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Eleven members gathered at Atkins Farm to begin our adventure to Hadley Cove and then north to the Turners Falls area.  Two sharp-eyed members spotted six Black Vultures while on Bay Rd enroute to the cove. The cove gave us looks at Common and Hooded Mergansers and Wood Duck.  There were a couple of Red-tailed Hawks noted enroute to Turners, while highlights there included Common Goldeneyes, Greater Scaup, Bald Eagles, and an Iceland Gull. Next stop was the power canal, which gave us a Bufflehead, a Common Merganser, and an Eagle.  The Rod and Gun Club has not been as productive on this trip for the past couple of years, but it is always worth checking out! This year we picked up four Mute Swans, a Common Merganser, a few Ring-billed Gulls and an empty Bald Eagle’s nest. Two more Red-tailed Hawks, 47 Robins and one European Starling finished our day up on Lake Pleasant Rd (Rte. 63) near Montague.  Special thanks to Mary Felix for keeping track of the birds we spotted. Getting out to bird is always rewarding!

Twelve members made our way to the North Shore of Massachusetts February 25-26 for one of the Club’s longest-running field trips.  A total of 64 species were seen or heard.  We never know if New England winter weather will even allow us to make the trip.  This year the weather was cold, but conditions were not brutal.  Winds were not as strong as predicted and seas were relatively calm, so we were able to enjoy scope and binocular views off the coast. Snow squalls met us while we were at Nelson’s Island on Saturday afternoon and again at Plum Island on Sunday, but we managed some great sightings.  

Some highlights were many Long-tailed Ducks, including a large raft of around 50right below the cliff at Halibut Point; a virtual Harrier show at Plum Island and again at Salisbury; two Rough-legged Hawks together in the snow squall at Nelson’s Island (and a reward of two Short-eared Owls for two of the group who stayed until dusk); an immature White-throated Sparrow scratching in some pebbles at our feet, seemingly oblivious to our gaze; a surprise Barred Owl just off the side of the road at Plum which drew a crowd of birders and photographers; and some Pipits feeding along the wrack at Brace Cove.  Looking for these birds, which had been reported, led us to a new location for us - the back side of Niles Pond accessed from Bemo Rd.  The path not only gave us looks of the beach at Brace Cove, but also a view of the pond, without dealing with the hazard of the narrow road we typically parked on.  

Of course, we always search for alcids on this trip, and we were treated to several Razorbills, one close at Jodrey’s Pier in Gloucester and then later 4 in a row off Cathedral Rocks. The views were wonderful since the seas were calm. No Murres or Dovekies, but one of us had a Guillemot as well.  We also had a distant view of an Eared Grebe off of Niles Beach and about a half dozen Turkeys which we don’t usually see on Cape Ann.  In addition to missing other alcids, we also did not pick up any white-winged gulls nor Red-necked Grebes, and we did not see the reported Red Crossbills at Salisbury. That simply means there is more to be seen on our next trip to the North Shore!  

Nine members joined in to enjoy a full day on the Rhode Island coast.  It was a mild, but breezy day.  

Our first stop was Colt St Park in Bristol, where two members, who arrived early to meet up with the group, had excellent views of the reported Barrow’s Goldeneye (3 photos) before they flew and were not to be spotted again that day.  The rest of us had to be pleased with a few Common Goldeneye, 8 Brant, 4 Common Loons, Bufflehead, and a Bonaparte’s Gull.

From there we headed directly to Sachuest NWR in Middletown, hoping to spot a reported Green-tailed Towhee.  It was not to be found, unfortunately.  However, we did see a Horned Grebe, a Red-throated and two Common Loons, a dozen Harlequin, a dozen Common Eider, a Razorbill, 14 Black Scoters, a couple of Long-tailed Ducks and several Great Cormorants.

Next Stop was Beavertail St Park (photo) in Jamestown, where we hit a Razorbill bonanza, finding a group of four and another four as singles.  Also there were a Common and 6 Red-throated Loons, 5 Horned Grebe, 60 Black and 6 Surf Scoters, 3 Long-tailed Duck, 40 Harlequin, and two Gannet, and a Red-tailed Hawk that put on an aerial show for us.

After a rest stop at the Village Hearth & Bakery, we left Jamestown for a visit to a new location, Bass Rock in Narragansett.  There we added White-winged Scoters and Peregrine Falcon to our list.  

Next stop was Perry’s Mill Pond (photo) in South Kingston on Moonstone Beach Road.  Here we found three Eurasian Wigeon mixed in with over a hundred American Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, 6 Hooded Merganser, 3 Shoveler, a dozen or so each of Mallard and Black Duck.  From there we hurried to Perry (aka Firehouse) Pond in Charlestown, another new location for us.  It was filled with ducks and geese, including 7 Redhead, 7 Pintail, 6 Gadwall, 4 American Wigeon, Black Duck and Mallard.

After a brief stop to look at an empty feeder area at Trustom Pond NWR, we headed back to Moonstone Beach Rd, where we stopped on the way to Mud Pond for great looks at a Barred Owl (photo) perched in a roadside tree.  The pond held 50 Hooded Merganser, which flew off as a group just before dark, some Blacks and Mallards and a Great Blue Heron sitting at the pond’s far edge.  We made our way out to the beach, enjoying the fuchsia-colored sunset sky over the ocean and finding 3 Sanderling to add to our list.  The last bird of the day was Woodcock, the familiar notes heard first, followed by several overhead flights.  We ended the birding day with a total of 54 species.  

Eleven members joined today’s successful hotline trip, identifying our target bird and a total of 25 species. We met up at 8:00 a.m. and birded in some pretty cold and windy weather until 11:30 a.m.  Thankfully, we birders are hardy and enthusiastic!

We began with a visit to Mt Holyoke College campus pond, giving us wonderful, close-up views of the reported Greater White-fronted Goose, along with almost 300 Canada Geese, 13 Mallards, a Black Duck, and a Bluebird calling as we exited our vehicles.

Next, we headed to Hadley’s Honey Pot, where we missed a continuing Smith’s Longspur.  We were rewarded, however, with very nice views of several raptors, including a beautiful male Northern Harrier, a cooperative Merlin, a perched and puffed-up Red-tailed Hawk and a Cooper’s Hawk. Also seen were several flocks of Horned Lark totaling over 200 birds, along with at least 3 Snow Buntings.  Alone male Common Merganser was all to be found on the river.

Aqua Vitae Rd was our last stop, and after some searching, we got on a couple of large flocks of Horned Larked that landed in the field on the riverside of the road.  They were quite active on the ground, but we were able to pick out three more Snow Buntings in their midst.  Other land birds there were Mourning Dove, Downy, Red-bellied and Pileated Woodpeckers, Blue Jay, Tree Sparrow, Junco, and a pair of Cardinals.

Five members participated and racked up 52 species, including some special finds.  I’ll share our birding spots and some highlight birds we identified.

Sider’s Pond, Falmouth – 60 Red-breasted and 20 Hooded Mergansers, a Red-throated Loon, and a Great Blue Heron

Salt Pond and ocean viewing across the street – 32 Bufflehead, 6 Goldeneye, 1 Surf Scoter, 2 Razorbills, 15 Long-tailed Ducks, 30 Common Goldeneye, 250 Common Eider, 1 Horned Grebe, 1 Common Loon

Ashumet Pond, Falmouth – 75 Ring-necked Ducks, 60 Coot, 5 Ruddy Ducks, 60 Bufflehead, 75 Common Goldeneye and a Barrow’s Goldeneye hybrid

Mashpee Pond-Attaquin Park, Mashpee – 1 Western Grebe, 2 Common Loon, 35 Bufflehead

Marstons Mills Pond, Marstons Mills – 15 Northern Pintail, 1 Ring-necked Duck, 2 Hooded Merganser, 3 American Wigeon, 20 Gadwall and a Kingfisher

Shawme Lake, Sandwich – 1 Eurasian Wigeon (close and excellent views) and 95 American Wigeon

Town Neck Rd, Sandwich at the Treehouse Brewery parking lot – 8 Razorbills, 75 Common Eider, 1 Black, 25 White-winged and Surf Scoters, and 2 Common Loons

Cape Cod Canal – Added 8 more Razorbills at close range, 1 Gannet, 75 Common Eider, 15 White-winged Scoters, 2 Red-throated Loons, and 8 Common Loons

Skipping Plymouth altogether in hopes of getting a reported Barrow’s Goldeneye at Little Quitticus Pond in Lakeville, we headed straight there.  The bird was not to be found, nor did we get the Short-eared Owls hoped for at our last birding spot, Cumberland Farms in Middleborough.  Despite ending the trip with missed birds, we did enjoy a great day of coastal birding!

This was our 32nd year of participation as Cobble Mtn Circle in National Audubon’s Christmas Count.  Here’s a rundown of how we did this year compared to past years.  We brought in a total of 69 species, the second highest species count ever and the highest since 2001.  Observer number and hours in the field were on the high side of average, and miles covered was a bit lower than average.  Water was unfrozen for the most part. The temperature ranged between 45-49 degrees F, but clouds prevailed and the winds were almost constant out of the NW at 10-25 mph.

There were several species found in higher numbers than usual.  Of these, three species that continue to extend their winter range, an all-time high of 8 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and 45 Carolina Wrens, and the second high count of Red-bellied Woodpeckers at57.  Also high were counts of American Tree Sparrow at 89, highest count since 2006, and Swamp Sparrow at 4, highest count since 2004.

There was just one species found in notably lower numbers than usual.  The Cedar Waxwing count of a single bird this year was the lowest ever in count history.  

We were fortunate to find some rarer species.  An American Coot and a Ruddy Duck were spotted on Congamond.  The last time these species were recorded was in 2014. The Ruddy Duck is very sporadic on the count and the Coot has been sporadic over the last 20 years.  Two Pine Siskins were spied on a feeder in Granville.  It is only the second time this species was counted in the last ten years.  We also got Eastern Towhee for the first time in 11 years.  The count for towhee has been sporadic throughout.  Merlin was counted by two teams and has been spotted only three other times in the Cobble Mtn Count.  Saw-whet Owl was heard in Granville for the first time since 2015.  Finally, a Killdeer was found for the first time ever in count history.

Unfortunate misses this year were Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, Horned Lark, and Eastern Screech Owl.  

One count week bird was added by Dorrie Holmes, and that was Bufflehead.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2022 Cobble Mtn Count Results

Eleven members faced a stiff, cold breeze all day in hopes of finding some good birds on the north shore. The surf was up in the ocean and choppy waters ruled the day, making siting birds more difficult, but we managed all three Scoter species, Common Loon, Bufflehead, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and Common Eider at many locations, and a total of 44 species.

Jodrey’s Pier gave our first anticipated bird of the day, a close-up look at a Razorbill.  Next, we went to Rocky Neck and picked up three Horned Grebes.  At Niles Beach, Chris got looks at a Black Guillemot flying, and we spotted our first Long-tailed Ducks.  Eastern Point added 7 Purple Sandpipers out on the dog bar, 7 Gadwall up close, and 7 Gannets off the point.  We were welcomed by calm waters at Niles Pond and good views of 4 Hooded Mergansers, 3 Lesser Scaup, 6 Ring-necked Ducks and a Pied-billed Grebe.  At the Elks Club on Atlantic Ave, we spotted five more Gannets and our first White-winged Scoters.  We got good looks at Harlequins from Granite Pier and Cathedral Rocks. We were lucky enough to find ample parking at Andrews Point and were rewarded for our walk to the lookouts with a Purple Sandpiper, 20 more Harlequins and another Long-tailed Duck. More Gannets and Harlequins were spotted at Halibut Point, and on the last stop of the day we found a Red-throated Loon at Plum Cove. Great day of birding was had by all, despite the weather!

Fourteen members gathers at Quabbin Reservoir in very cool and foggy weather conditions.  We started the walk at the Headquarters, but we also visited the Tower Area, the Enfield Lookout, and ended the morning at Hank’s Meadows with a total of 36 species.  

On the reservoir, Common Loons, a Horned Grebe, a few Surf Scoters, and a couple of Common Mergansers were spotted.  It was a slow day for warblers, only seeing the Yellow-rumped, Black-and-white, and Blackpoll.  Sparrows seen included White-throated, Song, and Tree.  Flying high were Bald Eagle, Turkey Vultures, Crows, and a couple of Red-tailed Hawks.  Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers were present, as well as White and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Eastern Towhee, Phoebe, Dark-eyed Juncos, Blue Jay, Cardinal, Robin, Eastern Bluebird, Goldfinch, Catbirds, a Hermit and a Swainson’s Thrush. Great day, great group!

Ten adults and two junior birders, ages 5 and 2, started out in very cool weather with a light rain. We walked to the 1-mile marker, then headed back, because the weather was not improving.  We spotted a total of 18 species.

On the reservoir, we saw Canada Geese, Mallards, Double-crested Cormorant, a Great Blue Heron and a Common Loon. Along the way, we got Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Phoebes, White-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Juncos, a Blue-headed Vireo, Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Song Sparrow.  Warblers for the day were Yellow-rumped, Black-and-white, Black-throated Blue, and Palm.  The most popular bird of the morning was the very vocal Blue Jay.  They were everywhere!

At least 19 members gathered to glimpse a peek at a mass migration of Broad-winged Hawks and they were not disappointed.  The weather was sunny and hazy, with skim-milk clouds that were often no help at all.  It was a tough sky for hawkwatching. Despite this, for Blueberry Hill, it was a spectacular day, one of the best we’ve had in years.  The Broadwings came in many kettles, but were often far away and difficult to count. Dan Burt and Kathy Conway can be singled out for their amazing ability to spot and tally so many of these swirling poppy seeds in the distance.  They easily doubled the count we would have reached without them.  Thanks also to Tom Swochak on Shatterack Mountain northeast of us; he alerted us that 900Broadwings were possibly headed our way.

In all, we counted six different raptor species, with Broadwings giving us the high count of 1409, followed by Sharp-shinned Hawk at 13, Northern Harrier at 5, Osprey and Bald Eagle at 3 each, American kestrel at 1 and just one unknown raptor species.  We also counted a long list of non-raptors, including Canada Goose (1!), Rock Pigeons (3), Northern Flickers (2), PHILADELPHIA VIREO, Blue Jays (ca. 125 migrants), TREE SWALLOWS (500+ in a single swarm), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Goldfinches (3), Purple Finch. Warblers spotted were American Redstart, Black-and-white, Northern Parulas (2), Magnolia, Black-throated Green, and Yellow-rumped. Last, but not least, seven Monarch Butterflies floated by overhead.

The mild fall weather we've experienced lately brought 13 members out for the Berkshire Lakes trip on November 5.  However, that same mild weather may also have contributed to low numbers of waterfowl seen.  Many geese were seen especially on Pontoosuc, and there were moderate numbers of both Hooded and Common Mergansers, but other species were in short supply.  We saw only one Common Loon, from Burbank Park, and only one Gadwall, Pintail (a female), and Ring-necked Duck. One Pied-billed Grebe was seen well and one other by only one person.  One Coot made the list, and we were surprised to see it first standing amid Mallards in shallow water.  Handfuls of Green-winged Teal and Wood Ducks, another small handful of Great Blues were added.  We also saw nine Ruddy Ducks, but the views were distant. Migrating Robins dominated our land bird sightings, and Cedar waxwings were also around in good numbers.  Three Bald Eagles were seen, one adult from Nobody's Road, and two juveniles flying together at the causeway on Pontoosuc.  Probably our best species was a scope view of some Rusty Blackbirds feeding on the ground in a marshy area seen from a spot we had never been to. Overall, it was a pleasant day to be in the field looking for fall migrants.  

Eight members took advantage of this sunny and pleasant day to bird Arcadia.  It was a really good walk that garnered a total of 47 species. Highlights were a White-crowned Sparrow and a flock of American Pipits.  There was a good variety of warblers found, including Pine, Magnolia, Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat and Northern Parula. We also scored on raptors, siting Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harrier.  Great day!

Six members gathered at the refuge this morning to enjoy clear weather, with temperatures hovering around 60 degrees. A total of 33 species were counted, see below for trip list. Beautiful photos of Wood Thrush, House Finch and Northern Flicker taken by Christine might add three more species to that list. Always nice to have a good photographer with the group!

Fourteen birders participated in a 3-hour walk at Stebbins Refuge this morning. The weather was foggy for the 1st hour or so, with intermittent rays of sunshine throughout the remainder of the field trip. Temps were in the mid-60's and made for a comfortable walk.

The birding was also intermittent, but we had some nice finds along the way, which included Scarlet Tanager female, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo, N. Parula, and Cedar Waxwing. Pondside had numerous Wood Ducks, Mute Swans, and Green Heron. It was a good start to the fall birding season with a total count of 45 species.

A handful of Allen Bird Club members enjoyed a lovely morning in the Tyringham Valley in June.  We made stops on Meadow Street, Jerusalem Road and Breakneck Road before taking short walks at both Tyringham Cobble and a short distance along the Appalachian Trail.  On Jerusalem Road we were surprised when a Yellow-billed Cuckoo flew in and sat in the open long enough for all to have a nice look.  And throughout the morning we heard at least three Black-billed Cuckoo.  We always hope for Snipe along Breakneck Road, but none were found that day.  At the Cobble we heard and saw Field Sparrow and Bobolink and a very vocal House Wren.  In a wet meadow area along the Appalachian Trail we tried for American Bittern but had no response, but we did see and hear several species of Flycatchers. Throughout the valley we heard or saw 10 species of warblers.  We moved on to Post Farm marsh in Lenox where we saw an Osprey and heard the friendly chatter of Marsh Wren.  All in all, it was a pleasant morning and we ended up with 74 species.  

Great morning of birding in Hadley with 11 members. We started the morning under sunny skies and temps in the low 60’s.

While driving into the refuge area, first birds of the morning were two female Turkeys and about 18 chicks crossing the road.  In the parking lot while we were waiting to set out, we saw many Tree and Barn Swallows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Robins, Grackles, Goldfinches, and House and Song Sparrows. We also witnessed an American Kestrel go after a Red-tailed Hawk. Due to the lack of rain, the pond area where the new platform lookout is, was rather dull, and there was nothing to report in this area.  Even the frogs were quiet. 

On our way into the trail, we saw a Green Heron flyover, and then eventually settle into a tree.  While walking the one-mile trail, we encountered the following species: House Wrens, Catbirds, Starlings, Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Flickers, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Carolina Wrens. We also spotted an Eastern Kingbird, a Great Crested Flycatcher, a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Pewee and a Veery.

After exiting the trail, we walked for just a bit on the road that leads to the fields on each side.  We saw numerous Bobolinks, a Baltimore Oriole, a Belted Kingfisher, a Downey Woodpecker, and a few Northern Mockingbirds. 

Warblers seen on our walk included Yellow, Common Yellowthroat, and American Redstart.

Six individuals participated in a 3 hour walk at Stebbins Refuge. The weather was cool and comfortable in the mid-60s with mostly cloudy skies and occasional rays of sunlight. The trails we walked were relatively dry considering the amount of rain we had days previous. 

Bird activity was sporadic, appearing to coincide with the occasional rays of sun. There were a significant number of Wood Ducks in the water body on the south side of the trail at the east side of the railroad track crossing. Just beyond this location again on the left there was activity amongst the grapevines that were abundant with ripe grapes as indicated by the aroma that surrounded us. We saw various warblers at this location including Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided, and American Redstarts. Throughout the walk the Carolina Wrens were letting their presence be known. All-in-all it was an enjoyable walk amongst like-minded folks.

There were eight members who enjoyed the trip this morning, and we saw a total of 60 species. Highlights were great looks at 2 Upland Sandpipers, 2 Grasshopper Sparrows and an Eastern Meadowlark from the fence. Nashville, Parula, Magnolia, and Canada Warblers were additional highlight species. We had 13 species of warblers in all. The trip ended at about 12:00 with the Canada Warbler. Click below to see complete list:

The last scheduled trip for the 2021-22 birding year occurred on another 90-degree day in August - fortunately not that hot earlier in the day.  Listed as a trip for shorebirds, egrets, and herons, we checked Pynchon Point, the Big E Lagoon, the dike along the Westfield River, and the Longmeadow Sandbar.  For shorebirds, we found Least Sandpipers, Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers, 3Lesser Yellowlegs, Semi-palmated Plover, and Killdeer.  There were also several Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and Green Herons.  Best bird of the morning was when Bambi Kenney spotted an adult Black-crowned Night-heron fly into the shade of the trees along the lagoon and then found a juvenile lurking nearby.  The juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron finally left his shady area and came out in full view.  Four participants and a total of 45 species.

Eight members took advantage of the forecast for good weather and were not disappointed, with temps in the 70’s and a light breeze all day long.  Bugs were not a problem at Parker River either, to our surprise and delight.

Our first stop was the boat launch across the street from Lot 1. We spotted 4 Least Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, a Least Tern, two Osprey and our first glimpse of Seaside Sparrows and the thousands of Tree Swallows we would encounter throughout the day. A Black Guillemot had been reported at Lot 1, unfortunately we did not get it, but Tim picked up a Northern Harrier hunting over the dunes. On the water, we saw just 4 White-winged Scoters and one DC Cormorant, though we panned back and forth in search of the Guillemot.

The Salt Pannes were quite bare as well, giving us only 9 Semi-palmated Sandpipers and one Great Egret.  The Wardens gave some of us good scope views of Seaside Sparrow, as well as a GreatBlue Heron, six Barn Swallows mixed in with the constant motion of the Tree Swallows. At the North Pool Overlook, Craig picked up a Virginia Rail calling for the group.

Hellcat gave us two each of American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal, Great and Snowy Egrets, Semi and Least Sandpipers, 150 Semi-palmated Plovers, 7 Greater and one Lesser Yellowlegs, two Short-billed Dowitchers and an Osprey.

Stage Island Pool was next, and we approached with anticipation. This hotspot did not disappoint, but rather delivered on the promise of American Avocet.  We did not see it at first, a couple of us thought we were looking at a strange white duck with its head tucked, until it moved and turned out to be the sought-after Avocet with the stunning bill. After studying what we could find from the trail, we moved on to the platform, where two birders said they had been watching two Black Terns.  Luck was with us again and we all got views of the tern flying about.

The lots at the end of the road were full, leaving us unable to visit Emerson Rocks or Sandy Point. We’ll keep that in mind for next year and head there at the start of the day.  On the way out we stopped at the Pines Trail and Lookout, where there was an Osprey nest with four Ospreys on it, all large and seemingly the same size. We took another chance at spotting the Black Guillemot at Lot 1, but no luck there, where we called it a day. It was a beautiful day on Plum Island, all seemed happy, and we ticked off 53 species.

Nine participants carpooled in three vehicles and met up at the Vermont Welcome Center in Guilford at 7:00 a.m.  The weather was a mild and breezy, with a dry forecast for the rest of the day.

Our first stop was Allen Bros Marsh in Winchester, where we counted the usual Wood Ducks, Mallards, Red-winged Blackbirds, Song and Swamp Sparrows, Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler and Common Yellowthroat.  Highlights here were an American Kestrel perched high up on a leafless branch, an Alder Flycatcher heard only, and a Great Blue Heron in its nest.

Our next stops were the grasslands that surround the Windsor State Correctional Facility plus the extensive farm fields nearby.  We were treated to Snipe, Bobolink, two Virginia Rails, which gave us stunning views, and Savannah Sparrow on the lower road.  While on the road up the hill, we added several species, as we drove slowly, stopping twice to exit the cars for a longer listen.  We heard Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood Pewee, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting, Black-and-white and Black-throated Green Warblers, Ovenbird, Redstart, Chimney Swift and House Wren to name a few.

We stopped at a rest area in Bradford enroute to Victory Basin and picked up Pileated Woodpecker, Ravens, and Turkeys.  It was 1:00 p.m. when we began birding the Victory Basin WMA.  We were hoping to glimpse any of the big four boreal species that are permanent residents (Boreal Chickadee, Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay and Spruce Grouse).  The elusive northern species escaped us, but we did manage excellent views of Magnolia Warbler, Northern Parula, a surprise Spotted Sandpiper and a Common Merganser with young in tow floating along the Moose River and viewed from Victory Road.

Day 2 began at 5:00 a.m.  We drove north to Moose Bog for another opportunity to garner the prized boreal species.  The weather forecast was for cold temps, rain and wind, but we managed about three hours of dry weather to explore the bog before the rain began to hamper our ef-forts.  We heard Hermit and Swainson’s Thrushes, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, White-throated and Lincoln’s Sparrows, Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, Nashville and Palm Warblers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Blue-headed Vireos, Northern Waterthrush and many more species as we walked the trail to reach the boardwalk into the bog.  Once there, we heard the distinct drumming of the Black-backed Woodpeckers, but we never did get eyes on the bird.

Next stop was at the Silvio O. Conte Visitor Center, a clean and beautiful education center with rest rooms.  We were all impressed!  From the center, we walked on the steep trail leading down to the Nulhegan River and enjoyed views of Blackburnian, Black-and white, and Chestnut-sided Warblers, while other species were heard only.

Rain was setting in, but before we called it a day, we tried in vain to find boreal species on Stone Dam Road and on a second attempt to Moose Bog using an alternate trail.  We did hear many northern nesting species sing their beautiful songs, which is always a treat.

Day 3 brought a return to sunshine and more mild temperatures, though the wind continued.  Our first stop was at the Barton Marsh in Newport.  We walked the railroad bed that dissects the marsh and provides wonderful marsh views on both sides.  There were at least ten Marsh Wrens belting out their songs and keeping us company during the walk.  We spotted an Osprey, a Common Loon, and four Double-crested Cormorants flying by and a Pied-billed Grebe with young swimming close in.  A White-tailed deer and two fawns stood still on the railroad tracks and watched us approach before moving off to safer grounds.

Next stop was the Franklin Municipal Airport located on Route 78 just east of Swanton.  We found it to be less inviting this year, with “No Trespassing” signs and expanded fencing around the facility.  From the adjacent farm field, we were able to hear Grasshopper Sparrow.  Savan-nah and Vesper Sparrows gave us nice views along with the pleasure of their songs, both perched on the fence and atop the maintenance building.  Also there was an American Kestrel flying about and then hovering while hunting over the airfield.

Missisquoi NWR on the northern end of Lake Champlain was next.  We visit here on every trip to northern Vermont to see the nesting Black Terns and this year did not disappoint.  We had wonderful views of a Black Tern flying low and close as it moved from one side of the road to the other, plying the marshy waters in search of little fish.  Five Great Blue Herons were spotted and several Ospreys, two on their nests.  Tabor Road gave us exceptional views and photo opportunities of two Common Snipes and one sharp-eyed member glimpsed two American Bitterns as they flew over the field.  This spot also rewarded us with great looks at Purple Martins, Barn, Tree, and Cliff Swallows, as well as Bobolinks and two Northern Harriers.

Our last birding stop of the day was Colchester Pond, where a Golden-winged Warbler was re-ported to be present near the power line cut.  We hiked the trail north along the edge of the pond, getting pleasantly surprised by the sighting of two Caspian Terns in flight over the pond, and three Common Loons floating mid-way across the pond.  It was a fitting end to a wonderful weekend in northern Vermont.  We ended up with a total of 103 species!

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Seven birders gathered many species for the list right from Moody Bridge Road in front of Fort River WMA.  Bank, Barn and Tree Swallows, Red-winged Blackbird, Robin (and 1 in nest), Song and House Sparrows, Cedar Waxing, Green Heron, Bobolinks, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Flicker, Great Blue Heron, Cardinal, Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Catbird, Pewee, Kingfisher, Kestrel (pair plus one), Brown Thrasher and Turkey Vulture were all present there.

In the refuge itself we had House Wren, Yellowthroat, Blue Jay, Baltimore Oriole, Yel-low Warbler, Catbird, Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Chickadee, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Brown Thrasher, Carolina Wren and Grackle.

Twenty Allen Bird Club members made a three-hour tour of the Southwick Wildlife Management Area on June 12th.  At 200 acres, the Southwick WMA offers an extensive swath of grassland habitat that is increasingly scarce in New England.  Together with the adjacent 150-acre Suffield WMA just across the state line in Connecticut, this site is carefully managed to provide nesting habitat for such sought-after species as Brown Thrasher, Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, Orchard Oriole, Grasshopper Sparrow, Prairie Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler.  Our group encountered all but two of these species, missing only Bobolink and Meadowlark.  The trip leader was heartened to see that our party included Jackson, an elementary-school-age boy, with 100 life-birds already under his belt!  He added another seven or eight during our tour.  Here’s a tip for those interested in visiting this unique site:  bring a telescope if you can.  One was surprisingly helpful today for viewing species such as American Kestrel and state-listed Grasshopper Sparrow without having to (or being able to) approach them closely.  The final trip tally was 33 species.

There were 17 teams and 34 observers out in Hampden County territories for the count held on May 13-14.  Thankfully, once again, the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases did not prevent we birders from doing our thing!  The weather was quite good for birding.  Friday evening temps were high 70s and winds were calm.  Saturday brought us more of the same, starting off with comfortable temps in mid-60s rising to 84 by mid-day, with winds 2-6 mph from the south.  Together the teams recorded 134 species, which was about average over the last ten years, and coincidentally, also average for the entire 60 years of May Counts.  

As is typical, most of the common species were near their recent or long-term average, but some were noticeably high.  In parentheses is the number for 2022, followed by the 10-year average.  There were several species whose totals were highest ever in our count history, including Canada Goose (545-411), Red-shouldered Hawk (11-3), Barred Owl (9-4), Red-bellied Woodpecker (157-118), Pileated Woodpecker (26-16), Carolina Wren (60-30, the last 3 years numbers doubled those of previous years), Louisiana Waterthrush (30-13), and Pine Warbler (89-51).  Other high, but not record breaking, counts were Downy Woodpecker (82-55), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (72-55), Eastern Phoebe (72-53), Great Crested Flycatcher (75-55), Rough-winged Swallow (92-55), Brown Creeper (21-10), Wood Thrush (197-144), and Ovenbird (265-144).  We did not add any new species to the May Count this year, but Harvey and Craig Allen did get Horned Lark (4), which had not been recorded since 1999.  They also came face-to-face with two Moose, which should be a first for the Count, if we kept records of mammals.

Low species counts this year were Solitary Sandpiper (5-19), Wood Pewee (1-21), Least Flycatcher (2-14), Veery (46-60), Swainson’s Thrush (2-19), Magnolia Warbler (3-26), Yellow-rumped Warbler (13-70), and Black-throated Green Warbler (20-43).  Misses include Common Loon, Ruffed Grouse (recorded every year up until the 2012 and only once since then), Black-billed Cuckoo, Brown Thrasher (first miss on this species in Count history), Blackpoll Warbler (first miss since 1970), Wilson’s Warbler (which was recorded each year for the last 6 years), Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cape May and Bay-breasted Warblers.

Participants seemed to be in agreement that numbers were low, especially for migrants.

Thanks to all who spent many hours in the field, especially Steve Svec’s team, who again put in a tiring 20 hours of effort, and Dave McLain’s team who racked up 109 species for the day.  Nice job everyone!

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2022 May Count Results

The field work for this 19th annual Little River IBA Count was done on a mild, calm evening (temps mid-70s, winds WNW at 2 mph), followed by a mild morning and a warm, but comfortable afternoon (temps low 60’s rising to 84 degrees by mid-afternoon, winds S at 1-5 mph).  

This year Tom Swochak hosted the compilation get-together at his yoga studio in Westfield.  Pizza, salad, and fresh fruit were gobbled down quickly.  Beverages flowed throughout the compilation and a yummy dessert and coffee ended the event.  We bantered while we compiled our individual results and then shared our totals and the day’s adventures.  Great fun!

Altogether, there were 7 teams and 12 observers in the field for a total of 66.5 hours.  The hours of effort were up 2.25 from last year, but still well below the Count’s average of 71.2.  The total number of species counted was 106, falling below our average of 110.7.

Misses of note include, Green Heron, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Woodcock, Whip-poor-will, Acadian Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Kinglet and White-throated Sparrow.  Near misses, with just one individual found, were Hooded Merganser, Ruffed Grouse, Cooper’s Hawk, Killdeer, Blue-winged Warbler and Virginia Rail.

High counts were set this year for Red-tailed Hawk (10), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (7), Red-bellied Woodpecker (21), Downy Woodpecker (18), Tufted Titmouse (63), House Wren (45, average is 21), Prairie Warbler (19, average is 10), and Indigo Bunting (38).  Other species with special interest were Double-crested Cormorant (2, found in only 7 other counts) and Brown Thrasher (1, found in only 5 other counts).

Species with the lowest, or close to the lowest, numbers in count history were Blue-headed Vireo (9, only lower in 2014), Winter Wren (5, only lower in 2015), Hermit Thrush (9, only lower in 2019), Louisiana Waterthrush (3), Magnolia Warbler (5), Chestnut-sided Warbler (65), Black-throated Blue Warbler (47, only lower in 2019 and 2020), Yellow-rumped Warbler (5), Black-throated Green Warbler (21, only lower in 2019), Canada Warbler (6, only lower in 2021), Dark-eyed Junco (6, only lower in 2012 and 2013), and Bobolink (26).

To end this summary on a better note, Myles and Kathy spotted two Sandhill Cranes, found for the very first time in our Little River IBA count.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2022 June Count Results

It was raining lightly as four of us gathered to look for birds.  The water level was high, which prevented us from spotting any shorebirds that normally lurk on the mudflats at the water’s edge. We did enjoy 200-300 Chimney Swifts swarming above us.  There were around 20 Double-crested Cormorants, a couple of Common Mergansers, Great Blue Herons, and Canada Geese.  We got eyes on two Rough-winged Swallows and an immature Bald Eagle too.

We started our walk in the parking lot of the Visitors Center at Quabbin Park at 7:00 a.m. with eight members. When we approached the viewing area to the reservoir in front of the building, there was a heavy fog over the water. Looking through it, we saw a beautiful Common Loon and a Double-crested Cormorant. We walked over to the Rainbow Garden area and then on to the Windsor Dam for some views as well. We saw Chipping and Song Sparrows, Chimney Swifts, Rough-winged Swallows, Cedar Waxwings, Robins, Goldfinches, Cardinals, Blue jays, Catbirds, and flyovers from a Pileated Woodpecker and a Great Blue Heron.

We then headed back to our cars, drove to the second entrance to the Quabbin. We parked on the right not too long after entering the gate, walked around here and towards the bridge leading to the dam. We had great views of a few Prairie Warblers. Also at this spot were Phoebes, Pewees, a Great Crested Flycatcher, a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and some Eastern Bluebirds. On the concrete bridge here along the cliffs, we saw the resident Ravens.

We got back into the cars and headed up the road, pulling over onto the left, just before the rotary heading towards the tower area. This was a great spot, pointed out to us by Tim S. Magnificent views of a Magnolia Warbler, a half dozen Chestnut-sided Warblers, and a few more Prairies justified his suggestion. Also spotted in this area, were Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, and a Hummingbird.

The next area to explore was the Tower. Due to construction on the tower, we were not able to get into that exact area, but we did manage to see Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadees, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and a few Brown Creepers. We also walked into the apple orchard, finding this area very quiet. Next was a brief stop at the Enfield Lookout, and then we finished off the morning at Hank's Meadow. Two giant Turkeys were strutting their wares when we arrived at the meadow and provided us quite a display! Flyovers included some Turkey Vultures, Crows, and a Red-tailed Hawk. On the shore by the water, we heard a Common Loon, but didn't see it.

The rest of the list of birds in no exact order of where we saw them include, Hermit and Wood Thrushes, Eastern Towhee, Cowbird, Grackle, and a White-breasted Nuthatch. Warblers were Black-and-white, Blue-winged, Ovenbird, Pine, Parula, and many Redstarts. The morning of birding ended around 11:00 a.m., with sunshine and temps that had climbed into the low 90's.

Great morning, great weather, great group and a total of 53 species!

Five of us started off our walk with cool weather and a very light rain. The primary route for the Skinner Mtn walk is the service road, which is approximately one mile to the top of the mountain, where the Summit House is located.

The “Hot Birds" to get on this walk are the Worm-eating and the Cerulean Warblers. We were able to see multiples of each species. Other warblers spotted were Pine, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Ovenbird, and Black-throated Blue. We missed out on the Blackburnian, which can normally be spotted at the midway point up the mountain. Three species of vireos spotted were identified, Red-eyed, Warbling, and Blue-headed. The latter provided us with a nice show of it eating at a caterpillar's nest!

The two other birds you always hope to see on this walk, and we did, are the Scarlet Tanager and the Indigo Bunting - beautiful views! Our list also included: Blue Jay, Cardinal, Robin, Mourning Dove, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Brown Creeper, Goldfinches, Phoebe, Pewee, Cowbird, Carolina and Winter Wrens, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and a Great Crested Flycatcher. Our flyovers were Pileated Woodpecker, Raven, a couple of Crows, and some Turkey Vultures. By the time we reached the Summit, the weather had cleared, and it was starting to get a little warmer.

Great morning birding, with a fun group and a total species count of 35.

Started at 7:30 in the morning at our usual meeting place for the Lake Wallace walk, the Dunkin’ on State St in Belchertown. The weather was sunny, cool, and very breezy. Seventeen members gathered and then we headed across the street to Lake Wallace, which is located hidden behind the Belchertown Police Station.

Lake Wallace has had some new improvements this past year. The Lake Wallace Sensory Trail is a fully accessible education and recreation trail. It is still in the process of being constructed, however we were able to utilize some of it. One of it being the new dock and observation point. It is a large wooden platform that overlooks the side of the lake. It provides a beautiful view, and at the start of our walk this morning, provided a wide variety of birds and other wildlife as well. The swallows were plentiful - Tree, Barn, and Northern Rough-winged. Also seen from this point were Great Blue Herons, a Great Egret, Canada Geese, Wood Ducks, Mallards, 3 Hooded Mergansers, and a Belted Kingfisher. Walking along the new trail, we observed a variety of sparrows: Chipping, White-throated, House, Swamp, and Song. We had beautiful views of Eastern Bluebirds, Yellow, Palm, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, Eastern Phoebe, and a Warbling Vireo.

We then drove into the Foley Field area, parked out cars along the fence outside the soccer fields, and just walked along the edge of the lake. The first few minutes gave us some great views of a Chestnut-sided Warbler, along with some Black-and-White's. Woodpecker’s spotted were the Northern Flicker, Red-bellied, Downy, and Pileated. Eastern Phoebe, Warbling Vireo, Mourning Doves, Robins, Blue Jays, Tufted Titmouse, and White-breasted Nuthatch's were all seen in the shrubbery along the edge as well.

While we continued to walk along the edge, in the trees and looking out onto the lake, we saw Red-winged Blackbirds, a Brown-headed Cowbird, Grackles, Starlings, Cardinals, and Catbirds. We also had a wonderful view of the Great Blue Heron's nest. At the end of the soccer field area, in the backside of the lake, we walked into the woods along the trail, that follows the other side of the lake. We were hoping to see the resident Virginia Rail and Sora, but they were not home at the time. This area did provide us with Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush.

Flyovers that topped off our list at 42 species included Crows, a Raven, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a few Turkey Vultures. It was a great day with a great group of birders, a first time at Lake Wallace for many of them.

More information can be found about the Lake Wallace Sensory Trail on their Facebook Page. It truly is a great place to bird any time of day!

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2021 Springfield CBC Results

It was a very foggy morning and good visibility was a problem, but 16 participants managed to hear and sometimes see 32 species on the mile walk along the road.  Redstarts, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Blackpoll, and a Worm-eating Warbler were singing very close to the entrance.  Further along, Ravens flew above us, croaking in the mists.  We were able to see pairs of Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.  As the weather cleared, Black-and-white Warblers, Chestnut-sided, and Prairie Warblers showed their colors.  A cooperative Pileated Woodpecker was a treat for many.  On our way back, Winter Wrens sang in three different areas.

It was a good trip with 16 participants.  We had great views of Virginia Rail and ended up with a total of 56 species. Click below to see complete list below.

The nine birders on the walk had a perfect spring day weather-wise.  We started off by hearing a newly arrived Willow Flycatcher; then found a Common Grackle feeding young in a nest hole.  Bird song was everywhere, especially Warbling Vireos, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Redstarts, Orioles, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.  Other warblers found were Northern Parula, Magnolia, Canada, and Northern Waterthrush.  

Overhead, keen eyes spotted Chimney Swifts, a Peregrine Falcon, an adult Bald Eagle and later three immature eagles circling in the thermals as well as a Red-shouldered Hawk.  We watched a female Yellow Warbler for several minutes as she collected webbing and flew back to a nest that she was constructing at eye level.  Ending on a high note, an Orchard Oriole sang high in a tree in the parking area, but well hidden in the leaves.  It took a while, but eventually everyone was able to see this first year bird.  A great morning of birding and good company to enjoy a total of 51 species.

Seven members counted a total of 37 species.  Temperatures ranged between hi-40s and mid-50s on an overcast, damp and somewhat windy day.

The best bird of the trip was a pair of Common Loons that, I am going to assume, are the same loons that have been nesting at the reservoir for a few years. We did see six species of warbler the most common being the Pine, which were singing up a storm all along the walk.  The others that we saw include Prairie, Yellowrump (in certain places they almost filled the trees), BT Green, Ovenbird and Redstart.  We did have a quick pass overhead of two immature Eagles which quickly flew out of site since we saw them through the pine trees overhead.  We could have added two additional mallards to the bird list, but when we got a scope on them, we discovered that they were actually Ring-necked Ducks, a species we don't see much on the reservoir this late in the season. Even though this trip is scheduled for only 2 hours, we stayed for a much longer time (about 3 1/2 hours) since everyone was having such a pleasant time enjoying each other’s company and trying to get as many birds as possible on such a dreary day.

About of 16 joined the annual Mother’s Day walk in Robinson St Park to rack up a total of 43 species.  The weather was chilly and warbler numbers comparatively low, but we did enjoy seven warbler species.  Other migrants were Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Veery and Baltimore Oriole.  Eagles were circling overhead, giving everyone great looks.  The morning ended at Steve and Madeline’s house, a stop made very special by their gracious hospitality, delicious cookies and beverages.  Complete bird list below.

Thirteen Birders gathered to enjoy sights and sounds while strolling along the rail trail.  The birds were few, with highlights being a Yellow Warbler and a Canada Goose with eggs and nest.  Other birds included Great Blue Heron, Kingfisher, Robin, Mourning Dove, Red-winged Blackbird, Tree Swallow, Swamp and Song Sparrows, Flicker, Titmouse and Baltimore Oriole.  Four beavers kept the group entertained, as did a muskrat, and snapping turtles were swimming with just heads poking above the surface of the water.  Spring peepers and pickerel frogs provided atmospheric backdrop with their enchanting calls.

Beautiful weather graced the day!  The bird walk was relaxing and, though our species count was not high, we enjoyed a few highlights, including Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Warbling Vireo, and Killdeer.

The annual meeting was short and sweet, and we were able to vote on the slate of new officers for the 2022-2023 season: President-Jim Platenik, Vice President–Andrea Bugbee, Secretary–Terri Skill, Treasurer-George Kingston, and Executive Committee members-at-Large, Tim Carter, April Downey and Bobby Olsen.  Welcome all and thank you in advance for your service to the Club.

Once business was complete, older and newer members got to know each other better over a delicious picnic lunch from Frigo’s Gourmet Foods. It was just plain fun!

We had 42 species and 15 participants.  Highlights were Pine, Palm, Yellow-rumped, and Black-and-white Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Chimney Swifts, Osprey, Bald Eagle, as well as Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Brown Creeper, Spotted Sandpiper, Wood duck and Hooded Mergansers.

The trip started on a high note as everyone got to see two Black Vultures feeding on some roadkill on Moody Bridge Rd as they drove up to Silvio O. Conte NWR - Fort River Division.  First, we got to see a good number of Barn and Tree Swallows from the parking lot along with a number of the usual species there and a quick fly-in of a Brown Thrasher.  As we headed in, we got our second good find of the day in the form of a male Orchard Oriole.  We continued on the trail and as we reached the western end of the trail, we got a Black-throated Blue Warbler, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Swainson's Thrush.  We then continued along the northern part of the trail, finding two Northern Parula, a Palm Warbler, a Wood Thrush and a Kingfisher flyby.  As we approached the large fields, we had a Ruby-crowned Kinglet calling along with a House Wren and a late Junco.  

We headed back to the parking lot picking up a Swamp Sparrow along the way.  This ended the trip for most though a few of us decided to head up the road to the grass fields as a Bobolink was reported at Fort River that morning.  As we walked to the road, we had an Osprey fly over and as we got up to the fields, we spotted a lone Bobolink which was singing from the top of a tree and then flew off to join another one and when they flushed from another tree, they were a group of three.  We also had a pair of Kestrels which appeared to be staying on or near one of the kestrel boxes.   We had 11 participants, perfect weather and saw a total of 51 species.

Though the end of April, the weather felt more like early March. Ten birders braved the chill and gusting winds to look for arriving migrants. Highlights of the morning were: Yellow-rumped Warblers - everywhere - high in the treetops and foraging on the ground.  A Northern Waterthrush announced it had arrived with lusty song, as did the Gray Catbirds.  The famous Stebbins Eastern Screech Owl was in residence, always a treat to see.  A Yellow Warbler sang, and a bright yellow spot revealed where he sat high up in a tree.  Chimney Swifts joined Tree Swallows and Barn Swallows hawking insects over the ponds.  A Piliated Woodpecker flew from tree to tree on the Natti Trail, where later a House Wren revealed its presence down by the river.  As we looped back on the West Road Trail, we added Palm Warblers, more Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  A Rusty Blackbird doing its squeeky rusty hinge call got our attention and then flew down almost in front of us.  We were nearly back to our starting point when a Brown Thrasher was spotted high up in a tree.  The trip came to a conclusion with a drive along Pondside Road to view the Mute Swan, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, and Osprey.  All at, or on, a nest.  There were 43 species on the trip list.

We had 10 birders and we saw a total of 24 species, primarily but not exclusively "the usual suspects.” One highlight was an American Kestrel which "posed" for us on top of a transmission line. Although we have seen a number of warblers at this location in past years, alas there were very few today.

We counted four different woodpecker species, Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, and Northern Flicker.  Other birds of particular interest included Eastern Phoebe (2), a Brown Creeper, a Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebirds (5), a Field and four White-throated Sparrows, and Eastern Towhee (2).

It was a very cool early spring morning when 10 birders met to search for ducks and early spring migrants. We were very happy to meet 4 new birders and also happy to see 6 other familiar faces.

The trip got off to a slow start at Pynchon Point.  The high water from recent rains and snow melt had forced ducks and gulls to other places, and so the confluence of the Westfield River and the Connecticut River failed to produce.  We moved on to another view of the Westfield River at the end of Hunt St.  After checking out the whimsical wood sculptures near the parking area, we began to get bird activity.  Downy woodpeckers were drumming, a Carolina Wren (with feathers fluffed from the chill) belted out his song, juncos trilled, and House Finches and a Northern Cardinal added a flash of color.  An adult Bald Eagle circled low over our heads, and then an early American Kestrel flew in to perch, immediately chased off by a scolding Blue Jay.  

Our next stop was to check the lagoons of the Big E, also flooded, but we did find a Great Blue Heron hunting for breakfast.  Here we also added Mallards, a pair of Wood Ducks and a calling Killdeer to our list.  We then moved on to the dike and another view of the Westfield River where a fast-flying Sharp-shinned Hawk was spotted.

The day was warming up and it was time to see what could be found along Pondside Road in Longmeadow.  This was the place to find ducks.  The first pond held Green-wing Teal, Black Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, and more Wood Ducks.  As we walked along from pond to pond, there were opportunities to scope out Pied-billed Grebes, Common Mergansers, and Hooded Mergansers, to see Goldfinch coming out of winter plumage, and to watch early Tree Swallows feed over the water.  We also found that Canada Geese and Mute Swans were sitting on nests, as was a Bald Eagle (the first to do so at Pondside).  As we reached the next to last pond there were more new species of ducks - Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, and Blue-winged Teal. Though the morning started slowly, the birding ended on a high note.  The tally for the trip was 37 species.

We all met at Sylvester's in Northampton for a nice social get together and breakfast as we always do on this trip. It's a nice way to meet all the people going on the trip: catching up with lives of old friends and getting acquainted with new that don't come to many of the bird trips. We left at about 9:00 to head up to Turner's Falls. The weather started off sunny, nut clouds came in as the trip progressed and just a little after the trip ended it started to rain. The temps ranged from high 40s to mid-50s.                

Fifteen members counted over 27 species. Most species were what we expected to see on this trip: a variety of ducks and land birds. There was virtually no ice in Barton's Cove, so there was no expectation of seeing any concentration of ducks there, since they could have flown anywhere with all the lakes in the area free of ice. Normally, if there were ice on the river, we could have seen a variety of gulls sitting on the ice rafts. Unfortunately, there were none, so we missed out on seeing a few more gulls for the species count for the trip. We did see a nice concentration of ring neck ducks there, though. Spotting a Bald Eagle’s nest with a pair of eagles nearby was a thrill for most of us. In addition to those two, we did see many more eagles of various ages during the trip from other locations. Many of us enjoyed our first-of-the-year Tree Swallows from the boat ramp and first-of-the-year Killdeer at the Turner's airport.

Over 25 members gathered to try to catch a glimpse of a Woodcock.  All heard the peenting of at least five woodcocks.  Some were lucky enough to see one or two rise up into the air in a courting dance display.

Allen Bird Club members made our annual trip to the North Shore on February 19-20.  Fifteen of us braved the frigid and blustery conditions in order to catch sight of some of our winter coastal species.  We were not disappointed.  The trip was off to an auspicious start when we arrived at our first stop - Jodrey fish pier in Gloucester - and saw a Common Murre that had been reported.  It was a first state bird for several of us.  Despite its name, this species is not as “common” as the Thick-billed Murre.  Even the Thick-billed is not always seen, and we did not see any this weekend.  The only other alcids we saw were three Razorbills.  

However, the wintering ducks we did see gave us a nice show.  We had very good looks at Long-tailed Ducks, Buffleheads, and Harlequins in several places, all three species of Scoters, and close Gadwalls at Eastern Point.  Also, in addition to the three common gull species, we were rewarded with three different Iceland Gulls (a little larger than a Ring-billed and smaller than a Herring) and a surprise Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Granite Pier in Rockport, pointed out by another birder.  Purple Sandpipers hung out on the rocks like ornaments in a few places.

Two more members joined us at Plum Island on Sunday, where we saw several Northern Harriers and more looks at sea ducks.  We could only drive as far as Hellcat.  There, to avoid the wind for a while, we walked on the new boardwalk trail hoping for some land birds, but they were quiet. On our way out of Plum Island someone noticed a flash of white close to the road and we all were treated to close-up views of six Snow Buntings.  And as we all departed from the boat launch, those in one car saw a Bald Eagle rise up out of the marsh.  No Snowy Owls were to be found at Plum so we headed to Salisbury State Park to see what could be found there.  More Harriers and a nice look at a Peregrine from the boat ramp, but still no Snowy.

Our last stop was the beach and stone jetty at Salisbury where we scanned the rocks for our elusive treasure.  There, almost as if it was lit up against the dark rocks, was our Snowy Owl.  Everyone had great scope looks at this last bird of the trip, a trip “bookended” by two hoped for, but not always found, wintering birds.  Windy conditions probably contributed to our slightly less than average 57 species for the trip.

Note: Two members made an additional stop at Hampton Beach State Park, just up the coast in New Hampshire.  They found more Snow Buntings and Horned Larks as well as a couple of Lapland Longspurs.  It might be worth adding it as a stop in the future.

More than a handful of members joined in to enjoy a good birding day.  It was hoped that meeting late morning would get the group to the Turners Falls Power Canal in time to witness the gulls and ducks that gather there as sunset approaches.  Though the group decided not to press on after the first few stops, many birds were spotted along the way, as follows.

Honey Pot Area:

Bluebirds

Bald Eagle (3)

Red-tailed Hawk

Tree Sparrows

Dark-eyed Juncos

Blue Jays

Canada Goose

Ring-billed Gulls

Common Merganser

Northern Harrier (3)

Back entrance to Arcadia:

Crows

Northern Harrier

Ring-billed Gulls

Hadley Cove:

Green-winged Teal

Wood Duck (male/female)

Mallards

Common Merganser

Belted Kingfisher

Tufted Titmouse

Black-capped Chickadee

European Starlings

Common Grackles

Mourning Doves

Downey Woodpecker

Brown Creeper

Northern Cardinals

Red-winged Blackbirds

Turkey Vulture

Red-tailed Hawk

House Finch

Here’s a rundown of how we did this year compared to past years.  We brought in a total of 68 species, the fourth highest species count and the highest in the last 15 years.  Observer number, hours in the field, and miles covered were all in the average range.  Water was unfrozen for the most part. The temperature ranged between 35-45 degrees F, but winds picked up in the afternoon and gusts were strong.

There were many species found in higher numbers than usual.  All averages are 31-year averages and an asterisk signifies the highest count recorded for that species over the 31 Cobble Mtn counts.  Canada Geese came in at an all-time high of 6040*, while the average is 1190.  Black Duck at 108 was almost double the average of 56.  Hooded and Common Mergansers were both counted at all-time highs, Hooded 61* with an average of 12 and Common 728* with an average count of 78.  Hawks gave us good numbers, too.  We counted 13* Cooper’s Hawks with a previous average of 4, Red-shouldered Hawk count of 5* was matched in 2019, with at least one reported each year since 2012.  Even Redtails were high at 50* when the average is 28.  We also counted 2 Northern Harriers, only sighted in 4 of the other 31 years.  Our Hermit Thrush count was 5*, which was only matched in 2014. Finally, Red-winged Blackbirds were spotted by three teams, with a total of 603* birds, far above the average of 75.  

There were just a few species found in lower numbers than usual.  We only spotted 3 Turkeys, while the average is 34.  Red-breasted Nuthatch was among its lowest numbers at just 2 birds.  The Northern Cardinal count was just 59, with an average of 97.  We were lucky to count one each of Screech, Great Horned, and Barred Owls, which is more a reflection of effort than a downward trend.

There were many good finds this year, too.  Snow Goose (4*) was recorded on only two other count years.  Wood Ducks (2) were last reported in 2013.  When not frozen, Congamond Ponds can add a number of waterfowl species and this year was no different.  Viewpoints overlooking Middle Pond gave us a highest ever number of Pintail (10*) and Ringnecks (10*), one spot offered a Greater Scaup and 2 Lessers, and South Pond granted one team a Bufflehead.  Great Blue Heron was counted by three teams, one bird each.  Songbirds not found regularly included Catbird (1), Savannah Sparrow (4), Swamp Sparrow (2) and a first-ever Veery, a highly unusual species for this date.

Unfortunate misses this year were Horned Lark, Field Sparrow and Purple Finch.  

Count week birds added by Dorrie Holmes and Al and Lois Richardson were Goldeneye (2), Ruddy Duck (2) and Red-breasted Merganser (1), all at Congamond on December 24th.

It was a good year, thanks to the efforts of all participants!

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2021 Cobble Mtn CBC

Participants:  M. and K. Conway, A. Downey, M. Felix, D. and L. Haile, T. Skill, B. Spirito, J. Zepko, Ruth Green and Joseph Sefter, the last two being new members

In keeping with what has been typical this season, our Berkshire Lakes trip took place on a day that was mild for early November.  The warmish weather has kept the ducks from moving south, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the eleven participants.  The larger Cheshire Reservoir gave us more land birds than waterfowl (Cedar Waxwings, Red-winged Blackbirds, Pileated Woodpecker, among others) until we came to the "teal hole".  There we found a pair of Bufflehead, a handful of Hooded Mergansers, and a female Lesser Scaup.  At the causeway on Onota we found Wood Ducks as expected along with two Gadwall.  There were Coot in one cove on Richmond Pond, but the first Coot of the day was spotted by Donna H. at the Pontoosuc causeway.  She also located the last bird of the day, a Pied-billed Grebe in the Richmond marsh.  With a total of 32 species, we ended the half-day trip enjoying cider donuts and other pastries at Bartlett's Orchard.  

Trip list:

Pied-billed Grebe 1

Great Blue Heron 4

Turkey Vulture 1 or 2

Canada Goose

Mute Swan 2

Wood Duck 12

Gadwall 2

Mallard 15

Lesser Scaup 1

Bufflehead 2

Hooded Merganser 7

Common Merganser 18

Bald Eagle 1

Red-tailed Hawk 2

American Coot 6

Ring-billed Gull 91

Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Belted Kingfisher 1

Downy Woodpecker 2

Pileated Woodpecker 1

Blue Jay

American Crow

Black-capped Chickadee 2

Tufted Titmouse 1

Carolina Wren 2

Eastern Bluebird 5

Robin

Cedar Waxwing 25

Cardinal 2

Red-winged Blackbird 2

Goldfinch

There were just three eager birders ready to start the New Year right, despite the new fallen snow and the frigid temperatures.  We began the trip by taking a detour to New Bedford, where a rare Mandarin Duck was reported at The Sawmill at Acushnet River Preserve.  The pond was partially frozen, but we found the graceful duck floating in the outflow river with Mallards, Black Ducks, Canada Geese and several domestic ducks and geese. The preserve is a lovely place, but the clock was already ticking, so we moved on to try for a Snowy Owl reported on the beach along the New Bedford Cove Walk.  We did not find it, but did spot an array of waterfowl, including Red-throated Loon, Bufflehead, Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Scaup, Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Eider - and another life place!

Onward to the Cape, we picked up Turkey Vulture and seconds later Black Vulture from the moving car.  We arrived at Siders Pond in Falmouth around 11:25 to find less birds than in previous years. We counted about a dozen each of Hooded Mergansers, Canada Geese and Mallards, and five Double-crested Cormorants.  At nearby Salt Pond, there were less than a dozen Scaup, but two Great Blue Heron were hunting at the back edge of the water.  Other birds were Bufflehead, Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers, and a Belted Kingfisher.  Off Surf Avenue there were 2 Red-throated Loon, 4 Common Loon, lots more Red-breasted Mergansers, a few Goldeneye and a Long-tailed Duck.

After a break, we headed to Flax Pond and found the reported Redhead Duck with some Canada Geese.  While there we picked up few songbirds and a Flicker.  Next stop was Ashumet Pond, where parking was difficult and most of the waterfowl were distant. There were Scaup, lots of Common Mergansers and Common Goldeneye, and with them was one male Barrow’s Goldeneye.

On to Marston’s Mills, where the newly frozen ice forced the ducks into an area where we could get good views.  We picked out two male Pintail and a Green-winged Teal, as well as Hooded Mergansers, Blacks, Mallards, 5 Mute Swans, another Great Blue Heron and the always cheerful call of the Carolina Wren.  

We accessed Mill Pond in West Barnstable by parking at the end of Gemini Road and walking down a snow and ice-covered trail. The Pond treated us to 50 Wood Ducks, 25 Canada Geese and two Great Horned Owls calling back and forth.  On returning to the car, we spotted six Turkeys strolling in the neighbor’s yard.

It was after 4:00 by now and we still had much to do before sunset.  We headed straight for Town Neck Rd, forgoing a quick look at the Sandwich marina, and parking at the usual spot, but the closed-down restaurant is now the new Tree House Brewing Co.  Over the years, viewing the bay from this spot has given us wonderful close-up looks at hundreds, maybe thousands, of waterfowl and has been a good place to search for alcids, particularly Razorbills.  We did pick up a few new birds for the day, 4 Black Scoter, a Great Black-backed Gull, and a Red-necked Grebe, but even with that and the four lovely Long-tailed Ducks, we were left wanting for alcids and Gannets.

On to Plymouth Wharf, where we hoped a new location would bring us luck.  We quickly found 20 Surf Scoter, more Common Eiders, Bufflehead, Canada Geese and lots of Black Ducks.

It was late, so we rushed west to Cumberland Farms.  Scanning there in the almost-dark, we spotted 3 Short-eared Owls flying together, weaving an imaginary web as they circled in figure eights with the crimson-colored sunset sky as a backdrop. The last bird to make itself known was a Great Horned Owl, perched high up in a deciduous tree on the back edge of the farm fields.  After a few moments it began calling, too.  It was a great end to our day’s adventure.  We garnered a total of 54 species and added many birds to our new year lists.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2020 Springfield CBC Results

Thirteen members gathered in Gloucester at the parking lot of Sweet Water Grille (the old Friendly’s) at Grant’s Circle.  Right from the parking lot many members were treated to excellent views of the previously reported Wood Stork flying into the marsh.  Also there were 6 Great Blue Herons, 50+ Bufflehead, 6 Black Ducks and a Carolina Wren.  It was a great start to a very nice day of birding.  

Jodrey’s Pier was next giving us 3 Long-tailed Ducks.  Seth was not fond of this duck’s new name and continued to refer to them as Oldsquaw, not because he didn’t identify with the more politically correct name, but just because he was a poet and thought Oldsquaw was a more colorful and poetic name for the beautiful, graceful duck.  Also there were Common Loon (2), DC Cormorant (15), C Eider (75), Surf Scoter (1), our three usual gulls, but no white-winged gulls.  Someone mentioned that the warmer weather might have delayed their migration.

Rocky Neck added Red-breasted Merganser (35), Red-throated Loon (4) and Bufflehead (3), along with Mockingbird.  Also present were C Loon (8), Surf Scoter (10), DC Cormorant (10) and hordes of European Starlings.

At Niles Beach, we added Bald Eagle (1), Black Scoter (1), and Catbird.  

While Eastern Point gave some who ventured out to the rocky precipice two Black Guillemots, a Gannet and three Purple Sandpipers, those that stayed behind, mostly due to the limited parking, were still treated to crows mobbing a Bald Eagle, C Loon (6), Surf Scoter (25), Bufflehead (4), RB Merg, C Eider (75), Long-tailed Duck (15), and another Carolina Wren singing for all.

A brief stop at Niles Pond added Ring-necked Ducks (10).  Also there were Bufflehead (10), RB Merg, Black Duck (12), Mallard (5), Great Blue Heron, Blue Jay and yet another Carolina Wren!

Next stop, and last before lunch, was the Elks Club, where more of us got views of Black Guillemot (3).  This location added 6 Red-necked Grebes, 30 White-winged Scoters, and a Cooper’s Hawk.  Other highlights were eight Purple Sandpipers just below us atop a rock near the water’s edge, three Gannets, six Surf Scoters, 18 Bufflehead and four Common Loons.

Our usual break for lunch at Stop and Shop gave us a Red-tailed Hawk perched in a tree, a Great Blue Heron, Mallards, a Blue Jay, and more Starlings.

The afternoon birding began at Loblolly Cove where we added Harlequin Duck (3).  Other birds were Purple Sandpiper (3), Gannet (3), C Loon (4), RB Merg (6) and House Finch.

On to Granite Pier for our only Savannah Sparrow, who posed for a long time on a large rock lining the parking area.  There were also three Song Sparrows, Gannet (3), Harlequin (4), C Loon (4), C Eider (5), Bufflehead (2), and DC Cormorant (3).

Cathedral Rocks did not add any new birds to our list, but did give us more Gannets (2), Harlequins (12), Buffleheads (6), C Eiders (15), C Loons (5), Surf Scoters (11), RB Mergs (2), DC Cormorants (2) and Herring Gulls.

Andrew’s Point has become a fussy place to park, with multiple “No Parking” signs along the side streets.  We were able to park a couple of blocks away on a small town-owned parcel and walk to our usual birding spots.  Along the walk we picked up Chickadee, Junco, Song Sparrow, House and Goldfinch, and Cardinal.  The ocean gave us C Loon (6), RT Loon (1), C Eider (40), Harlequin (13), a very nice female Black Scoter, White-winged and Surf Scoters (3 each), and Long-tailed Duck (3), but no alcids.

Many of us ventured on to the last stop of the day at Halibut Point, where the only new bird was Downy Woodpecker.  There were also Gannets (10), a male Black Scoter, C Eider (30), a flyby of two Brant and four Common Loons.  The weather had become decidedly colder with a breeze keeping us clutching our coat collars on the walk back to the park area.  All-in-all a wonderful day of coastal birding with a species total of 45!

Several members joined a group from the Southwick Public Library to enjoy nearly cloudless skies, apart from one enormous, but distant, cumulus cloud that hovered motionless for hours far to the east.  Haze along the horizon made spotting a challenge at times.  Everyone contributed valuable help with spotting the birds in a tough sky.  The wind was light during the entire watch, initially NNE, shifting to E towards the end of the watch, with temperatures in the 70s F.

A total of 59 migrating raptors were counted:  Osprey (1), Northern Harrier (1), Sharp-shinned Hawk (16), Cooper’s Hawk (3), Broad-winged Hawk (28), American Kestrel (9) and Merlin (1).  Non-migrating raptors were Turkey Vultures (6), adult Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk.  

Other species noted were Mourning Dove, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpeckers (2), Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay (18 migrants), American Crow, Common Ravens (2), Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler. Non-avian species observed were eight Monarch butterflies and a particular highlight of the day, a bull moose on the cleared hill to the north.  That was a sight we won’t soon forget!

There were 18 eager birders packed into five cars, ready to start the New Year right.  We got to Siders Pond in Falmouth to find there was a distant flock of 200 Scaup at the far end along with a few Bufflehead.  The flock of Scaup on nearby Salt Pond was smaller, but close enough to pick out a few Lesser Scaup in with the Greaters.  Also with them were more Bufflehead, some Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers, 5 Coot, 8 Goldeneye, and a Red-throated Loon.  Off Surf Avenue there were 2 more Red-throated Loon, 2 Common Loon, a few Eiders and Goldeneyes, and Bonaparte’s Gulls feeding in flight.  We drove north, then east to Crane WMA, where the Mountain Bluebird was on display with one Eastern Bluebird, several Meadowlarks, and a Pine Warbler.  

       After a break, we headed east to Marston’s Mills, where at first there was little visible except a Great Blue Heron resting in the same tree as it was a few weeks earlier.  We walked the small path through the alder brush until we could see the back marsh where the dabblers were feeding.  The light was perfect and the colors shone bright on every feather.  We picked out two male and one female Eurasian Wigeon as well as a pair of Shovelers, some Gadwalls, American Wigeons, and Hooded Mergansers.  We heard from a local birder about a Redhead at Flashy Pond, but returning there only gave us some Bufflehead and a female Ring-necked Duck.  He also reported a King Eider in the canal below the RR bridge, but we only found 800 Common Eiders packed close and diving for food, a sight in itself.  Nine Brant were also on the grass above them and a dozen cormorants were resting on the bank there.        

At the other end of the canal in Sandwich we spotted a diving Razorbill, a few Common Loons, and a flyby Peregrine at the Visitor Center.  From the end of Town Neck Road, we had good looks at distant flying Gannets, and nearby there were a hundred or more Eiders, a dozen or more Common Loons, plus Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, and Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Greater Scaup and 3 Great Cormorant.  It was late, so we rushed north to Plymouth Beach as the sun painted the western sky.  Scanning there, we found Oldsquaw, as well as Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Loons, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Bufflehead, Eiders, and a Horned Grebe.  It was the end of another terrific trip and the start of another great year of birding.        

(Day 1)  Four cars brought 12 birders from Ludlow Plaza to Watchemocket Cove in Rhode Island where over a 100 American Wigeon were assembled in the mostly ice-free waters.  Also there were two Black-headed Gulls, one of which stayed and preened in the roosting gull flock, showing its head and black spots often.  Other ducks among the many geese were a raft of Greater Scaup, along with a few Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, and Gadwall.  We moved on to Turner Reservoir, which was mostly iced, but still held good numbers of Common and Hooded Mergansers.

We headed south to Seapowet Marsh in Tiverton on the east side of the bay, where the refuge field held a stately Sandhill Crane.  It put on a great show of feeding and flying for the cameras.  The cove across the street held Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, Horned Grebes, and Common Loons.  Here we met Nick Russo, a fine, young birder and student at UConn, who joined the convoy for the rest of the day.  At Nonquit Pond we added 3 Ruddy Ducks, and 4 Pintails.  Then we headed back north, only pausing at Pardon Gray Preserve to scan the meadows and thickets, spotting Bluebirds and Meadowlarks.  A Fish Crow also called there, and a few Turkey Vultures circled overhead.

At Nanaquaket Point we were engulfed by a huge flock of Robins and Starlings.  We stopped for a noon break at Coastal Roasters, then crossed the bridge and headed south to St. Mary’s Pond, where a flock of Shovelers fed and flew before us, along with Ruddy Ducks, some Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwall, and Great Cormorants.  From there we made our way to Third Beach, where the seabirds took over.  Here in the broad bay were scattered Common Loons, Horned Grebes, Goldeneyes, Eiders, Red-breasted Mergansers, White-winged and Surf Scoters, Buffleheads, and Greater Scaup.  Searching the beach before us for food were a hundred Sanderlings, and down the beach at the stony edge of Sachuest were a dozen Ruddy Turnstones.  We moved to Gardiner Pond and had more Ruddy Ducks and two American Coots.  Then it was time to walk the trails that looked down on the ledges and rocks of Sachuest Point.  In a couple of hours we picked out Harlequin Ducks, Razorbills, Purple Sandpipers, and a Brant. With them were groups of Greater Scaups, Goldeneyes, and all three Scoters, plus smaller numbers of Red-throated and Common Loons, Horned Grebes, a Red-necked Grebe, Eiders, Buffleheads, Cormorants, and Red-breasted Mergansers.  Harriers hunted the nearby marshes and the fields where deer grazed.  The day ended with a get-together featuring snacks and refreshments, along with the bird tally and the telling of each observer’s best birds.  For dinner, some chose Mexican, others chose Applebee’s.

(Day 2)  After a fine breakfast at the Blue Plate Diner, we arrived at Beavertail on Jamestown Island at 8:30 a.m. and were faced with strong winds on the west side of the refuge.  The east side was better, but we still took shelter behind the buildings on the point.  A big surprise was the more than 75 Razorbills on the water and flying past the point into the wind.  We picked out several Gannets streaming with them.  Also unexpected were the numbers of passing and feeding Bonaparte’s Gulls.  There were rafts of Eiders and over a hundred Black Scoters with a few Surf and White-winged Scoters.  Red-throated outnumbered Common Loons.  Harlequin Ducks were feeding close to shore and Purple Sandpipers were feeding on the ledges or flying around.  As we drove out through the thickets and woods along the road, we came upon a large flock of Cedar Waxwings.  Then a stop at the marsh by Zeek’s Bait & Tackle produced Great Blue Herons and a Kingfisher.  At Point Judith there were more Bonaparte’s Gulls, scoters, loons and grebes among the surfers.  The Galilee area at high tide had a raft of Red-breasted Mergansers, some Bufflehead, and a few Common Loons, but few gulls.  Sunset Farm featured a huge flock of Starlings and Cowbirds, plus a Grackle and two Redwings.

We continued west to the Trustom Pond area, where we studied the feeder birds, which included a Rusty Blackbird.  At the end of a long walk to Osprey Point, the open water had only a few ducks, though one was a male Barrow’s Goldeneye.  We checked the roads in the area and managed to find another Northern Harrier.  Our last stop was at Perry’s Mill Pond, a small pond next to a home, where a Redhead had been reported.  Instead we got fine views of one male Eurasian Wigeon with the American Wigeons, plus some Ring-necked Ducks and Green-winged Teal.  Also, a nice variety of landbirds was found there, including two Brown Creepers.  We finally broke up and headed home with 83 species on our Blitz list.

It was 2:30 when the group met at the Northampton commuter lot.  Five cars and 14 people drove to Turners Falls, finding many roadside Redtails along the way and an early Turkey Vulture circling over Deerfield.  Even before we set up our scopes at the Unity Park, someone drove in, coming from the larger parking lot a little upstream.  He told us that this group was looking at the hotline bird in a big flock of gulls standing on the ice at the edge of Barton Cove.  We loaded our gear and drove there quickly finding the Yellow-legged Gull with some help from Bob Stymeist and Geoff LeBaron.  It was slightly larger than the many Herring Gulls, sporting a clean white head, a large red spot on its bill, the darker wings, and the yellow legs.  A little more scoping also gave us looks at a Lesser Black-backed Gull and 2 American Wigeon.  Bald Eagles were coasting around and spooked the gulls twice, first down to another patch of ice near dam and then later back to the cove ice.  In the meantime we spotted 2 Goldeneye, a male Green-winged Teal, a female Lesser Scaup, a Ring-necked Duck, and 2 male Bufflehead.  A walk along the power canal produced 3 Goldeneye and 2 Common Merganser.   After so much success, being too late to see the Short-eared Owls in the Arcadia Meadows of Northampton was only a minor disappointment.

Day 1 - Four cars met at Gloucester on a cold, windy day under cloudy skies. However, we reminded ourselves of what we were NOT experiencing since the trip had been postponed from Valentine’s Day weekend (when the forecast was anything but lovable!).  We stopped briefly at Annisquam, finding a couple of accipiters and glimpsing only a very few ducks.  The wind was strong and cold, but the offshore storm also sent huge waves crashing on the shoreline.  We stopped at the cemetery and found a Screech Owl hidden deeply in the hole of a lower branch.  Folly Cove had Harlequins, Scoters and Eiders and nearby Halibut shore had mostly a strong headwind and tremendous surf.  Andrews Point had a flock of Common Eiders, but we could not spot the young King Eiders, though a flock of Purple Sandpipers sped past.  Nearby Cathedral Rocks and Granite Pier were less wild with Common Loons, Eiders, Bufflehead, and another Purple Sandpiper flock.  After lunch we hit the more protected east side of Rockport facing into the open ocean.  Even so, there were only a few Harlequins and Eiders at Straitsmouth Cove and a few more at Loblolly Cove.  Looking south from Penzance Road we had good looks at Loons, Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, and Eiders, plus Great Cormorants were roosting on Milk Island.  

Arriving in Gloucester, we were greeted by a Harrier at Good Harbor Beach and a Peregrine on Salt Island.  We stopped at the Elks Lodge, but there was no sign of the adult King Eider.  Instead it was Buffleheads, Goldeneyes, and Scoters, plus a flock of Purple Sandpipers and a Horned Grebe.  Brace Cove had a flying Razorbill, two floating Black Guillemots, plus Scoters, Loons, Goldeneyes and Mergansers.  At Eastern Point the harbor was much calmer and we had good looks at an Iceland Gull.  Also there were Oldsquaw, Eiders, Red-breasted Mergansers, Bufflehead, Goldeneye, and Surf Scoter.  Niles Pond was glassy calm, with great views of 2 Redheads, Gadwalls, Ring-necked Ducks, and a big flock of 65 Red-br Mergansers.  A Lesser Scaup hid at the edge of the cattails.  The stop at Jodrey Pier had no alcids (a Murre had been reported), but plenty of regular gulls and some Eiders plus a few each of Common and Red-throated Loon, Oldsquaw, Surf Scoter and Red-br Merganser, and one seal near the pier. Saturday ended with 51 species and awesome views of sun “haloes.”  

Day 2 - We arrived on time at the usual breakfast place in Rowley, and then we returned to Ipswich to bird Argilla Road, which had hundreds of Canada Geese, plus four Snow Geese and a few Killdeer.  After that we did Town Farm Road, where we found two Redtails at a nest, and Pineswamp Road for Brown Creeper and the usual land birds.  Back in Rowley, Stackyard Road had a few Robins, but little else.  From the kayak shop parking lot, we had two Cooper’s Hawks crossing the river, 3 Oldsquaw and some Bufflehead.  Just before turning onto Rolfes Lane a pair of Cooper’s Hawks was spotted on a nest in a small grove next to the road.  The Joppa Flats visitor center had welcome bathrooms and a huge flock of geese.  A bonus here was 3 Pintail and some Cedar Waxwings.  

We arrived at Lot 1 at 11:30 to find the surf again high and noisy but giving views of an alcid, a Loon, and some White-winged Scoters.  The salt pannes were mostly frozen over with 4 Gadwall among a hundred Black Ducks.  Another walk to oceanside at Lot 3 got us all the scoters and a big flock of shorebirds flying past.  We noted a few hawks at the Wardens, including 2 Harriers heading south.  Hellcat was also mostly frozen, but we found more Harriers, including an adult male.  At Cross Farm Hill one of us spied a Snowy Owl half hidden by a small bramble bush.  While watching it a Rough-legged Hawk began hunting the north side of the hill, putting on a show for quite a while.  Others driving by stopped for the owl and we told other birders about it.  We went on to Lot 7, where we found more sea ducks and spotted the big flock of shorebirds resting on and working the rocks.  They were mostly Dunlin, but some Sanderlings were also in the flock.  From the tower a flock of 40 Pintails were visible in the Stage Island Pool.  Next we drove upriver to Cashman Park, where there were Bufflehead, Goldeneyes, Red-br mergansers, and Oldsquaws, as well as a Great Blue Heron on the far shore.  Last stop was Salisbury Beach, where the tide was low and there were many resting and feeding Eiders and White-winged Scoters, plus a few Gadwall and Loons.  The seals basking on the exposed rocks were also a treat.  We called it a weekend very pleased, with 71 species, despite the cold and wind, and a few “misses".

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It was a day of daring, as six birders ventured out on the long drive and two-mile walk to this wild beach at the edge of civilization.  We took the inland route, walking through a pitch pine forest, across the dike through the Hatches Harbor marshes and over the dunes to the edge of the Atlantic.  There were a few Horned Larks on the sand among the sparse grasses.  One vehicle was there and a small group of watchers, all seeking the rare seabirds.  With their help, it was not long before the Yellow-billed Loon came into view for us in the heaving waves close to shore.  The bill was dull but huge and so was the body.  The water surface was strewn with Red-throated Loons and a few Common Loons.  The scoters, Eiders and Razorbills were mostly flying by, but some were on the water.  The most abundant bird was the Red-breasted Merganser.  A flock of gulls went up and down just off the beach, swarming at the water’s surface above schools of fish and shrimp.  

Other birders had seen the Common (Mew) Gull on the beach earlier with other gulls, but it was some time, before we picked it out in the swarm that moved back and forth along the beach.  A dozen or more Iceland Gulls were haunting the area along with a few Herring Gulls, one or two Glaucous Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gulls, and many Ring-billed Gulls.  Farther out many alcids were flying past in flocks, almost all Razorbills.  The reported Common Murres eluded our efforts to find them.  One Oldsquaw and one Horned Grebe were noted and three Gannets sailed past.  Two Right Whales were noticed working their way back and forth, most often beneath the surface, but occasionally rising above for a moment or two.  In the search and discovery for the rarer species, we were helped by the birders that were there when we arrived, and we in turn helped those who arrived after us.

Seven students and a new family of four joined eight members for the trip to Turners Falls.  A third Bald Eagle joined the nesting pair as almost constant companions during our stay at Barton Cove.  On the water from three viewpoints we found 12 Ring-necked Duck, 4 Mute Swan, 3 Hooded Merganser, 85 Tree Swallows.  Two flocks of Cedar Waxwings numbered more than 200, one group mostly seen on the ground beneath a fruiting tree at close range.  The Conte Power Canal had only a few Mallards, but a Turkey flushed from a pine tree overlooking the main river.  Upriver, the Rod and Gun Club had 2 male Bufflehead, 12 Common Mergansers, 3 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Mute Swans, and 3 Wood Ducks.  The nearby airport had a Kestrel fly overhead and a Killdeer that posed near the parking lot.  A luncheon at the China Gourmet in Greenfield followed the morning’s birding.

There were 15 participants on the trip to Longmeadow and Agawam.  Pynchon Point had pair of Wood Ducks going to a nesting hole in a big tree where they had nested many years ago.  Bondi’s Island had a few Ring-billed Gulls.  Mute Swans were nesting on Emerson Pond near the road and another single was at Pondside.  Also there was a pair of Ring-necked Ducks and a few Tree Swallows.  A bluebird was seen and heard singing from Tina Lane.  We walked into Bark Haul and found two adult Red-headed Woodpeckers and a pair of Bluebirds together.  On the way some of us glimpsed a Pied-billed Grebe in the pond along the road.

Ten participants were treated to watching evening American Woodcock courtship display!.  There were a grand total of six woodcocks.  Other birds of note were a Hermit Thrush, five American Robins, and one Great Horned Owl.

Only six came to the scrumptious breakfast at Sylvester’s, and the first birding idea was to check out the Wilson’s Snipe behind one of the malls in Hadley.  We parked and walked along a wet gully until the birds jumped and flew farther along one at a time, with five seen.  Also there was a Killdeer.  A run through the Honeypot on the way to Rte. 91 north got us only a singing Brown Thrasher.  We met up with two more people at Riverview Road, where the sun off the water at Barton Cove was blinding.  We still managed to note three Double-crested Cormorants and a few Mute Swans.  A small group of Tree and Rough-winged Swallows circled low over our heads.  From Barton Cove we spotted a pair of Ring-necked Ducks, more swans, and better looks at the eagle on its nest.  We drove to the Rod and Gun Club to find more swans and some circling Turkey Vultures.  The airport had two Kestrels, a Bluebird, and 2 singing Field Sparrows.  On the Power Canal there was only a female Bufflehead diving constantly, and in the trees overhead a singing Pine Warbler.

The morning walk at Longmeadow Flats was attended by nine birders who saw 31 species.  We began the walk under overcast skies and the light was not great for birding.  It cleared up within an hour and we started seeing a good number of “first of the year” birds.  There were two Yellow Warblers, a Gnatcatcher, at least seven Palm Warblers, and two Towhees, the last at close range.  We found two Red-headed Woodpeckers in the usual area, one of which was persistently checking out a nest hole.  The Tree swallows put on an aerial show for us and a Rough-winged Swallow joined in as well.  We counted seven Great Blue Herons, four of them hanging around together near the woodpeckers.  The most common bird was the Yellow-rumped Warbler - at least a dozen.  It was a nice beginning to the spring migration.

With two birders coming later, the roster held 17 for the cold, breezy walk into Ashley.  Brown Creepers and Pine Warblers greeted us with their delicate notes, and then showed off for us quite close.  A Wood Duck was in the gate cove, and three more landed on the far side of the main pond.  A Ring-necked Duck pair lurked at the edge of the south pool.  Overhead an Osprey appeared and put on a show, followed by a Broad-winged Hawk that slowly circled up to migrate farther north.  Migrant landbirds were gathered in the trees at the west end of the pond.  First there were two Gnatcatchers, then some Yellow-rumped Warblers followed by a Black-and-white. Then a Northern Waterthrush surprised us singing in the swamp next to the tracks.  We crossed the tracks and headed down the dirt road, hearing a Louisiana Waterthrush a few minutes later.  A Hermit Thrush was in the road here and earlier before arriving at the main pond.

Bright sunshine warmed 22 birders as we gathered to start the first of the series of Wednesday morning walks.  Before even leaving the parking area, the first of the new arrivals was heard and later seen - Warbling Vireo.  Along Bark Haul we listened to scolding Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and began to see the first of many Yellow-rumps.  Everyone got to see Ruby-crowned Kinglets flutter about in the grapevines.  We stopped for a quick "fix" of Red-headed Woodpeckers and then continued on the Natti Trail for Blue-headed Vireos, Eastern Towhees, Hermit Thrushes, a Black-and-white Warbler, a pair of Ravens and the flash of a Great Horned Owl.  It seemed as though every thicket held a singing Yellow Warbler.  Just before emerging onto Tina Lane, we stopped to admire a flock of Cedar Waxwings that perched before us at eye level - always so elegant.  Before crossing the railroad tracks, we stopped for Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers and then looked up to see an Osprey fly overhead carrying a fish in his talons.  Flying in the opposite direction was an immature Bald Eagle.  Pondside Road yielded a newly arrived Eastern Kingbird as well as a small group of Chimney Swifts that circling above our heads.  The walk totaled 50 species and the opportunity to connect with many fellow birders.

Eleven early birders gathered at the edge of the soccer fields of Wilbraham Middle School where an Eastern Towhee teased us, uttering only part of his song but we heard and saw several farther on.  Red-winged Blackbirds had little competition for attention as we made our way around the swamp into the field.  Then, at the far edge, a Brown Thrasher, dressed in his long-tailed rusty attire, allowed a good look before scurrying into the edge.

Hushed, we tiptoed down to the water and caught a few had brief glimpses of the bird who sang the song of the Northern Waterthrush.   Keen eyes spied a Bluebird posing on a telephone pole.  Hermit Thrushes were seen as we entered the woods and inched along the path where a Yellow-throated Vireo sang and flitted, an Ovenbird called, and a Great Crested Flycatcher seemed to enjoy our attention.   An Eastern Kingbird, Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers and Field Sparrows were seen along with year-round residents.  Two hawks with long tails flew overhead.  It was a perfect day to enjoy being together while birding.

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On a cool cloudy day that threatened rain that never came, seven members were up for a walk at this new site.  The bird numbers seemed to be down a little due to the weather but we managed a few nice birds.  The first of note were some Field Sparrows that cued up and sang singing for us.  While we watched them, the male Orchard Oriole showed up and stayed at the top of a small tree long enough for everyone to get a good look at him.  This was followed pretty soon by Brown Thrashers who were very vocal on this cloudy day.  We found four of them as we made our way around the old track.  As we approached the track we heard Blue-winged Warblers singing.  It took us a little while to actually spot them, but our patience was rewarded with good looks.  These were the only warblers we came across this day, though Fort River is usually a good place to find warblers in spring.  We ended the day with a bluebird cued up on a post, making a total of 29 species for the day.  I added a group of Turkeys as I was leaving, as well as an Eastern Meadowlark sitting in a tree nearby.

Twelve birders met at the corner of Bark Haul and Pondside Roads in Longmeadow at 7:30 a.m. In the next three hours, they tallied 52 species of birds, including three vireos (Warbling, Red-eyed, and Blue-headed), six warblers (Yellow, Yellow-rump, Blue-wing, Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, and Palm Warbler), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Green Herons and Great-blue Herons, and a Kingfisher. Two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were found and Wood Thrushes were singing. The male Red-headed Woodpecker was seen in his usual spot. Flycatchers were returning and the group saw four Eastern Kingbirds and six Eastern Phoebes. Interesting sightings of common birds included a second year Red-tailed Hawk sitting on a stub while being mobbed by a Blue Jay and Red-winged Blackbirds; a White-breasted Nuthatch nest with both adults bringing food on Bark Haul at the north west corner of the pond; and, 15 goslings with 11 adult Canada Geese at Tina Lane. The temperature was between 48 and 51 degrees F, and it was overcast with light rain at the end.

For a bird trip in early May, the nine attendees had weather more appropriate for mid-April.  The sky was overcast during the entire trip with temperatures ranging from the mid-40s to the low-50s with a constant, fairly brisk, wind coming off the reservoir.  Despite these conditions, the walk along the paved path at Ludlow Reservoir is always an adventure.  As soon as we had open views of the water hundreds of swallows of various types came into view.  They were mostly Tree Swallows but there were also a good number of Barn Swallows.  In addition, some of the group saw at least two Rough-winged Swallows and one Bank Swallow.  The Phoebe was in its usual spot building a nest, flying in and out from underneath the fishing pier.  We did miss the Yellow-throated Vireo, which has been in the same place for the past few years.  In fact, we missed many birds we usually see on this trip, the most notable being the Baltimore Oriole.  Normally we see and hear them throughout the walk.  This year, however, we did not see any.  Very disappointing!  

The trip was supposed to have ended by 10:30 but by that time we were just getting started.  We had only traveled a little more than a half mile to just past the fishing pier.  We kept on going.  The birding was slow but we did have good looks at most of the birds we did see.  I wanted to go to a location further ahead with good views of the water since we were now walking through an area where trees blocked our view of the reservoir.  At that point about half the group turned back due to other commitments.  When we arrived at the water, we had an interesting treat awaiting us.  The swallows (remember them), mostly tree swallows, hundreds of them, were flying very low to the water and in and around the remaining group who were congregated along the water, almost as if we were pylons for a rather interesting swallow flight competition.  By that time it was close to 11:00 and we turned back to return to the cars.  

We did see other interesting birds on the way back.  We all had good looks, some through the scope, of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  Before we arrived at the parking lot, we had another treat.  There were three Bald Eagles interacting among themselves.  Flying high then diving at each other.  They were quite close so everyone could enjoy the show.  In total we saw four eagles.  We finally made it back to the parking lot just before noon.  In total we had eight warblers (Ovenbird, Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat, Redstart (more scope views), Parula, Pine Warbler (heard only), Yellowrump, and Palm) and a total count of 39 bird species.  We were all a little chilled but everyone considered it another successful Allen Bird Club outing.

It was another cool and cloudy day with a few sprinkles of rain, but this impromptu trip attracted 21 viewers.  We started by scanning the lake where there were Hooded Mergansers as well as Canada Geese with goslings and Wood Ducks with ducklings.  We also got to scope a Kingfisher and Great Blue Herons, one of whom was sitting on a nest.  It is the first time they have nested here in a couple of years.  The lake had a large number of mostly Tree Swallows, with a few Rough-winged Swallows and a single Barn Swallow.  As we got to the bridge heading into the woods on the west side of the lake, we spotted a Solitary Sandpiper out in the open on a log and a Pileated Woodpecker.  We then worked our way through the woods in search of our target birds the Sora and the Virginia Rail.  We heard both of them calling at various times from the middle of the reeds, but failed to see either one.  On the way back to the parking area, we got good views of Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a number of bright Savannah Sparrows.  On this trip our total was 37 species.

The birders did not quite number the Great Blue Heron nests (19) at the flooded beaver pond, but they all enjoyed that spectacle as well as the several Great Blues and a few Wood Ducks.  Other birds of the woodland and wetland were three Blue-headed Vireo, many Gnatcatchers, some Ruby-crowned Kinglets, seven Wood Thrushes, Louisiana Waterthrush, and three Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Of the 32 species noted, most unexpected was an Osprey that was hunting low over a second marsh.

It was our 65th year for a Mother’s Day excursion through Robinson State Park, a walk plagued by showers that eventually cut the trip short.  It was also the earliest possible date and followed up a week of cold, wet weather.  Still, over 20 walkers were not deterred, and we managed to find Blue-headed Vireo and Gnatcatchers, several Ovenbirds, and a loud Louisiana Waterthrush.  Even louder was the Wood Thrush that sang as we entered the park, the first of several.  Catbirds were chortling deep in the bushes and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were singing their sweet melody.  Other warblers in the almost leafless trees were Black-and-white, Redstart, three Black-throated Blue, Yellowrumps and Black-throated Greens.  A good show was put on by some Black-throated Blue Warblers.  A couple of Scarlet Tanagers and Baltimore Orioles crowned our brief venture.  When the rain got heavy, hosts Madeline Novak and Steve Perreault offered delicious goodies and warming coffee in their home beside the park.  The Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the feeder there was an added feast for the eyes.

Twenty-five participants located 38 species of birds on the second Wednesday morning walk at Stebbins.  Gone were the groups of early warblers, replaced by Yellowthroats, Redstarts, Wilson’s, and Yellow Warblers.  Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Orioles were flashing their colors and singing emphatically.  A group of 16 goslings followed a pair of Canada Geese.  The biggest treats of the walk were a pair of Orchard Orioles and a Common Gallinule.

The stones were silent, but the trees and grounds were full of song and flight as nine participants enjoyed wonderful views of Flicker, Hummingbird, Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Mockingbird, Redstart, Baltimore Oriole and more.  We counted a total of 28 species by the time our walk came to an end.

Over 20 birders turned out to walk along the rail trail near Station Road in Amherst.  While scanning, we suddenly heard, then saw the elusive Virginia Rail ten feet in front of us dashing along the muddy shore.  Another prize for the evening was a Woodcock with two young.  Other sightings were a singing Orchard Oriole, Kingbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellowthroat, Catbird, and an eye-level look at a Pileated Woodpecker framed against the setting sun.

There were 14 teams and 28 observers out in the field the first evening and all the next day.  Together they recorded 137 species, an astounding number in this limited area, but average over the last ten years, and three fewer than the total in 2015.  As is typical, most common species were near their recent or long-term average, but some were noticeably high or low.  There were especially high counts of Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, House Wren, Mockingbird, Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue and Black-throated Green Warblers, and Cowbird.  Species found in notably low numbers were Wood Duck, Killdeer, Woodcock, Ring-billed Gull, Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, Willow Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Tree and Barn Swallow, Carolina Wren, Veery, Blackburnian, Yellow-rumped and Canada Warblers.  Some easy reasons for the unusual totals are the cold early May weather delaying or holding up migration, high survival rates from a mostly mild, snow-free winter, and continued long term or recent increases or declines.  There were 32 species on the uncommon or rare list (over last 46 years), notably Black Vulture (only 2015 and 2016), Hooded Warbler (5 times, last in 2007), Hooded Merganser (6 years), White-crowned Sparrow (20 years), Sapsucker (22 years), Horned Lark (24 years - first since 2010), and Raven (24 years, first in 1992).   Thanks to all who spent many hours in the field, especially Steve Svec, whose 21 hours gave us most of our owl records.  May next year give you all more time, more habitat, and more fun sightings.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2016 May Count Results

The walk was a huge success for nine participants who saw 29 species, including the target birds, Worm-eating and Cerulean Warblers!  One Cerulean was very vocal with a textbook perfect song; the other rather abbreviated and laid back. We missed seeing the female Cerulean by minutes.  Other highlights were at least three Scarlet Tanagers, some Baltimore Orioles and Indigo Buntings.  A male Black-throated Blue Warbler also showed up for all the cameras that we birders had brought along to record what were life birds for quite a few.  The wind was strong as we ascended the road, but nothing like the blasts that pelted us on the porch of Skinner House, reminding one of Mt. Washington.  The descent was a happy and snappy walk after seeing such fine birds.

Eleven birders, including leaders, enjoyed our visit to this wetland area.  As soon as we exited our vehicles, we were hearing the first of many Blue-winged Warblers.  During the walk to the second entrance gate, birds seemed to be teed up everywhere - Field Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Baltimore Orioles, Catbirds, and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers belted out their songs.  Perhaps the best sighting here, though, was a resting Common Nighthawk.  It perched on a nearby sycamore limb completely oblivious to the onlookers.  As we walked the trail down to the water and the loop by the marshes, everyone became very familiar with the sight and song of the Ovenbird, Woodthrush, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  Several warblers - Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat, Redstarts, and Yellow - added brief bits of color to our walk.  Some in the group were able to hear the calls of a distant Black-billed Cuckoo and see a first of year/life Swainson's Thrush.  We ended our morning with a count of 48 species.

The 20 participants were ready to go and the trip started off well at the spillway with a ravenous Raven (juvenile) being fed by an adult.  Also there was a pair of perched Rough-winged Swallows at eye level.  We soon saw the first of many Towhees, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Indigo Buntings and Ovenbird.  A cooperative Swainson's Thrush approached our large group within 30 feet as we walked down to the water.  It repeated its approach on our return, making us wonder who was studying whom.  Heard but not seen were Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Least Flycatcher, Prairie Warbler and Wood Thrushes.  It ended up being a five hour walk, but nobody seemed like quitting until our tally was 53 species and our batteries ran out.  Thanks to Tim, Jan, Donna, Howard & Pete for all their help.

Six members of the Allen Bird Club traveled to Pomfret to enjoy a birding adventure at a new destination for our Club.  The sky was cloudy and there were a few light showers, but the birds were there.  As we crossed the meadow near the headquarters, a male Bobolink rose from the grasses and gave us a display.  We heard two Black-billed and one Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling.  There were five different flycatchers: Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Phoebes, Willow Flycatcher, Least Flycatchers and Eastern Wood-Pewee.  There were several Wood Thrushes and Veeries, but the best display was put on by several pairs of Eastern Bluebirds posing on their nest boxes.  We found a nesting pair of Blue-winged Warblers as well as two singing males.  In the woods along the ravine were a Scarlet Tanager and an Indigo Bunting.  One curious sight was a female Tree Swallow trying to figure out how to get a long stick through the hole of her nest box.  It took several tries, but she succeeded.
After we were done birding, three of us drove to the famous Vanilla Bean Café in downtown Pomfret for an al fresco lunch.  We had left Ludlow at 7:00 in the morning and were back home by two in the afternoon.

This scheduled trip was moved up a week earlier to escape the holiday, but the forecast was rain by mid-morning in southern New Jersey, so a scant five of us decided to visit Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Long Island.  There were a few other birders around and one larger group.  The West Pond trail was still blocked by a breach from Storm Sandy, so we took the shorter walk straight out along the open bay, where there were many distant shorebirds and some quite close, including one Pectoral Sandpiper and a few Oystercatchers.  We turned to see a group of birders approach and noticed a Clapper Rail standing in the trail before it scampered across the causeway and into the reeds on the other side.  We visited a Barn Owl nesting in a box at a blind where we could see the mother moving around through the hole and a little bit of fluff from the baby.  At the East Pond we scanned for Shovelers, Coot, many Ruddy Ducks, and some Glossy Ibis.  

The rain was heavy at times until we got to Brigantine, where it had let up to a drizzle, but with the wind still brisk.  The south loop was open only to the tower and the tide was low.  The ocean side channel mudflats were covered with mostly Semipalmated Sandpipers, but among them were good numbers of Dowitchers, Dunlin, Willets, Turnstones, and Semipalmated Plovers.  Among the Forster’s Terns and Laughing Gulls were a hundred Black Skimmers, some feeding, but most huddled on a sandbar inside the dike.  Other birds present were Glossy Ibis, Great and Snowy Egrets, Cormorants, an adult Bald Eagle, Ospreys, a Green-winged Teal, and swallows.  At the end we found a big flock of 60 Whimbrels on a sandbar with some calling loudly.        

The next day was cloudy, with some rain showers, but we headed for the Belleplain State Forest, where we stopped to find birds still singing in profusion.  We heard Yellow-throated Warbler right away, plus Acadian Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireos, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and many familiar birds.  At triangle we met up with another group from Westchester Bird Club in Pennsylvania who were very friendly and helpful with information and scopes.  We heard a Worm-eating Warbler among the many Pine Warblers, and good looks at several Hooded Warblers.  When we caught up to the other group, they were watching Summer Tanagers.  One of the group told us about a Prothonotary Warbler at campsite 11, which we got to see well after some searching.  After returning to Cape May for lunch, we returned north to Reeds Beach, where we found the spectacle of shorebirds and gulls as the tide started to fall.  Laughing Gulls and Red Knots were in the thousands, starting right at our feet and the clamor was amazing. With them were many Turnstones and Dunlin and the odd Willet and Yellowlegs.  The rain and wind got the back of our legs soaked, but it was worth it.  Later at the Wetlands Institute there were much needed restrooms and a lot of people, but only a few Egrets, an Osprey nest, some Ibis and Plovers, mostly seen from the Observatory.  We went south through Stone Harbor to Nummy’s Island, where we stayed in the cars and saw one Little Blue Heron.  

        We tried Higbee early in the morning, but it held mostly resident species, including many White-eyed Vireos singing.  A bird perched on a small dead tree singing vigorously turned out to be an immature Blue Grosbeak.  Then we went to Cape May Meadows, where we watched a reported Red-necked Phalarope male twirling at the back of the pond.  Other birds there were egrets, terns, various expected shorebirds, Ibis, Oystercatchers, Killdeer, Green Heron in flight and Purple Martins.  On our way north we stopped at Jake’s Landing, where the salt marsh was alive with Marsh Wrens singing and performing wild dances.  Even better was a long, close look at singing Seaside Sparrows.  We only heard one Sharp-tailed Sparrow sing, plus Virginia and Clapper Rail.  There was plenty to remember on the long ride home.

Eight observers started out on a warm, summer-like day.  It started hazy, but soon cleared at Laughing Brook, where the hoped-for Louisiana or Northern Waterthrush was neither seen nor heard.  Some did see a Hummingbird and all saw two Bluebirds and heard a Black-billed Cuckoo as well as a Wood Pewee and a Black-throated Green Warbler.  We drove to North Road, stopping at the crest to hear and see five Bobolinks, two Barn Swallows, and a Meadowlark in a farmer’s field.  At Hollow Road we heard Towhee, Tanager, and a Great Crested Flycatcher and most of us got good looks at a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  At the end of South Road we got good looks at a female Redstart at its nest.  We also saw two Chestnut-sided Warblers and heard a Blue-winged Warbler.  Our species count was 43.

On a hot and humid Sunday morning, 11 members of the Allen Bird Club met at Meadowbrook School in East Longmeadow to explore some of the lesser known birding areas in that town.  We began by walking the Jarvis Nature Sanctuary, an area of old fields and woods behind the school, where we found Yellow and Blue-winged Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, and an Ovenbird, as well as numerous Song Sparrows and a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  From there, we drove to the Deer Park Industrial Park off of Shaker Road, parked at the cul-de-sac and walked in to Jawbuck Pond.  Here we found an Indigo Bunting, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Magnolia Warbler, Wood Thrushes, Field Sparrows, and Northern Orioles.  At the pond itself, there were Eastern Kingbirds, a Great Blue Heron, and Canada Geese.  The real treat, however, was a pair of Osprey, one flying and the other sitting in a tree near the nest.  This will be the first time Osprey will have nested in this area.  The next stop was the Brown Farm on Hampden Road, where we walked into the woods and found more Wood Thrushes.  The last stop was Hoover Quarry at the end of Fernglen Road.  The trail was blocked by recently fallen trees, but there was an Oriole was singing right over the parked cars.  The trip took three hours and we found a total of 46 species of birds.

The 10 participants of this trip promptly (well, mostly) met at 7:00 at our meeting place and quickly drove to the gate of Westover Air Reserve Base where we met another 34 people from two other clubs (Hampshire Bird Club & Brookline Bird Club).  Unlike other years in which we were able to drive our own cars inside Westover to the birding location, this year was different.  We were met by an Air Force bus which took us on our birding trip, first stopping for a bathroom break and informational talk by Frank Moriarty, our leader from Westover.  The bus accomodations were more comfortable than I had initially thought.  The seats were roomy and there was air-conditioning which came in handy later in the day when the temperatures and humidity rose.  It was a little cool and somewhat foggy when we arrived at the birding field, but about an hour later the sun came out and the temperature started to rise along with the humididy.  At first everybody walked down the gravel path together to view any birds that would show themselves.  When we got to a side path that led off to the right, about a dozen people took that path and remained there for just about the entire trip.  The rest of the group stayed spread out on the main path with some people walking quite a bit ahead of everyone else while others arranged themselves somewhere in between.  

During the entire walk Bobolinks were flying all over the place.  There was a tie for the next most abundant bird between Meadowlarks and Upland Sandpipers.  It seemed as though there could have been many more Uplands than I counted only because once they landed in the tall grass they disappeared.  When they flew again it was hard to determine if it was the  same bird or a new one flying off.  Since the grass was not as tall as last year the number of grasshopper sparrows, in my count, was not as high as in past years.  In addition they were farther away sitting on whatever tall bushes they could find.  In past years these tall bushes were adjacent to the path.  After about 1 1/2 hours of walking through the field we were called back to the bus and taken to a wet area on a part of the base we had not previously visited.  Since we had to walk through tall grass to get a good look at the small cattail marsh, my aversion to ticks kept me and quite a few other folks outside at the bus to see what showed up.  We were rewarded with looks at a Kestrel and a pair of Bluebirds along with a few other common birds.  Back on the bus we went and drove in air-conditioned comfort back to our cars waiting for us outside the gate.  All three clubs, I'm sure, were very pleased with this trip and the target birds which we all saw in abundance.  We'll have to wait for next year to do it again.

There were 8 teams and 14 observers in the field to count birds in the Little River Important Bird Area (IBA).  This contiguous area encompasses the wild, sparsely populated parts of northern Granville, eastern Blandford, southern Russell and northwest Southwick.  Together the counters recorded 113 species, slightly more than the 13 year average for the count.  The 4,322 total individuals and the 57.8 average of individuals per hour were both well above average.  Most of the average numbers per year of the 120 species recorded have been very consistent over the 13-year period and four stand out as most abundant; Red-eyed Vireo 328, Ovenbird 259, Veery 155, and Robin 146.  The next 27 species average from 47 to 112 individuals per year.  The next 33 species average from 10 to 40 per year.  There are 56 more species with less than 10 individuals average per year.  That adds up to 120 species recorded over the 13 years of counting.  This year, high counts were set for Hummingbird (21), Phoebe (54), Tree Swallow (92), Rough-winged Swallow (10), Red-breasted Nuthatch (12), Eastern Bluebird (22), Gray Catbird (104), Louisiana Waterthrush (9), Pine Warbler (24), Prairie Warbler (15), Bobolink (96), Red-winged Blackbird (138), and Grackle (67).  The Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, and American Kestrel were each found for only the 5th time, Brown Thrasher for the 4th time, Sora for the third time, and Hooded Warbler for the first time.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2016 June Count Results

Eleven people and 3 cars arrived in Lenox at Post Farm to find other birders led by Mass Audubon from the Worcester area.  The most unusual sighting there was a pair of Virginia Rails, copulating while 3-4 young were nearby.  There was no sign of Gallinule or Sora or Bittern, but Marsh Wrens and Alder Flycatchers were vocal.  A chickadee was busy and noisy around its nest in a dead birch stub a few feet away from the bridge.  Hummingbird and Kingbirds were also there.  We stopped briefly at Woods Pond on the way out, getting Wood Ducks, a Kingfisher and many swallows.  A Great Blue Heron flew over during the ride to Ice Glen in Stockbridge, where the Cliff Swallows were busy feeding young under the eaves of a large, red barn.  In the marsh there were two Willow Flycatchers and an Alder calling constantly.  We drove up the hill to look down on the main part of the marsh, but no Bittern caught our eye.  Instead, an Olive-sided Flycatcher perched for perfect views in the top of a tree in front of a gated mansion.  From the precarious side of a busy Route 7 we had another Marsh Wren and a Kingfisher.  The first bird on Meadow Street in Tyringham was a flyby accipiter with prey in its clutches. At Breakneck Road and the Appalachian Trail we found three Willow Flycatchers, swallows and Bobolinks before the rain ended the trip just as we found another Chickadee nest with babies.

One new and eager birder joined me for a morning adventure in rural Williamsburg, exploring the Graves Farm Sanctuary and the unpaved section of Nash Hill Road.  We found 36 species including Great Blue Herons on nest, a rattling Kingfisher, a pair of chanting Indigo Buntings, an active Yellow-bellied Sapsucker family, and many adult Bluebirds with young.  Other highlight species were Bobolink and three kinds of swallows, notably Cliff Swallow.  We heard the songs of sore-throated Scarlet Tanagers, melodious Baltimore Orioles, and six kinds of warbler.  When we failed to see them, we talked about the tuxedo clothed Kingbird, the song of the Hermit Thrush, and the bouncing song of the Field Sparrow.  We both learned a lot and it could not have been a more pleasant excursion.

This trip has been run bi-annually since 2008.  The weather for the entire time this year was warm, sunny and only a bit breezy from time to time.  Day one focused on several prime birding locations within the Connecticut River Valley as we made our way to the Northeast Kingdom.  Our first stop at Allen Brothers Marsh in Winchester brought us a Green Heron that called out getting our attention, and then flew across the marsh for all to see.  A pair of female Hooded Mergansers with two ducklings shared the marsh with several female Wood Ducks and their young.  Kestrel, Kingfisher, and Purple Finch were also added to the list.  Our next stops were the grasslands that surround the Windsor State Correctional Facility plus the extensive farm fields nearby.  As we studied a close Wilson’s Snipe, we were all treated to what many felt was the most exciting part of the entire trip.  An American Bittern flew from a distant portion of the farm fields into the reeds within 100 feet of our group.  We admired and photographed the bird in its often seen, long necked "frozen" pose.  What occurred next is not so common.  A second bittern flew in and landed a short distance from the first bird.  We were then treated to an apparent courtship activity as the first bird slowly strutted over towards the second bird proudly displaying its white shoulder patches for all to see.  We left to continue our journey north quite, well pleased to have observed such a wonderful moment together.  After several more stops, one including two Common Loons on Stiles Pond in Waterford, we arrived at our last major destination of the day, the "Blowdown" trail in Victory Bog.  This is a well-known trail frequented by birders in search of a group of species collectively known as "Boreal Species".  We did not locate any of the big four permanent residents, (Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, Black-backed Woodpecker or Spruce Grouse).  We did however have excellent views of a Mourning Warbler.  Northern Parula, Palm Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren, White-throated Sparrow and Hermit Thrush were also heard or seen.

Day two brought a return to Victory Bog, and a two hour morning walk along the Rogers Brook/Lee's Hill trail that winds through beautiful boreal forest habitat.  We were again in search of the "big four" boreal species.  We were only able to get in "close proximity" to a Black-backed Woodpecker that was seen ever so briefly by several of our group, but we all heard the bird calling and briefly tapping.  Other species added to our trip list were Swainson's Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Broad-winged Hawk and Red-shouldered Hawk.  We next headed further north to walk the Moose Bog trail located in Ferdinand.  This trail rivals Victory Bog as a choice for birders hoping to locate the "big four" boreal species.  We found none!  Roadside birding in the area added to the numbers of individuals for most of the northern breeding species noted above, but sadly we had no further sightings of the "big four".

Day three began at 5 am with a trip to the Barton Marsh in Newport.  We walked the railroad bed that dissects the marsh affording wonderful views.  The Marsh Wrens that maintain a significant population in the marsh sang constantly.  Two American Bitterns flew past in the distance as did the only Black Duck of the trip.  We were disappointed not to locate any of the Pied-billed Grebes known to breed in the marsh.  After breakfast we began the 50 or so mile drive west to the Lake Champlain area.  The next stop was one of the lesser known birding hotspots in Vermont; the Franklin Municipal Airport located on Route 78 just east of Swanton.  It did not disappoint, as a drive along the perimeter road that encircles the airport gave us at least seven Vesper Sparrows and a like number of Grasshopper Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows.  All three species often perched on the chain link fence that borders the airport, giving wonderful views.  Many of the birds sang for us, adding to the experience.  Not one airplane landed or took off during the hour we spent birding the airport grounds.  

Our next stop would be the Missisquoi NWR, an extensive refuge on the northern end of Lake Champlain.  A roadside stop along Route 78 in Swanton gave us at least six Black Terns, upwards of 10 Great Blue Herons, 2 Great Egrets, several Ospreys and a distant Bald Eagle.  A stop at the visitor center located on Tabor Rd gave us close views of the dozens of Cliff Swallows that nest on the visitor center buildings.  We drove up the road a mile or so to visit a large Purple Martin colony of at least 30 gourd nests where dozens of birds were seen.  As we drove the back roads of Swanton, one more "special bird moment" occurred.  Alongside the dirt road, we noticed a small puddle with exposed mud shoreline and we were treated to six or more Cliff Swallows plucking insects off the water just 30 feet away.  A pair of Killdeer flew in to join the feast, and then a Wilson’s Snipe joined the party.  We continued on to Mud Creek WMA and birded that beautiful wetland.  On the way back to Massaschusetts, we stopped in Berlin at a large reservoir with an undeveloped shoreline and had one last birding memory.  Two adult Common Loons were floating together in the center of reservoir.  As we scoped the birds we noticed two little chicks swimming with the adults, multiple times mounting the backs of the adults then returning back to the water.  Final species count for the three day trip - 113.

The birding began even before we reached Judy’s property.  On way up South Central Street in Plainfield two Turkey Vultures were spotted in a field next to the road, then a Turkey with 5 chicks in another field, joined quickly by another adult with 9 young.  Once the whole group was joined together, we took a more western trail through forest when a bridge was out, arriving at edge of the big marsh.  A Creeper and 2 Pine Warblers were in a wet area, and Juncos and White-throated Sparrows were found along the trail.  The ponds were low, but productive, with a flying Bittern. Many thought it the day’s best bird sighting. Also there were an Alder Flycatcher, 2 Kingbirds, 2 Swamp Sparrows and a Purple Finch.  In the woods on way back there were 2 Blue-headed Vireo, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch, a Hermit Thrush singing, more wood warblers and some Purple Finches.  We relaxed on the porch with more refreshments than we earned, served with great hospitality by our host.  There we waited in vain for Evening Grosbeaks, but still we were amused by purple finches at one feeder and a beautiful little hummingbird at another.

As usual the mid-day walk before the picnic had plenty of good birds; Sapsucker, Wood Pewees, Indigo Buntings, a Hermit Thrush, two Blue-headed Vireos, two Bluebirds, and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Barn Swallows were eating while we dined on our picnic lunch and Turkey Vultures were looking for food.  In all, there were 22 species noted and lots of delicious food to go around while we enjoyed the view before us.

Only a handful of people showed any interest in the weekend Cape Cod trip due to the overnight cost and the expected crowds.  Instead, we offered interested birders a five hour offshore trip for pelagic species a few miles off Chatham.  We were accompanied in the small fishing boat by veteran pelagic expert and spotter Peter Flood.  Before boarding for the afternoon we had time to visit Morris Island beach, where many hundreds of mostly gulls, terns and Cormorants were roosting on offshore sandbars at high tide.  We walked the shoreline to find some shorebirds and a preening White-winged Scoter.  The tide was falling as we waited to board at the Fish Pier, so we scanned the island in the bay for Red Knots, Oystercatchers, Turnstones, Greater Yellowlegs, Semi and Black-bellied Plovers, Least and Semi Sandpipers, and Piping Plovers.  At first the captain warned us there was fog off shore, but we had come too far to let that deter us.  The fog soon faded away, revealing a gently rolling sea with many close birds sitting on the water and in flight.  Within a short time we had close looks at Great, Corey’s, Sooty, and Manx Shearwaters. Wilson’s Petrels were also numerous in most areas.  Roseate and Common Terns were flying over chattering most of the time and several small flocks were on the water.  We saw a Black Tern fly past, disappearing in the distance, and a group of seven Red-necked Phalaropes flew low past the boat.  We headed north toward some whale activity getting good looks at 2-3 pods of 2-5 animals each.  We spotted two single Parasitic Jaegers and one group of four.  We stopped to chum for a while with fish parts thrown out by the captain.  Hundreds of gulls came to feed with a bedlam of chatter, and with them were some incredibly close shearwaters.  We returned in time to have a take-out meal at the fish pier before heading back to Western Mass.

At the meeting place, Pynchon Point in Agawam, two screaming Peregrine Falcons flew over us.  One continued west and the other landed on the cell tower across the street, calling for a few minutes.  Walking to the Point, we managed to find 2 Great Egrets, a Great Blue, and 3 Dc Cormorants.  We drove to the Expo Lagoon and found 3 Great Blue Herons, 5 Green Herons, 2 Dc Cormorants, Great and Snowy Egrets, 2 immature Black-crown Night-herons, a Solitary Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, an Osprey perched, and a Killdeer heard only.  On to Longmeadow, where Pondside gave us 11 Great Egrets, 3 Great Blues, 35 Wood Ducks, 7 Mute Swans, 40 Mallards, 4 Least Sandpipers, 3 Tree Swallows, 3 Orioles, and 3 Warbling Vireos.  At the Island the water was too high for anything but one Spotted Sandpiper, 2 Great Egrets, 2 Dc Cormorants, a Bald Eagle close overhead, and a preening Peregrine Falcon perched atop dead driftwood on a reduced sandbar.

It started slow at the meeting place on Bark Haul and Pondside, but when we moved up to the parking area on Pondside across from Tina Lane about 6:45pm, the Nighthawks began to flow down over the ponds.  At one point there were 35 swirling directly over our heads.  We ended with 107 Common Nighthawks, and everyone had great looks.  We also had about 75 Chimney Swifts, several Tree Swallows, a Barn Swallow and some Rough-winged Swallows.  There were nine participants plus leaders, and we picked a good night.  It was a nice evening and everyone seemed pleased with the number and the great views - lots of insects for sure - plus a nice sunset.

The first walk of the season in Longmeadow was extremely birdless.  No robins or thrushes where expected or found. However, Al Richardson and I identified 2 Red-shouldered hawks on Pondside.  One flew in with a flash of red on its wings.  We studied it and when it flew to join another hawk, we got positive identification marks.

Despite being postponed one day, the prospect of finding owls was still enough to attract 23 people.  We began at the Great Brook crossing to the transfer station and were rewarded with two Screech Owls, heard by everyone and seen by several.  Our next targets were Barred Owls along Munn Brook at the foot of Drake Mountain.  We got three of them to respond, two serenading closely together.  It took more time, but we also got a Great Horned Owl to begin hooting in this area.  It was a very successful prowl.

There were 14 folks in four cars on the trip to Plum Island, but the tide had not dropped enough to uncover Joppa, so we drove quickly down the island stopping or slowing briefly for looks at a Peregrine, a Harrier, 30 Great and 25 Snowy Egrets, a close Redtail on the ground, and some Cormorants.  Stage Island pool looked very inviting, but we started at Sandy Point where there was still some room to park and the cove was already open.  We walked out on the beach to the cove, getting a flock of Sanderlings, hunting Ospreys and a Harrier. With a little more scanning we added a Golden Plover alone, some Black-bellied Plovers, 3 Dunlin, Semipalmated and Piping Plovers, and a Red Knot.  On the other side of the point at Emerson Rocks we had an Eider and a Common Loon.  On our return, Stage Island was still busy with many yellowlegs, some peeps, Green-winged Teal, a Pintail, 5 Dunlin, a Pied-billed Grebe, 4 Snowy Egrets and a Great Egret.  We drove without stopping much to the Forward Pool blind, finding the small parking lot full at first.  Then the birders there left, saying a peregrine had spooked all the shorebirds.  We still found some Dowitchers and yellowlegs, a few Snowy Egrets, and a flock of Green-winged Teal.  From the main dike at Hellcat there were a few yellowlegs, Killdeer, and peeps.  We skipped looking for Night-Herons at the roost, and only paused just briefly at the Wardens and Salt Pannes, hoping to get to Joppa before it was covered by the tide.  We were still too late, so we ended the trip and headed home.

Up in time to reach Blueberry Hill at 7:30, but met only one birder there.  We had nice walk, getting only Redstart and Yellowrump.  It started to rain just as we got back to the cars.  I returned at 11:30 and watched for 2 hours, with three migrants, Osprey and 2 Sharpshins.  There was also one Bald Eagle.

Eleven people met at Fannie Stebbins to walk a portion of the Bark Haul Trail and along Pondside to see what the fall migration had brought.  Before starting out, we heard the long absent song of a Warbling Vireo, and then another further down the trail.  Red-eyed Vireos also made their presence known.  Warblers did not show up in any large numbers, but we had good looks at Common Yellowthroat, Redstarts, a Magnolia, and a Northern Parula.  Perhaps the biggest treat was seeing 2 Northern Waterthrush feeding among the muddy leaves in a dried-up pond near the railroad tracks.  Pondside proved more productive, as we found Least Sandpipers in the mudflats near the culvert, and an Osprey and a calling Red-shouldered Hawk overhead.  Everyone enjoyed the continuing extravaganza of the many Great Egrets (27) and Great Blue Herons (15) congregating in the shallow ponds.  Green-wing Teal and Wood Ducks were in the northernmost pond, and a Green Heron also lurked in the buttonbush there, trying hard to keep out of our sight.

The hawkwatch and picnic on Blueberry Hill had 25 people, but only 32 migrants counted, thanks to the south winds and heavy air.  The best migrants were a Merlin and a Harrier, but we did note a dozen high Broadwings and as many close Kestrels.  There were only 2 Ospreys and 3 Sharpshins moving.  Local raptors included a few Redtails, two Bald Eagles, and one Cooper’s Hawk.  The wine and goodies improved our mood, but surprisingly not the flight.  The handful of non-raptors included a Raven, a Pileated, 30 Cedar Waxwings, 2 Hummingbirds, and a Philadelphia Vireo.

The morning started out foggy, but cleared quickly with a slow warming and light winds for ten of us who stopped along Pondside Road and walked into the Bark Haul area.  We counted an amazing 30 Great Egrets in one pool beside the road.  More spread out were 24 Wood Duck, 15 Great Blue Heron and 2 Green Heron.  A Kingfisher was working one pond and a Peregrine Falcon flashed past.  Other highlights were Phoebes, Redstarts, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks as well as a single Red-breasted Nuthatch, a Red-eyed Vireo and 2 Magnolia Warblers.  A small flock of Purple Finches also showed up, all part of 38 different species.

There were plenty of migrants and lingering species to see on this day for nine people.  We started with Wood Ducks, Common Mergansers and a Green Heron in the wetland, where a Red-tailed Hawk was perched on a branch protruding from the surface.  A Bald Eagle flew over as well as a falcon, too briefly and far away to identify.  We enjoyed looks at two Phoebes, a Catbird, some Mockingbirds and six Flickers.  A Black-and-white Warbler was added to the usual Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, while Savannah Sparrows lurked in the grasses and brush.