Category: nature

Wednesday 11/5: Started at the West Meadow. No good sparrows but a Hermit Thrush, flyover bluebirds, a couple Purple Finches, etc. Whacked around some back corners of BBN after and didn’t have much to note.

Thursday 11/6: Plans to try for Cave Swallow at Great Meadows were ruined by a report of an Empid at the duck ponds. Started at the res first, loon was about it. Got to the ponds and wandered back and forth for an hour and a half or so without any luck. Did have a Hermit Thrush, bunch of turkeys, and a sapsucker at least.

Friday 11/7: Great Meadows in case a Cave Swallow was still passing through. None obviously but coot, 11 Turkey Vultures, a Peregrine, a Palm Warbler, etc. Gave the duck ponds 15 minutes on the way home without anything.

Saturday 11/8: Started at Lake Q in Wakefield. Thought it was just gulls for a bit but eventually noticed a Long-tailed Duck swimming in the middle. Drove around and had a couple Ruddy at the south end. Continued to Audubon Rd which had a few ducks, a coot, a PB Grebe, etc. From here, on to Horn Pond. First pass of the garden pond didn’t have the Green Heron but I did pick out a barely visible snipe. Looped over to the pines and then back and the heron was running around in the open. Quick check of the duck ponds again still had nothing. Afternoon loop of the res had 300+ ducks, mostly Ring-necks but first of fall goldeneye and a few others among them (and they were in a shady corner so there could have been more).

Sunday 11/9: Planned on an inland Suffolk day but started at Magazine Beach. Nothing particularly exciting (at least assuming the odd call was a mockingbird). Got some messages about a big loon flight in Quincy, so decided to head to the coast. Revere Beach was the easiest to get to, so started there. Nothing much flying around, a few ducks, loons, and grebes on the water plus Horned Larks over the beach and some gannets mostly way out. Continued to Winthrop Beach where there was a loon flight off and on. Also had the oystercatchers and a kestrel. Fenway next, but after multiple loops without parking and construction detours, I gave up and went to Mt. Auburn instead. Mobbed there but the Meadow Rd. section was fairly quiet. Lots of sparrows including a Chipping and 2 Field plus a RC Kinglet in the 40 minutes I spent.

Monday 11/10: Fresh Pond in the rain wasn’t the best decision. Merlin, Nashville, 6 Lesser Scaup, so not too bad other than getting soaked. Quite a few Ruddy and a bunch of Bufflehead at Hardy.

Tuesday 11/11: Didn’t come up with a better idea for the holiday than a walking day, which was fine until the wind picked up. Falzone had a bluebird and bunch of waxwings. Fox Sparrow at one end of the West Meadow boardwalk and a late Lincoln’s at the other. Nothing much at BBN, few ducks, more waxwings, etc. Wind was up by then and the walk home had very little. Did a res loop (barely any birds) then Nine Acre (zero) and Flint’s (5 Common Mergansers, first of fall).

Wednesday 10/29: Rather dark so started a pond loop. Two grebes out in the middle of the res turned out to be Pied-billed. Five GW Teal and a bunch of Hoodies at the speed bump. Nothing at Flint’s. Continued to Wetherbee (nothing) and School St. where the Cackling Geese were around. Also a bunch of pipits, a few larks, etc.

Thursday 10/30: Another pond loop. Res had just about zero, as did Spy Pond. Quick scan at the dam at the Mystic Lakes had an eagle up close but not much else. Sandy Beach had the egret (thanks Janet) and a Red-necked Grebe (‘commute’ #189) plus a warbler that looked a bit interesting and what was probably a swallow go over. Ran back to the dam to tell Janet about the grebe and heard about a loon there but didn’t have time to wait for it to reappear.

Friday 10/31: Tried for the Dickcissels and Clay-colored at Mt. Auburn. No luck with either. Eagle, sharpie, 26+ Purple Finches weren’t bad. Lots of common sparrows too.

Saturday 11/1: Tried to get Maynard to 50 in the wind. Started on Rockland Ave where I quickly got junco and White-throat. Worked the conservation trails and added Winter Wren and Red-winged Blackbird but couldn’t dig up anything else. Continued to Mill Pond where there was a Hoodie. Checked the ponds along the rail trail and walked the woods just off it but only managed to add Golden-crowned Kinglet, so only got 5 additions and still have 4 to go.

Saw that the White-winged Scoters were still being seen at Wachusett, so headed out there. Found them at a distance but the sun and wind made looking at the water pretty tough. Walked down a ways and had a buckeye flying around. Got almost to gate 36 without much more, so doubled back and the Ipswich Sparrow soon appeared. Got some nice views and a couple decent photos. Went down to 25 and had no birds on the water at all, then gave a quick run down towards the rail trail without anything else.

Sunday 11/2: Started at Squantum Point Park. Purple Finch, tons of robins, ton of goldfinches, first Tree Sparrow of the fall. Walked down to Fedex and had a scaup on the river. Continued to Commander Shea. No luck with sparrows but an egret flew over and there was a Ring-neck, first of fall Bufflehead, and a few sparrows. Got some messages about another Nelson’s at Millennium so went there instead of elsewhere in Squantum. Arrived to find the bird hadn’t been seen for a bit and a lot of waiting didn’t reveal it or much else. Did walk up to the top lot a couple times and eventually got the Clay-colored at least.

Monday 11/3: Tried for the Mt. Auburn Dickcissel again. Odd sound on the way over proved to be a flat tire, so didn’t have too long. Looped the general area a few times and found lots of White-throats and juncos but no target bird. Did get the Nashville and a Hairy at least before crawling to the mechanic across the street.

Tuesday 11/4: Tire was bad, so only had a chance for a quick trip of the res (4 Ruddy, 35 Hoodies) and Hardy (20 Ruddy).

Wednesday 10/22: Too wet, nothing around the res.

Thursday 10/23: Nothing unusual but lots of birds at Lindentree and St. Anne’s. Three PB Grebes and two possibly interesting dabblers at the res.

Friday 10/24: Ton of birds but nothing out of the usual at Weston Station Pond. Five coots on the res.

Saturday 10/25: Did some northern town listing. Started at Pawtucket Farm in Lowell, which was a nice little sanctuary. Lots of finches, sparrows, etc, couple Hermit Thrushes, a few Yellow-rumps, and a bit more, got 11 for Lowell. Hunter Property in Tyngsboro next, not as many sparrows but a Red-shoulder was nice. Seven additions here.

Next up was the actual target, Dunstable. Went to Arched Bridge and made a big loop with not much beyond meadowhawks. Just as I was back on the path out, a Purple Finch came over, town 29 at 100!

Thought about the land trust property or ducking into Nashua but decided on Vietnam Veterans Park instead. Trail was pretty quiet, so went back to the pond. Few teal and some Killdeer, then picked up another shorebird that looked interesting so I went back for the scope. In the scope it looked longer winged than I had thought, and eventually it flew a bit to confirm White-rump.

Run around the res later had 35+ Ring-necks.

Sunday 10/26: Plan today was Wachusett Res then try to get Maynard to 50. Started at gate 40 where a flock of Black Scoters was immediately visible. Eventually picked out a couple Surf with them, but not a ton else. Went around to 36, where there were more scoters and a Long-tailed Duck (plus close to 2000 grackles). Decided to go around to 8. Found a similar scoter flock and another to the south that had 2 Long-tails and looked like it may have had some White-wings. Looped around (FOF Fox Sparrow on the way) and couldn’t find them.

Not enough time to walk much at this point and I wanted to check for further scoters, so abandoned the Maynard idea and went to Nagog, where I had a flock of 17. Flint’s had nothing and the res had just the usual (had they left or was it just too far east?).

Monday 10/27: Thought about Mt. Auburn for the sparrow flock that’s been seen but went for Danehy instead. Not too bad, Merlin, Purple Finch, Field Sparrow or two. Ruddy on Spy Pond on the way home.

Tuesday 10/28: Nice male Purple Finch at Cookson. Lots of birds at the square although nothing exciting.

Wednesday 10/15: Started at Ricci. Couple Cooper’s moving around and otherwise lots of common stuff but nothing of note (beyond a possible siskin). Had time for Hobbs Brook too, 4ish Pecs and a Spotted by the overpass, 20+ pipits by the road, 10 GW Teal in between.

Thursday 10/16: Traffic was too much to get to Mt. Auburn, so BBN it was. Three GW Teal on the water, a few Rusties on the edge, lots of Yellow-rumps around. Decided to go to the boardwalk instead of up the hill. Had a Purple Finch or three and a siskin plus more Yellow-rumps but no interesting sparrows. Bushwhacked to Dawes and finished early, so went to the res and Hardy and had nothing at either.

Friday 10/17: No luck with Dickcissel at Horn Pond. White-crowned, RE Vireo, coots, etc.

Saturday 10/18: With no spoonbill news, went to Millennium to b partway in case it turned back up. Started with siskin and flyover Purple Finches. Odd buzzy call had me about to add a Dickcissel to my Suffolk list, but eventually caught it flying off and it was a meadowlark. Circled around the top in case it hung around but no luck. Virginia Rail and BH Vireo on the BH Trail and then a Marsh Wren and Nashville working back to the car. Ended up with 7 Suffolk year birds.

Continued to Allandale Woods, for yet another Pileated dip. Had another vireo and Nashville but not much else beyond a perched Purple Finch. Res on the way home had a loon.

Sunday 10/19: Slightly early start worked out as I got to Belle Isle about 10 minutes before the ibis flew off. Circled around after and wasn’t much beyond lots of sparrows, although a BH Vireo by the parking lot was another new one for me here. Started towards Winthrop Beach but decided to pull in at Lewis Lake. Bobolink was a surprise there but not much else. Looped around at Winthrop Beach and eventually found the lark flock, which proceeded to fly around a lot and get lost in the swallows. They finally landed and the longspur was with them. Also had an interesting sparrow that looks pretty good for Ipswich. Decided to give the cemetery a loop in case the ibis was back. Nothing towards the greenway and not much looking out at Belle Isle. Went through the stump dump and had 2 Field Sparrows on the way back to the car.

Monday 10/20: Arlington Res had a Gadwall among the ducks but nothing else of note. Ruddy, wigeon, etc at Cambridge Res.

Tuesday 10/21: Dunback had tons of White-throats, robins, Yellow-rumps, etc plus 2 Orange-crowns and an interesting Buteo.

Wednesday 10/8: Wasn’t raining so I headed towards Great Meadows, but it started as I was passing Minuteman, so went to Flint’s instead. Nothing there, on to the res. Turned onto Smith St and the deluge started. Went around anyway, but just about impossible to see anything.

Thursday 10/9: Lone Tree Hill had a couple Winter Wrens and lots of common stuff. Rock Meadow had not much in the gardens. Hardy Pond had the leaf truck, so went to the res and had a Black Scoter and 25 Ring-necks.

Friday 10/10: Danehy was on the quiet side, Red-shoulder, 165ish cormorants going over, common sparrows, etc. Bunch of Ruddy at Hardy.

Saturday 10/11: Started at Westborough. Flyover pipit, GH Owl (Worcester bird finally), Nashville, 6 Pecs, an oriole, etc. Bartlett Pond quickly had nothing. Weston Pond had soccer, so went right to the bike trail in Holliston. Took a bit more effort than I expected but got past 50, so just Maynard to go. Nothing much at Heard or the res on the way home.

Sunday 10/12: Waltham St. had coyotes responding to a fire truck, 2 White-crowns, and not too much else. Walked the path around Dilboy and saw next to nothing. Got back to the parking lot and a sharpie flew over, so I went the other way long enough to get a titmouse, for #100 in Somerville (town 28). Alewife had a Rusty, then the rain started, nothing at Spy or the res.

Monday 10/13: Too wet generally but while out and about, there were 11 Wood Ducks along the Charles by Charlesbank and 4 PB Grebes at the res.

Tuesday 10/14: Still kinda lousy, so went for shorebirds at Great Meadows over Clay-colored at Arlington Res. Cambridge Res first didn’t have much. Nothing but snipe (and maybe Pec) for shorebirds but a couple White-crowns and a Clay-colored were nice. Also a presumed longspur going over.

Wednesday 10/1: Birdy at Rock Meadow although nothing too exciting. First juncos of the fall, a probable Bay-breast, tanager, etc.

Thursday 10/2: Stayed in

Friday 10/3: Got frustrated by the Western Tanager at Mt. Auburn. Had a Scarlet and a second tanager very high up in a hickory, fairly sure I got a hint of wing bars, but nothing more. Also Blackpoll, redstart, FOF Golden-crowned Kinglet, BH Vireo, etc.

Saturday 10/4: Down to Plymouth. Also lot of knot and other shorebirds, etc.

Sunday 10/5: Wayland Community Gardens had 2 sapsuckers, 4 Lincoln’s, a Nashville, etc. Water Row had Rusties. Dickcissel at Waltham St. Wigeon at the res early, Ring-necks in the afternoon.

Monday 10/6: Got the Pecs and pipits at Arlington Res, nothing much else of note there.

Tuesday 10/7: Blackpolls, FOF RC Kinglet, and a RE Vireo at Cookson, more Blackpolls at the square.

Wednesday 9/24: Lousy conditions, so perfect for Great Meadows. Started with about 45 minutes on the platform and had a couple harriers and Palm Warblers but not much else. Walked to the river without much, then came back and had 2 plovers circle over.

Thursday 9/25: Pond loop had nothing.

Friday 9/26: Rock Meadow had a few warblers (including a probable Connecticut to go with the 2 Lily had next door), a sapsucker, etc. PB Grebe on the res.

Saturday 9/27: Started at Deer Island. First bird was a sapsucker flying over, then a BT Blue, which meant I got here way too late. Few more warblers around the close hill, a Lincoln’s, and not too much else. At least two Sachems were nice too and somehow the titmice that buzzed by were new for me here.

Winthrop Beach next was a waste of time (although a titmouse calling across the street was new here too). Fisherman’s Bend also added titmouse plus a few Black-bellied Plovers, a White-rump, a few Semis (both), and two oystercatchers. Earhart on the way home had a handful of warblers.

Sunday 9/28: Went up to North Reading to try to get that to 50. Started at a corner of Harold Parker State Forest that was just over the line. Picked up a decent bit, nothing terribly exciting (if the Rusty singing was closer to feel confident however…). Continued to Ipswich River Park which added Red-tail and phoebe. Drove over to Martin’s Pond and saw nothing, but the shopping plaza had starlings and pigeons to get to the mark. Brief stop at the Lynnfield Marshes didn’t have too much.

Monday 9/29: No luck with Connecticuts at BBN but did have FOF Yellow-rumps plus turkeys, a Winter Wren, and a few other things.

Tuesday 9/30: Went to Ricci. Looped the front field and immediately had a Connecticut. Texted Cliff, then looped the rest (BT Green, Black-and-white, BH Vireo, Indigo, not too much else). Got back to the front just as he arrived, we walked the edge without much. I split off to check the further corner, he ducked in and had nothing. Got back and the bird immediately popped up. Also a parula, RE Vireo, Cooper’s here..

Wednesday 9/17: Kaveski/Meriam’s had first of fall White-throat and Lincoln’s but not much else. Drove past Flint’s on the way back, saw something big so stopped. Dove funny and I couldn’t place it at all so walked to a better opening and eventually realized it was an otter and not a bird. Res had a Spotted Sandpiper and not much else.

Thursday 9/18: Slightly nicer than I hoped at Great Meadows, no flyover shorebirds. Five Killdeer, a snipe, 2 GW Teal, a bit more.

Friday 9/19: GH Owl, Pileated, waterthrush, Lincoln’s at Dunback.

Saturday 9/20: Out to Watatic. Nothing in a very quick Fitchburg Res check. Hike up was quiet other than a harrier in the WMA field by the parking area. First couple hours were slow, then things got a bit crazy as close to 2000 Broad-wings went through in a couple hours around noon. Good numbers of Osprey and kestrels too. Walk down had next to nothing. Loon was on Flint’s on the way home.

Sunday 9/21: Millennium didn’t have much, Sharpie and kingfisher were Suffolk year birds. Walked to Brook Farm and had almost nothing. Hobbs Brook next, lot of Killdeer, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 1 peep, 1 Solitary, maybe a yellowlegs. Finished at Waltham St, which was very quiet (both sections).

Monday 9/22: Managed to miss Pec at Arlington Res but did get a Swainson’s Thrush at the farm.

Tuesday 9/23: BBN was pretty quiet, although after telling that to Debbie I found a small flock with a Cape May and a few other things. Also GW Teal on the pond.

Wednesday 9/10: Fresh Pond was pretty quiet. One pocket of migrants with a few redstarts, a Yellow, and a Parula. Almost nothing on the water.

Thursday 9/11: Great Meadows had a Savannah, a few snipe, a Bank Swallow, and a lot of the usual stuff.

Friday 9/12: Started at Danehy. Bikers were setting up an obstacle course in the field and sprinklers were running along the hill and marsh (one of which fired off as I walked up to it, missed me but got the bush with some sparrows. Also wasn’t seeing anything, so ran to BBN to see the Gadwall found yesterday. Got that, then made it down to the cemetery corner where I had a Parula and Bay-breasted before running out of time.

Saturday 9/13: Decided that south winds weren’t good for Watatic and went to Squantum. Squantum Point Park was very quiet. Sandbar side of the marshes had a Black-bellied Plover and bunch of Common Terns but nothing better. Word came through that the godwits were back, so off to Caddy (did check the first panne very quickly but water was up). They were the closest birds and the Little Blue was in and out behind them. Quick check of Nickerson Rock for Caspian Terns didn’t find any, 2 Surf Scoters about it.

Sunday 9/14: Decided to be a bit lazy and work on my Maynard list instead of something further afield. Started at the Assabet River Trail by White Pond Road. Nothing of note but about 30 species, most of which were new. Mill Pond had nothing but there was a vulture flying around. Had scouted out some soccer fields so drove that way. They were gated (could climb through with a little trouble) but there was conservation land in several spots along the road. Towhee was the most interesting thing here, but I passed 40 (and think completed six in every town). Stops at Warner’s Pond and Nine Acre didn’t have much on the way home.

Monday 9/15: No luck with the Clay-colored at Rock Meadow. Parula was about it for interest. Ran over to BBN to look for Lily’s Connecticut, also without luck.

Tuesday 9/16: Blackpoll and 2 RE Vireos, probably more at Cookson, nothing much at the square.