May 14th -

Bobolink - one of at least five singing males, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 14th, 2020.

The day dawned cold, clear and frosty once more. Initial indications appeared to point to very few new birds so I settled for catching up with some local breeding birds including Bobolinks and Orchard Orioles in Gill, and Killdeers at Turner's Falls where I just happened to come across a nest with four eggs!

Killdeer (nest with eggs) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. May 14th, 2020.

As the day warmed up migrant warblers including Blue-winged, Nashville and Northern Parula became more obvious but as I set off for a morning bike ride I wasn't quite prepared for the numbers of parulas that would actually be out there. A 22 mile loop from Montague Plains through Sunderland and Turner's Falls produced no less that 40 Northern Parulas, easily the biggest wave of the species that I've experienced in Franklin County. Other notable arrivals on the same ride included Northern Waterthrush (8) which seem to have been scarce so far this spring and Yellow-throated Vireo (4), notably late in arrival compared to previous springs.


The evening hours were decidedly balmy in Gill (72 deg F) with a fantastic chorus of Barred Owls and Wood Thrushes and my first 'singing' Veery of the spring. Our yard in Northfield also turned out to be something of a sweet spot for thrushes with Susannah spotting a migrant Swainson's Thrush, several foraging Veeries plus a Hermit Thrush in song early in the morning.

May 12th - 13th

Orchard Oriole (male) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 12th, 2020.

The return of a pair to a traditional breeding site in Gill. 

Back to cold air unfortunately, apparently a system feeding straight off an ice-covered Hudson Bay! The 12th saw blustery north-westerlies once more and a chilly, uninviting start at Barton Cove, Gill. However, that didn't deter the first Orchard Orioles from showing up at a traditional breeding site with the male singing vigorously and a female already in tow. Other species new for the year included Red-eyed Vireo and Indigo Bunting though warbler numbers did appear to be reduced from previous days. Although water levels on the cove were not especially favorable for shorebirds, 10 Least Sandpipers continued to linger from the 11th.

Orchard Oriole (male) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 12th, 2020.

Meanwhile up in Northfield, Josh Layfield did rather better on warblers producing the first Wilson's (1) and Cape May Warblers (2) of the spring as well as Red-eyed Vireo and no less than four Solitary Sandpipers and a Green Heron. And in Sunderland, Brian Kane noted our first Franklin County Lincoln's Sparrow of the spring.

 American Redstart (female) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 12th, 2020. 

Cape May Warbler (male) - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. May 12th, 2020.

One of two males present, image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield.

Wilson's Warbler (male) - Bennett Meadow, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. May 12th, 2020.

Uncommon migrant in spring. Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

In the evening, while preparing for a bike ride at the east end of Turner's Falls Airfield, I unexpectedly disturbed what could only have been a Lark Sparrow from a sandy parking spot and watched it fly low and direct towards Montague Sandplains. As reluctant as I am to post possible or probably sightings anywhere, I had good, close, naked-eye views of this bird noting the direct yet bounding flight, very prominent white tips to the tail and creamy white underparts. But, I wasn't 'switched on' for birding in those moments and the beast was escaping before I realized what I had in front of me. That much said, I do get to see hundreds of Lark Sparrows each year on my tours and feel pretty confident about this one. Let's hope it gets relocated! While I was musing on what could have been, 10 Fish Crows flew over and dropped into the pines along the northern fringe of the sand plains.


The start of the 13th was even colder  in Gill with temperatures of 28 deg F and a sharp frost. New birds were not at all obvious though a trickle of Yellow-rumped Warblers moved north over North Cross Road and there was also a Palm Warbler with them. Otherwise the chorus along North Cross Road was composed mostly of Wood and Hermit Thrushes, a few Louisiana Waterthrushes and the first singing Winter Wren in a while.

MA - more heat and more migrants

Baltimore Oriole - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. May 3rd, 2018.

Other passerines in the boat ramp area included warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, and several White-throated Sparrows. 

May 3rd - another busy, interesting and extremely warm day. Most obvious was a broad wave of Wood Thrush arrivals in Gill with at least 12 males heard singing on my 5K run through the woods on North Cross Road this morning. Also strikingly obvious, many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in all habitats with seemingly above average numbers of migrants for early May. With them came the first Black-throated Blue Warblers, Least and Great Crested Flycatchers. Two Solitary Sandpipers called overhead at 06:30, the birds seen heading west. Around that time Josh Layfield found a male White-winged Scoter at Barton Cove which had been joined by two Red-necked Grebes by the time I got there at around 11:00 hours, and the first Spotted Sandpiper of the year skimmed across the water. Fourteen Ring-billed Gulls were loafing around off the boat ramp at Barton Cove while overhead there was a light movement of Broad-winged Hawks (c.10) and a couple of Ospreys.

Red-necked Grebes and a White-winged Scoter (male) - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. May 3rd, 2018.

Spotted Sandpiper - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. May 3rd, 2018.

Early evening at Barton Cove saw the White-winged Scoter and Red-necked Grebes still present but an increase to 33 Double-crested Cormorants, and well over 30 Ring-billed Gulls most of which were hawking for insects high above the cove. An adult Herring Gull and a breeding plumage Common Loon also dropped in towards the end of the evening, and a Black Vulture headed west over Turner's Falls presumably to roost.

Double-crested Cormorants - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. May 3rd, 2018.

Black Vulture - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. May 3rd, 2018.

Elsewhere, Brian Kane noted the first Orchard Oriole of the season down in Montague.

MA - more Orchard Orioles, plus Willow Flycatcher in Gill - 06/24

Orchard Oriole - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. June 24th, 2011. Male of a breeding pair close to the Connecticut River off River Road in Gill.

Willow Flycatcher - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. June 24th, 2011.

Virginia Rail - Gill, Franklin Co. MA. May 6th, 2011. One of four present on this date.

Aside from a few incidental observations, and feeling like I'd neglected local field birding this month, I decided to check a small cattail pond off River Road in Gill this morning. The pond held no less than 4 Virginia Rails on May 6th, so I returned with confidence hoping to at least hear a couple of rails, perhaps with a very long shot at Least Bittern. I came up empty on both species but the morning yielded a nice surprise in the form of a breeding pair of Orchard Orioles. The male showed best, occasionally bursting into song, the female being rather more shy and furtive. To add to the flavor of primarily south-eastern species, two Yellow-throated Vireos were singing along River Road as soon as I stopped the car.

I also enjoyed close views of a singing and calling Willow Flycatcher at the same spot whilst Red-tailed and Broad-winged Hawks soared overhead, along with numerous Turkey Vultures. Back home in Gill, a Belted Kingfisher and a Louisiana Waterthrush were on the brook behind the house this morning.

Common Yellowthroat - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. June 24th, 2011.

Cedar Waxwing - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. June 24th, 2011. One of about a dozen feeding at the edge of the cattail pond.


JPS.

MA - Yellow-throated Vireo and Orchard Oriole - 06/20

Slightly belated post but still notable, concerning a couple of cool yard birds from our home in Gill on Monday June 20th. The first was a singing Yellow-throated Vireo high in the Sugar Maples in the morning, a nice compliment to the daily Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos which seem to go on singing all day long, rain or shine! Later in the afternoon, there was a brief but loud burst of Orchard Oriole song, the first I've heard since this bird visited our yard on June 7th. It's likely the same bird which may have set up a territory close to our yard.

Elsewhere, Willow Flycatchers continue to sing 'fitz-bew' from the sedge meadow to the SW of our yard, whilst the Alder Flycatchers seemed to have ceased singing but can still be located by their distinctive 'pip' calls.

Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings and Baltimore Orioles remain extremely visible and audible members of our birding community. Less so is the Louisiana Waterthrush which is still present, but still extremely shy, on the brook that runs through our yard. Attempts (by me) to find a nest have failed so far. Still on the waterthrush theme, a run along Green River Road in Leyden on the same morning (June 20th) produced at least 15 Louisiana Waterthrushes, some still singing but most calling or seen along the river and adjacent streams. I heard a similar number of mostly singing birds here on the previous weekend of June 12th.

All in all, a pleasant but fairly stable period bird wise and yet, remarkably, we will soon see the first signs of fall migration as south-bound shorebirds, fresh back from the Arctic, will start to gather along the coast.

JPS.

MA - yard Orchard Oriole - 06/07

Orchard Oriole - male, Gill, Franklin Co., MA - June 7th, 2011.

The end of my run this morning was greeted by a rich, throaty, warbling song which sounded familiar, but not quite familiar enough for me to be confident about the id of the songster. I ran to the house for bins and camera and then saw the bird fly down towards to the main road to feed in roadside vegetation. It was an Orchard Oriole - my first in our Gill yard. After I grabbed a couple of shaky record shots the bird continued to sing working its way down Main Road, singing from high exposed perches overlooking the meadow. It seemed quite territorial and will hopefully stick around.

I'm not quite sure why the song didn't register as an Orchard Oriole straight away, though it did sound richer and more melodic than my recent experiences in Texas and North Carolina. Anyhow, it was a most welcome surprise after the opening days of June had produced little in the way of new birds with spring migration more or less drawing to a close.

JPS