Month: June 2019

Wednesday 6/19: Finally got the commute SRV Indigo Bunting at Sedge Meadow but not much else.

Thursday 6/20: Was pretty quiet at Forest Grove but as I was getting back to the car, lots of birds (Wood Thrush, nuthatch, couple chickadees, several robins, grackles, etc) were going nuts. Finally tracked it down to be a screech-owl, a nice overdue patch bird.

Friday 6/21: Ended up checking Knox Trail (no Ring-neck) and School St (Savannah I needed for second half of June).

Saturday 6/22: Pileated and not too much else at Prospect Hill. Got Jeff’s Ruddy at Winter Pond then a quick check of the Mystic Lakes and Meadowbrook without much.

Sunday 6/23: Did a speculative dragonfly trip combined with some town listing. Started in Dracut, where I had about 20 species (increasing that list from 1). Continued to the Lowell-Tyngsborough-Dracut State Forest, which was pretty nice. Nothing too exciting but most of the expected birds beyond thrushes and a few odes. Then did the speculative search for Cobra Clubtails along the Merrimack. No luck with that but a Common Buckeye at Sheehy Park and a few other things elsewhere. Worked towards Tyngsborough but didn’t find any river access there, so took 4 south. Had a Broad-wing fly over the Billerica Great Meadows unit, then stopped at Fawn Lake. Lots of bluets but the big bug was a bright red darner that buzzed across the pond then went up and out. Had to be a Comet but I really wish I had longer views.

Monday 6/24: BBN had a BB Cuckoo and a Red-shoulder plus FOY meadowhawk and spinylegs.

Tuesday 6/25: Nothing too exciting at Meriam’s Corner. Spotted Sandpiper, Great Crested Flycatcher, and Scarlet Tanager were new for me there but fully expected.

Wednesday 6/12: Rock Meadow survey about the same, then did the makeup one at Habitat which was pretty quiet.

Thursday 6/13: Too rainy, res, Flint’s, Nine Acre, Heard, and Pelham Island Road all had about nothing.

Friday 6/14: Osprey was the most exciting thing at Great Meadows.

Saturday 6/15: Started at Horn Pond but there was something going on and no easy parking, so went to Mary Cummings instead. Mostly looked at flower flies, had a few interesting ones. Continued to Horn Pond Mountain which was quiet. Did have both cloudywings but that was about it. Actually, I take that back as I just identified the mating robber flies that I had assumed were Laphria as Echthodopa formosa. Not fully sure of their status in MA, but no records on bugguide or iNaturalist for Mass (it is on Herschel Raney’s list which is how I got the ID). Gave the Peregrines a quick look without success, although I found out later I just wasn’t looking hard enough.

Sunday 6/16: Chased the Tropical Kingbird at Daniel Webster. Scissor-tailed had moved on and between allergies and rain, didn’t do much else.

Monday 6/17: Usual at Lot 1 and West Meadow, FOY Slender Spreadwing the most interesting.

Tuesday 6/18: Nothing much at Great Meadows.

Wednesday 6/5: Rock Meadow survey was quite birdy. Flyover loon and Red-shoulder were the most interesting, although the number of Great Blues has me wondering about a local rookery. Stopped at Pelham Island Rd on the way to work and heard YT Vireo finally.

Thursday 6/6: Dunback was fairly quiet. Alder would have been the highlight but a Great Egret flying over was my first in June (and probably the first egret for Dunback).

Friday 6/7: Checked BBN hoping the egret had put down. No luck with that but 40 other species including a few redstarts and Indigo Buntings. Also another Swamp Darner and a Tawny-edged Skipper.

Saturday 6/8: Started at Hobbs Brook. Chestnut-sided was still singing, not a ton else. Checked Gower’s Swamp in Concord next. Looked interesting even if the bog is hard to see. Joined the walk at the Cranberry Bog. Eastern Red Damsel the best, but 25ish species.

Sunday 6/9: Minuteman survey, nothing exciting. Checked October Farm without much after, then Farm Meadow. Spatterdock Darner there was nice, not a whole lot else.

Monday 6/10: Ended up at Round Hill. Got the Veery I wanted but not a ton else other than hundreds of Blue Dashers.

Tuesday 6/11: Rock Meadow survey abandoned after about 3 minutes as it was pouring. Gave Hardy a quick check, decided traffic was too bad for the res, so buzzed Nine Acre and Heard, nothing worth mentioning.