MA - Gill migrants - 10/07

Since returning from Cape May on October 2nd, our yard in Gill has been receiving fresh migrants each day, especially around the period of unsettled weather during October 5th and 6th that brought heavy rain for most of the 6th.

Canada Geese could be heard moving before dawn on the 3rd, a day which produced several Blackpoll Warblers and a Golden-crowned Kinglet. A Swainson's Thrush was bathing in the stream on the evening of the 4th with another (night migrant) heard calling as it flew south at about 10 pm. The same date also produced a Cooper's Hawk and 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets. The latter have been present daily through to the 7th.

Showery North-easterlies on the 5th produced an influx of White-throated Sparrows, along with 3 Swamp Sparrows and 2 Song Sparrows but more impressive on the same date were 3 Palm Warblers (Yellow/Eastern birds), a male Eastern Towhee and a calling Bicknell's Thrush in the Alders. Late on the 6th, after a day of pretty much solid rain, I discovered a first-winter White-crowned Sparrow, not only the first of the fall but a classic gambelli-type (bright orange-yellow bill and plain lores recalling Field Sparrow at first glance). On the 7th, in much improving weather conditions, there were many birds around with c.35 White-throated Sparrows, 25 Yellow-rumped Warblers and about 15 Palm Warblers, all of the latter being Yellow (Eastern) types. Also of note on the 7th, our first Red-bellied Woodpecker since early September.

Here's a digi-scope selection of the three most common migrants from October 7th.

White-throated Sparrow - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2010. Present in the yard since September 25th, with numbers increasing significantly from October 6th. Image taken using Canon Powershot A560 hand held through Swarovski HD telescope.



Yellow-rumped Warblers - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2010. Major increase in numbers on October 7th with 25+ present. Image taken using Canon Powershot A560 hand held through Swarovski HD telescope.



(Yellow) Palm Warblers (D. p. hypochrysea) - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2010. First recorded on October 5th with a major incursion on October 7th when 15+ present in late afternoon. Image taken using Canon Powershot A560 hand held through Swarovski HD telescope.