May 6th -

White-crowned Sparrow - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

Another chilly start to the day, even colder than yesterday morning with a sharp frost in Gill and dawn temperatures of around 29 deg F. Barton Cove again proved attractive to swallows with at least 4 Cliff and 25 Bank Swallows hawking over the water. The riverside vegetation had some interesting migrants including at least 5 Northern Parulas, several Yellow-rumped Warblers, 15 White-throated Sparrows and a crisp adult White-crowned Sparrow, the latter hot on the heels of one in Deerfield on the 4th and 5th (David Sibley). Throughout the morning Wood Thrushes could be heard singing at every stop in Gill/Montague/Sunderland/Deerfield and a major arrival had clearly taken place overnight - they were simply everywhere!

Northern Parula (male singing) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

The migrant of the day would have to be Yellow-rumped Warbler (150+) with migrant groups all along the Connecticut River from Montague City down to Sunderland, and back along River Road in Deerfield to Montague City once more, a 20 mile loop on the bike. Northern Parulas (6+) featured in the early part of the ride but I didn't hear any singing after about 9:15 am. Baltimore Orioles too, were common throughout the ride and another summer breeder that clearly arrived in numbers overnight. In the evening, a surprise Eastern Meadowlark was singing on South Ferry Road on Montague along with multiple Savannah Sparrows, plus a Merlin playfully stooping at an American Kestrel!

Yellow-rumped Warbler (male) - Montague City, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

An impressive day for this species with easily over 150 birds along the Connecticut River between Sunderland and Turner's Falls.  

Gray Catbird - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

White-throated Sparrow - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

Good numbers of migrants moving through Franklin County in early May.