Saw-whet

It was a very pleasant day along the coast in Massachusetts today, we suffered few of the tremendous problems folks in the western portion of the state are contending with. The snow has all but disappeared and the 50 degree mid day temps found lots of birders out and about. I headed for the Parker River NWR with hopes of seeing a Rough-legged Hawk that has been reported in the area for a few weeks now. A stop at the North Pool Overlook and there it was.

I had stopped along the road just south of the Overlook to take this image as the hawk flew over and while taking it I heard several Black-capped Chickadees sternly scolding something a few hundred feet behind me along the road. A bit of searching and poof... there's the culprit.

An adorable little Northern Saw-whet Owl!

All of my views were obstructed but damn... these owls are cute!

Though I don't think the Chickadees feel the same...

A brief video as it roosted along the road.

A stop further down the Refuge at Hellcat found a Clay-colored Sparrow in very poor light.

and Emerson Rocks at Lot #7 was once again full of shorebirds, this Hudsonian Godwit was most cooperative. 

Yet another great day in the field!