Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Third week of August comes to an end

Wilson's Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2024
Wilson's Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2024
Tennessee Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2024
Bay breasted Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2024
Blue winged Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2024
American Redstart, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 21, 2024

I ended the third week of August guiding a birder (Bindhu) visiting from India today.  After a cold front moved through overnight Monday and into Tuesday and then northerly winds all day Tuesday and overnight into this morning I had high hopes to get some decent migrants and we were not disappointed.  The morning started off very fall like with temps in the upper 40's.  On cool morning like this during fall migration finding a spot where the sun starts hitting the trees early can prove productive.  We made it over to Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River after a brief birding stop elsewhere and although it started off a little slow the activity picked up as it continued to warm up and we eventually had eleven species of warblers including multiple early arriving migrants including a Tennessee Warbler, two Bay breasted Warblers travelling together and a Wilson's Warbler.  Several of the warbler species were life birds for Bindhu and I was happy to turn up some good ones for her.  During a walk with Wilson late in the morning I added another Tennessee Warbler (shaping up to be a very good fall for the species) and a Pine Warbler, giving me an even dozen species for the day.

Ovenbird, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 20, 2024
Chestnut sided Warbler, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 20, 2024
Canada Warbler, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Aug 20, 2024

Yesterday morning I had free time with no work or other commitments and had some decent warblers before the winds kicked up mid morning and made tracking down birds a bit tough.  I had a total of 13 species with yet another early Tennessee Warbler.  Several birds were still singing at least partial songs but most were silent.  My best mixed flock for the morning was in Ware along the rail trail.

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