brewster's linnet . com – Page 67

WIR 5/15-5/21

Wednesday 5/15: Prospect Hill, checked the view towards Polaroid without much (Rough-winged Swallow was a likely nester though). Quick walk to the water towers added a redstart.

Thursday 5/16: Rock Meadow before work, nothing unexpected. Forest Grove was pretty quiet beyond yet another Magnolia.

Friday 5/17: Spotted Sandpiper at Hardy Pond early. Veery and a few warblers at Paine plus a Stream Cruiser. A late White-throat in the yard was the first bird for birdathon.

Saturday 5/18: Birdathon/MBC big day. Highlights included a Great Egret at the Vine Brook marsh, Sora at Great Meadows, an Upland Sandpiper right next to Virginia Rd, and a late Ruddy on the Cambridge Res. Miscounted slightly and ended the day on 99, would have dug up one more if I had been aware.

Sunday 5/19: Pretty lazy after running around on Saturday. Eventually went to Dunback where I had a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, kestrel, Willow Flycatchers, and a handful of warblers.

Monday 5/20: Took some vacation time this week. Started at Purgatory Cove and Forest Grove, where a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was (surprisingly) new for the river for me but little else. I moved on to Nine Acre Corner and watched Barn Swallows gather mud until a Cliff buzzed through. Made a brief stop at Cat Rock Park on the way back, but it was so muggy I gave up quickly (did get first Lancet Clubtail of the season).

Tuesday 5/21: Twitch. Spent some time at Hellcat after and had 11 warblers in the couple of pines just outside the parking lot (including Canada and Cape May) plus a few more elsewhere on the trails.

551

Amazing work by Suzanne Sullivan.

The one standing at the back center does look a bit different but I’m sure 99% of us would have gone right past it.

Bigger breast band, bigger supercilium, longer and more orange bill.

And the toes.

WIR 5/8-5/14

Wednesday 5/8: Nothing exciting at Purgatory Cove (cygnets, few swallows, Great Crested Flycatcher did get me to 100 in Waltham this year).

Thursday 5/9: Rather heavy rain made things difficult (although better at noon than at 11:30 when the fire alarm went off) but Common Loon and some late(ish) ducks (Bufflehead, Ruddy, maybe a Ring-necked) at Cambridge Res.

Friday 5/10: Had to go to the RMV, so took a half day off and started at Mt. Auburn (BT Blue in the yard first actually). Warblers everywhere (12? species, mostly Black-and-white, BT Blue, BT Green, Parula) plus a few other things. After zipping through the line, I stopped at Purgatory Cove and saw nothing beyond a few Fragile Forktails.

Saturday 5/11: Cambridge Res was just about birdless (although a few things singing along the road weren’t bad). North end had 2 Orchard Orioles. Two Broad-wings over Busa but little else at Arlington Res.

Sunday 5/12: Mt. Auburn walk again. Something like 18 warblers including Bay-breasted and Blackburnian plus a hummingbird and Least Flycatcher. Once the rain cleared, I went to Prospect Hill. Fledgling ravens plus BT Blue, BT Green, Magnolia, and Prairie Warblers, Indigo Buntings, and a Painted Lady. The Black Vulture that went over later would have been nice though.

Monday 5/13: Ring-necked Duck still at Hardy Pond, nothing of note at Rock Meadow.

Tuesday 5/14: Lots of birds at BBN, 9 warblers and a few other things. Solitary Sandpiper (finally) at the duck ponds, along with some baby Wood Ducks.

150

Breaking up the WIRs, here’s my 150th bird at the Arlington Res

WIR 5/1-5/7

Wednesday 5/1: Towhee was a third yard record to start the day. Yellow Warblers and Warbling Vireos all along the Charles plus a Hermit Thrush and a few Yellow-rumps.

Thursday 5/2: Juvenal’s Duskywing and not much else at Hayden Woods, think I can give up on that being a potential boghaunter site.

Friday 5/3: Left the house a couple minutes early and picked up a Common Loon flying over as I stepped out of the door for another new yard bird. Prospect Hill had first tiger swallowtail and whiteface sp (probably Hudsonian).

Saturday 5/4: Plan was to find some boghaunters today. Since it wouldn’t be warm enough early, I headed to Heard Pond to check for birds first. Nothing too exciting (a handful of Rusty Blackbirds, a Parula, etc), so I moved on to the Wayland Community Gardens. A House Wren (one back home too), a Henry’s Elfin, a raccoon, and a Common Yellowthroat made up most of the good stuff here.

Getting warm, so I headed to Assabet River. Ovenbirds and towhees calling all over and a Northern Waterthrush was vocal but hidden. No boghaunters by the end of the Patrol Road, so I took the first wooded trail back. I had a quick view of a Beaverpond (presumably) Baskettail and was debating running to Oxbow as I reached the short trail that cuts back to the road. Halfway down, there was a bit of movement and I quickly saw rings. Wasn’t a great spot for photos, but I think this one came out pretty good:

Back on the road, I worked my way out (and saw a second boghaunter and baskettail and heard another waterthrush).

With no need to go further west, I decided to head to the Charles. Lots of swallows opposite Purgatory Cove and some Fish Crows flew over (finally). A Great Crested Flycatcher and a Gray Catbird were calling near the Knob at Flowed Meadow, but otherwise it was fairly quiet. A Wood Duck apparently at a nest hole was interesting though.

Sunday 5/5: Started with a long walk at BBN. Blue-winged Warbler was in, as were orioles but fairly quiet otherwise. Went to Great Meadows with parents after, nothing exciting but too nice out to complain.

Monday 5/6: Awake early, so I went to Beaver Brook in the fog. Just about nothing there and I have no idea why I went out (although it worked out last time). Duck ponds at lunch had a Rough-winged Swallow and out-of-place Pine Warbler among other things.

Tuesday 5/7: River walk was fairly quiet, single Yellow-rump and Palm were the only nonbreeders.

WIR 4/24-4/30

Wednesday 4/24: Savannah Sparrows and not much else at Rock Meadow, cormorant over the house.

Thursday 4/25: Morning at Beaver Brook was slow enough that I covered the marsh too. Snapping Turtle beat out any of the birds. West Meadow at lunch had a gnatcatcher and nothing else.

Friday 4/26: Tried Purgatory Cove again. No sign of the warbler but first of year Northern Parula.

Saturday 4/27: Finally caught up with the Clay-colored at Arlington Res. Also had a Field Sparrow next to it and Warbling Vireo and Eastern Kingbird around the res. No boghaunter at AGM, but one Brown Elfin and Brown Thrasher and some towhees weren’t bad. Hayden Woods had a singing Winter Wren in a very quick check. Surprise Red-shoulded Hawk flyover late afternoon was a somewhat unexpected yardbird.

Sunday 4/28: Mt. Auburn was quiet, couple Parula, couple Black-and-white, 3+ Blue-headed Vireo was about it. Purgatory Cove and Forest Grove were fairly quiet too, more of the same plus first Eastern Forktails of the year.

Monday 4/29: BBN was very quiet, few birds and few butterflies. Chimney Swifts overhead were yard bird #50 for the year.

Tuesday 4/30: Dunback before work was close to dead. Did get first of year catbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Yellow Warbler. Nothing good at the duck ponds either.

WIR 4/17-4/23

Wednesday 4/17: Up to 24 Ruddies at Hardy Pond. Hermit Thrush and Chipping Sparrow at BBN. Very quick evening walk at Purgatory Cove had more Chipping Sparrows and a Yellow-rump (hope the Yellow-throated came in overnight).

Thursday 4/18: Gnatcatcher and lots of Swamp Sparrows at Dunback before work. Noisy breeding birds at Prospect Hill plus first tiger beetle of the year and a few Mourning Cloaks.

Friday 4/19: Cooper’s was the best of the yard birds.

Saturday 4/20: Nothing at Cambridge Res or Flint’s Pond. Arlington Res had something of a waterbird fallout, but it was all Mute Swans. Caught up with the Yellow-throated Warbler at Forest Grove after a bit of effort.

Sunday 4/21: Blue-headed Vireo and a bunch of gnatcatchers at Dunback plus first Spring Azure of the year.

Monday 4/22: Tried Purgatory Cove to see if the warbler was still around (and hiding along the river). No luck with that but my earliest Chimney Swifts and a nice Sharpie were around.

Tuesday 4/23: Swallows but nothing interesting at Hardy and nothing at the res.

WIR 4/10-4/16

Wednesday 4/10: Purgatory Cove again, although only briefly as I had to get a tire fixed. About the same as Monday, Palms were up to 4 and there were more Wood Ducks and swallows. Great Meadows in the evening added first of year Barn Swallow and Marsh Wren (finally) plus a harrier.

Thursday 4/11: Duck ponds were fairly quiet beyond odd molting Hooded Mergansers.

Friday 4/12: Shovelers and GW Teal at Norumbega, nothing at the res.

Saturday 4/13: No one (more or less) showed for my walk at Rock Meadow, so after a quick check of the bluebirds I headed to the Cambridge Res. Nothing storm-related and smaller numbers of Aythya. Flint’s Pond was similar. Great Meadows too, although I had a few more swallows, heard a Virginia Rail, and an Osprey.

Sunday 4/14: Walked over to Graverson and Hardy Pond before breakfast, with Lesser Scaup and Ruddies continuing. Arlington Res after that, which had lots of Palm and a couple Yellow-rumps plus another Osprey and first of year Greater Yellowlegs and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Moved on to Danehy, where I didn’t expect yesterday’s good sparrow given that it was crowded and windy and midday. Had my first Savannah of the year plus a Brown Creeper on the hill, which was rather out of place. Marj called and let me know about a Surf Scoter Norm Levey found on Flint’s Pond, so I headed there instead of the Cambridge Res. It wasn’t obvious from the pull out, so I decided to walk the trails. Got a few ticks but also got the scoter and a Pileated, along with a couple scaup (both species), Wood Duck, and Green-winged Teal. Palms everywhere (if anyone needs a DNA sample, one landed on my hand) plus a singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet too.

Monday 4/15: Purgatory Cove and Forest Grove: more Palms, a Pine or two, a Yellow-rump, singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush (finally), very crested cormorants, etc.

Tuesday 4/16: Cabbage Whites and not much else at the duck ponds.

WIR 4/3-4/9

Wednesday 4/3: Coot and Tree Swallow at the river walk and nothing else.

Thursday 4/4: Hardy Pond had 5+ Lesser Scaup, 2 Gadwall, and a Pied-billed Grebe in the morning. Wood Frogs at Paine.

Friday 4/5: Looped the parkway at BBN without much of anything.

Saturday 4/6: Freezing in the wind at Great Meadows but had a Rough-winged Swallow in with a hundred Trees (no martin though), a snipe land on the path, both teal, and a few other good things. Nothing at Waltham St. after.

Sunday 4/7: Joined the MBC walk to Arlington Res where we had a pipit, 8 snipe, and 2 Fish Crow. Continued with Karsten to Dunback where a harrier was the only thing of note. An afternoon check of Cambridge Res found Adam Dudley’s Redhead.

Monday 4/8: Purgatory Cove: Pine and 2 Palm Warblers, Phoebe, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Merganser, bunch of Ring-necks, coots, Bufflehead, etc. Morning walk down the street had Waltham first of year Swamp Sparrow and flicker(!).

Tuesday 4/9: Mourning Cloaks and surprisingly little else at BBN. Hardy Pond earlier had 20+ Ruddy and 3 Lesser Scaup (which were visible from the house) but no swallows.

WIR 3/27-4/2

Wednesday 3/27: Peepers and turkeys at BBN. Turkey from the office window. Lesser Scaup and decent numbers of other ducks at Hardy.

Thursday 3/28: Redpoll at Rock Meadow.

Friday 3/29: Started with a Fish Crow over the yard. Beaver at Arlington Res, nothing much at Waltham St. Junco at Nobscot showed up after about 2 minutes (more photos/video). Not much in a little bit of driving around. Up to 3 scaup walking over to Hardy.

Saturday 3/30: Started at Dunback, which was quiet. Ran into Marj and Renee and we checked Waltham St, which was quieter. Quick buzz of Cambridge Res (both ends) didn’t have anything obvious. Great Meadows midday was also quiet, a Tree Swallow or two about it.

Sunday 3/31: Rock Meadow had lots of Tree Swallows and a bluebird. There was a phoebe at the bridge to BBN and another on the water tower, but nothing else of much interest between there, the West Meadow, and Concord Ave. No larks or pipits at School St and no Osprey at Knox Trail. A midafternoon trip to the Cambridge Res was pretty good with a Red-breasted Merganser, lots of scaup, and first of year Double-crested Cormorants.

Monday 4/1: Purgatory Cove and Flowed Meadow were fairly quiet.

Tuesday 4/2: Turkey Vulture and not much else at the duck ponds, nothing new at Hardy.