Category: nature

Wednesday 10/29: Joined the mob not finding the Le Conte’s in the fog at Danehy. Oriole, couple siskins, not a ton else.

Thursday 10/30: Winter Wren and raven at College Pond (plus a few firsts for Weston).

Friday 10/31: Red-bellied at the feeder early. Barred Owl and first American Tree Sparrow of the fall at Heard Farm.

Saturday 11/1: West Meadow and Rock Meadow were pretty dead. Arlington Res had a nice selection of ducks including 7 Gadwall along with a White-crowned Sparrow. Rain started, so on to Cambridge Res. Interesting looking flock way out immediately, but I continued around first and found a scoter flock (19 Black, 1 White-winged). Doubled back and the other flock was about 30 Black. Nothing much else, so continued to Flint’s with another 30ish Blacks. Halfway to Heard at that point, so I went over and found a Great Black-backed Gull and a cormorant.

Sunday 11/2: Repeated the pond loop but it was too nasty. Scoter-like flock in the middle of Cambridge Res turned out to be coots.

Monday 11/3: Tried for the Blue Grosbeak in Sudbury in the cold and wind. Not my best idea.

Tuesday 11/4: Pond check again had big numbers but nothing terribly interesting. Believe Common Goldeneye was #100 for the new commute list.

Wednesday 10/22: Rain started before I got to the wren, traffic was too bad at Cambridge Res, so I finally made it to Heard Pond instead. A whole 26 Ring-billed Gulls, 2 cormorants, and an eagle.

Thursday 10/23: Too wet.

Friday 10/24: 2 Horned Grebes Cambridge Res, 1 Red-necked Flint’s, Bufflehead Heard Pond.

Saturday 10/25: Started by heading to Dunback to try for the Sedge Wren again. Lots of geese at Waltham St. as I drove by, so I walked over first. One interesting one, more eventually. Dunback had no wren but loads of Purple Finches (25+ and I covered less than half the area). Something in the afternoon too.

Sunday 10/26: Started at Great Meadows which was on the quiet side (lots of blackbirds and siskins overhead). On to Kaveski and Meriam’s, which was also quiet. Cool and starting to rain, so I didn’t spend too much time at School St (lots of Ring-bills, crows, starlings, cowbirds, Red-wings and a few pipits). Mergansers at Flint’s. Two Horned Grebes at the Cambridge Res, then scoping to the side and 5 more popped up! Plus the continuing big numbers of Ring-necks, coots, and wigeon.

Monday 10/27: Wayland Community Gardens and Cow Common were busy. Five species of warbler including late Wilson’s and Parula plus good numbers of sparrows and blackbirds.

Tuesday 10/28: West Meadow for a bit. Hoping for Ammodramus (right target, wrong location!) but made do with a sapsucker, bunch of Purple Finches, and lots of the common sparrows.

Wednesday 10/15: Tried Farm Meadow again, fairly quiet. Eastern Tailed-Blue was the best thing.

Thursday 10/16: County bird plus more of the same.

Friday 10/17: Checked Cambridge Res first. About 50 Ruddy, 200 Ring-necks, 4 Greater Scaup, 1 Lesser Scaup, 25 American Wigeon, a few coots, a siskin, etc.

Saturday 10/18: Tons of waxwings at the West Meadow, tons of Yellow-rumps, a Winter Wren, and a kestrel at BBN. A few less Ring-necks and a few more of the other stuff at the res. Wandered over for the Golden-Plover in Winchester in the afternoon and also had a feeding Merlin by the Mystic Lakes.

Sunday 10/19: Joined the BBC Suffolk county trip. Orange-crowned Warbler, several Field Sparrows, 225 Ruddies, and a few other things. Still 8 Lesser Yellowlegs at Hobbs Brook.

Monday 10/20: Farm Meadow had a meadowlark and potentially an interesting finch.

Tuesday 10/21: Chased the Sedge Wren at Dunback without luck (missed by 10-20 minutes on either side). Tons of sparrows, Yellow-rumps, an Orange-crowned, siskins, etc.

Wednesday 10/8: Started the new commute with a brief stop at Heard Pond. Eagle, Osprey, late Barn Swallow, etc.

Thursday 10/9: Wayland Community Gardens: Field Sparrow, BT Blue, Tennessee, lots of common sparrows.

Friday 10/10: Heard Farm had a sapsucker and more of the same.

Saturday 10/11: Started by leading a MBC trip at Waltham St. Got 100% of everyone on every bird, not that any were interesting (Osprey was nice at least). That’s very easy to do when you’re alone. With the rain starting, went to check Cambridge Res. Big flock (87) of Ruddy plus a few Ring-necks and other stuff. Flint’s still had nothing but cormorants, Hardy had 18 more Ruddy and a coot. Went to Arlington Res in the afternoon and caught up with the Great Cormorant and White-rumped Sandpiper plus a new Gadwall. Continued to Hobbs Brook where there were tons of yellowlegs and some early Common Mergansers.

Sunday 10/12: Started at Rock Meadow. Gardens were fairly quiet, Brown Thrasher and siskins being the main highlight (unfortunately couldn’t find the Bay-breasted among the Yellow-rumps). Field Sparrows and Purple Finches were also nice. Was about to head for the West Meadow when Norm called with an Ammodramus at Farm Meadow, so headed that way instead. No luck refinding it but Pileated, Bobolink, Red-shoulder, and tons of White-throats. Family walk at Great Meadows had a Turkey Vulture kettle, a pintail, and a Familiar Bluet. Purple Finch in the yard in between too.

Monday 10/13: Back to Farm Meadow. Didn’t see the Grasshopper but siskin, Purple Finch, redstart, etc made for a decent hour.

Tuesday 10/14: Wayland Community Gardens again: about the same sparrows (swap Lincoln’s for White-crowned), and a Baltimore Oriole.

Wednesday 10/1: Started by successfully chasing Bob’s Dunlin along with 6 shoveler and a few other ducks and shorebirds at Arlington Res.

Continued to Hobbs Brook to find my own but no luck with that. Big flock of teal that surprisingly turned out to be more Blue-winged than Green-winged. Cambridge Res was quiet, as was Hardy. First White-throat of the fall in the yard.

Thursday 10/2: Went to Great Meadows (after quickly checking Flint’s which had nothing but cormorants). Was expecting a couple hours but ended up staying about 6 on the platform. Lots of raptors moving (25 Osprey, 8 harriers, 3 Sharp-shinned, 3 Merlin, 6 Peregrine) and a few shorebirds (6 Pec, 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Least). Along with several pipits, warblers, etc. Big highlights were 54 White-winged Scoters (all sorts of reports on reservoirs to the west) and two good flocks of Rusty Blackbirds (80+ in total).

Friday 10/3: Started at Dunback. Lincoln’s and Scarlet Tanager in the gardens. Ran into Marj down Bacon St and we went over to Waltham St. Bobolink, lots of Indigo Buntings, but not much else. I walked back to Dunback and had a bunch of Yellow-rumps but not much else. A quick check of Hobbs Brook had 7 Green-winged Teal and a tree crew.

Saturday 10/4: Stayed in for Yom Kippur. Cooper’s across the street.

Sunday 10/5: Joined the MBC trip to Dunback and Waltham St. Started with a meadowlark (#211 in Lexington, #210 is above), then had an Orange-crowned Warbler (singing!) before adding a Baltimore Oriole. Quick check of the West Meadow was quiet by 11:30.

Monday 10/6: Quick check of the res had 45ish Ring-necks and a Pied-billed Grebe. Afternoon walk around Arlington Res had a few less shorebirds (3 Semis, 3 Solitary, 1 Spotted, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 9 Killdeer) but the shoveler count was up to 8.

Tuesday 10/7: Last weekday to really wander for a few months most likely. Danehy was quiet, McClennan wasn’t much better. Horn Pond had a mousing heron in the gardens but not a whole lot more. Stopped at Hobbs Brook and got the only rain of the day other than the couple seconds right after I left the house so no walking out there.

Two weeks as I forgot to hit post last week.

Wednesday 9/17: Rock Meadow was pretty quiet (at first). Continued through BBN with not much more. On the way back, an Eastern Kingbird was flying around the bluebird boxes, about a week later than I’ve ever had one. Quick check of Waltham St had nothing.

Thursday 9/18: Scouted Lincoln for Sunday’s MBC trip. Five or more Indigos, a Lincoln’s Sparrow, and a Nashville Warbler at Farm Meadow, a Redstart and not much else at St. Anne’s. Path to Lindentree was flooded and I didn’t feel like looping all the way around and went to Hobbs Brook instead, where there was a Greater Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpiper.

Friday 9/19: Started at Danehy. First Purple Finch for the county this year plus first White-throated Sparrow and Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the fall. Not much else though. Continued to Fresh Pond where there were 4 Ring-necked Ducks and 2 Nashville Warblers. Brief stop at the duck ponds on the way home had a Northern Waterthrush and not much else.

Saturday 9/20: Another Purple Finch and that was about it at BBN.

Sunday 9/21: MBC walk in Lincoln was pretty much same as Thursday (minus the Nashville). Cooperative Virginia Rail at Great Meadows, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 10 GW Teal at Hobbs Brook.

Monday 9/22: Next to nothing at Purgatory Cove and Forest Grove (was midafternoon though).

Tuesday 9/23: Dunback was slightly busier than things have been: BT Green, Magnolia, Blackpoll, singing Pine, Black-and-white, and a Redstart in addition to first of fall Golden-crowned Kinglet. Lots of raptors as the morning went on with Sharpie, Osprey, Kestrel, and a bunch of distant presumed Broad-wings. Also some interesting dead mammals: Star-nosed Mole (I think) and a skunk. Quick run through Hayden Woods after had more BT Greens and a Parula.

Wednesday 9/24: Started at Rock Meadow, where there were a couple warblers, an Indigo Bunting, and a few turkeys in the gardens. BBN was fairly quiet beyond a Broad-wing and there was nothing of note at the West Meadow.

Thursday 9/25: First of fall White-crowned Sparrow and American Pipit at Great Meadows.

Friday 9/26: Had to take the car for service, so walked to Mary Cummings Park while I waited. Five species of warblers and a few other things (and a probable flyover siskin).

Saturday 9/27 and Sunday 9/28: Pelagic. Lots of Audubon’s Shearwaters, a White-faced Storm-Petrel and some nice phalarope and jaeger photo ops. Quiet otherwise birdwise. Basking Shark and Leatherback Turtle made up the other fauna highlights.

Monday 9/29: Arlington Res had 4 shoveler, 5 wigeon, 2 snipe, 2 Pectoral, a Palm, and a bunch of Yellow-rumps. Lots of Savannahs at Waltham St.

Tuesday 9/30: Started at the West Meadow which had a bunch of sparrows (including White-crowned), several warblers, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Jogged through BBN to Rock Meadow. Wood Thrush, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and not much else there. Back through BBN in more detail added a few more sparrows and another warbler or two. Bunch of Ring-necks and an even bigger bunch of other ducks at Cambridge Res.

Wednesday 9/10: Dunback was pretty dead, 1 waterthrush, 1 parula. Nothing at Waltham St.

Thursday 9/11: Rock Meadow was dead (although I apparently missed a Clay-colored in the gardens), as was McClennen. Semipalmated Plover and 2 Green-winged Teal were new at Hobbs Brook and a Pied-billed Grebe was at Hardy.

Friday 9/12: Tennessee Warbler and a potential Philadelphia Vireo at BBN. Nothing at all at Hobbs Brook.

Saturday 9/13: Dunback was pretty quiet, a couple Blackpolls, 1 Chestnut-sided, and an interesting Catharus up high in poor light. Afternoon not birding in Westport, but a continuous flow of Ospreys was nice.

Sunday 9/14: Started in Wayland. Tennessee Warbler was about it from the community gardens (nice to catch up with Glenn though), hundred or so Rough-winged Swallows at Heard Pond. Cambridge Res was quiet and shorebirds at Hobbs Brook were limited to 1 Killdeer and 1 Pectoral. At least 6 Green-winged Teal mixed in though.

Monday 9/15: First Blue-headed Vireo of the fall at Prospect Hill plus a Magnolia, Black-and-white, Pine, and a few Blackpolls.

Tuesday 9/16: Early run to the West Meadow had a Marsh Wren, Magnolia, and a nice adult Cooper’s. Great Meadows in the afternoon had a Monarch, 4 pintail, a Blue-winged Teal (finally), a Green-winged Teal, lots of Wood Ducks, a few Lesser Yellowlegs, and a Pectoral Sandpiper.

Wednesday 9/3: Started at Mary Cummings Park. Quiet for most of the time, but eventually got one flock that included 3 species of vireos (Yellow-throated being the good one) along with a Nashville, BT Green, and Magnolia. Zabulon Skipper too. Very quick check of Arlington Res (high water) and Hobbs Brook (fewer shorebirds) before a loop of the duck ponds. One Canada Warbler and a Monarch was about it for there.

Thursday 9/4: Went to Plum with Bob. We missed Buff-breasted, Baird’s, and Western Sandpipers along with American Golden-Plover plus got stumped by the one interesting warbler. Did have some first of fall ducks, Red Knot, and a few other things. Quiet at Hobbs Brook.

Friday 9/5: Rock Meadow and BBN were very quiet. Green Heron at the duck ponds.

Saturday 9/6: Went to Prospect Hill before remembering the road was closed for a race and it was too hot to hike up, so around the res and then to Hobbs Brook, where there was nothing new. Continued on to Barrett’s Mill Farm, where there was a Monarch and not much else.

Sunday 9/7: Dunback had a BT Blue, BT Green, Magnolia, Canada, Northern Waterthrush, and bunch of redstarts. Hobbs Brook had more Leasts but otherwise the same.

Monday 9/8: Started at Prospect Hill. Totally dead, spished up a couple Black-and-whites in the first flock and had nothing else all the way down the hill. Did get first of fall Palm Warbler on the way back but that was it. Instead of continuing to the other side, I headed to Great Meadows. Also fairly dead but a Lesser Yellowlegs and flyover Wilson’s Snipe made it worthwhile. Quick check of Hobbs Brook had a few more birds but nothing exciting.

Check out the middle toe.

Tuesday 9/9: BBN was fairly quiet, although a Broad-wing was nice and Parula and Blackpoll were new for the fall (and made up 3 of 4 warbler individuals). Finally found something new at Hobbs Brook with a Pectoral Sandpiper. Also had 2-3 (or more) ravens soaring way off and a decent raptor show.