May 1st - 4th

Killdeer - a rain dappled breeding bird, Montague, Franklin Co., MA. My 1st, 2020. 

Travel restrictions and social distancing protocol continued into May with no foreseeable end in sight. Though obviously difficult to deal with, few birders would grumble about the idea of being stuck in Massachusetts during the month of May. With spring migration in full swing and unpredictable weather patterns ahead, many diverse days will offer the promise of great field birding all the way through until the month's end. The opening three days formed a perfect example as heavy/torrential rain grounded a modest fall-out of waterbirds on the 1st, whilst on the 3rd temperatures soared into the low 80s bringing the first genuinely warm day of the year and a widespread, diverse range of summer breeders to Franklin County.


May 1st: Barton Cove, Gill; 14 Common Loons with some birds dropping in whilst I was there before 09:00 but a complete exodus of all loons by 12 noon. There was also a noteworthy fall-out of 10 Buffleheads plus 3 Green-winged Teal and 2 Ring-necked Ducks lingering over from April. 

Ring-necked Ducks - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 1st, 2020. 

View from Barton Cove campground, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 1st, 2020. 

 Common Loons - from Barton Cove campground, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 1st, 2020. 

Some of the early morning fall-out of 14 birds.

May 2nd: a cool start but warming to the mid 60s by the afternoon. Noteworthy first arrivals (with thanks to Josh Layfield, Brian Kane and David Sibley) included; Chimney Swift (Deerfield, Greenfield),  Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Deerfield), Green Heron (Montague), Baltimore Oriole (Montague), Warbling Vireo (Gill), Wood Thrush (Northfield, Montague), Ovenbird (Northfield, Montague), Northern Waterthrush (Gill), Chestnut-sided Warbler (Gill), Yellow Warbler (Turner's Falls) and Common Yellowthroat (Montague).

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male) - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 2nd, 2020. 

Broad-winged Hawk - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 1st, 2020. 

May 3rd: the first really warm day of the year with winds in the SW quarter and temps reaching the low 80s by mid-afternoon. Lots more new arrivals including; Prairie Warbler (Deerfield, Montague, Leyden), Black-throated Blue Warbler (Deerfield, Gill), Blue-winged Warbler (Deerfield), Gray Catbird (everywhere!), Northern Parula (Deerfield, Gill), Great Crested Flycatcher (Deerfield, Sunderland), Eastern Kingbird (Gill) Least Flycatcher (Montague) and Bobolink (Monatgue). Thanks again to Josh Layfield, Brian Kane and David Sibley, and Susannah Lerman for the reports. Considering the clear skies and warm, sunny conditions 38 Ring-billed Gulls, a Red-breasted Merganser (female) and a Bufflehead (fem/imm) at Barton Cove were surprising. 

Red-breasted Merganser with Ring-billed Gulls - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 3rd, 2020. 

May 4th: Clear skies and a warm morning induced another widespread arrival of summer breeders to Franklin County. Warbling Vireos and Eastern Kingbirds were already plentiful around Barton Cove and Prairie Warblers (12+) seemed to be well established in the Montague Sandplains. I had my first Yellow-throated Vireo of the year, along with a Northern Parula, on Taylor Hill Road, Montague and a Blue-winged Warbler singing right by Rt 47 in Montague. In Deerfield, David Sibley reported Blackburnian Warbler, Scarlet Tanager and Indigo Bunting all making first-time appearances this year. In the evening Josh Layfield and I watched nice gathering of swallows feeding low over the water at Barton Cove, five species in all including 10+ Bank Swallows and at least 3 Cliff Swallows. Chimney Swifts (3-4) were visible over Riverview Drive as well . 

Eastern Kingbird - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 4th, 2020. 

Cliff Swallows - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 4th, 2020. 

Minimum of three birds watched feeding low over the water with Josh Layfield on a cool, cloudy evening.