Yet another tip from John Hines today and yet another county bird.
Surf Scoters, Heard’s Pond, Wayland
And a nice flock of Rough-winged Swallows roosting along the edge:
11 here, of about 35 that I saw, although John had 71 early in the morning.
Author: jason
Another Townbird Day
I spent most of yesterday morning exploring the Beaver Brook North reservation (former Met State property). Things got off to a good start with several Ruby-crowned Kinglets at the car and several more with a few Palm Warblers not too far away.
Reaching the path to the new boardwalk, I spent a couple minutes making sure the calling Hairy Woodpecker was actually a Hairy. Moving down the path, a Yellowthroat popped up and several Swamp Sparrows were calling. Walking across the boardwalk, sparrows flushed constantly (about 6 Swamp for 2 Song for 1 Savannah) and a few Red-winged Blackbirds popped up and down. At the far end, a big flock of Yellow-rumps were bouncing around.
Retracing my steps, I started down the path around the Avalon apartments. Partway through the wooded section, something tiny dove into some brush and made a few chup-chup calls. I never got a good view, but it was my first Winter Wren of the fall (and my earliest fall record).
The trail (still actually being built) ends at the Metropolitan Parkway South. I started back up the hill to pick up the trails on the other side. A few feet up the road I heard an odd chip and got a quick look at a Magnolia Warbler. Not a great view (mostly tail) but at least enough to ID it.
Entering the reservation again, I worked my way down into the big field (actually circled the edge and then dropped in). It was fairly quiet, but a couple sparrows popped up in a sumac. I was quite surprised when they both turned out to be Lincoln’s. Photos were taken, but one had them slightly hidden and I blew the focus on the other, so they’re not getting published. Moving past them, a Hermit Thrush popped up in the same group of plants. The vegetation got too thick beyond them, so I started back.
Entering the woods, I accidentally took the longer loop. That worked out as I found a couple Palm Warblers and were able to confirm them as my first Western (whiter ones) of the fall. The Great Horned didn’t appear to be in the usual spot although it was rather leafy still.
Passing the marsh, a couple more Swamp Sparrows popped up. The woods beyond were fairly quiet most of the way around (other than a kingfisher rattling overhead), but just before the clearing near the cemetery I started seeing lots of birds. Mostly Yellow-rumps but a Red-bellied Woodpecker was moving around in the back and I heard a few juncos. While sifting through the Yellow-rumps hoping for something better, I didn’t find the warbler I wanted but a juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker passed by. That was #179 for Waltham and was a bit overdue.
Passing the cemetery added a few more Yellow-rumps and the middle area added a couple more Swamp and Song Sparrows and another Palm Warbler. Continuing on past the marsh, I did a quick count and was approaching 40 species. I figured that there would be Chipping Sparrows up ahead but wasn’t sure what else I could get.
Reaching the cleared field on the hillside, several Chipping Sparrows popped up. I gave a scan to make sure that there were no Clay-coloreds among them and found none. But a loud croak came from up above and after scanning for a few seconds, a Raven soared by! And this spot is basically on the Lexington/Belmont line, so I was able to get a new bird for both towns (with a lot of checking maps online after). It continued on and presumably passed into Waltham as well.
After that excitement, I worked up the hill and followed the parkway back to the car. On the way, the raven called again and a Palm Warbler and couple sparrows were in the brush along the way. Approaching the car, a Red-tail took off, species #41.
Not only did I have the two big townbirds, but the Savannah, Lincoln’s, Kingfisher, and Turkey Vulture were new for the property, which puts me at 110 for BBN.
WIR 10/6-10/12
Tuesday 10/6: Met State before work, one good flock but nothing too interesting. Two sharpies weren’t bad. Paine at lunch, quiet.
Wednesday 10/7: Didn’t do anything
Thursday 10/8: UMass Field Station at lunch, 2 Cooper’s Hawks kept everything else down.
Friday 10/9: Hardy Pond at lunch: 3 Shovelers, 1 Ruddy.
Saturday 10/10: Besides the Lark Sparrow, Danehy highlights included an adult White-crowned Sparrow and an Orange-crowned Warbler. Arlington Res in the afternoon, lots of wigeon, a Pied-billed Grebe, and 1 Green-winged Teal. Nothing beyond Yellow-rumps in the trees.
Sunday 10/11: Started by joining the Menotomy walk to Rock Meadow. Fairly late Eastern Wood-Pewee was the main highlight, lots of the regular stuff but nothing overly exciting. Quick run around the Lindentree Farm fields in Lincoln after. Pileated called a couple times and not much else. On to the Wayland community gardens. Ran into the BBC trip, who informed me that there had been a Nelson’s Sparrow up above early in the morning. No luck with that, but a Merlin buzzed over. Ended up with a decent number of butterflies (for this year at least) including a Painted and two American Ladies, a Monarch, and an Eastern Tailed-Blue but no Bronze Copper. Around the neighborhood late in the afternoon, there were a boatload of yellow-rumps.
Monday 10/12: Beaver Brook North report tomorrow. Great Meadows in the afternoon, very quiet outside a harrier, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, and 7 pintail. No Brown-chested Martins.
334/266
Finally caught up with a Lark Sparrow in state and county, this one being found yesterday by Karsten Hartel at Danehy Park in Cambridge.
With a Savannah
Row of sparrows: Chipping, Savannah, Lark, Chipping (probably want to click to enlarge this one).
Week in Review 9/28-10/5
Monday 9/28: Stayed home, Red-tail over the yard and Turkey Vulture down there street. Jays were excited by something at the corner but couldn’t find anything.
Tuesday 9/29: UMass field station and gardens at lunch. Palm Warbler, House Wren, Black Swallowtail.
Wednesday 9/30: Purgatory Cove: 40 Wood Ducks, 4 Rough-winged Swallows.
Thursday 10/1: Prospect Hill in the morning: Cape May Warbler (new for Waltham) and quite a bit else that I didn’t have time to cover carefully. Checked out the Met State boardwalk at lunch, 3 turkeys and my first Marsh Wren for Lexington.
Friday 10/2: Hardy Pond, same as last week pretty much. Beaver Brook ponds at lunch, good flock of things that I didn’t have time to go through but Red-eyed Vireo and BT Green Warbler among them.
Saturday 10/3: Rainy.
Sunday 10/4: Rock Meadow: Kestrel, few warblers, Lincoln’s Sparrow or two, 5 phoebes. Nine Acre Corner (or nearby): Black-tipped Darner, lots of geese. Waltham St. Fields: not much.
Monday 10/5: Prospect Hill at lunch: Swainson’s Thrush, Savannah Sparrow (#98 and #99 for the park). Great Meadows after work, finally got the Glossy Ibis and then huge (450+) numbers of Wood Duck and 4(!) American Bitterns as it got dark.
Week In Review 9/21-9/27
Monday 9/21: Lyman Pond at lunch, lots of Wood Ducks, a kingfisher, etc.
Tuesday 9/22: Paine, not a whole lot.
Wednesday 9/23: Hardy Pond on the way to work: 4 wigeon, Green Heron, several Blackpolls. Prospect Hill at lunch, 1 interesting warbler (90% sure it was a Mourning) but not much else other than my first Question Mark in Waltham this year.
Thursday 9/24: Back to Prospect Hill to see if the warbler was hanging around. No luck with that, but Wilson’s, Nashville, several Blackpolls, and a Black-throated Green. Jays also picked up a Sharp-shin going overhead (which didn’t seem to actually be looking down at all).
Friday 9/25: Met State before work. Lot of activity near at the cemetery, including a Tennessee Warbler and first of fall Yellow-rump and Golden-crowned Kinglet.
Saturday 9/26: Started at Dunback. Fairly quiet (first Lincoln’s Sparrow of the fall, Blue-headed Vireo, few Blackpolls) but wandered around with a few people. Led Waltham Land Trust walk to Beaver Brook North (Met State) but didn’t really look at birds. Afternoon walk around Arlington Res had a few wigeon and Green-winged Teal.
Sunday 9/27: Rainy, lousy day. Stayed in for the most part. Red-wings were vocal at the end of the street for the first time in a while.
Week In Review 9/14-9/20
Monday 9/14: Prospect Hill in the morning (Big Prospect and Whitney Trail). Good number of migrants including first of fall Blackpoll, Junco, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Blue-headed Vireo. Paine at lunch, singing Pine Warbler and a few more migrants.
Tuesday 9/15: Prospect Hill at lunch (base up to top of the slope). One White-throat was about it, although a Mourning Cloak was nice.
Wednesday 9/16: Met State before work, not much. UMass Field Station at lunch, nothing.
Thursday 9/17: Beaver Brook Ponds at lunch, nothing really there. Big flock of geese at Fernald.
Friday 9/18: Hardy Pond on the way to work, Spotted Sandpiper was the most interesting thing. Met State at lunch, a Wandering Glider actually landed but otherwise nothing.
Saturday 9/19: Busy with family.
Sunday 9/20: Dunback and Waltham St. in the morning. Not too bad with 7 warblers, a few Broad-wings, and 2 Common Loons overhead. Great Meadows in the afternoon, incredibly quiet.
Week in Review 9/8-9/13
Tuesday 9/8: Met State at lunch, Wood Thrush and nothing else.
Wednesday 9/9: Prospect Hill before work, almost nothing. Paine Estate at lunch, also nothing. Did hear Carolina Wren in the yard for the firs time in a few weeks.
Thursday 9/10: Beaver Brook Ponds at lunch, nothing really of note. Not much at home but big numbers of robins around the neighborhood at dusk.
Friday 9/11: Wigeon at Hardy Pond at lunch.
Saturday 9/12: Rainy all day, stayed in.
Sunday 9/13: Went to Lincoln in the morning. Two Indigo Buntings, a few Savannah Sparrows, and some hawks. Afternoon trip to Arlington Res, very little, water level way up.
Shoulders
A nice surprise today was a presumed family group of 3 Red-shouldered Hawks (2 juvs and an adult).
That’s juv #1, which was right in front of me.
Juv #2 was further away (and I didn’t know it was a second bird at first). A Sharp-shinned Hawk came in and eventually took a couple swipes at it, moments after this excellent shot:
You’ll probably want to click through to see it bigger. I also added notes to point out the birds (the Sharpie is especially hidden).
Week In Review: 8/31-9/7
Monday 8/31: Prospect Hill at lunch: Pileated! Maybe two as the one I saw didn’t appear to be making the calls I was hearing. Also 3 redstarts and a Black-and-white. Redstart at the end of the street and in the yard as well.
Tuesday 9/1: Met State before work (already miss summer hours). Prairie, BT Green, Nashville, and a Warbling Vireo. Paine at lunch, Least Flycatcher and Hummingbird. Single nighthawk feeding over the house at night.
Wednesday 9/2: Beaver Brook at lunch, nothing. Nothing around the house either.
Thursday 9/3: Beaver Brook Ponds at lunch, not a whole lot (Solitary, Kingfisher). Very few dragonflies even.
Friday 9/4: Dunback in the morning. Singing Parula, Blue-winged, and Least Flycatcher were about it. Out to New Salem after work where there was a big swarm of Aeshna and Somatochlora but none low enough to catch.
Saturday 9/5: Few warblers in New Salem but none cooperating and then a drive up to Lunenberg, Vermont. Poked around there a bit, White-faced Meadowhawk being the highlight. See some photos from the weekend.
Sunday 9/6: Went to Pondicherry in New Hampshire (early afternoon though). Few warblers and a Gray Comma. Back in Lunenberg, Variable Darner was a highlight as was a Barred Owl calling.
Monday 9/7: Sat around in Lunenberg for a couple hours with bluebirds, a few warblers, and sapsuckers flying in and out. Back to New Salem and then home without much of note.