MA - fall migration underway!

Solitary Sandpiper - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, MA. July 14th, 2020. 

Rather distant and one of two birds present. This is a phone-scoped image. 

Traditionally, mid-July almost always brings the first obvious signs that fall migration is underway. This year has been no exception and migrant shorebirds (from much further north) made an appearance this week with two Solitary Sandpipers at Hell's Kitchen, Northfield on the 14th and a Least Sandpiper over Hilltop Farm, Deerfield on the 15th (sound recorded by David Sibley). And July 17th brought three Solitary Sandpipers and my first Least Sandpiper of the season to Hell's Kitchen as well as up to a dozen Killdeers. 

Least Sandpiper (adult) - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, MA. July 17th, 2020. 

Rather distant and another phone-scoped image. 

Solitary Sandpiper - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, MA. July 17th, 2020. 

One of three birds present. Phone-scoped image. 

Migrating passerines are usually more difficult to detect at this time but an Eastern Kingbird moving high and direct to the south over Barton Cove on 15th looked like a strong candidate for a genuine migrant. Many species have also been forming post-breeding flocks. In particular, I came across a nice gathering of 120 Tree, 35 Barn and 2 Cliff Swallows at Beaver Meadow in Leyden where there was an impressive selection of other species including three Bobolinks. 

Cliff Swallow (center) - juvenile with Tree Swallows, Leyden, Franklin Co., MA. July 14th, 2020.

MA - Solitary Sandpiper and more in the first days of May

Solitary Sandpiper - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 2nd, 2018.

Fresh back from a wonderful grouse tour of Colorado and straight into a major wave of spring migration. The 1st brought two Cliff Swallows hawking over Barton Cove along with four other species of swallow. In the afternoon, some 26 Double-crested Cormorants dropped into Barton Cove along with a dozen Ring-billed Gulls, all of the latter being first and second summer birds.  A Winter Wren sang from a traditional territory on North Cross Road with Blue-headed Vireo, Brown Thrasher and Field Sparrow, Pine and Black-throated Green Warblers being among other noteworthy species.

Double-crested Cormorants - arriving at Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 1st, 2018.

The 2nd was always going to be a warm day, even from first light and temperatures soared to the mid-80s by late afternoon. The result was immediate with a broad wave of new birds for the year; House Wren, Yellow Warbler, Ovenbird, Eastern Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole and Chimney Swift all arrived in numbers. At Barton Cove, Black-throated Green, Pine and Magnolia Warbler foraged alongside a larger flock of 15-20 Yellow-rumped Warblers. They all fed around a roosting Barred Owl, seemingly oblivious to the action going on around it!

Exceedingly low water levels at Barton Cove saw the first notable shorebirds of the year with 3 Least Sandpipers and 2 Greater Yellowlegs and preceded earlier in the morning by a surprise Solitary Sandpiper in a small puddle off Main Road in Gill.  

Barred Owl - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 2nd, 2018.

MA - Gill raptors - 05/02

What a difference a day makes! The storms cleared allowing most of yesterday's grounded birds to move on. At Barton Cove this morning, just one non-breeding plumaged Common Loon, 3 female Buffleheads and 12 Ring-necked Ducks but new arrivals included a pair of Eastern Kingbirds at the boat ramp.

Eastern Kingbird - one of a pair back on territory, Barton Cove boat ramp, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. 

May 2nd, 2014. 

But it was the raptors that really caught my attention this morning - the air seemed to be full of them with an interesting mix of local and migrant birds. Chief among these were Broad-winged Hawks with over 40 moving north over Barton Cove between 09:20 and 10:20hrs. I'm usually out-of-state when Broad-wings move through so it was especially pleasant to catch up with small kettling groups of up to seven birds. Single numbers of Sharp-shinned Hawk and Ospreys featured in the movement too, whilst locals included at least four Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures and several calling, displaying Broad-winged Hawks. Most of yesterday's swallows had moved on as well, but I did note several Bank Swallows and there were plenty of Chimney Swifts around this morning.

 Bald Eagle - 2nd/3rd year, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 2nd, 2014. 

Osprey - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 2nd, 2014.