Spent the day birding around Quabbin and my yard in Belchertown. Overall a nice day, with a good variety of birds. The afternoon provided better photo moments around the yard and feeder.

Good Birding,
Scott
Hermit Thrush

Song Sparrow

Wild Turkeys

Wild Turkeys

Ring-necked Pheasant

Tufted Titmouse

White-throated Sparrow

Hairy Woodpecker

Blue Jay

Purple Fimch-female

Purple Finch-Male

White-breasted Nuthatch

Cape Cod Weekend

Eight members of the Hampshire Bird Club birded the outer Cape this weekend. The weather was simply outstanding and this land loving group even ventured out on a Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch. We finished with 102 species- Highlights included..Eurasian Wigeon, Rough-legged Hawk and the Broad-billed Hummingbird in Dennis.

Areas covered: Provincetown-Beach Forest, Herring Cove & Whale Watch.
Truro-High Head/Eastham-Fort Hill/Coast Guard Beach/Marsh, Dennis & Marston Mills.

Canada Goose (5)
Mute Swan (7)
Wood Duck (2)
Gadwall (1)
Eurasian Wigeon (1) M.Mills
American Wigeon (67) M.Mills
Am.Black Duck (21)
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal (5) M.Mills
Green-winged Teal (15) P'Town/Eastham
Common Eider (60)
Surf Scoter (72)
White-winged Scoter (57)
Red-breasted Merganser (26)
Wild Turkey (17)
Red-thr.Loon (1)
Common Loon (2)
Cory's Shearwater (29)
Greater Shearwater (22)
Northern Gannet (67)
Double-crested Cormorant (400+)
Great Cormorant (4) P'town
Great Blue Heron (11)
Great Egret (6)
Black-crowned Night-heron (2)
Northern Harrier (1)
Cooper's Hawk (3)
Red-tailed Hawk (3)
Rough-legged Hawk (1-Truro/High Head)
American Coot (2)
Black-bellied Plover (80)
Semi Plover (7) Eastham
Greater Yellowlegs (200+)
Lesser Yellowlegs (2)
Solitary Sandpiper (1) Beach Forest
Red Knot (2)
Sanderling (21)
Semi Sandpiper (34)
Dunlin (80)
Laughing Gull- hundreds-P'town
Bonaparte's Gull (5)
Ring-billed Gull (83)
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Tern -Hundreds/P'town
Alcid Sp. (2) probably Razorbills. Whale Watch.
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Broad-billed Hummingbird (1) Still putting on a great show!
Belted Kingfisher (3)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (3)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2)
Downy Woodpecker (2)
Hairy Woodpecker (2)
N.Flicker (11)
Blue-headed Vireo (2)
Red-eyed Vireo (3)
Blue Jay (75)
American Crow
Fish Crow (5) Wellfleet
Tree Swallow (300+) Truro
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse (15)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (2)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1)
Brown Creeper (1)
Carolina Wren (3)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (22)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (4)
Hermit Thrush (2)
Am. Robin
Gray Catbird (6)
No.Mockingbird (1)
E.Starling
American Pipit (6)
Cedar Waxwing (11)
Tennesse Warbler (1)
Nashville Warbler (1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (60)
Black-thr,Green Warbler (1)
Pine Warbler (1)
Palm Warbler (5-Western)
Blackpoll Warbler (6)
Common Yellowthroat (1)
Wilson's Warbler (1)
E.Towhee (2)
Chipping Sparrow (2)
Savannah Sparrow (4)
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow (2)
White-thr.Sparrow (14)
White-crowned Sparrow (12)
D.E. Junco (4)
No.Cardinal (8+)
Red-winged Blackbird (13)
Common Grackle (24)
Baltimore Oriole (2)
Purple Finch (4)
House Finch (10)
Pine Siskin (35)
Am.Goldfinch
House Sparrow


Yellow-rumped Warbler

Provincetown

Race Point-Provincetown

Harbor Seal

Greater Shearwater


Humpback Whales

White-winged Scoters

Great Cormorants

Nauset Marsh

Savannah Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow-Imm

Semipalmated Sandpipers

The Group-Hemenway Road, Eastham

Broad-billed Hummingbird Broad-billed Hummingbird

Eurasian Wigeon- Marston Mills


Good Birding,

Scott

Monhegan Island

Monhegan Island, Maine

Monhegan Island, Maine
September 25-29, 2008


Val and I recently returned from one of my favorite birding spots in New England, Monhegan Island. This tiny Island is located about ten miles off the coast of Maine just beyond the fringes of Muscongus Bay. Not only is this place one of the finest migrate traps in New England, but is charming beyond belief. Our hour and fifteen minute trip from Port Clyde (weather wise) was uneventful. The unusual birds were encountered on the way out…Black Guillemonts, Double-crested Cormorants, Northern Gannets, Imm. Bald Eagle, and three to four Harbor Porpoises were a nice surprise.

Northern Gannet
Passing lighthouse from Port Clyde to Monhegan

Once on the Island, we loaded ours bags and headed to the Trailing Yew Inn. The next morning was overcast and ultimately would be the best weather day until our departure on Monday. From Friday afternoon until very first thing Monday morning-The weather was your basic “terrible”. Light to heavy rain and dense Fog were the norm for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Despite this wonderful weather, we had a great time, but the birds were scarce and the ones we did encounter-did not come easy.

Some of the early highlights…Lark Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow at Tom Martin’s feeding station, Yellow Breasted Chat at Burnt Head, (2) Cape May and (1) Tennessee Warbler. However, things picked up considerably on Sunday morning, September 28th at 10:00AM. While birding near the Monhegan Library, Valerie and I found a Hermit Warbler. This far western Warbler is currently thought to be a first state record for Maine. Not long after we flagged down Kristen Lindquist and got her on the bird. This bird was less than cooperative, only allowing solid, but quick views. We also informed two other large birding groups, but despite there efforts, were unable to relocate the bird.
Not until after we returned home, did we hear that Becky Marvil also found the bird and snapped two good shots of the warbler. (Nice job Becky)

The next day, Monday…the winds shifted Sunday night and brought in a whole lot of migrates. Bald Eagles (2) Merlins, Peregrines, Blue-headed, Philadelphia and loads of Red-eyed Vireo’s, numerous Blackpoll Warblers, and several Dickcissel’s.

Even with terrible weather….the Monhegan mystique shins through.


Clay-colored Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Lark Sparrow Trailing Yew Meadow/Marsh-Another Foggy morningRing-necked Pheasant Merlin Double-crested Cormorant Blackpoll Warbler Blue headed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Osprey

Swim Beach-Monhegan Island, Maine

Monhegan Island & Harbor



Good birding,

SDS