Savannah Sparrow at Wachusett Reservoir, Gate 36, 11 November 2019, by Doug Wipf. Some of these usual migrants are lingering longer here than in past years, some staying through winter.
It seems appropriate to use Leap Day of the 2020 Leap Year to note some interesting nature sightings that preceded the early December 24-inch snowfall that took place before winter had actually arrived--an atypical calendar date to reflect the atypical course of our weather patterns. Heading into late autumn with a very wet October and some fine colors in the landscape, weather patterns overall continued to indicate that central Massachusetts is experiencing the same climate disruption as every other place on earth. In our neck of the woods that translated to overall warmer temperatures extending further into the autumn months. The impact on wildlife will become known over time. Meanwhile, here are sightings to add to the body of information.
 Doug Wipf's trail camera took a great picture of a Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) that exhibits two good identification features--the black streak along the top and to the end of the tail, and the stocky body shape. |  Sharp-shinned Hawk in October, Brimfield, by Bill Platenick. |
 Horned Lark in New Braintree, 16 November 2019. Photo by Alan Rawle. |  A White-throated Sparrow in Princeton on 15 October 2019. Photo by Doug Wipf. |  Bonaparte's Gull at Quabbin Gate 43, Hardwick, on 2 November 2019. Photo by Alan Rawle. |
Yellow-rumped Warbler with poison ivy and Oriental bittersweet berries, 26 October 2019, Hardwick. Photo by Alan Rawle.
 Emerging Monarchs were still present at the end of October. This female joined other pollinating insects on a late-blooming variety of hardy chrysanthemums in Hardwick on 26 October 2019.  A young buck White-tailed Deer visited Doug Wipf's Rutland yard in mid-November.  A Lapland Longspur was found amongst a small flock of Horned Larks on 16 November 2019 at Winimusset WMA in New Braintree.  Not encountered as often as in the eastern portion of the state, this Mute Swan was on the Quaboag River in West Brookfield on 20 November 2019. Photo by Alan Rawle, |  Wachusett Reservoir's Gate 40 hosted this hungry Eastern Bluebird on 4 November 2019. Photo by Doug Wipf.  Northern Mockingbird in West Brookfield on 20 October 2019. Photo by Alan Rawle.  A Cedar Waxwing enjoys a Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) berry on 9 November 2019 near Quabbin Reservoir.  One of several tricky-to-identify LBJs (little brown jobs) was this Swamp Sparrow found on 13 October 2019. Photo by Alan Rawle. |