MA - Black-throated Blue Warbler - 04/29

Black-throated Blue Warbler - New Salem, Franklin Co., MA. April 29th, 2010.

Overnight frost didn't seem to deter the song of a few newly arrived migrants this morning. A singing House Wren greeted me as soon as I stepped out the door, and numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers could be heard on Redgate Lane and Hills Road, Amherst.

This handsome Black-throated Blue Warbler was singing just inside the Quabbin restricted area in New Salem. Certainly my first local bird of the year and, on reflection, I think my first April observation. I usually see the first arrivals around May 5th/6th.


JPS

BT Blue - Oct 9th

Black-throated Blue Warbler - male in Quabbin Park.

A return visit to Quabbin Park this morning began slowly with the Lookout Tower being fogbound so I pressed on to Enfield Overlook, and then the 'Blueberry Patch' where I eventually found an impressive feeding flock working the berries on the one of the fruiting shrubs. This spot provided the best birding of the morning, including a dapper male Black-throated Blue Warbler. An Orange-crowned Warbler suddenly appeared in the same shrub and just as suddenly disappeared! No pics of that one unfortunately, but the views were great and at last I caught with an Orange-crowned in the Pioneer Valley! Otherwise it was much the usual fare though thrushes were more obvious today with 5 Hermit and 3 Swainson's Thrushes in the same spot as the Black-throated Blue Warbler. Other notable species included Ruffed Grouse, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler (5+), Blue-headed Vireo (5+), Eastern Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Purple Finches and Pine Siskins were again notable today in Amherst and at Quabbin Park with about five of each at the latter location. A balmy day with temperatures in the mid-seventies in the afternoon.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - juvenile, Quabbin Park.


Hermit Thrush

Hermit Thrush - a different individual to that pictured above.


GB,

James