Wednesday 1/2: Riverwalk was extra quiet. Underpass was flooded so instead of walking to Moody, I drove down to Cronin’s and got a couple minutes there. Did get the coot and a few ducks.
Thursday 1/3: Purgatory had most of the usual ducks, couldn’t find any Gadwall and only one wigeon today. The yellowthroat that I had back at the end of November turned up again at Forest Grove, not sure where that had been hiding for a month. Believe that’s at least the 5th individual in the county this winter and there were only six or so prior winter records in eBird.
Friday 1/4: Started the year’s project (150+ in the SRV on work days) at the Wayland Community Gardens. The blackbird flock was around and a few redpolls were new for Wayland for me.
Saturday 1/5: Tried the Cohasset bit of Norfolk, but still have no clue where to actually stop and scan the water. Gave up, drove through Hull (turkeys), then Nut Island (6 Razorbill), Wollaston Beach (turnstone), and Squantum (most of the sea ducks, both loons, etc).
Sunday 1/6: Poked around the Watertown line a bit. Peregrine by Cookson, 5 Chipping Sparrows at Gore. Then did the first patch visit of the year. Started with a catbird, Winter Wren, and a few other things on the parkway. Continued onto the trails and had nothing other than a big flock of Red-wings. Looped the res after and had a Greater Scaup.
Monday 1/7: Too windy to hit Heard Farm like I wanted, so looped Nine Acre (1 heron, 20 geese, 4 robins) up to Heard Pond (kingfisher on Pelham Island Rd).
Tuesday 1/8: Was between the snow and the rain, so made it to Heard Farm. Just about the first bird out of the car was a Barred Owl. Further down, the chickadees seemed agitated (again). I walked a bit closer and a shrike flew by (commute #220!). Eagle by the pond, then the shrike perched up. Continued around and noticed a cormorant sitting, which was pretty far down on the list of expected birds today. Maybe only the second January record for the Sudbury River Valley. Too many dogs on the other side, but a big flock of blackbirds contained at least three species.