MA - early September

 

Nashville Warbler. Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 9th, 2021.

The first ten days of September saw a welcome drop in the heat and humidity of August but, certainly from a Franklin County perspective, it's been pretty quiet for migration. Even the passage of Hurricane Ida on the 2nd did little to stir things up though did bring a small number of shorebirds to Northfield and an increase in shorebird diversity. The Baird's Sandpiper that had showed so well at Caldwell Road in late August lingered until September 3rd though became increasingly difficult to see spending most of its time with Killdeers on the plowed section of the fields rather than feeding out in the open grass. Two Semipalmated Plovers, two Least Sandpipers and my first Wilson's Snipe of the fall were also at Caldwell Road on the 2nd. On the 9th, heavy overnight rain brought a further 21 Least Sandpipers and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs to the Caldwell Road sod fields though the yellowlegs stayed only briefly and flew off purposefully to the south after just a few minutes never to return. 

Killdeer. Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 9th, 2021.

Least Sandpipers. Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 9th, 2021.

Part of a single flock of 21 birds.

Aside from an excellent showing of Common Yellowthroats along the Connecticut River, warbler migration and diversity has been slow so far, or at least in the places that I've been able to check. A few Cape May Warblers, a couple of Northern Parulas and a Nashville Warbler (on the 9th) is all I have to show for my efforts so far! On the plus side, checking for warblers has revealed an excellent passage of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds feeding in wild habitat while taking advantage of the flowering Jewelweed along the banks of the Connecticut River, and there was an early Lincoln's Sparrow in the same habitat on the 3rd, I'm pretty sure my earliest fall record for Franklin County.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 9th, 2021. 

Lincoln's Sparrow. Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 3rd, 2021.

Common Yellowthroat. Caldwell Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 9th, 2021.

Abundant along the field edges flanking the Connecticut River.

 

MA - Cackling Goose, sparrow surge and continuing Cape May Warblers

Cackling Goose (right) - Turner's Falls power canal. Franklin Co., MA. October 2nd, 2018.

Early October was characterized by hordes of migrant sparrows showing up along most of the field and woodland edges in northern Franklin County. Most abundant have been White-throated, Swamp Sparrow and Song Sparrows in that order with the numbers of Swamp Sparrows being especially impressive. For example, I estimated about 200 of the latter in the Caldwell Road fields in Northfield on the 2nd, although I shaved that down to a more conservative 160 for my ebird entry. I haven't come across any of the scarcer sparrows yet, but Lincoln's Sparrows have been consistently present throughout with 3 - 6 at many of the locations that I've visited. Plus, it was especially sweet to catch up with about 5 Field Sparrows in Turner's Falls on the 2nd, a species that I don't stumble across all that frequently in the fall. Also of note, a seasonally high concentration of 5 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks on Pine Meadow Road, Northfield on the 1st.

Field Sparrow - Turner's Falls power canal. Franklin Co., MA. October 2nd, 2018.

Swamp Sparrow - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 2nd, 2018.

 Swamp Sparrow - Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 3rd, 2018.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male) - Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2018.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (fem/imm) - Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2018.

Warblers and vireos have noticeably tapered in the first few days of October which is only to be expected but I continue to be blown away by the Cape May Warbler show, many of which I've found around unharvested cornfields. For example, there were still 9 on Pine Meadow Road, Northfield on the 3rd loosely associating with 12 Blackpoll and around 25 Yellow-rumped Warblers along with singles of Tennessee, Nashville and Black-and-white Warblers and a notable increase in Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

Nashville Warbler - Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 3rd, 2018.

Cape May Warbler - Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 3rd, 2018.

In terms of non-passerines, well October 2nd produced a fly-over Black-bellied Plover and a Red-shouldered Hawk at Caldwell Road fields, and a Cackling Goose at the Turner's Falls power canal. The latter was my personal earliest for a returning fall migrant and was present at the power canal the following day. Shorebirds included 2 Least Sandpipers (with 17 Killdeer) at Deerfield Meadows on the 1st and 2 Solitary Sandpipers at Hell's Kitchen on the 2nd where an eclipse Blue-winged Teal continued from late September.

Cackling Goose (left) - Turner's Falls power canal. Franklin Co., MA. October 2nd, 2018.

MA - High Ledges - 05/01

Nashville Warbler - High Ledges MAS, Franklin Co., MA. May 1st, 2010.

This morning we took a very enjoyable family hike around High Ledges Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary over looking Shelburne Falls. As we stepped out of the door of our apartment in Amherst, the songs of Northern Parula, Grey Catbird and Yellow-rumped Warblers greeted us and several Chimney Swifts cruised overhead. The warm air and the volume of bird song had further increased from yesterday. The drive included singing Louisiana Waterthrush and Yellow Warbler just north of the Mohawk Trail and at High Ledges MAS many woodland songsters could be heard and seen with Ovenbird and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at the parking area, followed by many Black-throated Green and a few Black-throated Blue Warblers around the sanctuary. Indeed, Ovenbirds and sapsuckers could be heard throughout our 2.5 mile loop. We also heard and saw a Nashville Warbler along with several Black-and-white Warblers and there was a single Winter Wren near the parking area.

A handful of Broad-winged Hawks appeared to be migrating, as did an Osprey, all seen from the ledges. Around stands of Eastern Hemlocks Hermit Thrushes seemed to be everywhere and we must have tallied 18 during the walk, along with a single Swainson's Thrush. The afternoon was positively balmy which, combined with a nice southern breeze, will doubtless ensure more migrant arrivals over the next few days. For the birds already here, they don't seem to be wasting any time at all - we saw a Blue-headed Vireo nest building at High Ledges today!

Shelburne Falls seen from High Ledges, MAS.