Trip Highlights

The air was crisp and cold, with temps in the 30s, but the sun was shining as ten of us strolled for 3 miles around Ashley Ponds.  We welcomed new members Kristen and her daughter Arlo, who were keen to learn, and Lily, a student at UMass, who was very helpful in hearing and spotting birds for the group. Highlights included Bald Eagle and Cooper’s Hawk flyovers, excellent scope views of Ring-necked Duck and Wood Duck, and for many of us, first of year Catbird and Gnatcatcher. We also spotted Yellow, Palm, Pine, and Yellow-rumped Warblers.  The morning ended with a flyover of two Great Blue Herons and a list of 38 species.  Click below to view complete species list.

The weather was cool, averaging in the low 40s, for our morning walk. A mother and daughter team joined us and we delighted in showing new birds to 3-yr old, cute as a button, Layla. We checked out the ponds along Pondside Road, getting C Geese, Mallard, Wood Duck, DC Cormorant, and long, up-close views of a stately Great Blue Heron. Then we headed to the West Road parking lot and walked the trail in well past the gas line equipment and back again. The seven of us ended the walk with 34 species. Click below to view complete species list.

A thick fog blanketed the marsh and adjacent woodlands as nine members of the Allen Bird Club began their quest for avian treasure.  Assembling at the appointed time, they casually observed local resident birds making themselves known by call.  Numerous Red-winged Blackbirds and Swamp Sparrows were in evidence from the first bridge over the marsh, as they would be throughout the walk.  The group was momentarily mystified by a low-pitched humming that seemed to emanate from under the bridge, and it was finally determined that a Rock Pigeon was creating the reverberating sound!  Only a few yards further down the road a Merlin was spotted close by atop a snag, and all had excellent looks at this dark falcon through a spotting scope.  It was to be a harbinger of a good raptor day.  

The fog eventually lifted, and we were actually able to see across the marsh.  Trekking down the trail we observed more species common to the habitat.  We then spotted an immature Bald Eagle alight in a tree across the marsh, and again scope views were enjoyed by all.  Turkey Vulture and Red-shouldered Hawk were added to our list as well.  At our turnaround point, on another bridge to the east, we were surprised to hear a Ring-necked Pheasant call from a nearby field, and a Red-tailed Hawk put in an appearance.  On the return trip we also observed an Osprey as it called overhead, and to top off the day a Broad-winged Hawk soared over us and vocalized as we made our way back to our cars.  Click below to view a list of identified species.

Our gathering place was at the Pynchon Point parking lot in Agawam. Here 9 members walked down to the point to begin a morning of birding with temps in the 50s and a mix of sun and clouds.  Both the Connecticut and the Westfield Rivers were very high, with water into the trees.  Sharp eyes found two Peregrine Falcons from the parking lot to start our day with smiles.

The second stop was at Longmeadow Flats–Pondside Road, where we started at the north end of Pondside and birded to the pavilion.  For highlights, we counted over 80 Ring-necked Ducks and a Gadwall.  We saw two Osprey, one at the nest site and another flying in with nesting ma-terial.  Bald Eagles were also spotted. We had scopes set up at the West Road parking lot and watched as one of the adult Bald Eagles came down, landed in the field, and picked up prey and brought it back to the nest, where the other adult sat with an eaglet. The light-colored, fuzzy eaglet had not been in view before this, but it popped up when the food was brought.

From the West Road lot, we walked along the West Road extension trail to the gas pipeline equipment and explored the Natti Trail on the way back.  Highlights here included an immature Bald Eagle, a Green-winged Teal, Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, a Fox Sparrow, Palm and Pine Warblers, a Pied-billed Grebe and a Red-shouldered Hawk.  Click below to view complete lists below.

The Woodcock Walk was a stunning success this year!  Ten members enjoyed multiple Woodcock displays.  At least two individuals were very active, only staying on the ground a short time before taking off for another display during the 30+ minutes we were there and observing.  There was lots of peenting, too!  We stayed in just one area of the back meadow near the north end, so there may have been additional birds in other areas of the back meadow that we did not encounter.

Qin was kind enough to scout out and locate a gray morph Eastern Screech Owl for the group.  Other birds identified include Wood Duck, Black Duck, Mourning Dove, Robin, Song Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird.  Fifteen ducks flew over in the dark after dusk and did not vocalize.