WIR 10/10-10/16

Wednesday 10/10: Purgatory Cove was about the same, but a couple more teal, and a Ring-neck and PB Grebe on the river replacing the pintails. Three Pied-billed Grebes at Hardy Pond on the way to work.

Thursday 10/11: Duck ponds: 5 Wood Duck, 1 kingfisher, many Yellow-rumps, 2 Blackpoll. Red-tail sitting in a neighbor’s yard in the afternoon was a bit odd.

Friday 10/12: Rock Meadow before work: cuckoo (apparently a Black-billed), more of the usual. Cambridge Res: eagle, 4 coot.

Saturday 10/13: Led a trip to Waltham St. About 30 Rusty Blackbirds, several Purple Finches, and a White-crowned Sparrow were the main highlights. Went to the Cambridge Res after and was rather surprised by 3 Red-necked Grebes and a White-winged Scoter (plus a Greater Scaup). Continued to Flint’s expecting something good but 2 black ducks were it.

Grebes

Scoter

Sunday 10/14: Eventually went out in the rain late morning. Cambridge Res again: different scaup, 50+ Ring-necks, 3 Hooded Merganser. North end: Greater Yellowlegs. Meriam’s Corner/Kaveski Farm: 150+ pipits, adult White-crowned, Field Sparrow, etc. Rain finally stopped so Great Meadows too: 5 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 snipe, 1 Blue-winged Teal, 50+ Green-winged Teal, 4 Pintail, 6 pipits on the ground, harrier, Merlin.

Monday 10/15: Paine was too windy for anything.

Tuesday 10/16: Almost too dark to go out in the morning, but went to Rock Meadow anyway. Lincoln’s Sparrow, 2 Indigo Buntings, and (finally) patch tick Orange-crowned Warbler. West Meadow was too windy later (still an Orange Sulphur and some darners flying around).