Lake Wallace, Belchertown

The morning was sunny and cool.  Thirteen members joined in and were able to identify a total of 44 species.

As we waited in the Dunkin parking lot for everyone to arrive for our walk, we had 13 species! Seen flying high: Red-tailed Hawk, Canada Geese, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron, and a couple of Mallards.  Spotted around the parking lot: Red-winged Blackbirds, Rock Pigeons, House and Song Sparrows, Goldfinch, Cardinal, and a few Starlings.  The star attraction was the Killdeer that kept walking back and forth on a very busy State Street!

The morning was sunny and cool and at Lake Wallace, we started at the viewing platform. Birds seen here: Red-winged Blackbirds, Double-crested Cormorants, a Green-winged Teal, a Common Merganser, Green Herons, a Solitary Sandpiper, Great Blue Herons (one on confirmed nest), Tree Swallows, Mourning Doves, and plenty of Catbirds.

The star attraction here was the Northern Flicker perched outside its nesting hole, displaying the use of its tail as a kickstand to stable itself. (Very cool for those who were watching this for the first time)!

As we continued our walk around Lake Wallace, around the playing fields and onto the trail in the wooded area in the back, more of the above-mentioned birds were seen plus the following: Carolina Wren, Grackles, Phoebes, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, and Warbling Vireos. The warblers seen were, Yellow-rumped, Yellow, Black-and-white, and Palm, also Common Yellowthroat and Ovenbird.

Other birds seen included Swamp and Chipping Sparrows, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadees, Raven, Crow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mockingbird, and the beautiful Eastern Bluebird and the Baltimore Oriole.

Great morning with a great group!