WIR 5/22-5/28

Wednesday 5/22: Bay-breasted at Forest Grove was new for the Charles (#165), the usual otherwise.

Thursday 5/23: Tennessee and the usual at Heard Farm.

Friday 5/24: Blue-winged and Tennessee among the regulars at College Pond. Also a few odes, a Monarch, a Question Mark, and some other butterflies.

Saturday 5/25: Started with a buzz through Nine Acre. 30ish Least, 2 Semi Plovers, not too much else. Full loop of BBN next. Orchard Oriole, Tennessee & Bay-breasted, YB Cuckoo, a few other birds plus a Swamp Darner and Painted Skimmer. Continued to Hobbs Brook which had another Tennessee and Bay-breasted (both new for there) plus a likely territorial Chestnut-sided.

Sunday 5/26: Great Meadows BBC/MBC walk had perched Least Bittern, calling Virginia Rail and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and most of the other stuff. Alder was singing when I was the only one there and a Least calling along the river was also new for me at Great Meadows. I went to Prospect Hill after, an hour and a half watching for kites didn’t find any but a decent variety of expected stuff along with first duskywing and Common Whitetails of the year.

Monday 5/27: Went to the Heald St. Orchards. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher early on, then lots of the usual. Finally got pointed to the spot with the Brewster’s Warbler. Waited outside the tangle for a bit, then decided to just follow the semi-path in. Got the warbler quickly, then heard an Alder so went towards that and flushed a Mourning Warbler. Also BB Cuckoo and Silvery Blues around. Went back to the Two Rod Trail in Carlisle after as Alan had a boghaunter the day before. Had 6-10 or so! Plus Pileateds circling a tree for 10 minutes and FOY Chalk-fronted Corporal. Decided Hayden Woods was worth a stop, still think that looks good for boghaunters. No luck yet but a decent number of birds for midafternoon.

Tuesday 5/28: First Habitat survey of the year. Fairly quiet beyond 2 Least Flycatchers. Poked around for Jonathan’s Summer Tanager after without luck but Bob found a nice Mourning Warbler by the parking lot.