MA - Palm Warblers and Purple Finches

Oct 9th: Amazing morning in Northfield Meadows. Birds popping up everywhere along the weed-fringed tracks and fields. It's fair to say that I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer numbers this morning, and failed to come up with anything unusual. Most abundant were Song, Savannah and White-throated Sparrows with good numbers of Chipping Sparrows and a couple of Lincoln's Sparrows. Indigo Buntings still very much present, along with a decent showing of Common Yellowthroats (10+) and Gray Catbirds (5+). As expected at this time of year, lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers plus a nice show of Palm Warblers with at least four (3 Eastern, 1 Western). Also about a dozen each of Eastern Bluebird and American Pipit (all overhead filtering southwards).

 Palm Warbler (Western) - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

 Palm Warbler (Eastern) - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

Lincoln's Sparrow - Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

It was a fine morning for Purple Finch with birds first noted over our house in Gill at dawn with several parties moving SW. At Northfield Meadows lots more of them, about 35 in all, with a number of flyovers and nice looks at foraging birds in the shrubbery. Also, quite a few Pine Siskins moving over Gill and Northfield this morning probably totaling close to 20 birds.

 Purple Finch - female/first-winter, Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

 Purple Finch - male, Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

 Purple Finch - male, Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

 Purple Finch - female/first-winter, Northfield Meadows, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

Raptors included Merlin, American Kestrel and a single Osprey. 

Oct 8th: Had a quick look at the eastern edge of Turner's Falls airfield this morning. Lots of sparrows again, plus quite a few Gray Catbirds and a couple of skulkers - one House Wren (singing!) and one first-winter White-crowned Sparrow. A Merlin sparring with American Crows over the main runway put on quite a show.

 House Wren - Turner's Falls airfield, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

White-crowned Sparrow - first-winter, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. October 9th, 2014. 

MA - falcon morning

Started the day in the best possible manner with a couple of Barred Owls, both calling pre-dawn and both giving the single, loud "whoo-aw" call. One was on Main Road, Gill and audible from our yard and the other was at the powerline cut on Mountain Road, Gill.

Later I drifted toward Barton Cove wondering if the balmy, wet South-westerlies might have pushed something in overnight. Two Pied-billed Grebes, a Ring-necked Duck and a few DC Cormorants were all I could muster, all of which had been seen by Josh Rose by the time I got to them.

But there was some action away from the water. A nice male Merlin sat sentinel-like atop a spruce on Riverview Drive which seems to be a favorite observation post and has been so for the last three winters at least. He reluctantly left when a pair of hunting Peregrines swept low overhead stooping at the starlings and Blue Jays.

Merlin - male, Riverview Drive, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2014. One of this male'sfavorite perching posts around Barton Cove. Now returning for his 4th successive winter though this year I saw Merlins in Turner's Falls in late May and early August which makes me wonder if they ever leave? June and July are the only months in which I haven't recorded this species at Turner's Falls/Barton Cove but these also happen to be my least active months for local birding. I've found Merlins breeding in suburban Keene, NH and have also heard of a breeding pair in Florence, Hampshire Co., MA. So I wonder, could Merlin be a breeding bird in the Turner's Falls area?

Peregrine - adult, Riverview Drive, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2014. 

Peregrine - second adult of pair actively hunting together, 

Riverview Drive, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. October 7th, 2014. 

The bike path at Depot Road in Turner's Falls was again loaded with scads of sparrows including 10+ Field Sparrows, 30+ Chipping Sparrows, and countless White-throated and Song Sparrows. Indigo Buntings remain including a couple that even burst into song. The power canal was rather quiet aside from seven or so Ring-billed Gulls and a lone, nervous Black Duck. Throughout the morning small groups of Purple Finches headed SW.

Anas Sp. - male, Turner's Falls bike path at Depot Road, Franklin Co. MA. October 7th, 2014.

JoAnne Russo has correctly pointed out (thanks JoAnne) that the white borders to the speculum rule out this bird as a male American Black Duck. I'm hanging on to the identification until I've done a bit more work on this one but the very dark body contrasting with the pale gray face, the dark corner to the gape and the unmarked olive-yellow bill seem at odds with female Mallard to me. Hopefully, more on this to follow.  

 Chipping Sparrow - non-breeding plumage, Turner's Falls bike path at Depot Road, Franklin Co. MA. October 7th, 2014

Downy Woodpecker - male. Turner's Falls bike path at Depot Road, Franklin Co. MA. October 7th, 2014

MA - back to Stop & Shop

Hung around the Greenfield Stop & Shop parking lot on a cool, foggy morning optimistically hoping for Friday's Say's Phoebe to re-appear. Needless to say, it didn't and perhaps not too surprising since this species is apparently notorious for being a one-day-wonder in Massachusetts. Moreover, very few records come from the interior and I could only find one prior record for the Pioneer Valley - Northampton in 2002.

But, aside of waiting for the phoebe to re-appear, the wooded fringes of the parking lot were quite birdy with a few gems among the chickadee and titmouse flocks including Hermit Thrush, Magnolia Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Blue-headed Vireo. Fly-overs included Purple Finch, Yellow-rumped Warbler and a flock of 4 Pine Siskins.

Hermit Thrush - Greenfield, Franklin Co. MA. October 6th, 2014.

Magnolia Warbler - Greenfield, Franklin Co. MA. October 6th, 2014.

 Blue-headed Vireo - Greenfield, Franklin Co. MA. October 6th, 2014.

MA - Say's Phoebe but alas no pics

A frustrating morning in many respects but somewhat exciting in others. The fog was just about lifting as I walked out of the Stop & Shop in Greenfield. I heard a call that I knew well from many trips out West. It was the distinctive but plaintive 'pueeee' call of a Say's Phoebe. Initially I looked for a perched bird but it sounded mobile and I soon picked it up circling the parking lot calling constantly as it flew. It circled the lot about three times behaving as though it had just been flushed and wanted to re-settle. I last saw it heading toward Rt 2A and Silver Street. With my hands full of groceries I could only think about the images I could have taken with my Canon 7D and 400mm waiting to be used just meters away in my car!! The time was about 09:11hrs and the observation was over in just a few seconds though I may have heard it calling once more about 15 minutes later.

Further frustration came when I arrived at the fully drained Turner's Falls power canal only to hear and then see a Semi-palmated Plover departing south bound, a bird which I think had been flushed by the survey crew working inside the canal. However, the bike path side of the canal at Depot Street was full of birds including hordes of sparrows with as many as six Field Sparrows, along with Song, Savannah, White-throated, Swamp and Chipping Sparrows, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Towhee, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, Common Yellowthroat and at least half a dozen Gray Catbirds - very birdy indeed. I'm sure a more dedicated effort would have produced more.

Field Sparrow - Turner's Falls bike path at Depot Street. One of about six present.

 Eastern Phoebe - Turner's Falls bike path at Depot Street. If only this morning's Say's Phoebe had co-operated like this!

 Common Yellowthroat - Turner's Falls bike path at Depot Street. 

Common Merganser - juvenile, Turner's Falls bike path at Depot Street. 

NJ - Cape May week

Fresh back from a week in Cape May with Birdfinders. A tad slow migration wise, but certainly some nice highlights and good to reflect on some of those fast moving passerines zipping past the dike at Higbees Beach - a unique opportunity to observe migrants at eye-level. Our best day of the week was easily September 27th with a tally of over 800 warblers. Most of these pics are from the 27th.

 Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - juv.

 Tennessee Warbler

 Cape May Warbler - first-winter

 Scarlet Tanager 

 Black-and-white Warbler

Northern Parula

TDF - Le Tour Yorkshire in Wincobank!

 Was it just a dream?

Is this really Alberto Contador leading Vincenzo Nibali and Chris Froome up Jenkin Road

 in the World's biggest bike race - in Wincobank?!!!

Jenkin Road, Wincobank, Sheffield, S. Yorks. About four hours before the lead riders arrive in

Stage 2 of the Tour De France, 2014.

Susannah and Matan walking across Newman Road, Wincobank, Sheffield, S.Yorks. 

Final kilometers of Stage 2 of the Tour De France, 2014. About a 1/2 mile from where I grew up

on Standon Road. Roughly five hours before the arrival of the leaders.

Hiking to the spectator park atop Wincobank Hill. Somebody knows he's in for a good day!

True to form, Matan picks a fine spot to view the riders climbing the 30% gradient on Jenkin Road.

Matan's view from the trees. Contador leading the best riders in the World up Jenkin Road.
Incredible scenes in Sheffield .......just amazing!!!

Vincenso Nibali (#41) climbing Jenkin Road just ahead of Michael Albasini (#182)

and Chris Froome. Moments later Froome launched an attack just before the summit of Jenkin

Road but Nibali was a comfortable winner of the stage, and ultimately the entire tour.

Chris Froome (#1), Jurgen Van den Broek (#131) and Tejay Van Garderen (#141)
powering up Jenkin Road with the lead group. Stage 2 of the Tour De France, July 6th, 2014.

 

Marcel Kittel in yellow the day after his victory on Stage 1. 

Jenkin Road, Wincobank, Sheffield, S. Yorks. Stage 2 of the Tour De France, July 6th, 2014.

Walking home down Wincobank Hill overlooking the Don Valley towards Rotherham.

Images by James P. Smith and Susannah B. Lerman with more to come.

WY - do large falcons hover?

Traveling south at 55 mph, our party spotted a falcon hovering in classic 'kestrel-like' manner on a ridge above Rt 191, Flaming Gorge NRA, south of Rock Springs, Wyoming. It was certainly easy to gloss over it as another American Kestrel, a species seen almost daily on our trip. However, naked-eye views suggested something wasn't right from about this bird, though we could clearly see that it wasn't a buteo either. A sharp U-turn brought us back to the bird which was still hovering in the same area. Needless to say we were surprised and delighted to find that it was a Prairie Falcon, a much wanted species for our tour. Though I've seen Peregrines 'hanging' on the wind before, I don't recall seeing any large falcon hover in such an obvious 'kestrel-like' manner as this Prairie Falcon - this despite logging a good number of field hours in the American West each year. Any thoughts/comments would be welcome.

 Prairie Falcon - hovering, Flaming Gorge NRA, south of Rock Springs, WY. June 10th, 2014.

 Prairie Falcon - in direct flight, Flaming Gorge NRA, south of Rock Springs, WY. June 10th, 2014.

Ridge above Flaming Gorge NRA, Wyoming - the Prairie Falcon was hovering over this ridge.