MA - fall migration underway!

Solitary Sandpiper - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, MA. July 14th, 2020. 

Rather distant and one of two birds present. This is a phone-scoped image. 

Traditionally, mid-July almost always brings the first obvious signs that fall migration is underway. This year has been no exception and migrant shorebirds (from much further north) made an appearance this week with two Solitary Sandpipers at Hell's Kitchen, Northfield on the 14th and a Least Sandpiper over Hilltop Farm, Deerfield on the 15th (sound recorded by David Sibley). And July 17th brought three Solitary Sandpipers and my first Least Sandpiper of the season to Hell's Kitchen as well as up to a dozen Killdeers. 

Least Sandpiper (adult) - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, MA. July 17th, 2020. 

Rather distant and another phone-scoped image. 

Solitary Sandpiper - Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, MA. July 17th, 2020. 

One of three birds present. Phone-scoped image. 

Migrating passerines are usually more difficult to detect at this time but an Eastern Kingbird moving high and direct to the south over Barton Cove on 15th looked like a strong candidate for a genuine migrant. Many species have also been forming post-breeding flocks. In particular, I came across a nice gathering of 120 Tree, 35 Barn and 2 Cliff Swallows at Beaver Meadow in Leyden where there was an impressive selection of other species including three Bobolinks. 

Cliff Swallow (center) - juvenile with Tree Swallows, Leyden, Franklin Co., MA. July 14th, 2020.

May - third week

Veery - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

Plentiful during the Mass Audubon bird-a-thon. This was off River Road, Gill. 

It hardly seems like a week has already passed since the Mass Audubon Bird-a-thon event last weekend! In terms of migration, gradually dwindling numbers of northbound migrants tapered towards the end of the week.

Upinngil Farm, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 15th, 2020. The storm clouds that brought an abrupt end to Friday evening viewing during the bird-a-thon. 

The Mass Audubon Bird-a-thon was just fabulous. Given the climate of the time, it was a human-powered, socially distant event, restricted to families birding from home and nearby surroundings. Being a 'carbon-free' effort, bicycles were allowed and between 6pm on Friday the 15th and 6pm on Saturday the 16th I managed to log 54 miles of Garmin measured riding and notched up 114 different bird species. I was impressed with that tally considering no vehicles were involved and the fact that a major thunderstorm brought an abrupt and early end to plans for night birding on the Friday. My 'remote' field companions, all independently covering other corners of Franklin County, had successful days too with plenty of migrants around though usually reliable summer breeders such as Black-billed Cuckoo and Alder Flycatcher were notably absent. However, between my family and three other teams working Franklin County, we managed a combined haul of 126 species - all on foot or by bicycle. During the count I discovered that North Cross Road was something of a sweet spot for warblers, especially Cape May Warblers with more than a dozen there on the 16th and a huge count of 25 on the 17th. With them came Bay-breasted, Blackpoll and Tennessee Warblers and a lot of Northern Parulas. I really enjoyed the bird-a-thon but as much as I'd like to do it again next year, I'm genuinely hopeful that my tour schedule will be up and running and we'll have returned to 'relative normal' in spring 2021. 

Early morning, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

Early morning, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Northfield, RT 142, Franklin Co., MA. May 15th, 2020.

Some unfortunate roadkill along the bird-a-thon , two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and the male Rose-breasted Grosbeak below.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male) - Northfield, RT 10, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

 Louisiana Waterthrush - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

Plentiful during the Mass Audubon bird-a-thon with 27 noted on the 16th. This one was off River Road, Gill. 

Swainson's Thrush - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

A scarce migrant, this one was off River Road, Gill. 

 Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

Woodland fringe on the Mass Audubon bird-a-thon, off River Road, Gill. 

Cape May Warbler  - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

Very good numbers (16) seen during the Mass Audubon bird-a-thon. This male was on North Cross Road, Gill. 

Even more were present on North Cross Road the next day. 

Cape May Warbler  (male) - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 17th, 2020.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Cape May Warbler  (male) - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 17th, 2020.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Wilson's Warbler - Greenfield Community College,  Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Josh managed to tally four of these scarce spring migrants in the college grounds during the bird-athon.

My trusty steed. Giant Revel. Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. May 16th, 2020.

54 miles ridden at an average speed of 11.5 miles mph and 114 bird species recorded. 

Mid-week was, for me at least, highlighted by nice close views of a migrant Gray-cheeked Thrush at the mountain bike trails at Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst on the 19th. It was very co-operative and feeding right alongside a Swainson's Thrush. The 19th/20th also bought a strong 'wave' of Tennessee Warblers throughout northern Franklin County with at least 15 singing the Montague area alone. The 22nd brought fewer Tennessee Warblers and a couple of Blackpoll Warblers to the Gill area but did produce a nice surprise in the form of a Solitary Sandpiper on Ben Hale Road, Gill.

Gray-cheeked Thrush - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 19th, 2020.

Swainson's Thrush - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 19th, 2020.

Gray-cheeked and Swainson's Thrush (rear) - Orchard Hill, Umass-Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 19th, 2020.

Solitary Sandpiper - Ben Hale Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 22nd, 2020.

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.

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. 

MA - Dickcissel, Clay-colored Sparrow and more...

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

October opened with a welcome change in the weather. Muggy, showery southerlies gave way to breezy, cooler conditions and a cold front on the 4th. By the 5th we'd had our first frost of the fall and the 6th, while pleasant enough, was distinctly dank with the hanging threat of rain throughout the day. All of a sudden, it really felt like autumn had arrived. If late September had been more subdued than average in northern Franklin County, October had gotten off to a cracking start! Deerfield Meadows proved to be something of a 'sweet' spot with a Marsh Wren on the 1st (David Sibley), a Clay-colored Sparrow on the 2nd and a Dickcissel on the 4th.

Clay-colored Sparrow - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 2nd, 2019.

Noteworthy arrivals of passerines to 'greater' Franklin County included Ruby-crowned Kinglets (fairly widespread from the 1st), White-crowned and Song Sparrows from the 2nd, Yellow-rumped Warblers from the 3rd (including 150 at Northfield Meadows on the 5th - Josh Layfield) and White-throated Sparrows from the 4th, Dark-eyed Juncos from the 5th and an early Snow Bunting (over South Ferry Road, Montague) on the 6th.  Less expected was a Winter Wren at Caldwell Road fields, Northfield on the 3rd and an Eastern Meadowlark in Montague on the 6th, a species I almost never encounter locally on fall migration. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2019.

Winter Wren - Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 3rd, 2019.

White-throated Sparrow - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

Eastern Meadowlark - Montague, Franklin Co., MA. October 6th, 2019.

Common Yellowthroat - Pine Meadow Road,  Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2019.

Good numbers of Common Yellowthroats in early October, certain spots harboring 8 -10 individuals.

Great Blue Heron (juvenile) - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

Solitary Sandpipers (2) - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 4th, 2019.

Not an easy species to find in Franklin County but birds have been lingering here, and at Hell's Kitchen in Northfield.

Raptor migration hasn't been particularly strong or obvious in the first week although a smattering of American Kestrels passed through, and a Peregrine migrated over Montague on the 6th. The 4th was probably the best day with 45 Turkey Vultures, 2 Black Vultures, Osprey, Northern Harrier and Sharp-shinned Hawk all passing over Deerfield Meadows within the space of 25 minutes. 

Odds n' ends included 6 Fish Crows still lingering outside the 'Big Y' at Greenfield shopping plaza off the Mohawk Trail on the 5th. (Josh Layfield), a Greater Yellowlegs over Turner's Falls on the 1st, and up to 18 Ring-necked Ducks and 3 Pied-billed Grebes in the Turner's Falls area.

Greater Yellowlegs - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 1st, 2019.

MA - Northfield shorebirds, kestrels and Cape May Warblers

Greater Yellowlegs, Solitary and Pectoral Sandpipers - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

September 26th, 2018.

Another volatile weather system brought heavy rain for the whole of the 25th followed by warm, muggy, south-westerlies the next day. Storm related birds appeared to be very few on the 25th but I did find a 'pocket' of shorebirds at Caldwell Road fields in Northfield late in the day. A modest haul of 2 Pectoral, 2 Semi-palmated and 2 Least Sandpipers plus Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeer wasn't bad compared to most other sites that I checked which seemed to be bereft of birds. American Pipits though, appeared in numbers for the first time this fall with 11 visible on the sod fields.

American Pipits - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 26th, 2018.

The following day, the 26th, was a very different story. A return to the Caldwell Road fields had me captivated for three hours! The place was hopping and it was clear that a major songbird fall-out had taken place. The very first warbler that I saw and identified was a first-winter Cape May setting the theme for the morning as Cape May Warblers (12 in total) lifted out of the corn fields to filter through the trees and bushes along the roadside. Again, I was struck by the relative abundance of this species in northern Franklin County compared to previous years. Other warbler species included Yellow-rumped (10), Tennessee (5), Magnolia (2), American Redstart (3), Common Yellowthroat (9), Northern Parula (5) and plenty of unidentified birds that were just too quick or high for me to be sure of. Red-eyed (5) and Blue-headed Vireos were both included in the mix and I'm pretty sure I had a Philadelphia Vireo leaf gleaning but just couldn't clinch it.

Cape May Warbler (first-winter) - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

September 26th, 2018.

American Redstart (first-winter) - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 26th, 2018.

Red-eyed Vireo - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. September 26th, 2018.

Down on the sod fields, some shorebirds remained and had even increased from the previous evening, surprising given the clearing weather conditions - 5 Least, 2 Pectoral, and 3 Solitary Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeer, and an increase to 35 American Pipits.

Solitary and Pectoral Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

September 26th, 2018.

In terms of spectacles, well 14 American Kestrels on wires along a stretch of dirt road no more than 300 meters would take some beating and certainly the closest I've come to a fall-out of that species in our area.

American Kestrel (5 of the 14 birds in view here) - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

September 26th, 2018.

Northern Harrier (juvenile) - Caldwell Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

September 26th, 2018.

Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs - Pine Meadow Road fields, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. 

September 27th, 2018.