Still no travel but not bad otherwise.
Jan: Missed the Ferruginous on the Cape but got a Rough-leg for Suffolk finally. Ventured down to Rhode Island where the Tundra Bean-Goose was a drive up.
Feb: Surprised to find the White-crown at Dunback was a Gambel’s. King Eider was a new Norfolk bird. Went up to Gloucester for the Swainson’s Hawk.
Mar: Got a couple towns over 100 but a pretty quiet month otherwise.
Apr: Bonaparte’s fallout was one of the year’s highlights. Ibis at Bolton Flats, more town listing, the usual start to peak spring migration.
May: Decent but not great migration. Boghaunter hunt in New Hampshire was probably the best day of the year in the field. Finally got a ‘commute’ nighthawk. Good trip for dragonflies to Bertozzi and vicinity (sundragon was my only county addition this year). Gray-cheeked Thrush was a patch bird. Stilt but no White-faced Ibis in Suffolk.
Jun: Night Herons at Earhart and Clapper Rail at Rumney. Found Least Bittern and Western Kingbird at Millennium. Kite/cicada show in Plymouth, then a kite in Sudbury.
Jul: Butterfly count was fun as always. Found several new sites of Red-bellied Tiger Beetles. Day in the Berkshires, then a day in the rain at the NE DSA meeting.
Aug: Got county Trumpeter Swan (until they’re all ruled escapes). Also got Purple Martin for Norfolk finally. Shorebird show at Hobbs Brooks started with a turnstone, Stilt Sandpiper, and Baird’s. Also got Baird’s at Winthrop Beach and found another tiger beetle site.
Sep: Great day at Watatic, a Connecticut at Ricci, and that was about it.
Oct: Got another lifer with the Bar-tailed Godwits (which I really should have had back in the 90s). Couldn’t count the Western Tanager at Mt. Auburn though. Got every town but Maynard past 50 and got Somerville and Dunstable over 100 finally. Got the White Ibis at Belle Isle and a big scoter fallout at Wachusett.
Nov: Ipswich Sparrow at Wachusett, broke my ‘commute’ year record, found a Cackling Goose in Suffolk (plus finally got a Pileated and saw the Western Tanager and Dickcissel) and refound the scaup x Tufted hybrid in Weston.
Dec: Got the Chestnut-collared Longspur, found a chat at Earhart, found some of the warblers along the Charles, had a Rough-leg at Dunback, and CBC season.
Two life birds (Tundra Bean-Goose and Bar-tailed Godwit), three state birds (Mississippi Kite, Bar-tailed Godwit, Chestnut-collared Longspur), three county birds (Mississippi Kite, Trumpeter Swan (for now), Ruddy Turnstone). Also 11 for Suffolk, slow push for 300 there moves on. Only 246 for Mass and 209 for Middlesex. Don’t remember any new bugs of note, did get Uhler’s Sundragon for Middlesex.
Made decent progress on my 100 in every town project, everything but Maynard is now at 50 or more and 29 towns are over 100. Decided that I’m going to attempt to add 10 to every town under 100 this year and if that keeps up, I should finish in 5 years or so.
Also worked on getting monthly lists to 100 for nearby counties, Suffolk is down to 19 in February and 4 in July so that might finish next year. Three months left for Essex, two are in the mid-90’s so should be simple and March is 75. About halfway with Norfolk although a lot of the remaining ones are not terribly close. Similar for Worcester, but doing that in winter feels really tough. Didn’t do much outside those counties this year.
Hopefully 2026 will be a bit more varied.