Louisiana Waterthrush - Gill yard, Franklin Co. MA. April 25th, 2011. Singing male, present since April 17th.This is such a fantastic time of year in Western Massachusetts. Even if winter does its best to whip back as it did on Saturday, each and every day brings newly arrived migrant birds. Some are keen to settle down and get on with the breeding cycle, whilst others are simply passing through on their way North. Either way, the promise of new arrivals sees me working with windows open in the office, and regularly checking the feeders. Only yesterday (04/24), six Purple Finches arrived seemingly from nowhere and descended on the thistle feeders. Together with resplendent summer plumaged American Goldfinches they provided a 'riot' of color.
American Goldfinches and Purple Finch (male) - Gill yard, Franklin Co. MA. April 25th, 2011.The real star, for my money at least, has been a territorial Louisiana Waterthrush on the brook running through our yard. Susannah actually first heard him on April 17th whilst I was still in Texas, and today it was singing right outside my office window from song posts surprisingly high above the water. Described as an "Uncommon and local breeder" in the "Birds of Massachusetts" by Veit and Petersen, we are surely fortunate to have this beauty holding territory in our yard.
JPS
No comments:
Post a Comment