NH - a day on the New Hampshire Coast - Oct 24th, 2016

Lapland Longspur - Rye Habor SP (Ragged Neck), Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

One of two birds feeding at our feet - literally!

Last October I had the pleasure of guiding a small group of Brits around a few of the New England states. We began on the New Hampshire coast where our first full day in the field just happened to coincide with the passage of a cold front resulting in a cool day with blustery NW winds. Our day was highlighted by a broad range of species observed in beautiful fall sunlight, and all against the backdrop of the picturesque New Hampshire coast. Thanks to Robert Carr, Pete Lansdown, and Peter & Margaret Ward for sharing such a wonderfully rewarding day. 

Brant (pale-bellied) - Hampton Beach SP, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Semi-palmated Plovers - Hampton Beach SP, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Pine Warbler (first-winter) - North Hampton Beach SP, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Cooper's Hawk (juv/first-winter) - North Hampton Beach SP, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Yellow-rumped Warbler - North Hampton Beach SP, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Wilson's Snipe (presumed) - Rye Habor SP (Ragged Neck), Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Doesn't really get better than this in terms of views of a snipe but aside from range and distribution is 

it really possible to rule out Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)?

Rough-legged Hawk (light morph) - Rye/North Hampton townline, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Nice pick-up by Pete Lansdown. High flying migrant drifting south over the open ocean. 
In view for quite a while but never came close enough to shore for images. 
One of the least expected birds of the day. 

Double-crested Cormorants - Rye, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016. Hundreds of migrants passed south all day.

Field Sparrow - Wallis Sands, Rye, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

 Ipswich Savannah (upper) and Savannah Sparrows - Odiorne Point, Rye, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Orange-crowned Warbler - Odiorne Point, Rye, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

One of two foraging at close range. 

Western Kingbird - Pulpit Rocks/Wallis Sands, Rye, Rockingham Co., NH. October 24th, 2016.

Long staying rarity. Gave us the run around a few times before eventually feeding in the open at dusk. 

MA - gulls at Turner's Falls: Feb, first week.

Kumlien's Iceland Gulls ( two first-cycle) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. 

February 6th, 2017.

Gull numbers remain relatively small at Turner's Falls but the diversity seems to be picking up as it often does in February with a new Lesser Black-backed Gull (first-winter) on the 2nd, a smart Glaucous Gull (first-cycle) on the 3rd and no less than five Kumlien's Iceland Gulls (all first-cycle birds) on the 6th, and that's in addition the continuing adult Lesser Black-backed Gull which is looking brighter as we progress toward spring. The gulls have been using both Unity Park and the power canal for roosting/bathing with much depending on the daily changes in ice conditions. 

Glaucous Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 3rd, 2017.

Lesser Black-backed Gull ( first-cycle in flight) - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2017.

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull right of center.

Kumlien's Iceland Gulls - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 5th, 2017.

Kumlien's Iceland Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2017.

First-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull to right.

Lesser Black-backed Gull -  adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 5th, 2017.

Lesser Black-backed Gull -  adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 2nd, 2017.

January - exceptionally good birds relatively close to home

Varied Thrush - male, Wesport Village, Cheshire Co., NH. January 31st, 2017. 

Long staying bird first found in late December 2016. 

No question about it, the banner bird for the month was the New York State Ross's Gull. As so often happens, the first month of the year was excellent for birding in the 'greater' New England area and January 2017 was no exception. Altough I was desk-bound and couldn't spend a lot of time in the field this month, the birding trips that I had were both productive and enjoyable. Even the last day of the month rustled up fine but brief views of the long staying Varied Thrush in Westport Village, New Hampshire, just twenty minutes up the road from my home in Northfield.

 Varied Thrush - male, Wesport Village, Cheshire Co., NH. January 31st, 2017. 

Ross's Gull - first-cycle, Tupper Lake, Franklin Co., NY. January 29th, 2017.

At Turner's Falls, gulls numbers and the presence of pale-winged gulls fluctuated throughout the month but usually 1- 4 Kumlien's Iceland Gulls joined the gull roost along along with a first-cycle Glaucous Gull on Jan 7th. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull continued being pretty consistently present in the gull roost on most evenings and was joined by a first-cycle bird on Jan 31st.

Glaucous Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. January 7th, 2017. 

Less than usual waterfowl at Turner's Falls included the continued presence of male Greater Scaup and Ring-necked Duck, and a female Bufflehead (with Common Goldneyes) throughout the month, plus a rather smart Cackling Goose loafing around with Canada Geese at Unity Park towards the end of the month. At least two Belted Kingfishers also remained in the area throughout January.

Cackling Goose - Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. January 30th, 2017. 

In Gill, well it's been fairly quiet though in truth I didn't actively bird the area too much in January, but I did continue to see Barred Owls throughout the month. There was also a Peregrine off Munn's Ferry Road on the 25th, and a Snow Bunting over North Cross Road on the 15th, the latter two being slightly unusual in rural Gill.

Barred Owl - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. January 2nd, 2017.  

Barred Owl - Gill, Franklin Co., MA. January 14th, 2017.  

NY - ROSS'S GULL in the Adirondacks.......fantastic!

Ross's Gull - first-cycle, Tupper Lake, Franklin Co., NY. January 29th, 2017.

Last Thursday (Jan 26th) Nick Bonomo posted news of a Ross's Gull being seen at Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks, New York State. Nowadays, I don't dwell too much on reported rarities but I would have to confess that Ross's Gull has been at the top of my 'most desired' birdlist for some time. The location was four hours drive from my home in Northfield, just about on the limit of how far I'd be prepared to drive for a bird in a single day. But this was different, it was a Ross's Gull and when Scott Surner suggested that we try for the bird on Sunday (Jan 29th) there was no way that Brian Kane and I could turn it down.

We arrived at Tupper Lake boat ramp at about 10:30 hours and found the Ross's Gull straight away, thanks to a tiny handful of birders already there. The entire experience was just perfect. It was literally the only gull present, delicately picking at the surface of the ice and eleganting careening through horizontal snow showers, a situation seemingly totally appropriate for a true denizen of the Arctic. We were treated to the most fabulous display for next 90 minutes and left feeling totally awestruck. Quite simply, as an experience, it couldn't have been any better.

Gracious thanks to the initial finder and the continued updates from field observers, and especially to my field companions Scott and Brian. Even the sobering sight of a road-killed Northern Saw-whet Owl on the journey home did little to sour the euphoric mood in the car. What a day that was!

Northern Swa-whet Owl - Cambridge, Washington Co., NY. January 29th, 2017.

Very unfortunate road-kill about one mile south of Cambridge.

MA - Glaucous Gulls at Turner's Falls

Glaucous Gull (center-left) - adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA , December 19th, 2016. 
This behemoth was first noted by Eric Huston on Dec 16th. 

 Glaucous Gull (center) - 1st-cycle, with two Kumlien's Iceland Gulls (3rd-cycle and 1st-cycle) to the left of center. Birds seen towards dusk, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA , December 21st, 2016. 

 The appearance of pale-winged gulls at Turner's Falls is one of the more anticipated events of the winter and, after a smattering of single Kumlien's Iceland Gulls through early December, there was a distinct upswing in gull activity through the weekend and into the current week. A beautiful adult Glaucous Gull, found by Eric Huston on Dec 16th, was the precursor to the appearance of multiple new gulls peaking at three Kumlien's Iceland Gulls (one 3rd-cycle and two 1st-cycles) and two Glaucous Gulls (one adult and one 1st-cycle) on Dec 19th, as well as the continuing adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. So, Turner's Falls has hosted six species of gull on most evenings this week. 

Glaucous Gull (just left of center) - 1st-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA , December 21st, 2016. 

With most of Barton Cove being frozen, the Turner's Falls power canal has played host to most of the waterfowl in the area including up to 165 Common Mergansers, 90+ Common Goldeneye, a Greater Scaup (from Dec 19th) and a Ring-necked Duck (Dec 22nd). Also of interest, an apparent wintering Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at the power canal on Dec 22nd.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - juv/first-winter, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA , December 22nd, 2016. 

VT - CBC surprise, a Townsend's Solitaire!

 Townsend's Solitaire - Westminster West, Windham Co., VT. December 19th, 2016.

Evening Grosbeaks provided the primary motivation for a short roadside stop in the quiet rural surroundings of Westminster West. The birds were right on the main road through the village and most easily viewed on foot, a smart move indeed because the same stop produced a Townsend's Solitaire which would have almost certainly been missed had we stayed the vehicle.

Townsend's Solitaire - Westminster West, Windham Co., VT. December 19th, 2016.

Townsend's Solitaire is a state rarity in Vermont with about five or so records to date, and certainly a super surprise for today's CBC team of Laura Gaudette, Suzanne Heller, JoAnne Russo and myself. Ironically, the bird occurred in a brand new sector of the Saxton's River CBC, a sector that looks set to be an established route in the future.