WIR 9/18-9/24

Wednesday 9/18: Checked Prospect Hill again. Numbers down (other than Parula), but the Cape May was still there and I ended up with 13 warblers including my first Yellow-rump of the fall. A Yellow-throated Vireo at Big Prospect was the other highlight.

Cape May

Yellow-throated

Thursday 9/19: Hayden Woods was fairly quiet. Ended up with 6 warblers but it was hard work. Very quick run at Waltham St. had nothing. Afternoon check of Cambridge Res had a few of the usual shorebirds and 2 Blue-winged Teal (waterfowl species #26 for the res!).

Friday 9/20: Rock Meadow had a Bay-breasted. BBN had more of the same warblers along with another Tennessee.

Saturday 9/21: Led an MBC walk in Lincoln. No sun and fog made for a slow time at Farm Meadow (the farmer wrapping bales of hay didn’t help, although it was interesting). Lindentree had lots of sparrows and bluebirds and a surprising flock of Pine Warblers in the middle of the field.

Pine Warbler

Sunday 9/22: Since it was cloudy, I headed back to Heard Pond. Spent some time on the swallows and found 4 species (no Tree surprisingly). Over to Purgatory Cove for the first time in a few weeks and had first American Wigeon of the fall plus 5 Rough-winged Swallows and a few warblers.

Monday 9/23: Dunback was somewhat quiet but 3 Scarlet Tanagers and a few warblers made it worthwhile. Bob and I decided to try to find a sheltered spot and went across the street to the other section of the Waltham St. Fields. Getting towards the back corner, Bob found one of the most cooperative Connecticut Warblers you’ll ever see.

Connecticut

Connecticut

Tuesday 9/24: Prospect Hill again. Twelve species of warblers including at least 2 Cape Mays, 3 Swainson’s Thrushes and a sapsucker. Quick check of the Cambridge Res had 1 Pectoral, 3 Solitary, 1 Killdeer, 2 Semipalmated Plover, and a Peregrine.

WIR 9/11-9/17

Wednesday 9/11: Nothing at Rock Meadow or the duck ponds.

Thursday 9/12: Couple Osprey at Great Meadows. Probable White-rump at Cambridge Res.

Friday 9/13: Duck pond refilled from rain. More of the same at Cambridge Res (eagles at the south end).

Saturday 9/14: Added BT Green and Cape May to the yard list and had yet another Broad-wing.

Sunday 9/15: Lots of warblers and vireos at BBN, including my first Philadelphia in Waltham. More of the same at Cambridge Res.

Philly

Monday 9/16: Would have been a very good day at Prospect Hill if the light was better and it didn’t start to rain. Even so, 10 species of warblers including a Tennessee and a Cape May and a good number of vireos and flycatchers plus my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the fall. Quick stop at Cambridge Res had a single eagle. Hardy Pond had a big swift flock that I searched through and came up with a Cliff Swallow eventually (and while watching that a Blue-winged Teal flew across). Afternoon trip to Dunback was quiet, Parula, Magnolia, few redstarts, White-throat.

Tuesday 9/17: Started scouting Farm Meadow for an MBC walk this weekend. Wasn’t hopping but a bright Philadelphia Vireo made it worthwhile. Handful of warblers and many pewees besides. Quick walk around Lindentree had a Lincoln’s Sparrow and my first Palm Warbler of the fall. Stopped at Heard Pond on the way home, where there was a large flock of swallows, all distant. After multiple scans through those (only able to pick up Barn and Rough-winged), I noticed an adult Bald Eagle sitting in the treetops right where the flock was hanging around!

Philly

WsIR 8/28-9/10

Wednesday 8/28: Didn’t get out again.

Thursday 8/29: Walked to the duck ponds. On the way: Green Heron and Redstart at Lot 1, more Redstarts, a Black-and-white, and a Canada at Met State, and a gnatcatcher at Rock Meadow. Five Solitaries, 1 Least, 1 Killdeer, and not much else at the ponds.

Friday 8/30: Great Meadows: 3 Snowies plus the Little Blue, a snipe among the usual shorebirds, and a few warblers.

Saturday 8/31: Full loop of Dunback. Mostly quiet beyond lots of grosbeaks, but right as it poured Cliff and I had a Mourning Warbler in a small flock.

Sunday 9/1: Usual at Duck Ponds and Cambridge Res (except a GW Teal).

Monday 9/2: Same as yesterday

Tuesday 9/3: Another Mourning Warbler at BBN (plus something that’s getting a separate post). More of the same at the ponds.

Wednesday 9/4: Nothing exciting at Dunback, although Nashville was a year bird.

Thursday 9/5: Great Meadows in the rain: American Golden-Plover. Once it cleared, good views of the Little Blue plus a nice raptor show including a Bald Eagle and a Merlin. More of the same at the Cambridge Res.

Friday 9/6: Rock Meadow and BBN were quiet, beyond an interesting Catharus that I really needed a better view (and to hear). Nothing new at the ponds. Brought my computer in for repairs and stopped at Cambridge Res on the way over (Hooded Merganser) and Kaveski on the way back (got the Buff-breasteds eventually).

Saturday 9/7: Joined (and then accidentally wandered away from) the Menotomy trip at Dunback without much. Handful of warblers at Hayden Woods after and then a Marsh Wren at Waltham St. Great Meadows late in the afternoon was pretty dull, a nighthawk shortly after arriving was the best, minimal heron/duck flight.

Sunday 9/8: Nothing at Cambridge Res or Arlington Res. Hawkwatched a bit at Prospect Hill: 1 Osprey, 1 Cooper’s, 3 Red-tails, a few unidentified, plus a cuckoo over my head.

Monday 9/9: Lots of birds at BBN including an early Lincoln’s. Ran over to Dunback after but no luck with the Hooded.

Tuesday 9/10: Absolutely nothing at Dunback. Up to 12 Least Sandpipers at the duck ponds. Couldn’t find the possible good birds Bob had at the Cambridge Res later.