December - not too shabby at all!

Smith's Longspur - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 14th, 2022.

A fabulous find for hard working local birder Scott Surner. Fifth state record and the first documented in the Pioneer Valley.

Discovered on Dec 12th delighting hundreds throughout its stay and still present on the last day of the year!

December, traditionally a month of minimal daylight, falling temperatures and usually lots of snow. Compared to October and November, my expectations for birding in December are generally pretty low, yet over the years the month has produced exciting birding in the Connecticut River Valley. Look no further that the near simultaneous appearance of two Sage Thrashers in 2020, one in Hampshire Co., MA and one in Cheshire Co., NH!

Rufous Hummingbird (fem/juv)- Millers Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 16th, 2022.

As hardy as they come - Rufous Hummingbird in a blizzard!! First noted on Oct 7th by home homeowner

Bruce Kanash. Banded and identified on Nov 14th by Anthony Hill. Present and thriving at Bruce's home through to about Dec 21st. 

In addition to the long staying Rufous Hummingbird in Millers Falls, the month brought another major rarity in the form of a Smith's Longspur to the Hadley floodplain. Kudos must go to Scott Surner who found this bird lingering at the side of a busy thoroughfare in the Hadley Honey Pot on December 12th. To the joy of many, myself included, the longspur was courteous enough to stick around for weeks allowing hundreds of birders to share in Scott's discovery and to find itself added to the local Christmas Bird Count! At the time of writing (Dec 31st) it was still present favoring the same general area along Cemetery Road in the Honey Pot. Scott's find furnishes the fifth state record for Massachusetts and the first ever in the Pioneer Valley though there is an historical report by Harvey Allen from the nearby East Meadows April 1st, 1993. Though this record wasn't accepted by the MARC, it's always intrigued me largely because of the compelling elements of the description with comments such as "tame", "observed as close as ten feet" and "un-streaked buffy underparts indicating a female". But, birding in the modern era demands a high standard of documentation and in this respect the Hadley bird was a gift being absurdly tame, calling frequently and usually returning to the same feeding spot day after day, even when it was flushed. 

Smith's Longspur - Hadley Honey Pot, Hampshire Co., MA. December 14th, 2022.

An amazing find by Scott Surner and extra-ordinarily approachable. 

I've had quite a lot of luck with Smith's Longspurs over the years having seen them in the breeding areas on the Denali Highway, Alaska multiple times. But, the Hadley bird was only my third away from Alaska after chasing singles at Jones State Beach, Long Island, NYS in Feb 2007 (2nd state record) and Tuthill Road, Maricopa Co., AZ in Jan 2012 (2nd state record). To have one so close to home and showing so well was an absolute dream. Thank you Scott!

Other passerines of note this month but closer to home included a lingering Hermit Thrush and a late Eastern Towhee on North Cross Road, Gill on Dec 23rd and a small handful of Red Crossbills (Type 12) over Gill and along Green River Road, Colrain towards the end of the month. 

Redheads - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 25th, 2022.

Loafing with the Mallards at Unity Park on Christmas morning, a lovely surprise though they didn't stick around for long.

View of Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 25th, 2022.

Frigid temperatures and major ice flows over the Christmas period brought some unexpected waterfowl to Turner's Falls with a female Northern Pintail at the power canal on Christmas Eve and three Redheads including a fine drake at Unity Park on Christmas morning. The Redheads didn't linger but the pintail stayed until Dec 31st and was briefly joined by a second fem/juv on the 28th. A lone juvenile Snow Goose at Barton Cove on Dec 26th was the most unusual goose of the period but also fairly typical in its random appearance. 

Northern Pintail (fem/juv) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 24th, 2022.

Another unusual duck showing up with Mallards, this time at the power canal. This bird lingered to the 

year's end and was joined by a second fem/juv on Dec 28th. 

Snow Goose (imm) - Barton Cove/Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 26th, 2022.

Barred Owl - Northfield, MA. December 22nd, 2022. 

Plenty of Barred Owls around often out 'sunning' on the coldest days. 

Iceland (Kumlieni) Gulls (first-cycles) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022.

Two; one darkish, one night in center of image. 

After a steady start, the numbers of large gulls began to build quite nicely towards the end of the month. With them came Iceland (Kumlien's) Gulls, initially two but then building up to five together at Barton Cove on Dec 28th with a new individual seen on the 29th so perhaps as many as six in the area by month's end. One or two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were present among the Herring Gulls too, though being immatures they were easily lost among the masses but I think at least two individuals were involved between Dec 22nd and 29th. 

Iceland (Kumlieni) Gulls (second-cycle) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022. 

In the center of the image. 

Iceland (Kumlieni) Gulls - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022.

Four; two darkish first-cycle, one light first-cycle, one light second-cycle. 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (first/second cycle) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 22nd, 2022.

 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (first-cycle) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. December 29th, 2022.

Upper left bird in this image, and probably different to the LBBG I noted on Dec 22nd. 

Happy New Year and a bird-rich 2023 to all!

 

MA - Harlequin plus White-fronted and Cackling Geese

 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) and Ring-necked Duck (adult male) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

This Harlequin was first discovered by Anne Jemas on the Millers River, January 1st, 2021.

Yesterday's Greater White-fronted Geese offered a clear indication that waterfowl diversity is picking up locally. With that in mind I checked Barton Cove fairly early this morning hoping for the white-fronts and anything else that might have dropped in with the Canada Geese. On arrival at cove I was greeted with an obvious increase in waterfowl numbers, especially diving ducks with 27 Ring-necked Ducks, 8 Hooded and 5 Common Mergansers, a dozen Common Goldeneye and a male Harlequin Duck....What?!! After rubbing my eyes a couple of times, sure enough, there indeed was a Harlequin, undoubtedly the same immature male that had been wintering a few miles upstream on the Millers River. Despite multiple birders checking, myself included, the Harlequin hadn't been seen on the Millers River since February 5th with that particular sighting coming from Jeremiah Trimble. A cool five weeks later, and there it was off Riverview Drive, Gill consorting with a couple of Common Goldeneyes. It was flighty this morning and rarely settled for long, and I last saw it around noon. 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male, left) - with Common Goldeneyes, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

Greater White-fronted Goose - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

Greater White-fronted Goose - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

Just right of center, taken from Unity Park, Turner's Falls.

Cackling Goose - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

Bathing just in front of the American Black Duck. Taken from Unity Park.

Canada Geese - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2021. 

Numbers increased again today with over 1000 feeding in Bernardston in the evening. 

Aside from the Harlequin, two Greater-fronted Geese did eventually show up at the cove in mid-morning. Oddly though, they were not associating with each other and things even got a little testy between them when they got too close. A quick check from Unity Park in mid-afternoon found only one Greater White-fronted Goose but with a wide scatter of reports from around the region in the last few days, I'm slightly hesitant to regard these and yesterday's birds as definitely relating to the same individuals. The two white-fronts yesterday did appear to be moving around together, quite different from the behavior of the two observed today. The afternoon search also turned up a Cackling Goose off Riverview Drive, my first of the season. 

Back at the Montague Plains, a thirty minute stop along Old Northfield Road rustled up a further 70 Red Crossbills and my first Fox Sparrow of the year giving bursts of song among the stands of young Pitch Pines.  

NH/MA - Sage Thrasher, Harlequin Duck and more

 

Sage Thrasher - Hinsdale Setbacks, Cheshire Co., NH. January 7th, 2021.

Still present and initially found by Cory Ross on Dec 19th, 2020. 

Yet another stellar day of winter birding along the Connecticut River Valley. After a fairly slow start I decided to swing by the Hinsdale Setbacks primarily motived by reports of a couple of two 'yellow-billed' female goldeneyes. While the report had been advanced as two Barrow's Goldeneyes the images appeared to show a bill and head shape more more consistent with Common Goldeneye. Female Common Goldeneyes with yellowish bills have been fairly routine at Turner's falls over the years, with two to three showing up most winters. But the Hinsdale birds looked particularly yellow billed and I was more than keen to get some good views. In the event, I could only find three Goldeneyes in poor light, none of which resembled the birds in question. I moved on and invested a bit of time optimistically trying to relocate the Sage Thrasher that had last been reported on January 1st. Remarkably the bird 'popped' into view when I stopped to check the first proper feeding flock that I came across. The bird's behavior was a little different to previous visits being especially shy, skulking and fast moving. Luckily two birders up the trail arrived just minutes after I'd found it and it wasn't too long before we all managed to get some decent views as it fed on its favored Winter Berry and Multi-flora Rose.  After that the thrasher bolted down the snowmobile trail towards the parking lot and we didn't see it again. Still, I was thrilled to see that it seems to be doing 'just fine' in the New Hampshire winter. Other nice birds along the trail included a dozen or so American Tree Sparrows and a Rusty Blackbird. And, it was really nice to run into Donna Keller again after last seeing her at the Great Black Hawk in Portland, Maine two years prior!

Sage Thrasher - Hinsdale Setbacks, Cheshire Co., NH. January 7th, 2021.

Still present and initially found by Cory Ross on Dec 19th, 2020. 

American Tree Sparrow - Hinsdale Setbacks, Cheshire Co., NH. January 7th, 2021.

In late afternoon, I couldn't resist yet another visit to the Millers River. A local Harlequin Duck isn't to be taken for granted and it could be decades before we see another in the Pioneer Valley. With that in mind I negotiated the icy trails finding the bird with relative ease in the rapids upriver. It seemed settled and even swam towards me while foraging but then, and for no obvious reason that I could detect, it suddenly flew down river and into the confluence with the Connecticut River. From there I watched it swim downstream hugging the Gill side of the river until it was lost to view. It was the only duck on the river at that point and I couldn't help but wonder if we'd see it back on the Millers River in future?

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - Millers River, Erving, Franklin Co., MA. January 7th, 2020.

Millers/Connecticut River confluence, looking towards Gill , Franklin Co., MA. January 7th, 2020.

The Harlequin is just to the right of the snow covered rocks.

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) -  Connecticut River, Gill , Franklin Co., MA. January 7th, 2020.

Hugging the Gill shore as it drifts downstream. 

Looking upriver towards Northfield at the French King Bridge.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (sub-adult) -  Barton Cove, Gill , Franklin Co., MA. January 7th, 2020.

At Barton Cove, Gill, the modest gull roost continued to attract only small numbers but this evening did host my first Lesser Black-backed Gull of the winter, a nice dark sub-adult with quite a lot of head streaking. This particular individual looked strikingly small compared to the surrounding Herring Gulls and actually not too much bigger than the nearby Ring-billed Gulls. 

MA - Harle on the move plus Barrow's Goldeneye and a wintering phoebe

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - with Ring-necked Duck, off Riverview Drive, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

A mid-morning walk around Cabot Camp along the Millers River failed to produce the Harlequin Duck that apparently showed well to the many visiting birders the previous day (Jan 3rd). As it happens I did hear a second hand report that a Cooper's Hawk had been seen pursuing the Harlequin and forced it out of the Millers River and into the larger, wider Connecticut River! Either way, the Harlequin proved to be a no show but the walk along the Millers River was extremely pleasant not only revealing an Evening Grosbeak but also an Eastern Phoebe, presumably the same bird that I first heard calling there on Jan 2nd but neglected to follow up. The phoebe showed well this morning and, although I've late phoebes in November and December in past years, I'm pretty sure this particular bird furnishes my first January record for Franklin County. 

Eastern Phoebe - Cabot Camp, Millers Falls, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

Common Redpoll - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

One from a flock of about 85 birds. 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - off Riverview Drive, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

After keeping an eye on Barton Cove on and off for over 15 years I could never have visualized watching a Harlequin in flight over the open water! 

Harlequin Duck (first-winter male) - at dusk from Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

Looking at little lost and out of place.

In late morning I spent time with a close, cooperative flock of Common Redpolls in Turner's Falls and then made a point to swing by Barton Cove on my way home where I was greeted by the sight of multiple birders avidly scoping the open water from Riverview Drive in Gill. They'd relocated the Harlequin which had evidently moved downstream to share the relatively calm waters with Common Goldeneyes, Hooded Mergansers and the continuing female Ring-necked Duck. As if that wasn't enough, at least ten Red Crossbills fed and called from a tall White Pine right along Riverview Drive!

Red Crossbills - Riverview Drive, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

Late afternoon found the Harlequin still present though distant and actually best viewed from Unity Park plus a nice aggregation of gulls viewed from the same spot that included my first local Iceland Gull (a first-winter) in about three weeks. The last two evenings have also seen up to 85 Common Goldeneyes dropping in to roost at the Turner's Falls power canal and with them the continuing first-winter male Barrow's Goldeneye, and the female Bufflehead. 

Barrow's Goldeneye (center) - first-winter male with Common Goldeneyes, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

Hooded Merganser (male) - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. January 4th, 2021. 

 

MA - waterfowl on the move

Long-tailed Ducks - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2019.

Breeding plumage male leading the way. 

There was a small but notable fall-out of northbound migrating waterfowl today with several species of diving ducks dropping into the Barton Cove/Turner's Falls area. Rain and mist throughout the day brought a Pied-billed Grebe, 4 Long-tailed Ducks, 6 Lesser Scaup, and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers to join the hordes of Common Mergansers (c.170) and Ring-necked Ducks (c.120) already present for some time. In addition,  Bufflehead numbers (14) appeared to increase compared to recent visits and Common Goldeneyes (8) and American Wigeons (2) continue to linger around the rafts of Ring-necked Ducks.

Surf Scoter - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2019.

A fine adult male.

Red-breasted Mergansers (2) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2019.

Female resting (left) and male (right) with Common Mergansers behind.

Lesser Scaup (6) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2019.

Pied-billed Grebe - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2019.

It wasn't a bad day for passerines either, with Field, Fox and American Tree Sparrows all heard singing along North Cross Road, Gill in the morning plus a Chipping Sparrow foraging by the roadside. The most rewarding songbird of the day, however, was a migrant Ruby-crowned Kinglet foraging silently in riverside thickets at Turner's Falls - that one made my day!

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2019.