MA - another Mourning Warbler!

 

Mourning Warbler - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. September 28th, 2021.

The Caldwell Road fields were admittedly quiet this morning although Common Yellowthroats were still present in good numbers along with Lincoln's Sparrows and Red-eyed Vireos. In the evening I found myself with enough time to try some birding around Deerfield. I don't normally search for passerine migrants in late afternoon/early evening but the calm, muggy and 'buggy' conditions looked promising and I soon found warblers insect gleaning around the overgrown dirt mounds in Deerfield's meadows. More Common Yellowthroats, five or so Tennessee Warblers and then a sharp, hard 'pik', clearly an interesting warbler, but which one? With my mind still wrapped around Connecticut Warblers I wondered about an alternate call for that species but it didn't seem right. After some patient waiting, the bird started calling again and eventually gave reasonable views in the evening light. It was a Mourning Warbler and an interesting looking bird to boot with a bold eye-ring, gray-brown hood and long, yellow undertail coverts, all similar features to those outlined for Connecticut Warbler. Either way, with the ID established I can admit to being thrilled with my second local Mourning Warbler of the fall. 

MA - Mourning Warbler.....Northfield

 

Mourning Warbler - Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 14th, 2021.

The last two days have seen a distinct swing towards slightly later season migrants in Northfield with Swainson's Thrush, Northern Waterthrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler and White-throated Sparrow (8) all making their first appearances at Caldwell Road fields. In addition, up to 25 Common Yellowthroats and 5 Lincoln's Sparrows both showed obvious increases over the 13th and 14th. A couple of late migrants also turned up with two Yellow Warblers (together) and a Willow Flycatcher on the 13th. 

Lincoln's Sparrow - Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 13th, 2021.

Mourning Warbler - Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 14th, 2021.

But in general, warbler numbers and diversity remain quite low for this time of year. All the more rewarding then to have good views of a calling Mourning Warbler on the 14th, in my view something of a county rarity on fall migration. In fact, I've actually had more luck with Connecticut Warbler over the years though the tiny handful of Mourning Warblers I've encountered tended to be bolder and more cooperative. 

Mourning Warbler - Northfield Meadows, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 18th, 2020.

Historical image, also from Northfield in mid-September. 

The 14th also produced a 'heard-only' Connecticut Warbler that called just once from a dense patch of Jewelweed, totally catching me off guard as I walked a mere five paces from my car at the start of the day. Despite much effort and patience, it couldn't be coaxed into view. While I'm pretty hesitant to call Connecticut Warbler by sound only the loud, distinct 'pwik' call was close enough to be sure and I'm not at all surprised that the bird didn't show given the mercurial nature of the species. 

MA - late nighthawk migration around the autumn equinox

Common Nighthawk - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. September 22nd, 2019.

After a busy summer/early autumn of tours and family commitments, I've finally managed to do at least a little local birding around the autumn equinox and pleased to have found a few species of local interest. The warm, muggy air (89 deg F in Turner's Falls on the afternoon of the 23rd) produced a late migration of Common Nighthawks with eight over Turner's Falls, and six over downtown Greenfield on the 22nd and a remarkable 15 over Main Road, Gill on 23rd when Josh Layfield had five over Montague WMA, and a further 11 over the Green River at Deerfield Street in Greenfield.  Clearly a strong, late push of nighthawks and quite unusual to see actual flocks gathering this late into the fall.

Common Nighthawks - over Main Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. September 23rd, 2019.

The 23rd also produced an eclipse American Wigeon with the Mallards at Turner's Falls, and a Mourning Warbler (first-winter), an American Golden Plover and several Purple Finches migrating over North Cross Road earlier during the morning. 

American Wigeon - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. September 23rd, 2019.

MA - Kentucky Warbler and much more in late May.

Kentucky Warbler - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. May 31st, 2019. 

After traveling and leading trips for much of the first three weeks of the month I've finally been in a position to relax a little and get down to some local birding. I must say that the last ten days of the month have been fantastic from a Franklin County perspective bringing several waves of late 'boreal' migrants. Impressive numbers of Northern Parula, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Cape May and Tennessee Warblers and to a lesser extent Canada Warblers livened up the yards, woods and field edges throughout northern Franklin County.

Kentucky Warbler - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. May 31st, 2019. 

Mourning Warbler - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. May 29th-30th, 2019. 

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - New Salem, Franklin Co., MA. May 24th, 2019. 

Scarcer migrants have included an excellent showing of Mourning Warblers with multiple birds turning up from the 27th-30th in Deerfield (2), Gill (2) and Montague (1), and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers appeared in Gill on the 23rd, New Salem on the 24th and Montague on the 30th. But the pick of the warblers would have to be the Kentucky Warbler found singing in Montague on the 31st - only my second ever in the county (and the Pioneer Valley) and strongly recalling this singing male in Gill in 2015; https://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/2015/05/ma-kentucky-warblerin-gill.html
The bird in Gill stayed for over a week and it will certainly be interesting to keep an eye on the Montague individual. The latter bird sand vigorously for over an hour and appeared to be holding a territory.

Eastern Meadowlark - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. May 31st, 2019. 

Other unusual passerines included a singing Eastern Meadowlark at Tuner's Falls Airfield on the 27th and a Red-headed Woodpecker in Montague on the 29th, the latter being quite territorial, drumming and excavating cavities.

Red-headed Woodpecker - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. May 29th, 2019. 

Black-billed Cuckoo - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. May 29th, 2019. 

The 29th also produced a small shorebird 'event' at Turner's Falls after overnight rain and a significant drop in temperature with 54 Semi-palmated Sandpipers, 5 Semi-palmated Plovers, and single Least Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs.

Semi-palmated Sandpipers - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. May 29th, 2019. 

Mourning Warblers - May 27th

Mourning Warbler - male singing, October Mountain State Forest, Berkshire County, MA. Rather distant, poor quality digibin shot.


Spent a most enjoyable day in the local area with visiting birding friends from the UK, Richard and Erica Klim. High on their wish list was Mourning Warbler, so we headed off to October Mountain near Lee, MA. The Mosquitoes and Black Flies were pretty fierce but it wasn't too long before we could enjoy good views of a male Mourning Warbler in a clear fell along County Road. Another bird was seen, with a further two heard singing. I found this to be a most interesting area with good numbers of species such as Winter Wren, Alder Flycatcher, Canada Warbler and a Golden-crowned Kinglet. Later we passed through Mt Tom near Northampton to enjoy Louisiana Waterthrush, and finished the day on the North side of the Quabbin with migrating Common Nighthawks, plus Eastern Towhee, Prairie Warbler and a fabulous display and chorus of Whip-poor-wills (about 4 in total). Special thanks to Richard and Erica.

GB,

James.