I have not had a lot of chances to get out lately due to work and staying home with Wilson as he recovers from his surgery. I decided to get out the door early this morning and make the trip over to Westfield in Hampden County to check on the breeding Hooded Warblers there. This is the only consistently productive location for the species anywhere in the valley and they have been breeding at the location for several years. I only had a couple hours to make it over there, find the birds and then get back home so Wilson would not be alone for long. I arrived there around 5:30 and started my walk up the mountain. As I was walking up I noticed several species that seemed agitated and I figured a predator of some sort was nearby. After walking a little further a young Eastern Coyote popped out ever so briefly before quickly disappearing back into the woods...predator mystery solved! After a bit of looking and listening I heard a Hooded Warbler chipping in a dense area of mountain laurel and I got a few brief looks at a female and then shortly afterward a male. The female was collecting food so I suspect they have a nest of young somewhere nearby. There was no singing at all from the Hooded Warblers but I suppose if they are busy feeding young in the nest the urge to sing is not as strong as it would be otherwise. I wish I had more time to search further for additional pairs as I'm certain there are others present beyond the ones I saw. I got a few crummy photos in bad light but I was happy to get any shots at all.
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