Category: nature

Wednesday 6/4: Farm Meadow had a single Bobolink and a Mourning Warbler, which I was starting to worry about missing. Looped out to 126 and around without much else.

Thursday 6/5: Pretty much nothing at Cookson. Orchard Oriole along the river.

Friday 6/6: Pileated was about it at Great Meadows.

Saturday 6/7: Foggier than I expected, so took a bit of time getting going. Worked my way towards Rumney, first with a stop at Spy Pond (absolutely nothing on the water). Earhart next, Draw Seven was still closed so Everett side it was. Started by walking to the wetland at Gateway. Killdeer there but not much else as expected. A House Wren was singing, which was a new bird for me in the area. Decided to walk down the path that goes behind and found a large snapping turtle laying eggs in the middle, so I didn’t get too far. Turned around to head back and heard a slightly odd call. Like a night heron but a bit raspier. Looked around and sure enough, a Yellow-crowned was flying by. Good looks but dropped too fast for the camera. I headed down hoping to find it in the trees or edge of the river. No sign by the dam, so I continued to the casino side. Other than a constant flow of cormorants and a couple Black-crowns, there wasn’t much going on. Started back and heard the croak again. This time there were two birds! Got some ok photos and watched them continue into Suffolk airspace.

Off to Rumney from here. This time I had muck boots, so I squished around the edge of the marsh. There were 5 ibis in the far corner, all Glossy. Also a few egrets and a ton of blackbirds but that was about it. Walked back to scan the other side and the Clapper Rail called briefly. Gave it a few minutes but no show, so that’s 3 counties now without seeing one. A few more ibis may have come in, but they were even further out, so I gave up and went to Winthrop Beach. Fog hadn’t cleared there, could barely see the sisters. Ton of plovers near the water and the terns weren’t happy when I walked near the fencing so I gave up pretty quickly. Did finally get FOY Semipalmated Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone. Rain started as I was driving and turned much heavier than expected as I was getting home, so timed pretty well.

Sunday 6/8: Minuteman survey was fairly quiet, turkey roosting next to the parking lot, deer intrigued by me, one Veery between points. Decided to run down to Millennium before I crashed and look for flycatchers for my Suffolk year list (which was phoebe, Least, and Yellow-bellied somehow). Willow, Alder, and kingbird all along the river as expected. Another kingbird was hovering in an odd way up above but I continued along the lower level. Debated crossing to Brook Farm for pewee and Great Crested, but a pewee was audible before I got to the bridge. And there was a Least Bittern calling! Gave that a few trying to find a way to view in but eventually gave up and settled for heard only. Debated an alert but decided to wait in case it was known and not wanting attention. Continued to the far end with a close waxwing gathering some plant matter, then went up to the mid-level. 

From way across the soccer field, I thought I was hearing a Bobolink. Sounded more obvious closer, so I went up the path that connects to the playground for a look. Found it pretty quickly and noticed something else in the same spot. A kingbird with a bit of yellow on the belly and a pale head. I panicked for a second but fortunately it moved a little and showed the tail confirming Western. This one got the alert out immediately. Of course, it moved while I was looking at the phone and I wasn’t seeing it. I moved up to the top level where I could look down and eventually it flew again. It turned out to be sitting deep in the weedy stuff, then would flit up and hover off and on before dropping again. If you weren’t on it when it went down, it was really hard to find. It took a good half hour for people to start arriving, with Matt, Reade, and Paul all showing up at once. Of course the bird was hiding, but after jumping at the Bobolink and others, it came back and proceeded to show well for pretty much everyone for the rest of the day and Monday (at least). Eventually made it back to the car and home for a nap.

Monday 6/9: Forest Grove loop had the usual stuff, Orchard Oriole being the most interesting.

Tuesday 6/10: Ton of cormorants, Herring Gulls, Osprey, and herons on the Mystic Lakes.

Wednesday 5/28: Went to Brewster’s Woods and heard the Prothonotary. Also RB Nuthatch finally and most of the usual summer stuff.

Thursday 5/29: Couple Blue-wings was about it at Dunback, loon at the res in a quick check.

Friday 5/30: Decided not to bother fighting traffic towards Mt. Auburn and went to Weston Station Pond. Mostly the usual, couple Prairie Warblers the most exciting. Also FOY Dusted Skipper and Red-spotted Purple.

Saturday 5/31: Waited out the rain then worked my way to Belle Isle. Stilt wasn’t visible when I got there but a Purple Martin flew by and I also got FOY Saltmarsh Sparrow. Eventually the stilt came out, ran around a bit, then took a nap before flying in a bit closer. Decent number of other birds but nothing too exciting. Eventually moved to look for the ibis found yesterday and phalaope found today. Pulled over for a scan at Revere Beach and a Manx Shearwater was close and the only bird in sight. The phalarope site had nothing but Chimney Swifts, so I moved on and found another spot to scan Rumney. A bunch of ibis were fairly close, all looked like Glossy. Could see some further out so doubled back for the scope and found them buried in tall grass. Watched for a bit and couldn’t find anything that looked different. Eventually took a walk down to the other end and had a Red-eyed Vireo singing. Returned again and they were even harder to see, so I gave up.

Sunday 6/1: Since I hadn’t added a month bird in two months (had planned on Grasshopper Sparrow yesterday and last weekend but weather and other plans got in the way), went to Horn Pond for the YC Night Heron. Not around and not much else either. Did a loop, then decided I might as well work on other things and went to the Wilmington dog park to get another town past 50. Since I was at 49 and basically hadn’t birded Wilmington in spring or summer, I got there in roughly 30 seconds and added another six in a short walk. Reading was at 36 and next door, so I went to the Maillet Conservation Area, which turned out to be fairly well landscaped and tiny, so not rushing back. Did get five easy ones. Thought about North Reading or even an Essex county Wood Thrush but decided with the wind, just staying close was better. Went to the Town Forest and did a fairly long walk. Swainson’s Thrush was the only mildly interesting bird but I got 13 needed ones, so two towns past 50 today.  Seven left and four are over 40 (and Holliston is 39). Hopefully knocking another couple off next weekend and then I may take a break until the fall. Then the second half of getting everything to 100 begin, which will probably require a bit more of a targeted approach, with repeated visits over the year to a few at a time instead of going scattershot.

Monday 6/2: Wanted to go to Habitat but traffic was backed up going left, so I went right and then decided Minuteman was easier. Walked the area behind the tavern (turkeys, redstart), then down the Battle Road (Magnolia) to Brooks Village (Field Sparrow). Looks like they’ve done away with the vernal pool trail completely, so ended up backtracking and had the odd singing Blue-winged.

Tuesday 6/3: Habitat for a change, nothing particularly of note. Had time for the duck ponds after, nothing there but the Mill Pond was mostly mud, wish I had known that a couple weeks ago.

Wednesday 5/14: Prospect Hill had Blackburnian and Wilson’s, so just about done with expected warblers for the year. Spent a long time tracking down a bird that sounded like a Worm-eating but eventually confirmed it as Chipping. Also lots of tanagers, GC Flycatchers and pewees, the ravens nest was active, flyover GB Heron and cormorant. Stream Cruiser on the return trip.

Thursday 5/15: Raining a bit too much. Same swallows and not much else at the res. Two Wood Duck at Flint’s. A few Least at Nine Acre (although I should have scanned more as Simon had a Dunlin a bit later). Lightened up quite a bit so I headed towards Arlington Res. Traffic was lousy and it picked up again. Water is also way up with no mud. Orchard Oriole was the only thing of note in a couple minutes.

Friday 5/16: No Kentucky or much else at Mt. Auburn. Veery was a FOY, a few warblers and a Black Swallowtail otherwise.

Saturday 5/17: Did a swing to the southern border towns. Ashland State Park was fairly quiet, couldn’t find much of anything in the way of migrants and some of the expected summering birds were quiet. Did have 2 Barred Owls and 18 others but only got to 45. Waseeka in Hopkinton. Just walked to the water and back, but got 12 (out of 5 needed), so that’s done for the moment. Tried to go to Brentwood in Holliston next but could not find the parking spot. Pulled in at the Adams Street land but there were multiple mountain bikers setting up and limited parking, so I skipped it. Quick buzz of the res had nothing.

Sunday 5/18: Did my walking big day, not the best day for it. Falzone had a Swainson’s Thrush and a few warblers. Another Swainson’s at the West Meadow. BBN had a fair number of warblers but not too much else. Virginia Rail was a nice surprise at Rock Meadow. Since I was barely past 50, I didn’t bother going further. Return trip was pretty quiet, 55 total. Did have some decent bugs including FOY Familiar Bluet, Hobomok Skipper, Monarch, and Little Wood Satyr.

Monday 5/19: Tried Tanner’s Brook for a change. Wind made things hard to hear (and I was expecting to be hit by a branch at any moment). Handful of warblers including 2 Blue-winged, 2 BT Green, several redstart, a couple waxwings, and not too much else. Had time after for a quick stop at Nine Acre (2 Least, 1 plover that may or may not have been a Semi), and the res (mostly Chimney Swifts).

Tuesday 5/20: Couple redstarts at Cookson. Ton of cormorants and Herring Gulls along the river along with an Osprey, not too much else at either.

Wednesday 5/7: Weston Station Pond was pretty busy, topped 60 species (first time on a workday, although the extra half hour helps). FOY Orchard Orioles and Indigo Buntings plus Broad-wing, waterthrush with an ode, 3-4 Osprey, etc.

Thursday 5/8: Fought traffic to Mt. Auburn. Slowish day but 2 Cape May, Magnolia, Blackpoll, a few other warblers. Finally caught up with the Barred Owl too.

Friday 5/9: Loon at the res. Foggy at Great Meadows but northeast winds. Lot of swallows included a Cliff. Also YT Vireo, Marsh Wrens, a few warblers, a Virginia Rail finally, etc.

Saturday 5/10: Swallows at the res by the hundreds. Nothing at Flint’s or Nine Acre. Or Heard. Was thinking about continuing south where the rain may have been stopping but saw the Brant report at Magazine Beach and went that way. No Brant, a few mostly common things before heading to Earhart. Didn’t realize Draw Seven is completely closed, so walked a bit at Sylvester Baxter since I was already parked. Finally a Rough-wing for Somerville, nothing much else. Circled around to the Everett side. Walked down to the new wet spot at Gateway, where there were two Solitary Sandpipers (too much rain lately?). Small flock of warblers on the way back had a BT Blue, couple Parulas, Black-and-white, Yellow-rumps, and Yellow plus a RB Grosbeak, which brings my patch list to 140. Casino side had a loon, a few sparrows, and not too much else (no Willet unsurprisingly).

Sunday 5/11: Had a group outing for dragonflies, which meant we didn’t meet until 11, so I made a stop at the Pinnacle Trail in Tewksbury. Only needed 4 to get that list over 50 and almost could have done it if I was starting from zero. Nothing terribly exciting but a few warblers, FOY Bobolink, a very angry Solitary Sandpiper, and other stuff. An eagle, Broad-wing, and a few other raptors on the drive up to Fremont.

We gathered and began the boghaunter hunt. Springtime Darner got attention for a second, then a Stream Cruiser and a few Lancet Clubtails. We were getting ready to split up when one was found, but it took off before Dennis got the views he wanted. So we split and went down the rail trail. Something small flew past my head and I ran after to find a boghaunter perched fairly high on a tree trunk. Fortunately it stayed and then we found several more on the ground, which meant everyone had the views and photos they wanted. Only problem of the day was the first two ice cream shops were closed, but we eventually found one open.

Monday 5/12: Started at Hobbs Brook. Stayed roadside and had a few warblers, a Wood Thrush, Osprey, and more, ending at 45 species. Continued to Hayden Woods. Still like the boardwalk for boghaunter potential but I’ve been looking long enough to say they’re probably not here. More of the same here, FOY (presumed) Cherry Gaul Azures among them.

Tuesday 5/13: Supposed to be a big night so BBN was the plan. A few warblers were singing right at the parking lot, so I hustled down to the trails along the edge of Mackerel (stopping for a Solitary in the small roadside wetland). Wasn’t too busy here but I had 2 Pileated, a hummingbird, and a few more warblers including decent numbers of Blue-wings. A Bay-breasted heading downhill was nice. Went around the big marsh and there was an Alder Flycatcher singing and calling on the back side along with a Canada Warbler, then a pewee a bit further along.

Wednesday 4/30: Gnatcatcher, raven, bunch of Yellow-rumps at Cookson. Nothing particularly exciting along the river.

Thursday 5/1: Decent variety at Estabrook including both waterthrushes, BT Blues, RB Grosbeaks, and more. Also 2 Osprey over Hobbs Brook and a grosbeak flying over Meriam’s on the way over.

Friday 5/2: Decided to check the res after overnight showers and found basically nothing. Rt. 2 looked a bit traffic-y and since it was overcast, went for Arlington Res instead of Mt. Auburn. A few shorebirds including FOY Spotted and Least, usual swallows, barely any warblers, no ducks. Finished quickly so went to McClennen, which had a raven, couple Savannahs, and a Green Heron. Another Spotted and nothing else at Hardy.

Saturday 5/3: Went to Belle Isle and vicinity for the first time in a while. Greenway/cemetery had a handful of warblers, Ovenbirds and a Blackpoll the most interesting. Also FOY Common Tern and a bunch of American Ladies. Winthrop Beach next, had the plovers, oystercatcher, Least Terns, etc that I was hoping for along with all 3 scoters, both loons, and a few other things. Back to Belle Isle proper, which was fairly dead beyond the shovelers and some Lesser Yellowlegs. Detoured to Pine Banks Park in Malden on the way home and got 14 Malden birds (12 plus goose and swan on Fellsmere Pond on the way by) including hummingbird, waterthrush, and a few other warblers.

Sunday 5/4: Led the Mt. Auburn trip. Other than everything flying off as people started to get on things, not bad.Yellow-rumps, Black-and-white, and Parulas everywhere plus Cape May, Magnolia, tanager, Least Flycatcher. After the walk ended, I wandered Alewife Brook by Dilboy Field, which was a pretty big disappointment. Given that I was at 96 for Somerville and needed all but 3 warblers plus a bunch of other common things, I only added BT Green and had basically nothing of interest otherwise. Did Meadowbrook too, BT Blue and a Night Heron were about it. Checked the res on the way home, 5 Ruddy still (and a Wood Duck with them).

Monday 5/5: Raining too hard for much. Ton of swallows at the res, too far out to see without getting the scope out. Eagle landed along Old County as I was going by. Nothing at Flint’s or Nine Acre. Cormorants and Herring Gulls at the Mystic Lakes, nothing at Spy Pond. More swallows including at least one Bank at Hardy.

Tuesday 5/6: Only had time for a quick walk around Hardy and Graverson. Black-and-white and Savannah were about it, pond was fogged almost completely in.

Wednesday 4/23: Lot of Savannahs, nesting Cooper’s, a few Hermit Thrushes, three turkeys, a Mourning Cloak, and not much else at Dunback.

Thursday 4/24: Bunch of arrivals at Forest Grove including BH Vireo, catbird, Black-and-white, Nashville, and Chimney Swifts. Lot of other birds but they were mostly Yellow-rumps.

Friday 4/25: Started towards College Pond but it was unexpectedly pouring and didn’t appear to be a passing shower, so I went to Heard Pond. Solitary, eagle, Osprey, Rusty, few other things. Did let up enough to walk but almost everything was visible or audible from the car. Snipe flew by while I was scanning the marsh on the way out. Had time for the res, which had a loon and 2 Bufflehead.

Saturday 4/26: Did a quick run around the res and Nine Acre before the rain got too bad. Two loons on the res, ibis flying at Nine Acre, and that was about it.

Sunday 4/27: Town listing plus lots of swifts and swallows at the res on the way home.

Monday 4/28: Hanscom and Gaining Ground had FOY Great Crested, Northern Waterthrush, Blue-winged, and Yellow Warbler plus House Wren, thrasher, 4 kestrels, 2 Black-and-whites, and more. Also Eastern Pine Elfin, azures, a duskywing, Six-spotted Tiger Beetle, and Common Green Darner.

Tuesday 4/29: Little quieter than hoped for at BBN. FOY Parula and oriole plus BT Green, Blue-winged, kingbird, more of the same insects, etc.

Wednesday 4/16: Rather windy at Weston Station Pond. Usual stuff on the water (which was over the path, requiring some bushwhacking and almost a slide down the hill). Decided to checked the wooded areas for waterthrush with no luck but had a Broad-wing (my earliest locally or anywhere actually) and a Winter Wren singing. Good number of the expected warblers around the parking lot. About 50 Ruddy on the res on the way home but nothing else of note.

Thursday 4/17: No waterthrush in Estabrook, Ring-necks and turkeys about the most interesting. Had time to swing through Nine Acre and caught up with the ibis flock.

Friday 4/18: Mt. Auburn was pretty quiet, few Hermit Thrushes and sapsuckers, a Turkey Vulture, and Field Sparrow about it.

Saturday 4/19: Started by trying to get the 5 April birds I needed to get Norfolk to 100 at McCarthy Park. Walked the park side and saw very little, eventually getting a kestrel. Walked the link trail and had nothing much. Broad-wing over the buildings was one but that was it, although a Pileated while driving through Westwood made two. Millennium next, hoping for a Suffolk Broad-wing. Started at the high school marsh, where there was an Easter egg hunt assembling. Got a Green Heron before I get away. Parking at the park was tough, so ended up at the canoe launch and walked the trail a bit. Nothing particularly noteworthy, so up to the top and the sky. Harrier, Osprey, meadowlark, 100+ cormorants but no Broad-wing. Buzz on the res on the way home was just Ruddy and geese.

Sunday 4/20: Led the first of my Mt. Auburn trips. Windy but sunny and a good sized group. Harrier, bunch of Palms and a couple Pines at Halcyon. Coyote with a rabbit or something by Spectacle. Hermit Thrushes all over, one tree with a dozen kinglets, but otherwise nothing terribly unusual.

Went to Magazine Beach next, which wasn’t the best spot given the wind. Ran into Pete who gave me the tour (or at least confirmed I wasn’t missing a secret hot area). We turned up a thrasher and a bunch of sparrows. Continued to Earhart. Egret, sapsucker, a couple Hermit Thrushes, 3 loons, etc. Res had Ruddies.

Monday 4/21: Did a Worcester county loop figuring everything closer to home would be busy. Started at Westborough WMA where Tim tipped me off to a Vesper Sparrow, which I surprisingly had pop right up. Also Warbling Vireo, Ruddy, Green Heron,  Broad-wing, House Wren, etc. Continued to Gate 36 at Wachusett where there were 4 Bonaparte’s way out but not much else. Also gave a few shopping centers in the area a quick scan but no BH Gull to be found. Decided I had time for Bolton Flats too. Walked in and met a couple women walking out. They had some dark crane-like birds and asked if I had any ideas. I said ibis, they said “absolutely not”. Walked out and there were 11 Glossy Ibis. Also both yellowlegs but not much else.

Tuesday 4/22: Barred Owl, gnatcatcher, not too much else at BBN.

Wednesday 4/9: Mt. Auburn was not terribly exciting. Four sapsuckers, a kingfisher, FOY Chipping Sparrows, etc.

Thursday 4/10: Nothing terribly exciting at GM Headquarters. Very few birds at Nine Acre.

Friday 4/11: 3 Bonaparte’s at the res. PB Grebe at Nine Acre. Snipe and kestrel at Kaveski.

Saturday 4/12: Lovely weather. Early afternoon loop had 8 Red-necked Grebes at the res and the Snow Goose and 8 ibis at Nine Acre.

Sunday 4/13: Grebes were still at the res and a Red-breasted Merganser was nice. Kendrick Pond had nothing. Heard a chip from the waterthrush at Allandale but couldn’t see it and nothing else of note. Tried the Roslindale Urban Wild, which also had nothing much. And pretty much the same at D. Blakely Hoar. 

Monday 4/14: Common Mergansers, kingfisher, flyover cormorant about it at BBN.

Tuesday 4/15: Two Hermit Thrushes, a couple Yellow-rumps, a Palm, a RC Kinglet, etc at Cookson. Started pouring as I got to the river but there were at least 5 Night Herons and a Red-breasted Merganser. Also a turkey on the way home.