April - the last few days

Common Loon - adult, Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 28th, 2020.

Unusual looking bird with pale ivory colored culmen and tip to the bill. 

April ended damp and chilly as it had been for much of the month. Summer breeders continued to arrive slowly, in dribs and drabs actually. We still await the broad sweeping arrivals of many regular summer migrants. Notably absent so far have been species such as Gray Catbird, Wood Thrush, Least Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Ovenbird, Blue-winged and Yellow Warblers, Northern Waterthrush and Common Yellowthroat all of which I've noted before the end of the month in years past.

But Josh Layfield did see an American Redstart at the Turner's Falls power canal on the 28th, and we had a Black--and-white Warbler singing in our yard in Northfield on the 29th the same day that Brian Kane noted the first local Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year in Montague. Broader 'waves' of Hermit Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglets occurred in many spots in the last three days of the month plus there was surprising concentration of 25 Savannah Sparrows on North Cross Road on the 29th along with a continuing Black-throated Green Warbler.

Common Loon - adult, Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 28th, 2020.

Lots of movement among Common Loons with individuals sometimes dropping in for only a 

few minutes before pushing on with migration. 

After the excitement earlier in the week, Barton Cove was fairly quiet as four Horned Grebes continued from the 26th - 28th, and single breeding plumage Common Loons dropped in on the 28th and the 29th. There were also single pairs of Ring-necked Ducks and Blue-winged Teals on the 30th. Continued heavy rain throughout the 30th brought four more Common Loons to Barton Cove along with about 400 swallows hawking over the water including over 70 Barn Swallows and my first local Bank and Cliff Swallows of the year.

Common Loon - adult, Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 29th, 2020.

Double-crested Cormorants - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 29th, 2020.

Present daily at the cove in small, varying numbers.