MA - waterbirds of the move part four; Red-necked Grebes!

Red-necked Grebes - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

The impressive run of waterbird fall-outs at Barton Cove, Gill continued unabated this morning when a southerly airflow combined with torrential rain, mist and poor visibility brought no less than 20 grounded Red-necked Grebes. The birds were initially quite mobile rarely settling for long but as the weather improved they found refuge just off Barton Island and started to rest and feed. With them came a Horned Grebe in full summer plumage, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, as many as 9 Bonaparte's Gulls and a particularly brutish Caspian Tern. Some 15 Northern Rough-winged Swallows were present at the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club but aside from 7 Lesser Scaup waterbirds were few, and the fall-out appeared to be more or less restricted to Barton Cove this morning though a couple of Red-necked Grebes did drop into the power canal and stayed throughout the afternoon. Today's total of 22 Red-necked Grebes was the single largest arrival that I've recorded in the Gill/Turner's Falls area to date.

Red-necked Grebes - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

With a female Red-breasted Merganser leading the flock.

Red-necked Grebes - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

Caspian Tern - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

Bonaparte's Gulls and Caspian Tern - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

Horned Grebe (left)  with Red-necked Grebes - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

Bonaparte's Gull - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

Bonaparte's Gulls - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

Bonaparte's Gulls - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.

Bonaparte's Gull - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 15th, 2019.