falls with a female Northern Pintail at the power canal on Christmas Eve and three Redheads including a fine drake at Unity Park on Christmas morning. The Redheads didn't linger but the pintail stayed until Dec 31st and was briefly joined by a second fem/juv on the 28th. A lone juvenile Snow Goose at Barton Cove on Dec 26th was the most unusual goose of the period but also fairly typical in its random appearance. 

Northern Pintail (fem/juv) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 24th, 2022.

Another unusual duck showing up with Mallards, this time at the power canal. This bird lingered to the 

year's end and was joined by a second fem/juv on Dec 28th. 

Snow Goose (imm) - Barton Cove/Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 26th, 2022.

Barred Owl - Northfield, MA. December 22nd, 2022. 

Plenty of Barred Owls around often out 'sunning' on the coldest days. 

Iceland (Kumlieni) Gulls (first-cycles) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022.

Two; one darkish, one night in center of image. 

After a steady start, the numbers of large gulls began to build quite nicely towards the end of the month. With them came Iceland (Kumlien's) Gulls, initially two but then building up to five together at Barton Cove on Dec 28th with a new individual seen on the 29th so perhaps as many as six in the area by month's end. One or two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present among the Herring Gulls too, though being immatures they were easily lost among the masses but I think at least two individuals were involved between Dec 22nd and 29th. 

Iceland (Kumlieni) Gulls (second-cycle) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022. 

In the center of the image. 

Iceland (Kumlieni) Gulls - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022.

Four; two darkish first-cycle, one light first-cycle, one light second-cycle. 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (first/second cycle) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 22nd, 2022.

 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (first-cycle) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022.

Upper left bird in this image, and probably different to the LBBG I noted on Dec 22nd. 

Happy New Year and a bird-rich 2023 to all!

 

MA - Acadian Flycatcher nesting in Franklin County - July 11th

Acadian Flycatcher at nest - Bernardston, Franklin Co., MA. July 11th, 2020.

A balmy Saturday evening with a strong southern wind seemed like a good opportunity to get outdoors and go for a family bike ride. Our destination was close to home in Bernardston and we aimed to do about 10 miles at a casual pace. My expectations for bird finding in the summer heat were pretty low but I carried my iphone all the same, just in case I heard or saw something unusual. We'd barely gone a mile into the ride when I heard the distinctively sharp 'peek' notes of what could only have been a calling Acadian Flycatcher. By the time I'd stopped to get a sound recording and fumbled around with my phone, Susannah and Matan were way up the road and the bird had stopped calling. But on the return leg of the journey I fared better. The bird was again calling spontaneously. This time I managed three recordings above the background noise of the stream and had brief naked-eye views of the bird zipping back-and-forth high amid the Eastern Hemlocks. Even without binocular views, I was pretty well convinced that it was an Acadian Flycatcher, a scarce/rare, low-density breeder at a handful of widely scattered sites in the Pioneer Valley. On a personal level, I recognized several years ago that I'd never actually seen an Acadian Flycatcher in Franklin County so to locate a self-found bird was especially satisfying. After the bike ride we returned to the same area, armed with bins and camera and soon located the bird, and it was still calling. It was so fast and tricky to view but, remarkably, it was clearly in the early stages of building a flimsy, basket-like nest high on the outer limbs of an Eastern Hemlock. I snapped a few pics as best I could and then moved on. 

Acadian Flycatcher at nest - Bernardston, Franklin Co., MA. July 11th, 2020.

Subsequent visits on July 13th and 14th found that the nest had very clearly been built up and attended to, and it looked relatively complete by the 14th. Oddly, there was no sign of the actual bird on either of those dates and the 11th was the only date on which I actually heard and saw the bird itself. I'll be keeping a close eye on the nest and will likely offer a more more updates to this page over next couple of weeks. 

Acadian Flycatcher nest - Bernardston, Franklin Co., MA. July 13th, 2020.

The nest had clearly been worked on since the 11th, but no sign of the flycatcher during my visit on the 13th.

Acadian Flycatcher nest - Bernardston, Franklin Co., MA. July 14th, 2020.

More material added to the nest since the previous day, but still no sign of the flycatcher on the 14th!

April - the last few days

Common Loon - adult, Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 28th, 2020.

Unusual looking bird with pale ivory colored culmen and tip to the bill. 

April ended damp and chilly as it had been for much of the month. Summer breeders continued to arrive slowly, in dribs and drabs actually. We still await the broad sweeping arrivals of many regular summer migrants. Notably absent so far have been species such as Gray Catbird, Wood Thrush, Least Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Ovenbird, Blue-winged and Yellow Warblers, Northern Waterthrush and Common Yellowthroat all of which I've noted before the end of the month in years past.

But Josh Layfield did see an American Redstart at the Turner's Falls power canal on the 28th, and we had a Black--and-white Warbler singing in our yard in Northfield on the 29th the same day that Brian Kane noted the first local Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year in Montague. Broader 'waves' of Hermit Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglets occurred in many spots in the last three days of the month plus there was surprising concentration of 25 Savannah Sparrows on North Cross Road on the 29th along with a continuing Black-throated Green Warbler.

Common Loon - adult, Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 28th, 2020.

Lots of movement among Common Loons with individuals sometimes dropping in for only a 

few minutes before pushing on with migration. 

After the excitement earlier in the week, Barton Cove was fairly quiet as four Horned Grebes continued from the 26th - 28th, and single breeding plumage Common Loons dropped in on the 28th and the 29th. There were also single pairs of Ring-necked Ducks and Blue-winged Teals on the 30th. Continued heavy rain throughout the 30th brought four more Common Loons to Barton Cove along with about 400 swallows hawking over the water including over 70 Barn Swallows and my first local Bank and Cliff Swallows of the year.

Common Loon - adult, Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 29th, 2020.

Double-crested Cormorants - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 29th, 2020.

Present daily at the cove in small, varying numbers. 

MA - October third week

Pileated Woodpecker - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2019.

Relatively common throughout Franklin County but never taken for granted, Pileated Woodpeckers have been 

active and visible at many locations in October. 

It's been a steady week of migration and falling leaves. North Cross Road in Gill has featured strong numbers of Hermit Thrushes on most mornings with 7 - 15 birds calling from the roadsides, sometimes foraging on the road itself before traffic starts in earnest around 7am. Yellow-rumped Warblers continue to migrate south-west in good numbers with 20 - 45 birds on most mornings around sunrise. Most other warblers, perhaps as expected, have become extremely few and far between but Brian Kane had a Nashville Warbler in his Sunderland yard on the 18th. It's been a decent week for Rusty Blackbirds with one heading south over Mill Village Road, Deerfield on the 18th and 4 over North Cross Road on the 19th.

Rusty Blackbird - migrant heading south over Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 18th, 2018.

Least Sandpiper - Hells Kitchen, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2019.

Very probably the same individual bird that's been lingering here from the beginning of October through to the 21st at least.

Shorebirds continued to have a patchy, irregular presence at Hell's Kitchen in Northfield but patient birders have been rewarded with Solitary Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and up to 5 Pectoral Sandpipers through to the 21st. And a personal highlight for me was two American Woodcocks seen 'chittering' over North Cross Road, Gill early on the 18th. A Pectoral Sandpiper also touched down at Caldwell Road sod fields during the storm of the 17th when it was the only shorebird present there.

Savannah Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2019.

Sparrows continued to feature and perhaps increase in number with several pronounced 'waves' of Song, Savannah, Chipping, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows this week. At least 160 Savannah Sparrows were present in the Mill Village Road fields south of Historic Deerfield on the 17th, which also happened to be the last date on which the Le Conte's Sparrow was seen. The Deerfield Meadows also produced over 21 White-crowned Sparrows on the 19th, 18 of which were in the North Meadows when there was also an Eastern Meadowlark close by (David Sibley). Still at the Deerfield Meadows, single Field Sparrows and up to three Vesper Sparrows have been found fairly consistently amid the hordes of Savannah and Song Sparrows.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

White-throated Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

Lincoln's Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

Vesper Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

MA - migration and a little more Le Conte's.........

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

The last few days have been characterized by cool, foggy nights giving way to glorious autumnal days. The temptation to be outside has been huge, and I've been sneaking out when ever the opportunity arises. Fresh migrants have appeared on all of the last three mornings, particularly on North Cross Road, Gill with a Swainson's Thrush and 2 Blue-headed Vireos on the 14th, more Blue-headed Vireos and a wave of Ruby-crowned Kinglets on the 15th, and 45 White-throated Sparrows, 35 Chipping Sparrows, 6 Golden-crowned Kinglets and 9 Hermit Thrushes on the 16th. The 15th saw a notable push of Chipping Sparrows and I tallied 115 birds in the Gill/Northfield area, all of them in flocks in roadside yards and on street corners, areas where I  wouldn't typically go birding.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

The cold October evenings also brought to mind owls, more specifically Northern Saw-whet Owl and on the 15th Josh Layfield and I made our first owling attempt of the autumn. Our chosen site was Wendell, and we tried three spots hearing a Barred Owl at the first, nothing at the second but managed to confirm our first Saw-whet of the fall at the third site. The latter bird gave one clear, unambiguous "keew" , a call usually associated with hatch-year birds and most typically heard on fall migration. Needless to say we were delighted!

Savannah Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

Northern Harrier (juvenile) - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

The 16th found me back down at Mill Village Road in Deerfield trying get lucky (between errands) with the Le Conte's Sparrow.  It was late morning so hardly the best time, plus I hadn't seen any successful reports from that time of day, but I was curious to see what else the fields could offer. The answer was 'scads' of Savannah Sparrows (120+) and the continuing Le Conte's Sparrow. The latter seemed to be so focused on feeding that it was exceptionally difficult to see and the call note, which seemed so distinctive when I heard it two days ago, was somehow lost amid the frequent and similar sounding call notes of Savannah Sparrow. Even so, it was close to noon when I caught up with the Le Conte's Sparrow and I can admit to being delighted to see it skulk in the rank grasses at that time of day.

MA - November fourth week

Winter Wren - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 23rd, 2017. 

The last week of the month had a handful of surprises in store while other species showed consistently in the same areas with Hooded Mergansers present daily at Barton Cove, Gill and reaching triple digits on Nov 28th (110)! Indeed Barton Cove proved to be something of a 'sweet spot' with a Northern Shrike rather briefly on the 26th, four White-winged Scoters on the 27th and a Winter Wren on the 29th. Good numbers of Winter Wrens continued along North Cross Road, Gill with a minimum of five staging there though I'm expecting them to move on when the freeze starts in earnest. 

Winter Wren - Barton cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 28th, 2017. 

White-winged Scoters - Barton cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 27th, 2017. 

The Turner's Falls power canal has seen a continual build up of wintering waterfowl as birds fly into roost in the evenings. Numbers vary day by day but upwards of 1100 Canada Geese, 110 Common Mergansers, 75 Common Goldeneye and 175 Mallard have been resting on the canal in late evening, and two Green-winged Teal showed up there on the 30th.

Common Mergansers - some of the 98 birds counted at the Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 28th, 2017. 

Numbers of large gulls remained relatively stable with the only obvious new arrival being an Iceland Gull on the 28th. 

Iceland Gull (kumlieni) - first-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 28th, 2017. 

On the 28th I also had a brief view of an Oregon 'type' Junco at Gate 35 in the Quabbin watershed. I say Oregon 'type' because, while clearly hooded, the views were so poor that I couldn't rule out the hybrid form Cassiar Junco (J.h.cismontanus) which I have seen two or three times before in the Pioneer Valley. Away from feeders, viewing juncos well enough to see detail is pretty difficult in our area and I'm afraid that I'll have to let this one go. 

Oregon/Cassiar Junco - North Quabbin (Gate 35), Franklin Co., MA. November 28th, 2017.

Seen only very briefly but certainly appeared 'hooded' with light orange-buff flanks. 

The 28th also produced a 'new' site for Northern Saw-whet Owls in Gill when I had three birds calling at a spot that I'd previously scouted in daylight. I had a wonderful evening with three very vocal saw-whets though only had brief views of one. November also continued to produce an above average number of encounters with Eastern Screech-Owls in the Turner's Falls area.

Eastern Screech-Owl - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 30th, 2017.

Ring-necked Ducks (2) and Lesser Scaup (3) - Barton cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 27th, 2017. 

Mute Swans - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 28th, 2017. 

Peregrines - sparring at the Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 17th, 2017. 

Carolina Wren- Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 27th, 2017. 

Hermit Thrush - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 12th, 2017. 

MA - White-eyed Vireo lingers into Nov

White-eyed Vireo - adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 1st, 2017.

The month started with a nice sharp frost, very welcome after an incredibly warm October. The day continued to be cool, windless and cloudy creating a pretty interesting atmosphere much more in keeping with the conditions we expect in late fall. In between errands I checked a number of spots around Turner's Falls notching up close to 50 species before noon. Oddly enough I failed to connect with any of the waterfowl movements well reported on the local social media outlets today though I did have a 'token' Brant fly past me at Unity Park. 

Brant - adult, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 1st, 2017.

But the day held other surprises, namely in the form of lingering 'scarcities' that I felt sure had moved on, but then popped up and presented themselves. The White-eyed Vireo in Turner's Falls was one of these, and the Cattle Egret showed up again at Upinngil after seemingly being absent all day yesterday. A calling Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on North Cross Road, Gill was another surprise this morning.

Cattle Egret - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 1st, 2017.

Notables in Turner's Falls included Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren and a large flock of 85 Cedar Waxwings.

Hermit Thrush - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 1st, 2017.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 1st, 2017.