Trip Highlights

On September 2, the Allen Bird Club began its fall series of Wednesday morning walks, a weekly field trip that invites participants to observe the small changes which herald not only the progression of seasons, but also the ever-changing movements of fall migration. A team of five members facilitated this walk, with two more joining the group toward the end.

The trip's weather ranged from 67 to 72 degrees on a calm, cloudy day immediately following a day of steady rainfall. Mosquitoes were vengeful.  Cornell's BirdCast estimated some 45,000 birds migrated over Hampden County on the previous evening, yet the refuge remained fairly quiet.

Still, signs of fall abounded. Katydids changed the preserve's "dawn chorus" to a melody matching the second day of meteorological fall. Wood Ducks, apparent in multitudes, wore a gambit of plumage ranging from female to spotty juvenile to molting male. Multiple Green Herons seemed to pose for close looks and, while raptors were scarce, one club member spotted a Peregrine Falcon perched along the Connecticut River as participants identified sandpipers, plovers, and egrets on the sandbar.

Click below to view complete species list.

Twelve members gathered in hopes of witnessing a spectacular flight of Common Nighthawks in Longmeadow. Unfortunately, this unpredictable phenomenon was not to be. One nighthawk was spotted late in the outing, and those who persevered were rewarded with a view.

Participants did enjoy another impressive avian spectacle: a thousand blackbirds flying in large flocks, merging and separating before settling in the trees around the ponds.

Many Wood Ducks were observed, along with a half-dozen Double-crested Cormorants and the usual Mallards, Mute Swans, and Canada Geese. Two Great Blue Herons, a few Chimney Swifts, and a handful of songbirds rounded out the evening. The final species total was 15. Click below to view the complete species list.

Nine members gathered at Pynchon Point in Agawam to explore the trails, scan the river and shoreline, search the sandbar in Longmeadow, and bird from the viewing platform at Pondside.

At Pynchon Point, one early-arriving member caught sight of a Great Egret and others heard Ravens. Together we identified Carolina Wren, Baltimore Oriole, Chimney Swift, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Merganser, Spotted Sandpiper, and more.

From there, we headed to the Bondi’s Island boat ramp, hoping to find the Red-necked Phalarope reported there the previous day. We had no luck with the phalarope, but we did find two Semipalmated Sandpipers and four Least Sandpipers.

Our next stop was the Longmeadow Sandbar, which is often especially productive near the end of summer, when low water levels expose the sandbar. It provides an important resting and refueling stop for shorebirds continuing their migration along the Connecticut River. We enjoyed nice views of Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers, Killdeer, and a distant Greater Yellowlegs.

The highlight was a huge flock of Bank Swallows, which took turns dancing low over the sandbar and resting in large groups on the exposed beach. We also identified a Red-shouldered Hawk by ear—or perhaps it was a Blue Jay offering a remarkably convincing imitation—as well as Great Blue Heron, American Black Duck, Hairy, Downy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and several other species.

Although the official trip ended at the sandbar, some members continued to Pondside, where they added numerous Wood Ducks, a Mute Swan, a flyover Green Heron, and an Eastern Kingbird to the list. Another member extended the outing by exploring the refuge trails and found Cedar Waxwing, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Common Yellowthroat, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and Northern Flicker.

In all, we counted 51 species and enjoyed the cooler morning air, one another’s company, and the opportunity to play at being expert birders. Click below to view complete species list.

The weather followed the forecast, with sunshine and temperatures in the mid-70s—ideal birding conditions. We gathered at the commuter lot in Ludlow, carpooled to Joppa Flats, met up with additional members, and then headed directly to Sandy Point, where several more joined us. In all, 15 members traveled in six vehicles.

We saw thousands of Tree Swallows swarming the skies on our ride through the refuge, but we arrived at the end of the road to find the lots were already full. While the drivers waited in line for a spot, the passengers got out and began birding at Emerson Rocks. We spotted a Black Guillemot on the ocean and four Piping Plovers near the water’s edge. Scanning a group of terns on the beach, we were unable to find the reported Roseate or Forster’s Terns, but we did see Common Terns—both adults and juveniles—as well as a Least Tern.

The walk down Sandy Point provided additional views of terns and gulls. The group of three who had arrived earlier found Laughing and Bonaparte’s Gulls, but the rest of us came up empty on those species—although we did find Laughing Gull later in the day. While scanning the shorebirds spread out along the upper beach, we spotted a Ruddy Turnstone and a few Least Sandpipers among the many Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. An Osprey also gave us a flyby.

After birding Sandy Point, we returned to Emerson Rocks to look for a Caspian Tern that three members had spotted while the rest of us were at the point. Unfortunately, most of us missed it; we heard that it had flown off just minutes before we arrived.

Stage Island Trail was next. There, we added Short-billed Dowitcher, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Gadwall, and Black-crowned Night-Heron to our list. We initially misidentified the night-heron as a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. From the platform deck, we spotted a slightly larger, whiter shorebird feeding frantically back and forth just beyond a group of Semipalmated Sandpipers on the far side of the pool. We were puzzled by this bird’s identification, but found out later that it was a Wilson’s Phalarope.

The birds were distant and the light was poor during our visit to Bill Forward Pool, but the North Pool Overlook did not disappoint. Luck was on our side when a King Rail appeared behind the tall grasses and came into the open several times, giving us a show-stopping performance. We also saw a Northern Waterthrush scurrying along the water’s edge beside the tall grasses.

Our next stop was the Salt Pannes, where numerous shorebirds made birding both enjoyable and challenging as we searched for rarities. We found several White-rumped Sandpipers, a small flock of Black-bellied Plovers, and a Spotted Sandpiper to add to our shorebird count.

A lone Purple Martin perched atop a martin house at Lot 1. Across the street, we added Marsh Wren, Barn Swallow, and Killdeer to our growing list. Our final birding stop was outside the refuge at the seawall. With the tide in, our visit there was brief.

We ended the day a bit tired but smiling as we tallied 69 species on our adventure to the coast. Click below to view complete species list.

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The weather was warm and humid for our midsummer morning walk through the refuge. One sharp-eyed member spotted both male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks amid the tree foliage. A Great Blue Heron stood at the edge of a pond while Wood Ducks swam lazily across the water.

We enjoyed wonderful views of American Kestrels hunting, carrying prey, and perching atop a nest box in the field. As we approached the large open fields, we heard Bobolinks singing and then spotted them perched on shrubs along the far side.

The six participants recorded a total of 42 species. Click below to view complete trip list.