May 6th -

White-crowned Sparrow - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

Another chilly start to the day, even colder than yesterday morning with a sharp frost in Gill and dawn temperatures of around 29 deg F. Barton Cove again proved attractive to swallows with at least 4 Cliff and 25 Bank Swallows hawking over the water. The riverside vegetation had some interesting migrants including at least 5 Northern Parulas, several Yellow-rumped Warblers, 15 White-throated Sparrows and a crisp adult White-crowned Sparrow, the latter hot on the heels of one in Deerfield on the 4th and 5th (David Sibley). Throughout the morning Wood Thrushes could be heard singing at every stop in Gill/Montague/Sunderland/Deerfield and a major arrival had clearly taken place overnight - they were simply everywhere!

Northern Parula (male singing) - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

The migrant of the day would have to be Yellow-rumped Warbler (150+) with migrant groups all along the Connecticut River from Montague City down to Sunderland, and back along River Road in Deerfield to Montague City once more, a 20 mile loop on the bike. Northern Parulas (6+) featured in the early part of the ride but I didn't hear any singing after about 9:15 am. Baltimore Orioles too, were common throughout the ride and another summer breeder that clearly arrived in numbers overnight. In the evening, a surprise Eastern Meadowlark was singing on South Ferry Road on Montague along with multiple Savannah Sparrows, plus a Merlin playfully stooping at an American Kestrel!

Yellow-rumped Warbler (male) - Montague City, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

An impressive day for this species with easily over 150 birds along the Connecticut River between Sunderland and Turner's Falls.  

Gray Catbird - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

White-throated Sparrow - Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. May 6th, 2020.

Good numbers of migrants moving through Franklin County in early May. 

May 5th -

The fifth day of the month saw a return to cooler conditions accompanied by a stiff northerly breeze. While sunny and pleasant enough to be outside, it was still a chilly 37 deg F at dawn but did warm up to a comfortable 61 deg F by early evening. The Gill area saw notable arrivals of Ovenbirds, Wood Thrushes and Blue-winged Warblers this morning along with the discovery of a brand new site for Virginia Rail - I heard and saw a single individual giving 'grunt' calls in a suitable breeding area in mid-morning. It wasn't my most active day of local birding but a Black-throated Green Warbler was singing in our Northfield yard around noon, and in the evening migrant Yellow-rumped Warblers appeared to be plentiful around Gill Elementary School along with a couple of recently arrived Chimney Swifts and Baltimore Orioles. 

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 thrushes in Gill - 10/09

The morning began cold (37 deg F) and foggy. A Hermit Thrush calling from the yard was a sign of things to come. A quick check of the powerline cut on Mountain Road in mid-morning once again provided some real interest with a fresh influx of thrushes including five Hermit Thrushes together and a rather late Wood Thrush. As far as I can recall I don't remember seeing any Wood Thrush locally as late as this though I did have two at the Northfield boat ramp in late September.

Wood Thrush - Mountain Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA.

October 9th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.

 

Hermit Thrush - Mountain Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA.

October 9th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.

Hermit Thrush - Mountain Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA.

October 9th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.

Hermit Thrush - Mountain Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA.

October 9th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.



With Barton Cove and the Turner's Falls power canal both being fairly quiet, I concentrated on the bike path access road at Depot Street in Turner's Falls/Montague City. Only a few days ago, the focus here was on warblers but today was very much about sparrows with a clear incursion of Song Sparrows (60+) and with them a fantastic variety in a relatively small area;

Savannah Sparrow (3), White-throated Sparrow (45), White-crowned Sparrow (2 - ad and juv), Chipping Sparrow (8), Swamp Sparrow (5) and Field Sparrow (2).

Field Sparrow - Depot Street, Turner's Falls/Montague City, Franklin Co., MA.

October 9th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.

Chipping Sparrows - Depot Street, Turner's Falls/Montague City, Franklin Co., MA.

October 9th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.

 

White-crowned Sparrow - rather dull first-winter, Depot Street,

Turner's Falls/Montague City, Franklin Co., MA.

October 9th, 2013. Canon Powershot G10.

 

Once again, finding a local Clay-colored Sparrow eluded me as it does most fall seasons!

MA - Wood Thrush - 05/07

Wood Thrush - Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 7th, 2010.

It's amazing how approachable some birds will be if one just stands quietly in the woods. Wood Thrushes only arrived a few days ago (May 2nd/3rd) but already seem to be widespread and common. This bird was foraging just a few yards off the bike path in Amherst.

Also along the bike path on the 7th, Black-throated Blue and Chestnut-sided Warblers and a singing Indigo Bunting, plus good views of a Great Horned Owl. Another busy day locally with at least 7 Northern Parulas singing along North Whitney Street/Redgate Lane, two rather nice Magnolia Warblers, 3 Black-throated Greens and at least 30 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Great Horned Owl - Amherst, Hampshire Co., MA. May 7th, 2010.