Ashley Reservoir, Holyoke, MA. November 3rd, 2005.
| Purple Gallinule Porphyrula martinica. (Juvenile/first-winter)
| This bird was discovered
and documented by Al & Lois Richardson. They managed to get the word
out to Bob Bieda with enough daylight for Bob to get to the site and
take these excellent record shots at around 16:00hrs. The bird was
extremely approachable, favoring a tiny island of scrub by a well used
causeway in the middle of the reservoir. To the disappointment of many
who turned up the following the morning, the bird wasn't seen again.
| Purple Gallinules are rare in Western Massachusetts with only five documented records as follows;
May 19, 1929 in Enfield (before Quabbin was formed and submerged the town).
May 10 - June 17, 1935 in Agawam.
October 24 - 25, 1978 in Longmeadow (juvenile).
May 1, 1984 in Springfield (injured bird brought to Laughing Brook -
died later).
October 13 - 22, 1984 in Leverett (juvenile).
*Information kindly supplied by Seth Kellogg.
| All
images taken using a Panasonic Lumix digital camera, the first two
through a Kowa Telescope at x20. Courtesy of Bob Bieda.
|
|
