MA - a Connecticut Warbler 'pops up' in northern Franklin County!

Connecticut Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 29th, 2019.

This image appears courtesy of  the finder, Josh Layfield. 

Late September has traditionally been a diverse time in Franklin County and we usually see a busy end to the month with waves of warblers and vireos departing just as the first surges of southbound sparrows appear in the fields and hedgerows. This year, however, the last week of the month has been surprisingly quiet, limited to small pockets of birds at sites such as North Cross Road in Gill, and Pine Meadow Road in Northfield. Indeed, the 'sweet spot' at Northfield Meadows has been more or less bereft of migrants, especially looking back at the concentrations of Cape May and other warblers present during the same period last year. Western Massachusetts looks parched, dry and really ready for a change in the weather!

Connecticut Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 29th, 2019.

This image appears courtesy of  the finder, Josh Layfield. 

And so it seems remarkable that a period with so few migrants should produce a Connecticut Warbler, very much a 'grail bird' in northern Franklin County, and found by Josh Layfield and David Sibley on Pine Meadow Road in Northfield. Moreover, Josh did incredibly well to photograph the elusive little beast (which apparently popped up for just a few seconds) and produced what may be the only photos of the species taken in Franklin County. I'm certainly not aware of any others but would happily be corrected if I'm wrong. David and Josh also found Chestnut-sided and Bay-breasted Warblers (getting late) on Pine Meadow Road and the first local White-crowned Sparrows of the fall, all on September 29th.

Chestnut-sided Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 29th, 2019.

This image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Elsewhere, Montague Sand Plains hosted impressive numbers of Pine Warblers on the 28th with at least 20 along Old Northfield Road including many males, some of which were in song. Pine Warblers certainly seemed to be moving through with one singing on Riverview Drive, Gill on the 29th and five together on North Cross Road on the 26th. Other migrants of interest included a Wood Thrush (dead) on North Cross Road, Gill on the 24th, a Tennessee Warbler in Northfield Meadows on the 24th, an Eastern Wood-Pewee on Riverview Drive, Gill on the 27th, a late Warbling Vireo on North Cross Road on the 26th, a  Black-and-white Warbler at Canalside Railtrail in Deerfield on the 30th, and a Golden-crowned Kinglet on North Cross Road, Gill also on the 30th. There was also a strong push of Blue-headed Vireos towards the end of the month with at least five together at the Canalside Railtrail in Deerfield on the 30th.

Tennessee Warbler (first-winter) - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. September 24th, 2019.

Eastern Wood-Pewee - Riverview Drive, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. September 27th, 2019.

Warbling Vireo - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. September 26th, 2019.

 Black-and-White Warbler - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019.

Blue-headed Vireo - Hilltop Farm, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019.

Blue-headed Vireo - Canalside Railtrail, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019.

Blue Jay - Hilltop Farm, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 30th, 2019. 

Small waves of Blue Jays passed through hilltop sites today, the first notable movement of the fall. 

The 29th also featured a small but notable gathering of shorebirds at Hell's Kitchen, with 6 Killdeer, 2 Solitary Sandpipers, 2 Least Sandpipers, a Wilson's Snipe and a Pectoral Sandpiper. 

MA - odds n' ends

Opportunities for birding have been precious few to non-existent lately, a little frustrating perhaps when signs of fall migration are pretty evident all around us. On Wednesday (08/14) a family visit to Energy Park in downtown Greenfield produced our first migrant Wilson's Warbler of the fall. And this afternoon, just with a ten minute spell, I noticed several passerines coming to a secluded spot by the stream that passes through the yard - 2 American Redstarts, a Veery and a very young Chestnut-sided Warbler were amongst the species coming down to drink. Earlier in the day, a juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker appeared on the utility poles by the edge of the yard as well. 

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler - juvenile, Gill yard. Franklin Co., MA. August 16th, 2013.

Canon PowerShot G10.

MA - dull Chestnut-sided Warbler

 

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler - adult female, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, Franklin Co., MA. June 10th, 2013. Found this bird actively attending a nest with a typically plumaged male Chestnut-sided Warbler. It struck me as being notably dull and pale with only small traces of 'chestnut' on the flanks and at the base of the malar, and thus much closer in overall appearance to many first-winter birds.





Neighborhood Chestnut-sided - Sept 24th

Another beautiful fall day. Went out for a lovely neighborhood walk (N. Whitney Street, Amherst) in the morning with Matan in the stroller. Migrants seemed quite plentiful along the streets with 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 5 Black-throated Green Warblers, 3 Blackpolls and bird of the morning, a first-winter Chestnut-sided Warbler close to Wildwood School. Also of interest, Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, 3 Eastern Phoebes and an Eastern Wood-Pewee, all foraging along the quieter streets.

These are all digi-bin shots;

Chestnut-sided Warbler - First-winter.

Black-throated Green Warbler -

California notables (Birdfinders Sept '08).

First images from the recent, and highly successful, Birdfinders tour of Southern and Central California during September 3rd - 18th. This image set represents some of scarcer birds recorded on the tour, some of which we don't find every year, especially the depicted warblers.



Chestnut-sided Warbler - Images 1 - 3, Butterbredt Spring, Kern Co. September 12th.

Northern Waterthrush - Silver Saddle Resort, Kern Co. September 12th.


American Redstart - Images 5 & 6. One of three birds present at Butterbredt Spring, Kern Co. September 12th.



Semi-palmated Sandpiper - Images 7 & 8. Juvenile, Moonglow Dairy, Monterey Co. September 8th.


Baird's Sandpiper - Juvenile, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo Co. September 6th.


Ruff - Adult, Finney Lake WMA, Imperial Co., September 14th.


Large-billed Savannah Sparrow - Imperial Beach, San Diego Co. September 16th.


White-crowned Sparrow - Adult showing characteristis of Z.i. orianatha, Tuolumne Meadows, Tuolumne Co., September 10th.

Northern Pygmy-owl. Merced River, Mariposa Co., September 9th.

Reddish Egret - One of two present, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Orange Co. September 18th.

More images to follow from this excellent trip.

Best birding,


James.

Jewels from the Quabbin.

Chestnut-sided Warbler - male, Central Quabbin. May 14th, 2008.

Cerulean Warbler - male, Central Quabbin. May 14th, 2008.

American Redstart - male, Central Quabbin. May 14th, 2008.

Moose - Central Quabbin. May 13th, 2008.


Most of the last week has been spent in the Quabbin region. I've encountered some real gems especially the larger mammals, with 2 Black Bears together at Gate 40 on May 12th, and another on the Prescott Peninsula on May 14th, where I also got a quick snap of the above Moose.

Birdwise it's been a mediocre week and an easterly airflow in the beginning of the week didn't produce as much as we might have hoped. That much said a few boreal migrants have filtered through and I saw two Rusty Blackbirds in the Quabbin on May 13th, and Swainson's Thrush and Lincoln's Sparrow there on May 14th.

Gate 29 near New Salem has held most of the warblers with 12 each of Magnolia and Blackburnian Warblers on May 15th, along with singing Canada and Blackpoll Warblers. 'Drumming' Ruffed Grouse have also been audible on two recent visits to Gate 29 where I also found a nesting pair of Sharp-shinned Hawks which I think is quite good for the local area.

Still much to look forward to with more North bound migrants to come.


Good birding,


James,