A few casual observations from the day revealing more cool birds in our local area (Gill). Swung by Barton Cove this morning, again finding no sign of the phalarope from August 31st but 4 Lesser and 1 Greater Yellowlegs were really nice. The birds fed briefly in the shallows off Riverview Drive but without enough muddy margins to keep them there, they moved quickly on down river. A Purple Finch was calling from the same spot, and there was another Purple Finch, this time a singing bird, in our yard around noon. Yard bird of the day was a nice Northern Waterthrush this evening, located by call in the Alder patch.
Elsewhere, an unidentified cuckoo in flight over Rt 2 in Greenfield, and an Indigo Bunting still singing at Upinngil Farm this evening. Great stuff!
JPS.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
MA - Pec Sand and Common Nighthawk - 09/01
September at last, and thank goodness for increasingly cool nights and foggy, autumnal dawns.
Two nice local sightings today, as if to welcome one of the most exciting birding months on the calender. This morning I saw heard, then saw a Pectoral Sandpiper flying around Upinngil Farm with a small flock of Feral Doves and Starlings! It spent a good seven minutes circling the fields and paddocks in the area before heading off North.
And this evening, between the thundery showers, a Common Nighthawk over Rt 2 in Gill near the intersection with Main Road and the Turner's Falls bridge.
Of note, the calls of Red-eyed Vireos and Eastern Wood Pewees have been common sounds through out Gill over the last two days.
Alas, a brief check of Barton Cove in mid-morning did not produce any sign of yesterday's Re-necked Phalarope though I did see a Great Black-backed Gull, 7 Ring-billed Gulls and 4 or 5 immature Bald Eagles.
JPS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)