Glaucous Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.
Continuing bird with damaged let first seen on February 15th.
The last two weeks of February have seen continuing high numbers of gulls in the greater Turner's Falls area with gatherings of staging birds often split between the power canal, Unity Park, Barton Cove and the campground area, so the potential for as many as four separate flocks! Though frustrating at times, the overall numbers have been impressive peaking at around 950 gulls on the 20th. The basic composition has remained the same since mid-month with up to eight
Iceland Gulls (including 2 adults) and a
Glaucous Gull (first-cycle) continuing through to the 24th, along with the regular wintering adult
Lesser Black-backed Gull. A further unidentified dark-mantled gull appeared on the 18th for just one afternoon and, with a mantle tone intermediate between adult
Herring and
Lesser Black-backed Gulls, could well have been a
hybrid between those two species.
unidentified gull (right of center) - adult , Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018.
Quite dark mantled but not quite dark enough for graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Here with two Iceland Gulls (second-cycle and adult).
Three drake
Lesser Scaup appeared at Unity Park on the 18th, the first migrant waterfowl of note but somewhat overshadowed by a high-flying flock of 29
Northern Pintail over Unity Park on the 21st. As much as I can recall, that is by far, the largest flock of Northern Pintail that I've ever seen in the Turner's Falls area. The pintails arrived on an incredibly warm southern system that brought 70 degree temperatures to Franklin County and large numbers of
Canada Geese to Turner's Falls with over 850 of the latter dropping into Barton Cove. The last few days of the month saw up to seven
Ring-necked Ducks and a
Greater Scaup join the Common Goldeneye, Common and Hooded Mergansers already present, giving local waterfowl diversity a much needed boost.
Lesser Scaup - males, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018.
Northern Pintail - single flock of 29, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 21st, 2018.
An impressive sight to say the least, appearing out of the fog on a very warm morning.
Spectacular ice flows at Barton Cove,/Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 22nd, 2018.
Canada Geese - arriving from the south, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.
Iceland Gulls - first-cycle and two adults, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 24th, 2018.
Lesser Black-backed Gull - adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.
This lone bird continues to be a feature within the local gull flock.
Iceland Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.
Iceland Gulls - first-cycle at center, second-cycle at rear, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018.
Iceland Gull - first-cycle, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 20th, 2018.
Bald Eagle - adult, Turner's Falls, Franklin Co., MA. February 18th, 2018.
Present and very active with at least three pairs settling down to breeding.