MA - October third week

Pileated Woodpecker - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2019.

Relatively common throughout Franklin County but never taken for granted, Pileated Woodpeckers have been 

active and visible at many locations in October. 

It's been a steady week of migration and falling leaves. North Cross Road in Gill has featured strong numbers of Hermit Thrushes on most mornings with 7 - 15 birds calling from the roadsides, sometimes foraging on the road itself before traffic starts in earnest around 7am. Yellow-rumped Warblers continue to migrate south-west in good numbers with 20 - 45 birds on most mornings around sunrise. Most other warblers, perhaps as expected, have become extremely few and far between but Brian Kane had a Nashville Warbler in his Sunderland yard on the 18th. It's been a decent week for Rusty Blackbirds with one heading south over Mill Village Road, Deerfield on the 18th and 4 over North Cross Road on the 19th.

Rusty Blackbird - migrant heading south over Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 18th, 2018.

Least Sandpiper - Hells Kitchen, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2019.

Very probably the same individual bird that's been lingering here from the beginning of October through to the 21st at least.

Shorebirds continued to have a patchy, irregular presence at Hell's Kitchen in Northfield but patient birders have been rewarded with Solitary Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and up to 5 Pectoral Sandpipers through to the 21st. And a personal highlight for me was two American Woodcocks seen 'chittering' over North Cross Road, Gill early on the 18th. A Pectoral Sandpiper also touched down at Caldwell Road sod fields during the storm of the 17th when it was the only shorebird present there.

Savannah Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2019.

Sparrows continued to feature and perhaps increase in number with several pronounced 'waves' of Song, Savannah, Chipping, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows this week. At least 160 Savannah Sparrows were present in the Mill Village Road fields south of Historic Deerfield on the 17th, which also happened to be the last date on which the Le Conte's Sparrow was seen. The Deerfield Meadows also produced over 21 White-crowned Sparrows on the 19th, 18 of which were in the North Meadows when there was also an Eastern Meadowlark close by (David Sibley). Still at the Deerfield Meadows, single Field Sparrows and up to three Vesper Sparrows have been found fairly consistently amid the hordes of Savannah and Song Sparrows.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

White-throated Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

Lincoln's Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

Vesper Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

MA - migration and a little more Le Conte's.........

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

The last few days have been characterized by cool, foggy nights giving way to glorious autumnal days. The temptation to be outside has been huge, and I've been sneaking out when ever the opportunity arises. Fresh migrants have appeared on all of the last three mornings, particularly on North Cross Road, Gill with a Swainson's Thrush and 2 Blue-headed Vireos on the 14th, more Blue-headed Vireos and a wave of Ruby-crowned Kinglets on the 15th, and 45 White-throated Sparrows, 35 Chipping Sparrows, 6 Golden-crowned Kinglets and 9 Hermit Thrushes on the 16th. The 15th saw a notable push of Chipping Sparrows and I tallied 115 birds in the Gill/Northfield area, all of them in flocks in roadside yards and on street corners, areas where I  wouldn't typically go birding.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

The cold October evenings also brought to mind owls, more specifically Northern Saw-whet Owl and on the 15th Josh Layfield and I made our first owling attempt of the autumn. Our chosen site was Wendell, and we tried three spots hearing a Barred Owl at the first, nothing at the second but managed to confirm our first Saw-whet of the fall at the third site. The latter bird gave one clear, unambiguous "keew" , a call usually associated with hatch-year birds and most typically heard on fall migration. Needless to say we were delighted!

Savannah Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

Northern Harrier (juvenile) - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 16th, 2019.

The 16th found me back down at Mill Village Road in Deerfield trying get lucky (between errands) with the Le Conte's Sparrow.  It was late morning so hardly the best time, plus I hadn't seen any successful reports from that time of day, but I was curious to see what else the fields could offer. The answer was 'scads' of Savannah Sparrows (120+) and the continuing Le Conte's Sparrow. The latter seemed to be so focused on feeding that it was exceptionally difficult to see and the call note, which seemed so distinctive when I heard it two days ago, was somehow lost amid the frequent and similar sounding call notes of Savannah Sparrow. Even so, it was close to noon when I caught up with the Le Conte's Sparrow and I can admit to being delighted to see it skulk in the rank grasses at that time of day.

MA - Le Conte's Sparrow in Deerfield!

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

The meadows surrounding Historic Deerfield just keep on giving! After multiple Dickcissels and a Blue Grosbeak last week, things could hardly improve this week - but they did! On October 13th, Charles Caron came across a Le Conte's Sparrow south of Historic Deerfield on Mill Village Road. His ebird report proved to be remarkably accurate, and thanks to his excellent description of the location, Josh Layfield relocated the bird a little before 8 am this morning.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

Surprisingly, bursting into partial song at times.

This was a bird of extreme interest to me as I'd never seen a migrant in autumn, least of all twenty minutes from my house in Franklin County! Fortunately, I carved out a twenty minute window in the morning and by 09:10 am I was enjoying the bird with two other local birders (Elissa and Laura) who'd already located it in the sumac thickets right along Mill Village Road. As an observation, it blew me away. It was the most cooperative sparrow there, and the most vocal, constantly calling a hard, smacking 'tsip'. After some excellent viewing, I left the bird in peace and went on to enjoy a classic day of New England autumn foliage with Matan, centered around Charlemont along the Mohawk Trail.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

Le Conte's Sparrow does have a reputation for being a scarce, skulking grassland species making today's observation all the more remarkable as it sat in the open for prolonged periods in a roadside thicket. As far as I can make out this is the first formerly documented record for Franklin County, though it has been reported from Deerfield's meadows before. That was a 'cool' twenty years ago, seen by Bob Packard on October 19th, 2019. That particular report apparently came without details and was never ratified by the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee. Le Conte's Sparrow is still a state review species (https://maavianrecords.com/review-list/) and I don't see any issues with the acceptance of this individual which was so well documented by Charles Caron on October 13th, and subsequently photographed by small numbers of chasers on the 14th.


Kudos (and thanks!) to Charles Caron for his exceptional find. Thanks to David Sibley for the initial heads-up, and to Josh Layfield for relocating the bird in a timely manner this morning - a really fantastic bird to see in all respects.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

Le Conte's Sparrow - Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

MA - more Dickcissels and a Blue Grosbeak!

Blue Grosbeak (first-winter) - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2019.

It's been another sensational week of fall birding in Franklin County. From a personal perspective, the highlight would have to be the Blue Grosbeak found by Aaron Hulsey and Joe Oliverio in Deerfield Meadows on the 9th. I don't mind admitting that I've been on the look out for this species in the county for years but hadn't even heard of one until Aaron very kindly sent me a text to let me know of his find. Fortune worked in my favor and I had an appointment that afternoon that placed me only ten minutes away from the spot where Aaron and Joe had found the grosbeak. Within a few minutes of arriving I was watching the bird, albeit briefly and in the rain. No matter, I was really happy with the find and very grateful to Aaron and Joe.

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 8th, 2019.

Deerfield Meadows was again the 'sweet spot' of the week as it had been in the first week of the month. Numbers of Song, White-throated, White-crowned and Savannah Sparrows concentrated here along with a couple each of Vesper and Lincoln's Sparrows and a good late showing of Indigo Buntings. Among them, more Dickcissels could be found with 4 on the 8th and another on the 10th. In a typical autumn I'm lucky to see a single Dickcissel so to tally 6 individuals from a single site in matter of days was well beyond expectation.

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Other passerines of note included a Vesper Sparrow Caldwell Road Sod fields in Northfield on the 6th, at Red-eyed Vireo at Deerfield Meadows on the 10th,  50 American Pipits together at Caldwell Road Sod fields in Northfield on the 11th, and a Winter Wren in Wendell State Forest on the 12th. Large movements of Yellow-rumped Warblers have been seen over North Cross Road, Gill on most mornings this week, usually involving 45-65 birds with most activity occurring around sunrise. Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Field Sparrow have all featured as migrants on North Cross Road as well this week.

(Western) Palm Warbler - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Vesper Sparrow - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Winter Wren - Wendell State Forest, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2019.

MA - small, dark Canada Geese in Whately

Canada Goose - small, dark individual among Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

It's been a relatively slow start to the goose migration in the Pioneer Valley. Although migrants have been arriving it's been more of a steady build rather than a sudden incursion of hundreds of birds, something which we quite often see at this time of year. But, it's still early in the month and presumably we can look forward to some large arrivals over the next 10 days or so.

Canada Geese - dark individuals amid Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

This looked more like a family group of dark birds, perhaps too dark side for Hudson Bay Canada Goose B.c. interior?

Canada Geese - large, white breasted birds showing characteristics of Atlantic Canada Goose (B. c. canadenis), Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Canada Goose - small, dark individual amid Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Canada Goose - small, dark individual amid Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Same individual as above. 

I did find a flock of geese at Tri-town Beach, Whately and at least six individuals, possibly from two different family groups, caught my attention in being exceptionally small and dark. I am used to seeing a lot of variation within Canada Geese in the Pioneer Valley and at this time of year we tend to get two, fairly distinct forms; Atlantic Canada Goose (B.c. canadensis) which are typically large, pale gray-brown and white/pale breasted, and Hudson Bay Canada Goose (B.c. interior) which tend to be darker, browner and more dusky in appearance with a darker breast and appear to average quite a bit smaller in size than Atlantic Canada Goose. With this in mind, I tend to be quite careful about variation within Canada Goose flocks but today's birds really did stand out as being exceptionally dark to the point where I'm pretty sure that I haven't encountered anything like these locally before. I'm not sure what they are, or how to account for the very dark appearance but I'm hoping that posting a few images will draw some attention to these very interesting geese. And for those interested, some essential reading on Distinguishing Cackling and Canada Geese by David Sibley can be found here;
https://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/07/identification-of-cackling-and-canada-goose/


Elsewhere in the valley, well warm, muggy rain showers came back today after a relatively cool weekend bringing 9 Green-winged Teal, 6 Pectoral Sandpipers and 1 Least Sandpiper to Hell's Kitchen in Northfield. And there was a surprise Vesper Sparrow very briefly on the sod fields at Caldwell Road, Northfield.

Pectoral Sandpiper - two of six, Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, Framklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Pectoral Sandpiper - one of six, Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, Framklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Vesper Sparrow - Caldwell Road Sod, Northfield, Framklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

MA - Dickcissel, Clay-colored Sparrow and more...

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

October opened with a welcome change in the weather. Muggy, showery southerlies gave way to breezy, cooler conditions and a cold front on the 4th. By the 5th we'd had our first frost of the fall and the 6th, while pleasant enough, was distinctly dank with the hanging threat of rain throughout the day. All of a sudden, it really felt like autumn had arrived. If late September had been more subdued than average in northern Franklin County, October had gotten off to a cracking start! Deerfield Meadows proved to be something of a 'sweet' spot with a Marsh Wren on the 1st (David Sibley), a Clay-colored Sparrow on the 2nd and a Dickcissel on the 4th.

Clay-colored Sparrow - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 2nd, 2019.

Noteworthy arrivals of passerines to 'greater' Franklin County included Ruby-crowned Kinglets (fairly widespread from the 1st), White-crowned and Song Sparrows from the 2nd, Yellow-rumped Warblers from the 3rd (including 150 at Northfield Meadows on the 5th - Josh Layfield) and White-throated Sparrows from the 4th, Dark-eyed Juncos from the 5th and an early Snow Bunting (over South Ferry Road, Montague) on the 6th.  Less expected was a Winter Wren at Caldwell Road fields, Northfield on the 3rd and an Eastern Meadowlark in Montague on the 6th, a species I almost never encounter locally on fall migration. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2019.

Winter Wren - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 3rd, 2019.

White-throated Sparrow - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

Eastern Meadowlark - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. October 6th, 2019.

Common Yellowthroat - Pine Meadow Road,  Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2019.

Good numbers of Common Yellowthroats in early October, certain spots harboring 8 -10 individuals.

Great Blue Heron (juvenile) - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

Solitary Sandpipers (2) - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

Not an easy species to find in Franklin County but birds have been lingering here, and at Hell's Kitchen in Northfield.

Raptor migration hasn't been particularly strong or obvious in the first week although a smattering of American Kestrels passed through, and a Peregrine migrated over Montague on the 6th. The 4th was probably the best day with 45 Turkey Vultures, 2 Black Vultures, Osprey, Northern Harrier and Sharp-shinned Hawk all passing over Deerfield Meadows within the space of 25 minutes. 

Odds n' ends included 6 Fish Crows still lingering outside the 'Big Y' at Greenfield shopping plaza off the Mohawk Trail on the 5th. (Josh Layfield), a Greater Yellowlegs over Turner's Falls on the 1st, and up to 18 Ring-necked Ducks and 3 Pied-billed Grebes in the Turner's Falls area.

Greater Yellowlegs - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2019.

MA - a Connecticut Warbler 'pops up' in northern Franklin County!

Connecticut Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 29th, 2019.

This image appears courtesy of  the finder, Josh Layfield. 

Late September has traditionally been a diverse time in Franklin County and we usually see a busy end to the month with waves of warblers and vireos departing just as the first surges of southbound sparrows appear in the fields and hedgerows. This year, however, the last week of the month has been surprisingly quiet, limited to small pockets of birds at sites such as North Cross Road in Gill, and Pine Meadow Road in Northfield. Indeed, the 'sweet spot' at Northfield Meadows has been more or less bereft of migrants, especially looking back at the concentrations of Cape May and other warblers present during the same period last year. Western Massachusetts looks parched, dry and really ready for a change in the weather!

Connecticut Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 29th, 2019.

This image appears courtesy of  the finder, Josh Layfield. 

And so it seems remarkable that a period with so few migrants should produce a Connecticut Warbler, very much a 'grail bird' in northern Franklin County, and found by Josh Layfield and David Sibley on Pine Meadow Road in Northfield. Moreover, Josh did incredibly well to photograph the elusive little beast (which apparently popped up for just a few seconds) and produced what may be the only photos of the species taken in Franklin County. I'm certainly not aware of any others but would happily be corrected if I'm wrong. David and Josh also found Chestnut-sided and Bay-breasted Warblers (getting late) on Pine Meadow Road and the first local White-crowned Sparrows of the fall, all on September 29th.

Chestnut-sided Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 29th, 2019.

This image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Elsewhere, Montague Sand Plains hosted impressive numbers of Pine Warblers on the 28th with at least 20 along Old Northfield Road including many males, some of which were in song. Pine Warblers certainly seemed to be moving through with one singing on Riverview Drive, Gill on the 29th and five together on North Cross Road on the 26th. Other migrants of interest included a Wood Thrush (dead) on North Cross Road, Gill on the 24th, a Tennessee Warbler in Northfield Meadows on the 24th, an Eastern Wood-Pewee on Riverview Drive, Gill on the 27th, a late Warbling Vireo on North Cross Road on the 26th, a  Black-and-white Warbler at Canalside Railtrail in Deerfield on the 30th, and a Golden-crowned Kinglet on North Cross Road, Gill also on the 30th. There was also a strong push of Blue-headed Vireos towards the end of the month with at least five together at the Canalside Railtrail in Deerfield on the 30th.

Tennessee Warbler (first-winter) - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. September 24th, 2019.

Eastern Wood-Pewee - Riverview Drive, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. September 27th, 2019.

Warbling Vireo - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. September 26th, 2019.

 Black-and-White Warbler - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019.

Blue-headed Vireo - Hilltop Farm, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019.

Blue-headed Vireo - Canalside Railtrail, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019.

Blue Jay - Hilltop Farm, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019. 

Small waves of Blue Jays passed through hilltop sites today, the first notable movement of the fall. 

The 29th also featured a small but notable gathering of shorebirds at Hell's Kitchen, with 6 Killdeer, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, 2 Least Sandpipers, a Wilson's Snipe and a Pectoral Sandpiper.