Sunday, August 10th.
Birded around the Hadley & Northampton (East Meadows) area. The highlight of the morning was an Upland Sandpiper (No Photo) at Alumni Stadium in Hadley. Outside of Westover A.F.B in Chicopee- This bird is very hard to come by. Unfortunately the Upland didn't hang around to long....flushed up by early morning dog walkers, last seen heading off into the early morning fog.
Other highlights around the Stadium - (1) Great Blue Heron, Willow Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers and about 100 Red-winged Blackbirds.
After the Stadium, I headed over to Venture Way in Hadley. I bit more birdy than the Stadium. highlights - (2) Imm Red-tailed Hawks,Eastern Kingbirds, Northern Mockingbirds (9), Gray Catbirds, House Wrens, Red-eyed Vireo and Co.Yellowthroats. Hawks,Eastern Kingbirds, Northern Mockingbirds (9), Gray Catbirds, House Wrens, Red-eyed Vireo and Co.Yellowthroats.
The last stop of the morning was the East Meadows in Northampton. Not a lot out there, but the two highlights were (2) Least Sandpipers and (16) Indigo Buntings. (majority were males) Generally-Least Sandpipers are not to hard to find this time of year in the Valley, but with all the rain thi
s summer -mud flats are non-existent. So a first for the fall season.
Northern Mockingbird
later in the day I photographed Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at our feeders and plants.
Good birding,
SDS
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
