MA - Black Vultures in downtown Greenfield!

 Black and Turkey Vultures - Federal Street, Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. February 28th, 2018.

The last day of the month brought warm sunshine and a notable increase to the flock of Ring-necked Ducks at Barton Cove with an absolute minimum of 35 present, most of which were males, plus three male Bufflehead and a continuing drake Northern Pintail. Common and Hooded Mergansers, and Common Goldeneye were also plentiful in the same area. But the highlight of the morning came by virtue of a visit to the Docs in downtown Greenfield. I happened to be on Federal Street just as a major roost of Turkey and Black Vultures dispersed to  head out for foraging. A tight flock of five Black Vultures slipped away to the south-west low above the roof tops and, feeling a little miffed that I'd missed a nice photo opp, I was more than happy to find more vultures at roost in a tall spruce close by.  As they dispersed three more Black Vultures showed in that group! Although I've recorded Black Vulture in every month in Franklin county with the exception of December and January, eight birds is by far the largest concentration that I've found locally.

 Black and Turkey Vultures - Federal Street, Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. February 28th, 2018. A rather heavy crop.

Black Vultures - Federal Street, Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. February 28th, 2018. 

Black Vultures - Federal Street, Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. February 28th, 2018. 

Turkey Vultures arrived locally last week with three on Federal Street on Feb 21st and another at Gill center on Feb 25th. Among the passerines, further indications of spring included widespread arrivals of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles from Feb 18th and a rather impressive concentration of 1600 American Robins in Bascom Hollow, Gill on the 23rd. Earlier in the month a huge flock of around 275 Cedar Waxwings descended on downtown Turner's Falls to devour the crab apple crop along Avenue A and the surrounding streets affording exceptionally close views.

Cedar Waxwing - Avenue A, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 14th, 2018.

Cedar Waxwing - Avenue A, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 14th, 2018.

Golden-crowned Kinglet - Charlemont. Franklin Co., MA. February 4th, 2018.

MA - early Dec

The first week of December was generally mild, calm and often foggy. Owls continue to feature with Barred Owls being relatively easy to find. Unfortunately, several have succumbed to vehicles and I've seen no less than seven road-killed Barred Owls over the last two weeks including five in the Greenfield area alone. 

With fall migration pretty much behind us, it’s perhaps surprising that Northern Saw-whet Owls continue to feature in the local woods in relatively large numbers with many birds seemingly settling down to winter territories. For example, owling with friends in Putney, Vermont, we found a minimum of six individuals at four sites on Dec 6th, and a minimum of five birds in three sites in Franklin County on Dec 7th. Contact calls included a full range of vocals, the familiar 'tooting' song being among the least frequent of the vocalizations heard. 

At Turner's Falls, an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull continues to be seen most afternoons. A second-year Iceland Gull on Dec 2nd was my first of the current winter season, hopefully the forerunner of more to come later in the month. Waterfowl numbers continue to impress at the power canal with a show of up 165 Common Mergansers and up to 35 Common Goldeneye at dusk. A Cackling Goose continued in the area to Dec 1st at least and a pair of Gadwall showed up at Barton Cove, Gill on Dec 7th. Also in Gill, another Northern Shrike, again a brown-immature on Dec 7th.  

 Barred Owl - Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. December 5th, 2016.

Barred Owl - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. December 8th, 2016.

Northern Saw-whet Owl - Putney, Windham Co., VT. December 6th, 2016. 

Gadwall - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. December 7th, 2016. 

  Lesser Black-backed Gull - adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 3rd, 2016.

Kumlien's Iceland Gull - second-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 2nd, 2016.

Cedar Waxwings - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 4th, 2016.

Common Goldeneyes -  Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 3rd, 2016.

MA - yikes, Waxwings!!

Had a quick spin around Turner's Falls this morning finding my first Fish Crow of the spring close to the breeding site near Cumberland Farms gas station, and then an enormous flock of 335 Cedar Waxwings at Unity Park. No Bohemians that I could detect but study of the photos might turn one up. Certainly, I didn't hear anything other than Cedar Waxwings calling. Most of the flock headed for downtown Turner's.

 Cedar Waxwings - Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2016.

A small portion of the 335 counted, the largest single flock that I've seen in Franklin County. 

Bufflehead - male, Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 3rd, 2016.

Nice drake lingering since Feb 3rd. 

Other than that, almost no gulls present but a few long staying ducks including the female Lesser Scaup (since Jan 6th) and the drake Bufflehead (since Feb 3rd). Nice to be looking at something other than gulls!

MA - Fox Sparrows and more 03/27

Funny to think of 39 deg F as 'spring-like' but it actually felt warmer than that this morning. The roads around Gill were absolutely full of bird song with Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, Dark-eyed Juncos and American Tree Sparrows all over the place. A few American Robins have started to appear including the first 'black-backed' male of the season. This morning was especially notable for singing Fox Sparrows with two heard along North Cross Road and another along Main Road near Upinngil Farm. It was also great to see my first migrant Canada Geese (250) heading north over Gill without stopping, and equally great to hear Killdeers displaying along Boyle Road, Gill. There was also a nice approachable flock of 42 Cedar Waxwings on North Cross Road though, for this morning at least, no Bohemians among them.

Cedar Waxwings - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 27th, 2015.

In the afternoon, I made a quick check of the rapidly receding ice at Barton Cove hoping for a few early season swallows but had no such luck. Two drake Green-winged Teals were present however, one a Unity Park and another way out on the ice completely alone. The Ring-necked Duck flock at Turner's Falls power canal had swollen to 37 birds. Common and Hooded Mergansers, and Common Goldeneyes continue there. And a couple more season firsts in the form of a Great Blue Heron at the power canal and a calling Fish Crow on Main Street, Greenfield.

Ring-necked Ducks - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 27th, 2015.

Some of the 37 birds present on the power canal this afternoon. 

MA - Cedar Waxwings

Continuing this morning's waxwing theme, I encountered a nice close group of Cedar Waxwings in Unity Park, Turner's Falls this afternoon. Only a dozen or so were present and I left feeling comfortable that no Bohemians were mixed within the group. Otherwise, very few gulls compared to yesterday evening and no pale-winged birds at all.

Cedar Waxwings - Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. March 17th, 2015,

MA - downtown waxwings 03/04

Another absurdly cold start to the day (-8 F/-22 C at dawn), but plenty of birds in song in Gill  including Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse and Eastern Bluebird.......and in our yard at around 08:15am, a singing male Purple Finch. A little later I looked at Turner's Falls airfield where a Hermit Thrush was a bit of surprise at the eastern end of the perimeter fence. Apart from a single fly-over Horned Lark the airfield itself was virtually birdless. Downtown Turner's Falls was rather better with a nice group of Cedar Waxwings feeding from the trees along 3rd Street just outside the Rendezvous Cafe.  A few American Robins were present too.

Cedar Waxwings - from a flock of about 80 on 3rd Street, 

Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. March 4th, 2014.

Hermit Thrush - just a record shot of a bird seen briefly, east end of Turner's Falls airfield,

 Franklin Co., MA. March 4th, 2014. 

Turner's Falls airfield, Franklin Co., MA. March 4th, 2014.