MA - September odds n' ends

The heat of mid-summer is still very much with us in the Pioneer Valley and with this afternoon's temps hitting 90 degrees in Gill, it really doesn't feel very autumnal at the moment. My blog posts have been sadly neglected over the last few weeks but a few things have caught my eye especially at Turner's Falls where the 'motley' molting Mallards at Unity Park have drawn in three other species of dabbler duck including a summering drake Gadwall (throughout August) and a molting drake Green-winged Teal on the 4th.

Gadwall - male non-breeding plumage, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. August 13th, 2015. 

 Gadwall - male non-breeding plumage, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. August 31st, 2015. 

Same as above, seen here with female Mallard. 

 Gadwall - male non-breeding plumage, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. September 8, 2015. 

Same as above, breast darkening and contrasting more with gray face. White secondaries showing here. 

Green-winged Teal - male non-breeding plumage, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. September 4th, 2015.

American Black Duck - male, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. September 4th, 2015.

Beautiful male hanging out with the local Mallards. 

Fish Crows continued to impress (me at least) with several noisy family groups in Turner's Falls including Unity Park and at Avenue A near the Cumberland Farms gas station.

Although most bird song tapered in August, vireos continue to be quite vocal with a Yellow-throated Vireo singing at the rail yard in East Deerfield on Sep 1st and wide scatter of Warbling Vireos still singing in Gill and Turner's Falls through to Sep 8th.

I had my first Pied-billed Grebe of the fall at Turner's Falls power canal on Sep 1st with another at Unity Park on Sep 4th.

Pied-billed Grebe - Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. September 4th, 2015.

And for the second summer in succession, a Great Black-backed Gull, perhaps a failed breeder, has summered at Turner's Falls, often the only gull present.

Great Black-backed Gull - Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. September 8, 2015. 

Present throughout August into September. Almost certainly a returning 'summering' bird from 2014.