Am. Woodcock and WW Scoter migrants

While some of the later migrants have just arrived in the past week including; Alder and Willow Flycatchers and Eastern Wood Peewees, many of the earlier arrivals and residents are settling down to their domestic chores. During lunch earlier this week I was fortunate to view and photograph an American Woodcock with a single chick, not far from Lake Dennison. The sea duck migration is still on and a few White-winged Scoters dropped in to Crystal lake during heavy fog on Monday the 18th.

Female Red-winged Blackbird in Gardner

A handsome American Goldfinch in its finest breeding plumage, at home.

Its always a treat to see scoters on inland bodies of water during migration, these White-winged Scoters  set down Crystal Lake on Monday 5/18 during heavy fog. They likely moved on as quickly as the fog burnt off. 

male Baltimore Oriole in Gardner

A female Common Yellowthroat

a male Chestnut-sided Warbler from Otter River State Forest

An American Woodcock chick, the tail end of the parent is to the left.

The parent Woodcock with its chick (just behind), staying inside the car helped to keep the birds at ease.

 

Late April to May 15th

Most migrants have returned to the area, here are a few photos from the last few weeks.

An adult male American Redstart at Crystal Lake Cemetery

Black and White Warbler from High Ridge WMA, in Gardener

A Magnolia Warbler from the Crystal Lake area.

This Savanah Sparrow was looking "sharp" at Sholan Farm in Leominster.

Eastern Kingbird in Baldwinville

Brown Thrasher, one of a pair at High Ridge WMA...collecting nesting material.

This Gray Catbird showed nicely at home.

Green Heron from Neighborhood Road within High Ridge WMA.

A handsome Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the yard.

Back on 4/21 I found a pair of Merlins in Gardner, that were checking out an old crow nest, the male had flown in with prey (a House Sparrow) to offer the female. They were present on subsequent days showing interst in the nesting site and each other. The male flew a "figure 8" pattern around the area and female waited and call from a prominent perch, were the male would join her and they mated several times. The scene has been more quiet in early May, but I did see the female on 5/08 on the edge of the nest, but I have yet to see her incubating, nor the male in the area. During the week of 5/11 I did not see them, on brief visits....so perhaps they have not "taken to" the site.

They seem to be "hitting it off" fairly well.

The separation after the "deed".

Female on the edge of the nest 5/8.

Mid- April

Early spring migrants continue to arrive such Pine, Palm and Yellow-Rumped Warblers; Louisiana Waterthrush and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. I have yet to see or hear a Black and White Warbler, but the next warm front should help aid their return.
 Bald Eagles continue to show well, particularly at Round Meadow Pond (Westminster), Broad-winged Hawks have are arriving and Osprey are still passing through.

Common Mergansers and a few Common Goldeneye continue to linger on a few bodies of water in the area, notably Crystal lake (Gardner) and some back-waters at High Ridge WMA. They will clear out of the area in the next week or two.

Its time to hang out the hummingbird feeders, as a few very early arrivals have been noted from lower elevations of Massachusetts; the main influx is usually the first week of May.

Below are a few photos from afield during the past week:

A pair of Common Mergansers at High Ridge WMA

A male Bufflehead on Lake Dennison

Osprey at Round Meadow Pond

male Northern Flicker

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Tree Swallow at High Ridge WMA

Ruby-crowned Kinglet at High Ridge WMA

a dorsal view of an "eastern" Palm Warbler

Front view of a different Palm Warbler

A handsome male Pine Warbler, in a pitch pine.

April 6 -12th North Central Mass.

Sunday 4/12 finally "broke open" as the first real day of spring, after another tough week of weather.

I birded around Westminster/Fitchburg a bit, on Sunday, with highlights being 3 immature Bald Eagles at Round Meadow Pond, 2 Glossy Ibis continuing at Monty Tech High School and 2 Osprey over Saw Mill Pond. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Palm Warblers and Hermit Thrushes have arrived too, but Pine Siskins are still lingering; and few redpolls were present on Friday 4/10. Tree Swallows are starting to inspect nest boxes, phoebes are wide spread and Great Blue Herons were at their nesting "stations" at a nearby colony. An adult Bald Eagle (the 4th of the day in town) was perched in that middle of the Great Blue colony , but the herons all remained calm.

 Many lakes and ponds are carrying a lot of ice, and there is still a good deal of snow in heavily shaded woodlands, but it does appear that spring has arrived.

Here are a few recent photos:

A female American Kestrel launching from a grave stone near the old Gardner Landfill.

Bald Eagle in Westminster, which was perched in the middle of a Great Blue Heron Colony.

Same as above...shot 2

Great Blue Herons, 1 of 15 nests in Westminster the left bird was letting out a squawk

Our 1st yard Purple Finch of 2015

Hermit Thrush along the Otter River in Baldwinville's "Back Bay", on a cold and miserable Wednesday 4/8.

Early April sightings

Much of the winter's heavy snow fall has melted in the past week and migration is starting to "catch up" a bit. Blackbirds are wide spread, waterfowl such as Green-wing Teal, Wood Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, Common and Hooded Mergansers are getting some open water. Eastern Phoebes and Tree Swallows are a welcome sight after the long winter.
  I was pleased to see an American Bittern at High Ridge Wildlife Management Area, on 4/5, along with a few Tree Swallows and Northern Flicker. Glossy Ibis are "rare but regular" migrants in Worcester County, but usually down on the Bolton Flats. The 3 were feeding on the Monty Tech (Westminetr/Fitchburg) athletic fields Sunday evening 4/5 were a great surprise, my previous "north county" sightings were summer sightings (post breeding season), both from Gardner.
   Are we sick of Bohemian Waxwings yet? I'm not and finding a flock of 150-175 along with Cedars was real nice, about 30 minutes before meeting up with the  "Glossies". This time in Leominster at an athletic field near Fallbrook Elementary School.
 A few photos are below:

American Bittern in flight

Glossy Ibis trio at Monty Tech

One of the trio preening, careful with that thing!

and srcatching

A Fox Sparrow in Templeton

Part of the Leominster Bohemian/Cedar Waxwing "clan"

Mostly Bohemians in this portion, they were spead in 3 different trees.