May - fourth week; Canada Warblers, Black Bears and a Sandhill Crane!

Canada Warbler (male) - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 25th, 2020. 

The last week of May began with an especially notable arrival of Canada Warblers on the 25th, most of which appeared to be pure migrants with singles singing on Boyle Road, Gill, Smiarowski Road, Montague (Brian Kane and Noel Watkins) and Hilltop Farm, Deerfield (David Sibley). I say "especially notable' because Canada Warblers have been especially scarce this spring. As luck would have it, I found a further three Canada Warblers during a mid-morning visit to Orchard Hill at Umass-Amherst where I came across an unexpectedly good fall-out of northern passerines including; Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Swainson's Thrush (3), Tennessee Warbler (11), Northern Parula (3), Magnolia Warbler (9), Bay-breasted Warbler (3), Blackpoll Warbler (6), Black-throated Green Warbler (12). In the evening a Common Nighthawk flew NNE over the Sunderland/Montague townline, one of the very few local nighthawks seen in migration this spring.

Magnolia Warbler (male) - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 25th, 2020. 

Black-throated Blue Warbler (female) - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 25th, 2020. 

Swainson's Thrush - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 25th, 2020. 

Ovenbird - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 25th, 2020. 

Bay-breasted Warbler - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 25th, 2020. 

The following day (May 26th), saw two Blackpoll Warblers, an Alder Flycatcher and a new Canada Warbler all singing on North Cross Road, Gill and single Olive-sided Flycatchers at Hell's Kitchen, Northfield (Josh Layfield) and Hilltop Farm, Deerfield (David Sibley).


The 27th saw a further three Blackpoll Warblers along North Cross Road, Gill where there was also had a singing Black-billed Cuckoo but I think the highlight would have to be the discovery of one, possibly two, Grasshopper Sparrows at a new site in Deerfield.

Grasshopper Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. May 27th, 2020. 

Two Blackpoll Warblers were singing in our Northfield yard on the 28th and a singing Mourning Warbler was in Deerfield (David Sibley), the latter species seems to have been decidedly scarce this month, especially compared to last year.

The week also produced a number of daytime Black Bear sightings including singles in Gill on the 28th and Charlemont on the 31st, and this one neatly photographed by Brian Kane in his backyard in Sunderland on the 27th!

Black Bear - Sunderland, Franklin Co., MA. May 27th, 2020. 

Image appears courtesy of Brian Kane. 

As the month drew to a close, the air was full of the sounds of breeding species settling down for the season in Franklin County with especially an especially vocal Virginia Rail in Gill, and a distinct increase in singing Alder Flycatchers and Black-billed Cuckoos. The last day of the month was neatly rounded off by a stunning Sandhill Crane preening in a roadside marsh, quite oblivious to the Sunday traffic and attention that it was receiving from the passing public! 

Sandhill Crane - Ashfield, Franklin Co., MA. May 31st, 2020.

OH - "the warbler capital"

Canada Warbler - Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 11th, 2016.

As much as I tend to be a little guarded about talking-up locations when it comes to birds and birding, I've yet to come across any place in North America that could match North-west Ohio in May for warbler diversity. May 2016 was my fifth consecutive visit which, combined with an excurision into Michigan for Kirtland's Warbler (and other breeding birds and migrants) gave our Birdfinders group 31 species of warbler for the tour. That tally matched the previous tours but the species compostition was different on all four trips! Although the famous boardwalk at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area was crowded at times, the rich array of habitats close by served us well and we often slipped away to find some of our own birds. If North American warblers are your thing, then NW Ohio has to be a 'must visit' location - I certainly haven't seen anything quite like it in my travels in the US.

 Blackburnian Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016.

 Blackburnian Warbler - female, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 14th, 2016. 

 Bay-breasted Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 14th, 2016.

Bay-breasted Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 13th, 2016.

 Chestnut-sided Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016.

Blackpoll Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 13th, 2016.

 Cape May Warbler - male, Maumee Bay SP, Lucas Co., OH. May 11th, 2016.

Cape May Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 14th, 2016.

Black-throated Green Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016. 

Golden-winged Warbler - female, Maumee Bay SP, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016. 

 Magnolia Warbler - Maumee Bay SP, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016. 

 Magnolia Warbler - male, Maumee Bay SP, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016.  

Mourning Warbler - male, Maumee Bay SP, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016.  

Northern Parula - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016. 

Prothonotary Warbler - Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 14th, 2016. 

Northern Waterthrush - Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 14th, 2016. 

Wilson's Warbler - male, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016. 

Philadelphia Vireo - Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., OH. May 15th, 2016. 

MA - Gill Canada Warbler 05/29

A Northern Waterthrush singing in the yard was a really nice way to start the day, this species being the scarcer of the two in our corner of Gill. Our resident breeding Louisiana Waterthrushes called from the river a few times but didn't interfere with the Northern's singing. By 8am the Northern had moved on. A little later I checked Barton Cove and was pleased to hear and later see, a very smart male Canada Warbler singing from the Oaks, Alders and Hemlocks close to the water's edge. After a couple of 'heard-only' Canada Warblers in Gill last weekend, this encounter was much more satisfactory. What's more, it really looked and behaved like a bird holding a territory so I'll make periodic checks on this one during the breeding season.

Canada Warbler - male, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 29th, 2014. 

Shy and furtive, and surprisingly difficult to spot within the sun-dappled branches. 

Also worthy of mention, two day ago, a close, naked eye encounter with a Bobcat at the side of Main Road in Gill. No pics unfortunately as I was running, but a nice observation all the same and at least my fourth in Gill.

MA - Canada Warbler - 05/13

How nice to step out into the yard mid-morning and hear the jolty song of a Canada Warbler. Susannah and I had excellent views, not only a new yard bird but also a sweet addition to an impressive range of wood-warblers that I've already seen in the US this year. The bird hung around most of the day and was still singing from the Alders over the stream in the evening - very cool to have such a handsome addition to our yard list.


Elsewhere, we had a family visit to Laurel Lake in Erving State Forest finding singing Pine Siskins on the North Road, along with Purple Finch and numerous Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green and Blackburnian Warblers. The lake itself, whilst busy with folk, still had Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers to be seen. A lovely, warm spring day with temperatures reaching the low 80s. 

Canada Warbler - male, Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA. May 13th, 2012.