I started off the month of December trying to track down any lingering warbler species and the weather was fairly cooperative overall for the first two days of the month. I started the beginning of the month at Great Pond in Hatfield trying to track down the Nashville Warbler that continued at the location through at least the 26th. Despite my best efforts over the course of two hours I failed to turn it up. Not really too surprising as it has been so cold lately and the species should be long gone by now and much further south. Nonetheless I found a few other non warblers species lingering in the area that are getting late including a Ruby crowned Kinglet and three White crowned Sparrows. After my time in Hatfield I headed south with a stop along the river in Hadley in search of Yellow rumped Warblers. This stop was more productive for warblers and I found at least four continuing in the area and got some photos. These warblers extended my streak to a whopping 80 months straight of finding at least one warbler species in Hampshire County.
My final stop for the morning on the first was to Winsor Dam with the target being Pine Warblers. I got super lucky with this species as I not only found them right away I also had an incredible eight individuals of various plumages! A really unprecedented number to still be in the area to start off December. There are many years when there are none to be found at all by this date. The Pine Warblers added another milestone for the year as I now have found at least two species of warblers in the county for all twelve months of the year...something I have never done before.
On the second I headed out with the mission being trying to find a late Common Yellowthroat for the month. Sadly despite checking multiple areas I came up empty for the species. The weather didn't help with fog and low clouds. I actually didn't find a single warbler for the morning.
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