Getting Ready for Atlasing!

With the Snow Buntings dwindling at Worcester Airport, we are definitely looking ahead to checking out blocks that need some special attention this year....the FINAL year of the Breeding Bird Atlas. We headed out to check a few blocks in Hampden County which need to have the species increased. Along the way we stopped to check the ponds in the Brookfields and had this beautiful immature Bald Eagle over the Quabog River.

We were able to pull off near the Rt. 148 bridge that's being repaired and got some great looks at the bird sailed over the flooded river checking for breakfast.

With everything being so flooded in the area, we were surprised to come across this pair of beaver out of the water. I thought they would be mating in their den, not out in public!

One of the new blocks we are checking out is in Monson, and we were excited to find 2 different adult Bald Eagles hanging out in an area suitable to support a nest.

The bird above is bird #1....we know that since eagle #2 below flew into the same tree and they exchanged places. We spent at least 30 minutes in the area and the bird was definitely acting like it was on territory.

As spring progresses we will have to revisit the area several times to see if we can find any indication of nesting vs. this being a bonded pair wintering in the same area.

We did, however, have great looks at a Red-bellied Woodpecker in a definite nest hole.

There were two birds in the area and they kept calling back and forth to each other.

We just pulled the car off the road and sat for a few minutes watching the comings and goings. The male flew off once or twice but always came back to the same hole calling for the female.

This will be an exciting spot to check in a month or so to see what nesting activity actually took place. I don't think I've ever found the actual nest of a Red-bellied, so it's definitely something to look forward to.

Enjoy......Sheila