MA - waterfowl and other odds n' ends in the first half of November

 

(Pale-bellied) Brant - three of six at Pine Meadow Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 1st, 2020. Initially found by Sasha Auer and Kevin Barnes. 

Irruptive passerines from the boreal certainly stole the show in early November but compared to previous years, it seemed (to me at least) that waterfowl migration was a little below par for the first twenty days of the month. Small numbers of Black, Surf and White-winged Scoters showed up at Turner's Falls and at the north end of the Quabbin Reservoir along with a tiny handful of Long-tailed Ducks but generally, those species were not found in the numbers that we've seen in the past. That much said, there were certainly some notables around with Red-breasted Mergansers turning up in flocks of up to nine birds and a continued presence with Common Mergansers at the Turner's Falls power canal through to the middle of the month. It was also excellent to have some lingering Brant (6 at Pine Meadow Road, Northfield through to Nov 2nd) and a Cackling Goose in Turners Falls  (Nov 7th - 20th) after both species had been curiously missing in October. Still, while early to mid November might have light on the scarcer waterfowl, it certainly wasn't light on volume. On several dates between the 12th and the 20th, the Turner's Falls power canal 'groaned' under the weight of 1900-2000 Canada Geese and up to 260 Common Mergansers and 32 Common Goldeneyes. Other notable gatherings included the continued presence of Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots on the CT River all month to the 20th at least, with up to 11 of the former and up to five of the latter between Barton Cove and the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club. 

Cackling Goose (center) - heading north for evening feeding. Unity Park, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 7th, 2020. 

This bird was courteous enough stick around at the power canal for well over week after this initial sighting. 

Cackling Goose -Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 14th, 2020. 

Cackling Goose (right) -Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. November 15th, 2020. 

Bonaparte's Gull (adult/near adult) -Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. November 12th, 2020. 

Late migrant shorebirds included a Dunlin on Nov 8th and a Semipalmated Plover on Nov 10th, both coming from the rather under watched Gate 22 at the Quabbin Reservoir. The Connecticut River at Turner's Falls hosted unusually good numbers of Greater Yellowlegs until all of them appeared to form one tight flock of eleven birds and depart south at speed on the evening of the 12th. While the odd Greater Yellowlegs can be expected in November, a single flock of 11 is unprecedented in my experience in the county, especially so late into the month.  

A Bonaparte's Gull at Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club on Nov 12th was the only larid of note in the first 20 days of the month in what had to be quietest opening to 'gull season' that I've ever seen in the greater Turner's Falls area. Iceland Gulls are long overdue but should hopefully put in an appearance soon, and perhaps one or two Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 

Covid Spring IV - Grebes!

Horned Grebes - flock of seven, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 18th, 2020. 

Red-necked and Horned Grebes - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 18th, 2020. 

After a warm, promising start on April 12th the rest of the week turned decidedly chilly with cold air from the N and NW seemingly blocking, or slowing down the arrival of many spring migrants. In fact, the air was so cold that we had late spring snow falls on the 16th and 18th. Notable spring passerine migrants included Brown Thrashers singing on North Cross Road, Gill on the 12th and the 17th, and an early pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers on Meadow Road, Montague also on the 12th. Louisiana Waterthrushes trickled in but became increasingly quiet as the air grew colder in the middle of the week. A Blue-headed Vireo was singing in the NMH woods off North Cross Road on the 15th and three 'yellow' Palm Warblers dropped in by the Turner's Falls power canal on the 18th. There was also a strong 'wave' of Ruby-crowned Kinglets on the 17th and 18th with singing birds turning up in many places all over Gill.

Brown Thrasher - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 12th, 2020. 

My earliest arrival date for this species in Franklin County. 

Towards the end of the week the snow showers produced a light fall-out of waterbirds at Barton Cove and Turner's Falls. Two Red-necked Grebes and a female Red-breasted Merganser were at Barton Cove on the 16th along with a Horned Grebe at the Turner's Falls power canal. A more impressive fall-out took place on the 18th with seven Horned and three Red-necked Grebes in one raft at Barton Cove (Josh Layfield), along with 13 Double-crested Cormorants and 3 Great Blue Herons. And on the same morning, visible from Barton Cove campground, a male Red-breasted Merganser, four Long-tailed Ducks and a further three Red-necked Grebes. All of the grebes this week were in pristine breeding condition!

Pied-billed Grebe - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. April 18th, 2020. 

Great Blue Herons - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 18th, 2020. 

Double-crested Cormorants - some of the 13 present, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 18th, 2020. 

Fields off Main Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 18th, 2020. 

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.

MA - first Pied-billed Grebe - 04/08

Pied-billed Grebe - Old Vernon Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2015. First of the season.

Yet another interesting day. Checked Barton Cove in the morning to find numbers of dabbling ducks greatly reduced with some species absent altogether. It's difficult to say whether they migrated out or perhaps just moved to another feeding spot further up river. However, I could only muster a handful of Mallards and a single Black Duck! The diving duck spectacle goes on with 350 Ring-necked Ducks, 15+ Buffleheads and 4 Lesser Scaup continuing among other species. A Merlin swept through as I was leaving, my second sighting here this month and likely the same bird.

Eastern Phoebes seem to be well established, despite the continued cold temperatures and today's sleet showers. This morning I counted over 20 during a ten mile bike ride from Turner's Falls to East Deerfield and back.

Common Loon - adult, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2015. Continuing from April 5th. 

Merlin - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2015.

Kumlien's Iceland Gull -  continuing first-cycle, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2015.

 Ring-necked Ducks - Old Vernon Road, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2015. First of season.

Later in the day I checked a few small ponds near my home in Northfield finding Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers and Wood Ducks, and a little surprisingly, my first local Pied-billed Grebe of the year. 

MA - random notes from Gill - 03/10

My last post before departing to Israel for two spring migration tours. The last few days in Gill have been distinctly balmy and spring-like. On the 8th, I noted a Pied-billed Grebe at Turner's Falls, the first I've seen there since the Christmas bird count in late December. Remarkably, this bird looked and behaved much like the same lingering individual present at that time. It's hard to imagine it spent the winter in our area but that's certainly what the bird's presence suggests. 

Other notes included at least three Kumlien's (Iceland) Gulls in a swirl of gulls flushed by a Bald Eagle at Barton Cove on the 8th. There was also Cackling Goose at the end of a stream of 200 Canada Geese over our house on Main Road in late afternoon on the 9th. At least 700 Canada Geese moved NE over our house that evening. 

 Pied-billed Grebe - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 8th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

 Hooded Merganser - male, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 8th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

Ring-necked Duck - male, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 8th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

MA - Pied-billed Grebe hanging on - 12/19

 

 

 Pied-billed Grebe - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. December 19th, 2012. Checking back on my records I found that I first logged this particular bird on October 25th. All images taken using a Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

 

 Although I couldn't find the long staying Pied-billed Grebe at the Turner's Falls power canal a couple of days ago, it was back this morning. Like the Double-crested Cormorant (present at the power canal yesterday), this is another species that I wouldn't expect  to see lingering towards to the Christmas period in our local area. Similarly, huge numbers of Canada Geese remain in the area with c.1100 on the power canal today and a further c.350 at Barton Cove. As usual with the larger flocks, I had trouble finding anything out of sorts amongst them.



 



Yesterday, a nice drake Northern Pintail (above) also showed up at the power canal, whilst the Red-necked Grebe had moved up to Barton Cove. At the latter site, the scaup flock (6 Lesser, 1 Greater) continues, along with up to 50 Hooded Mergansers (below) which were joined by two Ring-necked Ducks yesterday.

Marauding Bald Eagles were present and active at both locations.