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.  

Covid Spring - III

Common Loon - one of two, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2020.

April 9th: I wasn't expecting to post another blog entry so soon after yesterday's report but it was clear from my early morning run along North Cross Road and through the southern portion of the NMH campus woods in Gill that a lot a birds came arrived last night. Moreover, the cold, gray, overcast conditions were no deterrent to those arrivals and the woods were full of song. My 5K loop tallied 11 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, 17 Pine Warblers, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 3 Louisiana Waterthrushes (early) and 4 Hermit Thrushes (all seen, not singing). I came across a few more of the latter two species as a drove through Gill on my way to Barton Cove where I came across my first Barn Swallows of the year. About five of them were mixed with Tree and Northern Rough-winged Swallows hawking low over the water.

Buffleheads - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2020.

Eastern Phoebe - Barton Cove campground, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2020.

Greater Scaup - male , Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2020.

In addition, new waterbird arrivals at the cove included two Common Loons (full breeding plumage), five Double-crested Cormorants, a male Greater Scaup, two Buffleheads (one female, one immature male) and a female Red-breasted Merganser. Heavy rain ensued for most of the rest of the day until about 17:00 hours when there was a clearance from the NW. Surprisingly, most waterbirds had already cleared out by that time leaving just the two Buffleheads and a long staying Pied-billed Grebe that I'd missed in the morning. But, there was plenty of raptor activity and in just 20 minutes I noted 3 Bald Eagles, 3 Black Vultures, 8 Turkey Vultures, a huge female Cooper's Hawk and a male Merlin. At Barton Cove campground over 30 Fish Crows gathered once again, plus Eastern Phoebes and Pine Warblers (4+) continued to sing throughout the evening.

Double-crested Cormorants - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2020.

Departing north after pausing at the cove for 25 minutes or so. 

Connecticut River - looking towards Turner's Falls from Barton Cove campground, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2020.

MA - waterfowl on the move part two; a day for Horned Grebes

Horned Grebes (5) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2019.

With yesterday's low cloud, drizzle and mist continuing through the night and into the morning, and coupled with a nice temperature drop, prospects looked good for more waterbird arrivals at Barton Cove. A brief but productive early morning spin around the cove didn't disappoint. The light was so poor around 06:45 hours that I held off from taking any photos until mid-morning but the initial haul included 2 Surf Scoter (pair), 8 Lesser Scaup, 6 Greater Scaup (5 male, 1 female), 3 Ruddy Duck (2 male, one quite bright), 4 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 male, 3 female), 3 Horned Grebe (2 in breeding plumage, 1 transitional), Snow Goose (white morph continuing since Apr 2nd), and a Double-crested Cormorant arriving mid-morning. I was most impressed with the breeding plumage Horned Grebes, a species which I tend to think of as being quite a scarce migrant through northern Franklin County. With that in mind I couldn't have been more thrilled to come across a further 5 Horned Grebes in a tight flock at the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club. The latter site also yielded my first local Ospreys (2) of the year, plus there was a notable increase Tree Swallow, Pine Warbler and Chipping Sparrow numbers along the river this morning.

Surf Scoter (pair) with Greater Scaup (6) at rear - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2019.

Further indications of migration included 5 (3, 2) Great Blue Herons heading north high over Turner's Falls Airfield, a species I only occasionally detect on active migration in Franklin County.

Great Blue Herons - Turner's Falls Airfield, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2019.

Three of five migrating high over the airfield this morning. 

By late afternoon, the weather had worsened bringing pulses of extremely heavy rain and cooler temperatures. A very quick check of Barton Cove found almost 200 newly arrived gulls including good numbers of adult/near adult Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. With them came a pristine adult/near adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. A tight flock of around 15 Double-crested Cormorants had clearly dropped in on the showers as well. 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult/near adult) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2019.
Just left of center with Herring and Ring-billed Gulls.

Bonaparte's Gulls - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2019.
Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. Part of the flock of 29 initially found by David Sibley. 

Bonaparte's Gulls - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 9th, 2019.
Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

And the day turned out to be far from over when David Sibley found 29 Bonaparte's Gulls and 10 Red-breasted Mergansers at Barton Cove off Riverview Drive just 70 minutes after I had to leave the area. As if that wasn't enough, David (along with Josh Layfield and Eric Huston) finished off the evening with a calling Caspian Tern flying upriver at dusk! Although April is the best month in the year to see Caspian Tern in Franklin County, it's usually the second half of the month when they show up and today's observation is the earliest that I'm aware of. 

MA - March in Franklin County; non-passerines

Tundra Swan - from a flock of 19, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2019.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

A fine drake Canvasback showed up at the Turner's Falls power canal on the 3rd (Scott Surner) and remained until the 7th at least. It turned out to be the harbinger of a steady but varied waterfowl migration through the Turner's Falls area and Franklin County in general, a migration spearheaded by the sudden and dramatic appearance of 19 Tundra Swans at the power canal on the 11th (Alex Haro/Josh Layfield). The swans were courteous enough to remain through the 12th allowing tens of birders to catch up with an impressive state rarity. The middle of the month saw Canada Goose numbers swell considerably with impressive four figure concentrations being variously reported from Sunderland, Deerfield, Gill and Turner's Falls through to the month's end. With them, though often difficult to pick out,  1 - 3 Cackling Geese fairly regularly among the masses and 36 Snow Geese in Sunderland on the 15th (Al Richards). A fine adult Greater White-fronted Goose joined the flocks of geese collecting in Barton Cove on the 23rd (Scott Surner) and remained through to the 25th, and a lone Snow Goose turned up on the 30th (Josh Layfield) with probably the same bird continuing well into April. In addition, Josh Layfield detected an oddly Snow Goose-like hybrid which mysteriously appeared at Barton Cove on the 23rd, became somewhat aloof and then disappeared just as mysteriously only a few days later. Most domestic-type hybrids tend stick around for months in Barton Cove so the sudden departure of this bird came as a bit of a surprise.

Hybrid Goose - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 23rd, 2019.

Found and photographed by Josh Layfield. 

Tundra Swan - from a flock of 19, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 11th, 2019.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Canvasback (male) - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 7th, 2019.

Cackling Goose (left) -  Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 23rd, 2019.

Cackling Goose (center) -  Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 25th, 2019.

Greater White-fronted Goose (adult) -  Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 23rd, 2019.

The annual spring build-up of Ring-necked Ducks peaked (c.140) towards the end of the month rolling into early April. The flock followed the ever receding ice at Barton Cove and could often be found very close into Riverview Drive in Gill. Lesser Scaup were often present with 3 males together at times and a nice male Greater Scaup offering 'great' comparisons on the 26th. Impressive concentrations of Common Mergansers could also be seen on Barton Cove in the last days of the month along with Common Goldeneyes, and a handful of Hooded Mergansers and Buffleheads.

Iceland (Kumlien's) Gull (center) - probably 3rd-cycle, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 25th, 2019.

The second half of March saw a fabulous migration of large gulls through Turner's Falls and Barton Cove though numbers did taper sharply towards the month's end. Without doubt the find of the month was an adult/near adult California Gull carefully studied by David Sibley at the Turner's Falls power canal on the 17th. It was found on a quiet Sunday morning with very few other gulls present and departed NW with a couple Herring Gulls never to be relocated. As with any state level rarity, the record will have to be ratified by the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee but does look set to become the 6th state record and the first ever in interior Massachusetts - what a find!

California Gull  - adult/near adult, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 17th, 2019.

Image appears courtesy of David Sibley.

 California Gull  (center) - adult/near adult at rest with Ring-billed and Herring Gulls,  Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 17th, 2019. 
Image appears courtesy of David Sibley.

The last ten days of the month also saw a good nice 'wave' of Lesser Black-backed Gulls with birds frequently found amid the masses on the ice at Barton Cove. At least four birds were involved with two adults, one 3rd-cycle and one 2nd-cycle.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls (adults) -  Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 24th, 2019.

Iceland Gulls were few and far between but David Sibley did find a compelling example of a  2nd-cycle bird quite closely resembling L.g. thayeri rather than the expected L.g. kumlieni. The image set is still being studied but at this stage it's looking quite difficult to rule out an intergrade though perhaps pointing more towards Thayer's rather than Kumlien's.  Either way, it was a really super bird to watch closely and a good one to learn from. 

Thayer's Gull or Thayer's/Kumlien's intergrade (center) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 24th, 2019.

Found by David Sibley. All five flight images above show the same individual. 

MA - Redhead and more in Gill

Redhead - female, Barton cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 1st, 2018.

The first day of March brought a further increase to the flock of Ring-necked Ducks already gathered off Riverview Drive in Gill with around 60 birds present. A female Redhead had likely arrived with them and gave excellent views as it fed unobtrusively among the Ring-necked Ducks. Also of note, an obvious increase among American Black Ducks with around 25 present. Good numbers of gulls continued at Barton Cove thought I could only detect two Iceland Gulls at the evening roost.

March 2nd brought an early spring nor'easter with a typical mix of snow, sleet and rain. New arrivals among the diving ducks off Riverview Drive included 4 Greater Scaup and 2 Bufflehead with the female Redhead still present. A new Glaucous Gull arrived too, initially being seen at the power canal before transferring to Barton Cove to join a number of other large gulls including a relatively high proportion  of Great Black-backed Gulls. By late afternoon. some 600+ gulls had settled on the ice and included 4 Iceland Gulls (3 first-cycle and 1 second-cycle) and the Glaucous Gull seen earlier in the morning. Waterfowl numbers remained about the same late in the day and offered nice views despite the squally rain showers.

Redhead - female, with Ring-necked Ducks, Barton cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 1st, 2018.

Redhead (left) - female, with Ring-necked Ducks and Greater Scaup, Barton cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 2nd, 

2018.

Glaucous Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 2nd. 

Glaucous Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 2nd. 

MA - more gulls and some spring migration

Glaucous Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.

Continuing bird with damaged let first seen on February 15th. 

The last two weeks of February have seen continuing high numbers of gulls in the greater Turner's Falls area with gatherings of staging birds often split between the power canal, Unity Park, Barton Cove and the campground area, so the potential for as many as four separate flocks! Though frustrating at times, the overall numbers have been impressive peaking at around 950 gulls on the 20th. The basic composition has remained the same since mid-month with up to eight Iceland Gulls (including 2 adults) and a Glaucous Gull (first-cycle) continuing through to the 24th, along with the regular wintering adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. A further unidentified dark-mantled gull appeared on the 18th for just one afternoon and, with a mantle tone intermediate between adult Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, could well have been a hybrid between those two species.

unidentified gull (right of center) - adult , Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018.

Quite dark mantled but not quite dark enough for graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gull. 

Here with two Iceland Gulls (second-cycle and adult). 

Three drake Lesser Scaup appeared at Unity Park on the 18th, the first migrant waterfowl of note but somewhat overshadowed by a high-flying flock of 29 Northern Pintail over Unity Park on the 21st. As much as I can recall, that is by far, the largest flock of Northern Pintail that I've ever seen in the Turner's Falls area. The pintails arrived on an incredibly warm southern system that brought 70 degree temperatures to Franklin County and large numbers of Canada Geese to Turner's Falls with over 850 of the latter dropping into Barton Cove. The last few days of the month saw up to seven Ring-necked Ducks and a Greater Scaup join the Common Goldeneye, Common and Hooded Mergansers already present, giving local waterfowl diversity a much needed boost.

Lesser Scaup - males, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018. 

Northern Pintail - single flock of 29, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 21st, 2018.

An impressive sight to say the least, appearing out of the fog on a very warm morning. 

Spectacular ice flows at Barton Cove,/Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 22nd, 2018.

Canada Geese - arriving from the south, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.

Iceland Gulls - first-cycle and two adults, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 24th, 2018.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.

This lone bird continues to be a feature within the local gull flock. 

Iceland Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.

Iceland Gulls - first-cycle at center, second-cycle at rear, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018.

Iceland Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.

Bald Eagle - adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018.

Present and very active with at least three pairs settling down to breeding.