WIR 10/5-10/11

Wednesday 10/5: Did an extended pond check (res, Flint’s, Mystic Lakes (skipping the south end, oops), Spy, Fresh, Hardy and had essentially nothing to show for it.

Thursday 10/6: Back to the south end of the lakes. Got the Golden-winged within a couple minutes, also Black-and-white, Purple Finch, Philadelphia Vireo, ton of kinglets. No GC Thrush and probably overlooked the Acadian.

Friday 10/7: Danehy had a ton of sparrows, White-crowned the most interesting. Also Nashville, 2 Peregrines, a few Purple Finches, etc.

Saturday 10/8: Decided to do the long walk to Rock Meadow or so for a change. Really should do it more often. Wasn’t the most exciting but an Orange-crowned was a new nonmotorized bird. Also a pair of BT Blues and a Red-shoulder were about it for the rest among 50 species.

Sunday 10/9: Led the MBC walk at Waltham St. Lots of the usual sparrows, a few warblers, etc. Most of us went to Dunback for a bit after and had more of the same. Hobbs Brook only had 2 Greater Yellowlegs and a few Killdeer for shorebirds but a flock of 30 Palm Warblers and a bunch of sparrows were nice. Got back to the car and noticed some movement along the highway and found a flock of Purple Finch (6+) and a Rusty Blackbird.

Monday 10/10: Did a complete loop of Millennium. At least 17 Purple Finches, the Clay-colored, and a few other things, lots of birds around. Nahanton next, usual stuff in the gardens. Drove through Norumbega on the way home and had nothing, then watched an eagle fly right over as I got back on the highway. Checked the res too, another eagle, 5 Ring-necks with a teal(!?) mixed in, and 5 Ruddy. Went to Arlington Res later in the afternoon and had 3 White-rumps, 2 snipe, 2 pecs, a pipit, etc.

Tuesday 10/11: Usual at Cookson and along the river, but the otters were back.