Trip Highlights

Nine members gathered to find birds in the Berkshires.  Our first stop was on Monterey Rd in the beautiful Tyringham Valley.  Sighting a Chimney Swift, two Alder Flycatcher and two Bobolink got our day started.  From there we headed to McCarthy Rd, where we added a Turkey, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2 Pewee, a Yellow-throated Vireo and 5 Redeyes, a Barn Swallow, a Winter Wren, 2 Baltimore Orioles, and warblers, 2 Ovenbird, 3 Yellowthroat, a Redstart, 2 Blackburnian, 2 Chestnut-sided, and two Black-throated Green.  Off now to Jerusalem Rd for seven more Turkeys and a Least Flycatcher.  

The Cobble was next where we added a Red-tailed hawk, a Flicker, a Kingbird, 10 Tree and 2 Barn Swallows, 4 Cedar Waxwings, 2 Field and 2 Song Sparrows, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and an Indigo Bunting. Continuing onto Meadow St, we picked up a Great Blue Heron, 2 Willow Flycatchers and a Brown Thrasher.  Next came Fernside/Jerusalem Rd which gave us our first RT Hummer, a Blue-headed Vireo, and a Blue-winged Warbler.  On to Breakneck Rd where we spotted 2 Turkey Vultures, 2 Cliff Swallows, and a Black-and-white Warbler.  

We then headed out of town to Post Farm Marsh.  The only new species to add from this location were one Rough-winged Swallow, two Marsh Wren, which were very vocal, and two Swamp Sparrow.  Our final destination was October Mtn.  We picked up a Broad-winged Hawk, a Raven, a Purple Finch, a Black-throated Blue, a Yellowrump and 2 Scarlet Tanagers.

The field work for this 16th annual Little River IBA Count was done with comfortable temperatures ranging between 50˚-78˚F, breezy at times. The compilation was hosted by Joanne Fortin, gracious as always, and all who attended enjoyed the spirited conversation about the day’s adventures.

There were 7 teams and 11 observers in the field for a total of 57.75 hours.  This was the lowest number of total hours since the inception of the Count, with average hours coming in at 72.  So, it was no surprise that the total individuals counted was well below average, 2,587 compared with the average of 3,562.  However, the number of species counted at 112 was slightly higher than the average of 111.6.

Notably low species counts compared to average, with lowest count ever being noted with an asterisk, were for Wood Duck 5* (19), Mourning Dove 20* (49), Sapsucker 18 (35), Red-eyed Vireo 217 (308), Tree Swallow 22* (56), Veery 90* (145), Hermit Thrush 4* (24), Wood Thrush 23* (47), Chickadee 50* (88), Robin 61* (136), Ovenbird 189 (247), Black-and-white Warbler 52* (80), BT Blue 46* (85), Yellow-rumped 7* (17), BT Green 18* (55), Canada 6* (12), Cardinal 22 (44), Song Sparrow 40* (62), Rose-breast Grosbeak 6* (16), and Purple Finch 2* (8).  Misses of note include, Common Loon, DC Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Woodcock, Rock Pigeon, Mockingbird, YB Cuckoo, Kestrel, Mockingbird, Mourning Warbler, and Savanah Sparrow.  This year, high counts were set for Canada Goose (143), Green Heron (3), and Olive-sided Flycatcher (3).  The Sora and Pine Siskin were found for only the 5th time, Tennessee Warbler for the 4th time, and Common Nighthawk and Blackpoll for the first time.  Some of these results might be attributed to the Count being held a few days earlier than usual.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2019 June Count Results

Six participants met at Laughing Brook Audubon Sanctuary in Hampden at 7 am.  The weather, in the high 50’s to start, soon rose to the low 70’s under partly cloudy skies.  We birded until about 12:15 pm, getting a total of 52 species.  

After a brief look around the parking lot, small pond, and bridge area at Laughing Brook, we proceeded to North Road just to check for the bobolinks, then on to Hollow Road, Hampden which continues with the same name into Wilbraham.  We spent most of our birding time on this road.  

Highlights included good long looks at an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a good look at a Black-billed Cuckoo, two Bobolinks, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and warblers, Canada, Blackpoll, Chestnut-sided, and Prairie.  Male and female Scarlet Tanagers paraded and an Alder Flycatcher was heard by most, but not seen.  We also had a good looks at a Wood Thrush at eye level.  Several Veerys were heard, as well as Pewee and Carolina Wren.  Five Cedar Waxwings were both heard and seen.   It was a wonderful morning for birding!

Six participants met with an objective to glimpse the Cerulean Warbler.   Let me tell you right now, that we briefly heard and saw the bird.   Enough for me to tick it off my year list, but I will do the 'moderate' walk up the road with hopes to get a better view next time around.        

The Worm-eating Warbler?   Best view ever.   We stood on the road as the bird picked up nesting material on the opposite side of the road (eight feet away), sprang up to one branch, then another and then dropped to the ground to deposit the material in a hole.   It looked like a tiny elf home.  We watched it for quite a while and then proceeded to find that Cerulean.        

What next?  Vivid Indigo Bunting, Baltimore Oriole, Junco and female Scarlet Tanager - all viewed from the porch of Skinner House and looking down.   On the walk down, we cruised slowly, hoping to get that Cerulean.   We got the brief view, but also saw a Yellow-throated Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Black-throated Blue Warbler and perched Pewee do his thing.  Back down at the halfway house, we stopped to review any new birds after briefly watching the Worm-eating and listening to the Winter Wren.  The Cape May Warbler had stayed put while we walked uphill (did I forget to mention that?).  We watched a madly displaying Redstart (the female just picked up nesting material) and the nesting Phoebes and Chipping sparrows.   The Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched on the end of the bare branch looking like a bud.   In the end, we six birders recorded 36 species, enjoyed a sunny day and a good workout.

There were 14 teams and 29 observers out in Hampden County territories for the count held on May 17-18.  Together they recorded 138 species, which was just above average over the last ten years.

As is typical, most of the common species were near their recent or long-term average, but some were noticeably high or low.  There were especially high counts of Red-tailed Hawk, Least Sandpiper, Bank Swallows (also high last year), Black-and-white Warblers, Tennessee (high count since 1991) and Nashville Warblers, Redstarts, Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, Canada, and Wilson’s Warblers. To everyone’s surprise and delight, there were also high numbers of Raven (highest ever on count), Cape May (highest count since 1978), and Bay-breasted Warblers (highest since 1983), first count of Pectoral Sandpiper since 2013 and first count of Mourning Warbler since 2010.  

Species found in notably low numbers were many of our more common species, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Crow, Robin, Grackle, Cowbirds (yay!) and House Sparrows (yay!) and a few less common species, Chimney Swift, Rough-winged Swallow, White and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creeper, and Brown Thrasher.  Misses this year include Common Merganser, Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks, Junco, Black Duck, Bittern, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers.  Never any guarantees on those species.

Click below to view or download complete count results.

2019 May Count Results