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.