May 12th - Shorebirds!

Least Sandpipers - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 11th, 2020.

A sample of the 28 birds present on the cove this morning.

An interesting day with a distinct 'air' of change compared to the previous three days, especially with an unexpected arrival of shorebirds to northern Franklin County. I say 'unexpected' because the perfectly calm, clear morning offered no indication at all that a shorebird fall-out might occur. Things got off to a promising start with a Common Loon departing north over Barton Cove and reduced water levels produced a nice array of shorebirds scattered around the cove including the first tundra breeders of the season; Least Sandpiper (28) and Semi-palmated Plover (2). In addition, Solitary Sandpiper (2), Spotted Sandpiper (15) and Lesser Yellowlegs (2) were also present. Apparently a strong day for Solitary Sandpipers continued with five together on a small flooded area in Greenfield and three individuals from three different sites in Montague/Sunderland (Brian Kane). The Greenfield birds were close enough for Matan to try his hand at photography and a couple of his shots appear here. 

Solitary Sandpipers - Greenfield, Franklin Co., MA. May 11th, 2020.

Images by Matan Lerman-Smith, some of the five birds present at this site. 

Gulls were not represented early in the morning by noon 14 Ring-billed Gulls had dropped into Barton Cove. Noteworthy passerines included Scarlet Tanager, Great Crested Flycatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and 6+ Blackburnian Warblers at Barton Cove campground along with a widespread arrival of Black-throated Blue and Blue winged Warblers in Gill. Northern Parulas were also especially evident in Gill this morning with over a dozen at a wide scatter of locations.

Common Loon - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 11th, 2020.

Migrant departing north at 06:50 hrs. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler (female) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 11th, 2020.

Large numbers currently moving through northern Franklin County. 

Covid Spring V

Virginia Rail - Franklin Co., MA. April 23rd, 2020.

A difficult, unseasonably cold week has just passed. Temperatures at dawn were often below freezing bringing a thin layer of ice to some of the smaller ponds in the area and, on top of that, pesky raw winds from the NW brought more snow flurries in mid-week. Not surprisingly, migration was effectively stalled though a few hardy species did appear including an early House Wren at Barton Cove on April 20th. Otherwise, much of the migration was composed of slightly less obvious migrants with a particularly strong showing of Ruby-crowned Kinglets all week with up to six birds at places such as North Cross Road, Barton Cove, and Riverview Drive all in Gill plus other sites in Northfield and Bernardston. Savannah Sparrows cropped up in small flocks in several places including Deerfield Meadows, Northfield Meadows and even along North Cross Road in Gill. The flocks did contain several paler, light colored birds that seemed to stand out from the rest, and were first highlighted by Josh Layfield being noted at Northfield Meadows and North Cross Road and actually much earlier in the month by David Sibley at Deerfield Meadows. Also of interest, two Eastern Meadowlarks showed up at a promising looking grassland area in Deerfield on the 19th (Josh Layfield), remained all week increasing to three birds by the 24th.

House Wren - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 20th, 2020.

A fairly early migrant, perhaps my earliest in Franklin County.

Eastern Meadowlark - Deerfield. Franklin Co., MA. April 24th, 2020.
One of three present in suitable breeding habitat.

Savannah Sparrow - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. April 21st, 2020.
Small numbers of migrants passed through Franklin County this week including several notably paler birds. 

Warblers were scarce but small waves of Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers filtered through all week, as did Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Louisiana Waterthrushes, usually very vocal in the third week of April, remained atypically quiet throughout the week with just a handful of birds bursting into song at a wide scatter of locations.

But on the plus side, our Northfield yard was quite lively over the last two days with 10 White-throated Sparrows and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet on the 24th and an early Swainson's Thrush hopping around the back lawn on the 25th.

At Barton Cove the most notable waterbirds were up to 26 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 female Buffleheads and 6 Great Blue Herons on the 21st, and at least 17 Double-crested Cormorants on the 22nd.

Probably my personal highlight of the whole week was a close encounter with a Virginia Rail, a scarce but probably overlooked breeding visitor to Franklin County. In fact, I heard two birds calling simultaneously at the same marsh on the 23rd and had pretty nice views of one of them.

Great Blue Herons (6) - Barton Cove, Franklin Co., MA. April 21st, 2020.

Quite unusual to see an actual 'flock' of migrant Great Blue Herons resting at Barton Cove. 

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.

Covid Spring - II

American Robins - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 5th, 2020.

Two days of clear skies, warm afternoons and generally immaculate weather allowed the migrant flood gates to open. Within the last 48 hours the mixed woodlands around Gill/Montague have filled with Pine Warblers with, for example, 15 singing males on my morning bike ride through Montague yesterday (04/07). Eastern Phoebes and Tree Swallows are even more widespread, seemingly every homestead in the rural areas having both species around them. In many respects these hardy migrants are to be expected in late March and early April but to me, nothing quite says that spring has truly arrived more than the sound of the first Louisiana Waterthrush singing from the fast-flowing wooded streams around Gill. This morning (04/08) I heard my first of the year in exactly the same spot as I heard my first last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. This bird, if indeed it is the same returning male, appears to arrive a good five to ten days ahead of the main influx of Louisiana Waterthrushes in northern Franklin County. This year it was even earlier - three days ahead of my earliest date in the county. Perhaps co-incidence or perhaps part of the same wave of migrant arrivals, I also noted my first Northern Rough-winged Swallows (4) of the year, hawking over the water at Barton Cove with Tree Swallows (15). Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers appeared in numbers with many drumming males around Gill and Montague from 04/05 - 04/06, and Chipping Sparrows arrived in numbers too, visible and audible in the yards and roadsides around Gill. 

Notably absent during this spring, or at least to date, has been the passage of large numbers of American Robins through the fields and meadows of Gill. Early April often brings 1200 - 2000 birds to the area but this year they've been curiously missing with c.150 on North Cross Road on 04/05 being the most noteworthy gathering.

American Robins - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 5th, 2020.

More discrete migrants, included three Field Sparrows together at the Turner's Falls Rod and Gun club found by Josh Layfield on the 04/07, single northbound Evening Grosbeaks over North Cross Road, Gill on 03/27 and 03/28, an Eastern Meadowlark heard calling and singing on North Cross Road on 04/04, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing on North Cross Road on 04/08. Indeed, late afternoon, early evening on 04/08 proved to be a productive time further south in Franklin County when Brian Kane discovered two Hermit Thrushes feeding on crab apples in his yard, and David Sibley and Joan Walsh found a decidedly early Grasshopper Sparrow in the Deerfield Meadows. Nearby, David, Joan, and Josh Layfield connected with an American Bittern in Old Deerfield, found and reported the previous day.

Hermit Thrush - Sunderland, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2020. 

One of two photographed by Brian Kane in his Sunderland yard. 

Field Sparrow - one of three, with Song Sparrows, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. April 7th, 2020.

The migrant flock of Field Sparrows (3) was found by Josh Layfield.

Rather random sightings included an early Great Blue Heron heading north over Northfield Mount Hermon, Gill on 03/16, an impressive single flock of 38 Fish Crows at Barton Cove, Gill on 04/03, a flock of 65 Brown-headed Cowbirds by Main Road, Gill on 04/05, a Black Vulture south over Turner's Falls on 04/07 and a wide scatter of American Kestrels through Montague, Turner's Falls and Gill through late March into early April. Purple Finches are also back on breeding territories in Gill with several males singing on North Cross and Boyle Roads, and at Gill Elementary School.

Fish Crows - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 3rd, 2020. 

Part of a flock of 38 present that evening. 

Barton Cove continued to be remarkably quiet for waterfowl migrants though 2 Gadwall and a Pied -billed Grebe were present on 04/07 and a drake Lesser Scaup on 04/08. Any change at the cove can only be for the better!

North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 24th, 2020. The last snowfall of the spring, hopefully!

Good birding and Happy Passover to all,



James

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 - good stuff in northern Franklin County

Rusty Blackbird (first-winter) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 24th, 2018. 

Since returning from Cape May on October 19th I've been struck with a barrage of scarce and noteworthy bird species virtually every day, and all within about 15 minutes drive of home in Northfield. In particular, Northfield Meadows has been outstanding, each day producing something new including concentrations of White-crowned Sparrows the likes of which I've never seen in the eastern US, least of all in Franklin County!

Some of my personal highlights from October 20th - 25th are as follows:

Cackling Geese (2) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 22nd, 2018. Distant digi-scoped shots. 

Cackling Geese (2) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 25th, 2018.

Cackling Geese - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 25th, 2018. 

Present at the same time as the above pair but choosing not to associate with them. 

Cackling Goose; 1 - 3 daily at Turner's Falls including 3 close together in a relatively small flock of Canada Geese on the 25th. Also, 1 - 2 regularly at Tri-town beach during the same period. This is already shaping up into one of the best late fall periods that we've had for this species locally.


Bufflehead - regularly in the Barton Cove/Turner's Falls power canal area including 4 males on the 21st, and 6 (3 male, 3 female) together on the 25th.

Common Goldeneye (male) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 23rd, 2018. Distant digi-scope. 

Common Goldeneye - male at Barton Cove/Turner's Falls on 23rd-25th. Typical arrival date.


Northern Saw-whet Owl - one heard calling pre-dawn on North Cross Road, Gill on the 22nd.


Golden-crowned Kinglet - 10+ along North Cross Road, Gill on the 21st.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 24th, 2018.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - widespread arrival at many locations over 21st/22nd with 2 -3 together at most of these spots. Fewer by the 25th.


American Robin - noteworthy arrival in Northfield Meadows on the 25th with at least 250 present.


Nashville/Orange-crowned Warbler - 1 seen briefly in Northfield Meadows on the 24th, all too brief to determine the species.


Yellow-rumped Warbler - 100+ along North Cross Road, Gill on the 21st and 45+ in Northfield Meadows on the 23rd. Major overnight departure on the 24th with only one present in Northfield Meadows on the 25th.

Palm Warbler (eastern) - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 23rd, 2018.

Palm Warbler - 1 - 3 at many scattered locations but still 20+ in Northfield Meadows on the 23rd.

Black-throated Green Warbler - Erving, Franklin Co., MA. October 25th, 2018.

Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 at Zelinski Field, Erving on the 20th.



Field Sparrow - 1 in Northfield Meadows on the 22nd.



Vesper Sparrow - 1 in Northfield Meadows on the 22nd.

White-throated Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 22nd, 2018.

White-throated Sparrow - good numbers daily at many locations but 200+  in Northfield Meadows on the 24th was impressive.

White-crowned Sparrows - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 22nd, 2018.

White-crowned Sparrows - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 22nd, 2018.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW - unprecedented influx of migrants concentrated at Northfield Meadows with 45+ on the 22nd, 90+ on the 23rd, 55+ on the 24th but a near complete exodus overnight with only 1 (an adult) on the 25th. Tallies of 3 - 6 would be much more in keeping with October dates but these numbers are off the charts in my experience. Never seen anything quite it in Franklin County.

(Red) Fox Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 24th, 2018.

Fox Sparrow - 2 briefly on North Cross Road, Gill on the 21st, then 1 in Northfield Meadows on the 24th and 2 there on the 25th.

Swamp Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 25th, 2018.

Swamp Sparrow - 6 - 10 regularly in Northfield Meadows.


Lapland Longspur -  1 south over Northfield Meadows on the 23rd.


Brown-headed Cowbird - 75+ by Upinngil Farm on the 23rd.

Rusty Blackbird - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 22nd, 2018.

Rusty Blackbird - 1 at Northfield Meadows on the 23rd, 1 showing very well at Unity Park, Turner's Falls on the 24th.


Evening Grosbeak - 1 on South Main Street, Sunderland on the 23rd (Brian Kane).


Purple Finch - continued high numbers with 12 - 20 regularly in Northfield Meadows.


Pine Siskin - daily flyovers at many locations in Northfield, Gill and Turner's Falls.

MA - Eastern Screech-Owl in Gill

 Eastern Screech-Owl - Gill, Franklin Co, MA. November 7th, 2017. 

A chilly, raw evening produced this fine Eastern Screech-Owl at one of my traditional spots in Gill. It was cool and windy with wintery showers so my expectations were low but the bird put on a nice vocal and visual show, eventually showing superbly well in a relatively soft spotlight. It was the highlight of a day that didn't quite live up to expectation as cold, clear air from the north allowed almost all of yesterday's species to depart overnight including the Redheads. However, new waterbird arrivals in the greater Turner's Falls area included 15 Buffleheads, a Lesser Scaup and a Pied-billed Grebe while a Ring-necked Duck and 2 American Wigeons remained, and Common Goldeneyes built up to at least 16 birds at the power canal. 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. November 7th, 2017.

MA - more from mid-October

Northern Harrier - juvenile, Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016. 

Back into warm southerlies for a few more days, especially in the afternoon. The mornings, however, usually start chilly and foggy. Spectacular numbers of birds continue in the fields around Gill and Northfield. On the 11th, I counted no less than 185 Yellow-rumped Warblers in a single pumpkin field off North Cross Road, Gill. The field was literally heaving with them along with 20 or so Palm Warblers and a few Blackpoll Warblers. At dawn in the same area, I was surprised to hear an American Woodcock roding along with three calling Swainson's Thrushes and a Rusty Blackbird.

Yellow-rumped Warblers - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2016.

Yellow-rumped Warblers - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2016.

Impressive numbers working the field edges and woodland fringe in Gill.

Blackpoll Warbler  - juv/first-winter, North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2016.

Savannah Sparrow  - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2016.

Abundant migrant in Gill/Northfield in mid-October. 

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - juv/first-winter, Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016. 

Swamp Sparrow - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016. 

October 12th saw me taking a look at the fields to the north-east of the Northfield transfer station along Caldwell Road. Although I rarely bird this area, it's often productive when I do and the morning of the 12th was no exception, again producing hundreds of sparrows, mainly Song, Swamp, Savannah and White-throated but also two or three immature White-crowned Sparrows. There was also a 'getting-late' Bobolink, and another Rusty Blackbird giving its characteristic call as it flew north. A juvenile Northern Harrier was a real treat as it worked the fringes of the dirt roads, seemingly oblivious to me standing only meters away. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker also joined the fun, in fact single sapsuckers have been showing up in most of the spots that I've looked at in the last few days including; North Cross Road, Gill Elementary School, and River Road in Gill, and Unity Park in Turner's Falls. 

Rusty Blackbird - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016. 

Northern Harrier - juvenile, Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2016. 

A brief stop on River Road, Gill on the 13th saw much the same species profile but with increased numbers of Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets. The Ruby-crowneds seemed quite happy foraging along the field edges and sometimes even in the crops themselves, but the Golden-crowneds were much more tied to woodland. Late migrants here included Northern Parula and Red-eyed Vireo and an American Pipit flew over. 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2016.

About five or six along River Road fields this morning.