Pioneer Birding: MA - Louisiana Waterthrush and plenty more

Thursday, April 14, 2016

MA - Louisiana Waterthrush and plenty more

Louisiana Waterthrush - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 13th, 2016.

Yesterday, April 13th, really marked a turning point in the spring, hopefully bringing an end to the cold, wintery air that seems to have been with us for the last couple of weeks. Locally, there's no better indicator of the end of winter than the arrival of Louisiana Waterthrushes to our streams and rivers. Yesterday I heard three singing males along River Road in Gill, including the showy individual pictured here.

Vesper Sparrow - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 13th, 2016.

Perhaps more surprising was the appearance of a pair of Vesper Sparrows along North Cross Road, I think only the second time that I've recorded the species in Gill. The birds showed well, foraging at the roadside, quite literally at the side of the road.

Common Loon - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2016.

In the afternoon, I recorded no less than nine species of raptor from Unity Park in Turner's Falls including my first Broad-winged Hawks (3) of the year, along with a Black Vulture and a Merlin. Barton Cove itself has been pretty quiet aside from a single Common Loon and, after the first on April 6th, the daily presence of up to nine Double-crested Cormorants.

Double-crested Cormorant - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 13th, 2016.

Widespread arrivals of more Eastern Phoebes, Pine Warblers, Field and Chipping Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes (including one in our yard on the 14th) have taken place in the last two days and their songs have been common place around Gill. A few Fox and White-throated Sparrows have also burst into song as they pass through the fields and hedgerows. North Cross Road in particular has been good for the former.

Eatsern Phoebe - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 11th, 2016.

Finally, a rainy morning didn't put off a Ruffed Grouse from an aggressive roadside display on April 12th. This bird quite literally charged at my vehicle when I pulled up to take a look. I became so concerned for its welfare that I gently encouraged it to retreat back into the woodland. Otherwise, it might easily have become roadkill.