Since I didn’t bother taking any photos this weekend (Saturday it was cloudy and dark and I have no idea why I didn’t Sunday), here’s an Eastern Phoebe from last weekend:
I started to post this thinking that the wing looked funny but after looking more carefully I think the tuft on the belly is just obscuring it a bit and it is all there.
Was going for a photo of the Prairie Warbler and Indigo Bunting when the hummer flew in. Unfortunately no time to adjust the zoom to get a better framing. The Prairie moved a couple trees to the left almost immediately and the hummer took off shortly after.
Need to wait for the end of breeding season before I post today’s good birds, so some hummingbirds from the archive instead:
Dunback Meadow, Lexington, MA
New Salem, MA
One more from the Birdathon:
A Great Crested Flycatcher at Prospect Hill. Too bad the bill’s hidden.
A bit behind on this, but I got two new birds for Waltham this week.
I headed to Met State (which I should really start referring to as Beaver Brook North now) Tuesday on my way to work. I planned to loop around the marsh but turkeys were displaying on Turner Field so I left them alone and headed up the hill. I found my first Wilson’s Warbler of the year up near the Gaebler building and then wandered down to the middle section.
Down below, I heard a song that I wasn’t placing. Chasing after it for a few minutes, I finally located the singer: a Tennessee Warbler, which is only my second in Waltham. The views weren’t the best but I was quite happy. I was even happier a minute later when it flew to squabble with another bird, which showed the orange throat of a Blackburnian Warbler, #175 in Waltham! Unfortunately, both disappeared quickly.
Thursday, I headed for Prospect Hill. I thought the radar had looked good, but there were very few birds around. Several Indigo Buntings were singing and I had a couple of the common warblers. I decided to try the Pine Ledges Trail, which I only recently noticed. I believe that it ends inside my BBA block, so I wanted to go down to the end and see about accessing it without a long hike down the side of the hill. I found the end and started back up without seeing or hearing much of anything. Almost back at the top, I realized that the song I had heard on the way down was a bit odder than I had originally thought and decided that I should bushwhack up the hill and find the source.
It took a bit of effort to track down, but was well worth it when I found a Hooded Warbler! I got a quick view as it moved through the trees before deciding to get out into the open and try to look back. That turned out to not work, so I bushwhacked back in and was able to watch it for a minute. Not only my first for Waltham, but the first one I’ve found on my own in Massachusetts. That made it an excellent day, regardless of the lack of everything else.
Since I don’t take my camera to work, the previous post holds.
Birdathon report coming (which will mostly be insect photos) but since I have to be at Mt. Auburn at 6AM tomorrow (likely in the rain), so that will take some time.
I led a Menotomy trip to Beaver Brook North yesterday. It was rather windy and I decided that I didn’t feel like dragging the camera long. That turned out to be a big mistake.
As we walked through the woods, I could hear several Rose-breasted Grosbeaks singing, but they were very hidden in the treetops so I ignored them, figuring we’d have a better chance later. We sure did. Once the trail opened up, we stopped to look at a Black-throated Green Warbler. While everyone got on that, 4 Baltimore Orioles came in and landed at eye level. A minute later, they were joined by 3 grosbeaks! Things kept going with a Scarlet Tanager up high, but right out in the open with the sun directly on it. Incredible colors on everything.
The rest of the trip was pretty good with my first Swainson’s Thrush and Red-eyed Vireo of the year and a few more warblers (and more orioles and grosbeaks).
Since I blew the chance at a bunch of great photos, here’s a fair shot from a past trip:
One more from the weekend, a Brown Thrasher at Oxbow NWR:
A few highlights from today (wish I had equipment to record the Rusty Blackbird chorus). Getting closer and closer to May and the migrants are trickling in.
First Gnatcatcher of the year.
And a Pine Warbler that almost cooperated:
He did come down towards the bottom of the tree but didn’t quite stay steady.
Still working on getting the places stuff going again.
A nice first of year Field Sparrow was singing in Dunstable on Saturday. It was a little hidden among the branches and it was a bit windy to keep him held steady, but I like the results.
Still working on some drafts for the next few in the 100 Places series, hopefully will put at least one up this week.
I saw my first Wilson’s Snipe of the year on Sunday. It was pouring out, so I was without camera. Here’s one from the same spot a couple years ago in seemingly similar conditions. It actually was quite nice out that day and the effect is just from shooting through some vegetation.