MA - Harlequin still settled on the Millers River

 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - Millers River, Erving, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2021.

First found by Anne Jemas on Jan 1st, 2021. 

Echoes of the Grand Tetons this morning as I walked along a mostly frozen Millers River, the faster flows exposing a narrow channel through otherwise snow covered ice. The latest Nor'easter dropped 6 - 8 inches of fresh sticky snow throughout much of Franklin County, more on the higher ground. Warmer temperatures made for a pleasant walk along the river and I had little trouble finding the long staying Harlequin Duck, the only duck present. The Harlequin looks settled, healthy and content and, having been there for over one month, I can certainly envision it spending the remainder of the winter on the Millers through to the end of February at least. 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - Millers River, Erving, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2021.

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - Millers River, Erving, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2021.

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - Millers River, Erving, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2021.

The Harlequin is resting at the edge of the snow left of center.

Lesser Black-backed Gull Center) - sub-adult, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2021.

The continuing first-winter male Barrow's Goldeneye came into roost at the Turner's Falls power canal again this evening where a sub-adult Lesser Black-backed Gull joined the modest roost of about 300 gulls. 

Horned Larks - Pine Meadow Road, , Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2021.

MA - Lapland Longspur incursion, plus Iceland and Bonaparte's Gulls and more

Lapland Longspurs (3) - with a single Horned Lark, Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 18th, 2018. 

The first winter storm of the season came early and deposited a good six inches of wet snow around much of northern Franklin County. The weather event happened overnight and continued into Friday (11/16), canceling local schools and leaving me with limited time to explore as we rolled into the weekend. Unsure of what to expect, I poked around Northfield, Gill and Turner's Falls making the most of the incidental birding opportunities that came my way. Almost every stop was productive. 

Cackling Goose (top left) - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 16th, 2018. Group arriving at dusk.

Cackling Goose (center) - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 17th, 2018.

Friday (11/16) afternoon saw a newly arrived Cackling Goose and 20 Snow Buntings at the Turner's Falls power canal, while the Iceland Gull first seen on the previous evening was roosting at Unity Park. Saturday (11/17) was full of interest with three Lapland Longspurs in a flock of less than a dozen Horned Larks at Turner's Falls Airfield, a juvenile Common Loon at Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club, and a very handsome Bonaparte's Gull at Unity Park. Later in the day, a chance visit to Caldwell Road fields produced a Vesper Sparrow along with further two Lapland Longspurs with some 55 Horned Larks. In addition, the Cackling Goose from the previous day was still to be seen at the Turner's Falls power canal.

Iceland Gull (second-cycle) - Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 16th, 2018.

This bird has been present daily around Turner's Falls through to the 18th. 

Bonaparte's Gull  - Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 17th, 2018.

Lapland Longpsurs (3) -  landing at Turner's Falls Airfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 17th, 2018.

Lapland Longpsurs (3) -  Turner's Falls Airfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 17th, 2018.
Same three as shown above with two upper left of shot and one at extreme right.

Horned Larks - Turner's Falls Airfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 17th, 2018.

Common Loon (juvenile) - Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club, Franklin Co., MA. November 17th, 2018.

Five Lapland Longspurs in Franklin County in a single day was quite unlike anything I'd seen before. Typically, I'm lucky to get one or two flyovers in late fall and early winter and that's usually it for the whole year. Moreover, these birds were on the ground foraging and I couldn't help but wonder if the unusually early snow cover had pushed them out of the fields where they'd normally be overlooked? Curiosity got the better of me and I returned to Caldwell Road fields for another look finding fewer Horned Larks but a whopping six Lapland Longspurs! The same flock attracted three Snow Buntings, an American Pipit and at least nine Savannah Sparrows.

Lapland Longspurs (3) - with a single Horned Lark, Caldwell Road field, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 18th, 2018. 

Surf Scoter (female) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 18th, 2018.

Long staying individual present since Nov 6th. 

Other passerines of note over the weekend included flyover Evening Grosbeaks at Turner's Falls Airfield, North Cross Road and Caldwell Road fields, Ruby-crowned Kinglets at Unity Park on the 17th and North Cross Road on the 18th, and reasonable numbers of Fox Sparrows still in Northfield Meadows and Caldwell Road fields.

MA - Horned Larks, late Pec and more saw-whets this week

Horned Lark - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 8th, 2016.

Notable observations in the Northfield/Gill/Turner's Falls area this week included a late Pectoral Sandpiper in Hell's Kitchen on the 7th, together with about eight Killdeer, and up to 11 Killdeer at the same spot on the 9th.

 Pectoral Sandpiper - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 7th, 2016.

Not that easy to see in Franklin County, and getting late to boot. 

Killdeer - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 9th, 2016.

Small flocks of Horned Larks showed up in Gill on River Road, and Northfield on Caldwell, both flocks offering excellent close views. There was also a huge flock of 150 Cedar Waxwings on Caldwell Road along with good numbers of American Robins which passed through the area in good numbers this week.

Horned Lark - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 8th, 2016.

Down at Turner's Falls, the Cackling Goose continued to be seen periodically with Canada Geese through to the 11th when two drake Northern Shoveler also showed up with the Canada Geese. Otherwise, a general build-up of Common Mergansers and Common Goldeneyes continues, as does the numbers of gulls arriving at Unity Park at dusk. Unity Park has also hosted up to three Merlins again this week with the birds seemingly unconcerned by the busy recreational activities taking place in the park.

Cackling Goose (left) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 8th, 2016.

Continuing bird present through Nov 11th.

Northern Shovelers (2) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 11th, 2016.

Found very late in the day with a small flock of Canada Geese. 

Merlin - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 9th, 2016. 

Up to three around Unity Park most evenings this week. 

 American Robin - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. November 8th, 2016.

Finally, in Gill, the incredible show of Northern Saw-whet Owls continued on the 10th when I was joined by Laura Gaudette and Brian Kane. We checked four sites around the town finding saw-whets in all four, with just one site being a repeat visit from Nov 8th. Again we enjoyed a nice range of vocals with the drawn out 'squeal' or 'whine' call being the most frequent, but at the last site we also heard prolonged and sustained quiet 'tooting' as well as various squeals. It was another very successful sortie in less than favorable conditions with wind gusts of about 10 mph at times. However, with tally from the 8th and 10th combined, that gave us around 11 saw-whets Owls found in Gill this week alone and a further six or so from the 7th in Northfield.....pretty impressive!

MA - larks...buntings in Northfield 03/03

Tried a few spots this morning. All rather quiet with no sign of yesterday's Northern Shrike at Northfield Mt. Hermon School, nor any waterfowl of any kind on the Connecticut River at Bennett Meadow or Caldwell Road, West Northfield. I, however, did stumble across a nice flock of about 35 Horned Larks feeding along the edge of Caldwell Road before I reached the Connecticut River. The birds were very cooperative and foraged right alongside my car. I couldn't find any longspurs or Snow Buntings among them but later came across a fast moving flock of Snow Buntings as I left the area. I initially saw these birds in a yard right alongside Rt 142 in West Northfield but they were very unsettled and soon moved off.

Horned Lark - West Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. March 3rd, 2014.

Highly attractive species and perhaps the only 'expected' passerine in open agricultural fields in mid-winter. 

Snow Buntings - West Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. March 3rd, 2014.

Part of a swirling flock of about 30 birds.