MA - Snow Goose and a good selection of other waterfowl

 

Snow Goose - (first-spring), Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 16th, 2021.

Migration appears stalled for a few days, perhaps held up by four straight days of very cold, blustery North-westerlies, certainly a shock to the system after last week's warm southerlies. Aside from a steady build up of Ring-necked Ducks (c.140 between Barton Cove and the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club) and Buffleheads (9 Barton Cove and at least 5 at the Turner's Falls power canal), the last few days have seen several species simply 'staging' in the area presumably waiting for more favorable weather conditions to continue migrating. A combined total of at least 1400 Canada Geese has been present at Barton Cove and the Turner's Falls power canal, seemingly ripe for the discovery of a good rarity? Alas, the most unusual geese so far have been single Snow and Cackling Geese, both of which have been present at the power canal from the 14th - 16th. The power canal also produced a welcome surprise with the appearance of the long staying (but often aloof) first-winter male Barrow's Goldeneye on the 13th. Barton Cove hosted a female Lesser Scaup (11th - 13th) and a female Greater Scaup (14th - 16th) as well as up to 30 each of Common and Hooded Mergansers. Gull migration has definitely been light over the last few days but an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was new at Barton Cove on the 13th. 

Cackling Goose -  Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 15th, 2021.

Barrow's Goldeneye - (first-spring male), Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 13th, 2021.

Mercurial, with sporadic appearances at the power canal throughout the winter since December 25th, 2020.

Ring-necked Ducks - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 15th, 2021.

Lesser Scaup (female) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 13th, 2021.

Greater Scaup (center) - female, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 15th, 2021.

Black Vultures - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 13th, 2021.

Continued arrivals in Montague with four over the power canal on the 13th.  

MA - waterfowl and other odds n' ends in the first half of November

 

(Pale-bellied) Brant - three of six at Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 1st, 2020. Initially found by Sasha Auer and Kevin Barnes. 

Irruptive passerines from the boreal certainly stole the show in early November but compared to previous years, it seemed (to me at least) that waterfowl migration was a little below par for the first twenty days of the month. Small numbers of Black, Surf and White-winged Scoters showed up at Turner's Falls and at the north end of the Quabbin Reservoir along with a tiny handful of Long-tailed Ducks but generally, those species were not found in the numbers that we've seen in the past. That much said, there were certainly some notables around with Red-breasted Mergansers turning up in flocks of up to nine birds and a continued presence with Common Mergansers at the Turner's Falls power canal through to the middle of the month. It was also excellent to have some lingering Brant (6 at Pine Meadow Road, Northfield through to Nov 2nd) and a Cackling Goose in Turners Falls  (Nov 7th - 20th) after both species had been curiously missing in October. Still, while early to mid November might have light on the scarcer waterfowl, it certainly wasn't light on volume. On several dates between the 12th and the 20th, the Turner's Falls power canal 'groaned' under the weight of 1900-2000 Canada Geese and up to 260 Common Mergansers and 32 Common Goldeneyes. Other notable gatherings included the continued presence of Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots on the CT River all month to the 20th at least, with up to 11 of the former and up to five of the latter between Barton Cove and the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club. 

Cackling Goose (center) - heading north for evening feeding. Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 7th, 2020. 

This bird was courteous enough stick around at the power canal for well over week after this initial sighting. 

Cackling Goose -Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 14th, 2020. 

Cackling Goose (right) -Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 15th, 2020. 

Bonaparte's Gull (adult/near adult) -Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 12th, 2020. 

Late migrant shorebirds included a Dunlin on Nov 8th and a Semipalmated Plover on Nov 10th, both coming from the rather under watched Gate 22 at the Quabbin Reservoir. The Connecticut River at Turner's Falls hosted unusually good numbers of Greater Yellowlegs until all of them appeared to form one tight flock of eleven birds and depart south at speed on the evening of the 12th. While the odd Greater Yellowlegs can be expected in November, a single flock of 11 is unprecedented in my experience in the county, especially so late into the month.  

A Bonaparte's Gull at Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club on Nov 12th was the only larid of note in the first 20 days of the month in what had to be quietest opening to 'gull season' that I've ever seen in the greater Turner's Falls area. Iceland Gulls are long overdue but should hopefully put in an appearance soon, and perhaps one or two Lesser Black-backed Gulls.