MA - Northampton CBC 12/16

In the spirit of tradition, I joined Scott Surner for his sector of Sunday's Northampton CBC. This particular CBC is a mighty effort usually fielding over 100 observers, and Scott's sector focuses on the Hadley flood plain and the eastern banks of the Connecticut River. As always, I was so impressed by the bird diversity found in this area in mid-December. This year yielded yet more surprises such as; female Northern Pintail, 4 drake Gadwall, a corvid sweep (Common Raven, American Crow, Fish Crow), Northern Shrike (brown immature), a heaving mass of 400 Horned Larks (and 1 Lapland Longpsur), and a smattering of redpolls including 3 individual Hoaries, and a near-certain rostrata. The latter, unfortunately, was brief and seen only by me so didn't go down day on the day's list. 

Despite being in the area for the entire day, we didn't have so much as a sniff of the juvenile Gyrfalcon reported on December 13th, the only falcon of the day being a Merlin.

The day was overcast, cold and damp with frequent snow showers but as always, hugely enjoyable with Scott. A personal highlight was a calling Eastern Screech-owl just before we closed for the day at 4pm. 

Northern Shrike - first-winter, Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

 Gadwall (4) - males with American Black Duck, Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

Northern Pintail - female (rear) with male Mallard, Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

White-crowned Sparrow - adult, Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

American Tree Sparrow and Hoary Redpoll - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

Common Redpolls - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

American Tree Sparrow and Hoary Redpoll - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

Hoary Redpoll - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012.

Hoary Redpoll - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 16th, 2012. This bird was feeding low to the ground in weeds which led to difficulties in reading the undertail coverts pattern, a situation which wasn't helped by the subject bird having some displaced feathers in the ventral/undertail coverts region. However, when if finally settled down it showed very lightly marked undertail coverts (no more than three fine streaks).   In combination with other features (whitish-gray ground color, tiny bill, light face pattern) this bird seems to fall well within 'Hoary range'. Two other birds were seen during the day including a lone bird with no other redpolls around it, also in the Honey Pot, and one with c.45 redpolls on Middle Road, Hadley. The latter bird really gave us the run around but eventually, and rather magically, responded to a sound recording of a Hoary Redpoll giving exquisite but brief views. It was the only bird from the entire flock to respond in that recording!

JPS