MA - October third week

Pileated Woodpecker - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2019.

Relatively common throughout Franklin County but never taken for granted, Pileated Woodpeckers have been 

active and visible at many locations in October. 

It's been a steady week of migration and falling leaves. North Cross Road in Gill has featured strong numbers of Hermit Thrushes on most mornings with 7 - 15 birds calling from the roadsides, sometimes foraging on the road itself before traffic starts in earnest around 7am. Yellow-rumped Warblers continue to migrate south-west in good numbers with 20 - 45 birds on most mornings around sunrise. Most other warblers, perhaps as expected, have become extremely few and far between but Brian Kane had a Nashville Warbler in his Sunderland yard on the 18th. It's been a decent week for Rusty Blackbirds with one heading south over Mill Village Road, Deerfield on the 18th and 4 over North Cross Road on the 19th.

Rusty Blackbird - migrant heading south over Mill Village Road, Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 18th, 2018.

Least Sandpiper - Hells Kitchen, Northfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 11th, 2019.

Very probably the same individual bird that's been lingering here from the beginning of October through to the 21st at least.

Shorebirds continued to have a patchy, irregular presence at Hell's Kitchen in Northfield but patient birders have been rewarded with Solitary Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and up to 5 Pectoral Sandpipers through to the 21st. And a personal highlight for me was two American Woodcocks seen 'chittering' over North Cross Road, Gill early on the 18th. A Pectoral Sandpiper also touched down at Caldwell Road sod fields during the storm of the 17th when it was the only shorebird present there.

Savannah Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 13th, 2019.

Sparrows continued to feature and perhaps increase in number with several pronounced 'waves' of Song, Savannah, Chipping, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows this week. At least 160 Savannah Sparrows were present in the Mill Village Road fields south of Historic Deerfield on the 17th, which also happened to be the last date on which the Le Conte's Sparrow was seen. The Deerfield Meadows also produced over 21 White-crowned Sparrows on the 19th, 18 of which were in the North Meadows when there was also an Eastern Meadowlark close by (David Sibley). Still at the Deerfield Meadows, single Field Sparrows and up to three Vesper Sparrows have been found fairly consistently amid the hordes of Savannah and Song Sparrows.

Le Conte's Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

White-throated Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

Lincoln's Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

Vesper Sparrow - Deerfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 17th, 2019.

MA - more Dickcissels and a Blue Grosbeak!

Blue Grosbeak (first-winter) - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2019.

It's been another sensational week of fall birding in Franklin County. From a personal perspective, the highlight would have to be the Blue Grosbeak found by Aaron Hulsey and Joe Oliverio in Deerfield Meadows on the 9th. I don't mind admitting that I've been on the look out for this species in the county for years but hadn't even heard of one until Aaron very kindly sent me a text to let me know of his find. Fortune worked in my favor and I had an appointment that afternoon that placed me only ten minutes away from the spot where Aaron and Joe had found the grosbeak. Within a few minutes of arriving I was watching the bird, albeit briefly and in the rain. No matter, I was really happy with the find and very grateful to Aaron and Joe.

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 8th, 2019.

Deerfield Meadows was again the 'sweet spot' of the week as it had been in the first week of the month. Numbers of Song, White-throated, White-crowned and Savannah Sparrows concentrated here along with a couple each of Vesper and Lincoln's Sparrows and a good late showing of Indigo Buntings. Among them, more Dickcissels could be found with 4 on the 8th and another on the 10th. In a typical autumn I'm lucky to see a single Dickcissel so to tally 6 individuals from a single site in matter of days was well beyond expectation.

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Dickcissel - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Other passerines of note included a Vesper Sparrow Caldwell Road Sod fields in Northfield on the 6th, at Red-eyed Vireo at Deerfield Meadows on the 10th,  50 American Pipits together at Caldwell Road Sod fields in Northfield on the 11th, and a Winter Wren in Wendell State Forest on the 12th. Large movements of Yellow-rumped Warblers have been seen over North Cross Road, Gill on most mornings this week, usually involving 45-65 birds with most activity occurring around sunrise. Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Field Sparrow have all featured as migrants on North Cross Road as well this week.

(Western) Palm Warbler - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Vesper Sparrow - Deerfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 10th, 2019.

Winter Wren - Wendell State Forest, Franklin Co., MA. October 12th, 2019.

MA - small, dark Canada Geese in Whately

Canada Goose - small, dark individual among Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

It's been a relatively slow start to the goose migration in the Pioneer Valley. Although migrants have been arriving it's been more of a steady build rather than a sudden incursion of hundreds of birds, something which we quite often see at this time of year. But, it's still early in the month and presumably we can look forward to some large arrivals over the next 10 days or so.

Canada Geese - dark individuals amid Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

This looked more like a family group of dark birds, perhaps too dark side for Hudson Bay Canada Goose B.c. interior?

Canada Geese - large, white breasted birds showing characteristics of Atlantic Canada Goose (B. c. canadenis), Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Canada Goose - small, dark individual amid Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Canada Goose - small, dark individual amid Atlantic Canada Geese, Whately, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Same individual as above. 

I did find a flock of geese at Tri-town Beach, Whately and at least six individuals, possibly from two different family groups, caught my attention in being exceptionally small and dark. I am used to seeing a lot of variation within Canada Geese in the Pioneer Valley and at this time of year we tend to get two, fairly distinct forms; Atlantic Canada Goose (B.c. canadensis) which are typically large, pale gray-brown and white/pale breasted, and Hudson Bay Canada Goose (B.c. interior) which tend to be darker, browner and more dusky in appearance with a darker breast and appear to average quite a bit smaller in size than Atlantic Canada Goose. With this in mind, I tend to be quite careful about variation within Canada Goose flocks but today's birds really did stand out as being exceptionally dark to the point where I'm pretty sure that I haven't encountered anything like these locally before. I'm not sure what they are, or how to account for the very dark appearance but I'm hoping that posting a few images will draw some attention to these very interesting geese. And for those interested, some essential reading on Distinguishing Cackling and Canada Geese by David Sibley can be found here;
https://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/07/identification-of-cackling-and-canada-goose/


Elsewhere in the valley, well warm, muggy rain showers came back today after a relatively cool weekend bringing 9 Green-winged Teal, 6 Pectoral Sandpipers and 1 Least Sandpiper to Hell's Kitchen in Northfield. And there was a surprise Vesper Sparrow very briefly on the sod fields at Caldwell Road, Northfield.

Pectoral Sandpiper - two of six, Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, Framklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Pectoral Sandpiper - one of six, Hell's Kitchen, Northfield, Framklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

Vesper Sparrow - Caldwell Road Sod, Northfield, Framklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2019.

MA - Nelson's and other sparrows in Franklin County

Nelson's Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2018.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

The last three days have seen more than just a gradual shift from migrant warblers to migrant sparrows. Pride of place among the sparrows, hands-down, has to be the Nelson's Sparrow found and documented by Josh Layfield in Northfield on October 7th. This species has long been on my wish list for Franklin County, so for Josh to have one teed up for a solid minute just a mile from my house was especially galling! Despite being thoroughly searched for on the same day and the following days, the little beauty was never seen again. Opportunities for finding Nelson's Sparrows in our area are limited by fairly sparse accessible habitat and a narrow time window (late September to mid-October) in which to find migrants. Josh absolutely nailed his self-found lifer with some great images and even shot an eight second video!

Nelson's Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2018.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Nelson's Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2018.

Image appears courtesy of Josh Layfield. 

Otherwise, small numbers of White-crowned Sparrows showed up at multiple sites in Northfield from October 6th, as did the continued passage of Lincoln's Sparrows, and  two to three Vesper Sparrows featured at Northfield Meadows from October 6th - 9th. 

Vesper Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 8th, 2018.

Just when warbler migration appeared to be tapering, the Northfield Meadows concentrated over 150  Yellow-rumped and 35 Palm Warblers on October 9th, along with at least three more glorious Cape May Warblers - what an autumn it's been for that species!

Cape May Warbler (first-winter) - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2018.

Cape May Warbler (adult) - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2018.

A Pectoral Sandpiper was slightly out of place on North Cross Road, Gill on October 6th where the same morning also featured a flyover Bobolink and plenty of migrating Yellow-rumped, Palm and Blackpoll Warblers.

MA - Louisiana Waterthrush and plenty more

Louisiana Waterthrush - River Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 13th, 2016.

Yesterday, April 13th, really marked a turning point in the spring, hopefully bringing an end to the cold, wintery air that seems to have been with us for the last couple of weeks. Locally, there's no better indicator of the end of winter than the arrival of Louisiana Waterthrushes to our streams and rivers. Yesterday I heard three singing males along River Road in Gill, including the showy individual pictured here.

Vesper Sparrow - North Cross Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 13th, 2016.

Perhaps more surprising was the appearance of a pair of Vesper Sparrows along North Cross Road, I think only the second time that I've recorded the species in Gill. The birds showed well, foraging at the roadside, quite literally at the side of the road. 

Common Loon - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 8th, 2016.

In the afternoon, I recorded no less than nine species of raptor from Unity Park in Turner's Falls including my first Broad-winged Hawks (3) of the year, along with a Black Vulture and a Merlin. Barton Cove itself has been pretty quiet aside from a single Common Loon and, after the first on April 6th, the daily presence of up to nine Double-crested Cormorants. 

Double-crested Cormorant - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 13th, 2016.

Widespread arrivals of more Eastern Phoebes, Pine Warblers, Field and Chipping Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes (including one in our yard on the 14th) have taken place in the last two days and their songs have been common place around Gill. A few Fox and White-throated Sparrows have also burst into song as they pass through the fields and hedgerows. North Cross Road in particular has been good for the former.

Eatsern Phoebe - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 11th, 2016.

Finally, a rainy morning didn't put off a Ruffed  Grouse from an aggressive roadside display on April 12th. This bird quite literally charged at my vehicle when I pulled up to take a look. I became so concerned for its welfare that I gently encouraged it to retreat back into the woodland. Otherwise, it might easily have become roadkill.

Ruffed Grouse - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 12th, 2016.

Ruffed Grouse - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 12th, 2016.

White-tailed Deer - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. April 14th, 2016.

VT - Vesper Sparrow - 10/11

Rather than head south toward Barton Cove and Turner's Falls, this morning I elected to go north hopeful of catching up with the large concentrations of sparrows reported by Don Clark and JoAnne Russo at Vernon on Oct 7th. Four days later, it looked like most of the sparrows had moved on and my personal tally probably totaled less than 35 birds. Certainly the 'hoped-for' Clay-colored Sparrows photographed by Don and JoAnne were not present, but towards the end of my session I did find a Vesper Sparrow perched above the chain link fence close to my car. Other birds of interest included 45+ American Pipits in the organic fields, 3 Palm Warblers (2 eastern, 1 duller bird may have been intermediate), and one party of 7 first-winter White-crowned Sparrows. The site, Millar Organic Farm in Vernon, is just 12 miles north of our home in Gill, MA.

Vesper Sparrow - Miller Organic Farm, Windham Co., Vernon, VT.

October 11th, 2013. Digiscope with Canon Powershot G10.

 

American Pipit - Miller Organic Farm, Windham Co., Vernon, VT.

October 11th, 2013. Digiscope with Canon Powershot G10.

 

Savannah Sparrow - Miller Organic Farm, Windham Co., Vernon, VT.

October 11th, 2013. Digiscope with Canon Powershot G10.

 

Palm Warbler (eastern) - Miller Organic Farm, Windham Co., Vernon, VT.

October 11th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.

 

Palm Warbler - perhaps dull eastern or intermediate, Miller Organic Farm,

Windham Co., Vernon, VT. October 11th, 2013. Digiscope with Canon Powershot G10.



Cape May Day 2 - Oct 17th

Vesper Sparrows - Higbee Beach WMA, Cape May - Oct 17th.


Vesper Sparrow - the third of five, Higbee Beach WMA, Cape May - Oct 17th.


Great and Snowy Egrets - migrating south over Two Mile Landing.

The eagerly awaited cold front moved through overnight bringing a sharp drop in temperatures and a complete change of wind direction (now a decent North-westerly breeze). We headed for Higbee Beach anticipating large numbers of birds, especially Yellow-rumped Warblers which we'd seen all along the roadsides as we drove to the site. It was certainly busy when we arrived, with hundreds of Yellow-rumps, and tens of Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets but equally impressive were the sparrows with several hundred of White-throated, Song and Swamp, about 10 Field Sparrows and no less than five Vesper Sparrows, including 4 together at one point in the 'Tower Field'. We later tried for raptors at Cape May point with small numbers of accipiters moving through and nice comparisons of young Broad-winged and Red-shouldered Hawks, plus 5 Peregrines, 7 Northern Harriers and about 5 Bald Eagles. We also enjoyed a feeding frenzy just offshore involving about 400 Northern Gannets, plus Laughing and American Herring Gulls and some Royal Terns. The afternoon was pretty relaxing though it was clear that a rather large movement of scoters was taking place offshore with about 1,000 dark-winged (Black and Surf) scoters moving west off Beach Ave (from our hotel) in Cape May in just one hour in mid-afternoon.

We closed another fine day watching Brants, migrating egrets, and both species of sharp-tailed sparrow at Two Mile Landing.