September finally ends

Common Yellowthroat, Silvio Conte NWR- Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 30, 2026

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Sep 30, 2026

American Redstart, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2026

The shitty month of September has finally come to an end and with it the warbler migration is on the rapid downhill slide.  I normally love September but with the loss of my best buddy Wilson on the 10th the month has been less than stellar for me.  I have certainly tried to get out as much as possible and birding has certainly helped a bit but it has been a tough month.  I managed a total of 26 species of warbler for the month (all in Hampshire County).  I'm hopeful October will be better and I'm in the midst of finishing up a warbler program for the Hampshire Bird Club that I will present on October 13th.  The topic will be warblers of Mexico...more on the program later.

Warbler migration continues as September wears on

Pine Warbler, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 22, 2026

Bay breasted Warbler, Ware, MA, Sep 20, 2026

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Belchertown, MA, Sep 12, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 12, 2026

American Redstart, Belchertown, MA, Sep 11, 2026

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Sep 11, 2026

I have tried to get out as much as possible to try to keep my mind off the recent loss of my long term birding buddy Wilson but it has been tough.  He was my near constant companion and most places I visit remind me of him.  To say it has been a tough couple weeks is an understatement and trying to find joy has been an uphill climb.  Warbler migration has peaked as the third week of September has come and gone.  Without my good camera (which broke recently and just added to a shitty September) I have tried to lug around my old Canon 7D without a lot of success as far as capturing warblers...I honestly have not even tried to download the photos I have captured yet.  Although still on the hunt for a Connecticut Warbler in the county for the year I have had a decent selection of warblers including a few late species and high counts among the 25 species so far.  Perhaps I will add a few more photos when I get a chance but for now I just have some captures I got with my phone plus a few before my good camera broke...better than nothing I suppose.

A huge loss with the passing on my best buddy Wilson

Wilson resting on his last morning, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 10, 2026

Wilson enjoying one of his favorite things one last time...deck water!, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 10, 2026

Wilson checking out the geese, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, May 9, 2025

 

Wilson ready for Halloween, Belchertown, MA, Oct 31, 2025

Wilson exploring in the snow, Belchertown, MA, Jan 8, 2024

Wilson ready for the eclipse, Home, Belchertown, MA, Apr 8, 2024

Wilson getting a laser treatment after surgery, Jul 5, 2023

Wilson in the snow, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 26, 2022

Playing ball with Wilson, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 14, 2022

 

Wilson enjoying a fall day, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Oct 12, 2022

Wilson playing with the deflated soccer ball, Home, Belchertown, MA, Feb 2, 2022

Wilson, Belchertown Land Trust trail, Belchertown, MA, Dec 4, 2019

Wilson surveying the world from on top of a snowbank, Home, Mar 7, 2015

Wilson ready for the 4th of July, Belchertown, MA, July 3, 2015

Wilson trying to find something under the snow, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, Feb 7, 2014

Wilson trying to figure out what a Painted Turtle is, Belchertown, July 15, 2013

The post today is all about my boy Wilson.  We had to make the very difficult decision to end his suffering yesterday.  He had declined fairly rapidly the last couple weeks and we always said we would never let him suffer and the decision would be based on his quality of life.  He was part of our family for over 15 years and he made it to just shy of 15 1/2 years on this planet.  Wilson came to us via an Australian Shepard rescue group from a farm in West Virginia.  We met him in Connecticut in early July 2011 when he was a four month old pup named Wally (we knew that name just didn't fit him so after lots of discussion he became Wilson).  After losing our old boy Kody in March 2010 we had tried a few other dogs briefly but none fit in (or we were just not ready for a new dog at the time).  We were not totally convinced on taking a chance on this pup but we did anyway because he was so damn cute.  He was a difficult boy to deal with early on as he not been socialized properly early on so had a variety of behavior issues when dealing with new situations or people and he would go on 'walk strikes' when he would refuse to continue on a walk!  We dealt with his issues and eventually he became a great dog that loved those closest to him.  He had a laundry list of medical issues over the years and was on various meds for almost his whole life.  In the last five years he fought a cancer diagnosis and multiple surgeries and always seemed to bounce back.  We had many difficult medical decisions to make over the years for him and in the end we feel we made the right choices with the goal always being quality of life for him, even if it meant less time with him.  He had quite a life and was my constant companion on our daily walks.  We had so many adventures over the years that to recall them all would fill volumes.  I spent more time with him over the years then I spent with anyone else by a fair margin.  Our only disagreement was the fun that winter and snow provided...he loved it and I hated it!  I already miss him beyond what words can express and I feel completely and totally lost without him.  He is now free of pain and I hope he had met up with Kody and they are playing and running around.

Warblers to start September

Tennessee Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 4, 2026

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Sep 4, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Ware, MA, Sep 4, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Sep 4, 2026

American Redstart, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Sep 3, 2026

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Sep 2, 2026

Black throated Blue Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 2, 2026

Pine Warbler, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Sep 2, 2026

Despite less than ideal weather to start September including a couple days of rain and mainly southerly winds, warblers were on the move and I have had a 17 species so far.  The early departing species (mainly those at the limit of their breeding range and Louisiana Waterthrushes) are gone south at this point and more and more species from the north continue to filter in.  I predict a decent arrival of new species over the next couple nights as migration conditions improve.  

August comes to an end

Wilson's Warbler, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Aug 31, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Aug 31, 2026

Magnolia Warbler, Rail Trail, Ware, MA, Aug 31, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Ware, MA, Aug 31, 2026

Magnolia Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 30, 2026

Canada Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 30, 2026

Black throated Blue Warbler, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Aug 30, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 29, 2026

Blackburnian Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2026

Black throated Green Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2026

Tennessee Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 29, 2026

August featured a few early arrivals but overall the migration had been fairly slow for the month with the exception of the last few mornings when I finally had some decent mixed flocks with a number of obvious migrants.  One reason for the lack of catching up with as much earlier in the month was likely due to a bumper crop of mosquitoes lately that has curtailed some birding for me as stopping at any point results in multiple bites (even with loads of DEET on).  Hopeful the next month will bring lots of warblers and fewer mosquitoes...time will tell. 

Third week of August comes to an end

Chestnut sided Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2026

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Ware, MA, Aug 20, 2026

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 18, 2026

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Aug 16, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Belchertown, MA, Aug 16, 2026

Black throated Green Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Aug 14, 2026

Northern Yellow Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 12, 2026

Common Yellowthroat, Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Aug 12, 2026

Warbler migration continues to slowly increase as more and more species join mixed species flocks and grow increasingly quiet with very little warbler song occurring as the third week of August comes to a close.  Some species have already largely vacated the area including Louisiana Waterthrushes and those at the northern limit of their breeding ranges.  I have been out as much as I can be but the mosquito population has exploded here and even with heavy amounts of bug spray it has been tough to bird.  I have had 21 warbler species so far for the month and hope to add a few more as migrants continue to trickle in from the north.