MA - Red-necked Grebe at Turner's 12/12

The 'purple patch' at Turner's Falls continues with this fine Red-necked Grebe on the power canal, originally found and posted by Bill Lafley this morning. Not only a beautiful bird, but also bizarre in the sense that it was very vocal giving the same call-type recorded as "song" on the Sibley Guides iphone app. Fortunately, Matan and I visited in late afternoon so we didn't have to deal with hordes of Canada Geese which had left the canal to feed, and the grebe was close and vocal.

Red-necked Grebe - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 12th, 2014.

Up at Unity Park, gull diversity is picking up with increased numbers of Great Black-backed Gulls, especially adults. Yesterday, a lone Kumlien's Iceland Gull was loafing around and this evening an Lesser Black-backed Gull showed up very late in the day. The gulls seem very unsettled at the moment and are frequently flushed by the local Bald Eagles.

 Kumlien's Iceland Gull - Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 11th, 2014.

One of hundreds of high flying gulls that never settled due to Bald Eagle activity.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (left) - adult, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 12th, 2014.

Hermit Thrush - Greenfield Road, Montague, Franklin Co., MA. December 11th, 2014.