WIR 9/18-9/24

Wednesday 9/18: Checked Prospect Hill again. Numbers down (other than Parula), but the Cape May was still there and I ended up with 13 warblers including my first Yellow-rump of the fall. A Yellow-throated Vireo at Big Prospect was the other highlight.

Cape May

Yellow-throated

Thursday 9/19: Hayden Woods was fairly quiet. Ended up with 6 warblers but it was hard work. Very quick run at Waltham St. had nothing. Afternoon check of Cambridge Res had a few of the usual shorebirds and 2 Blue-winged Teal (waterfowl species #26 for the res!).

Friday 9/20: Rock Meadow had a Bay-breasted. BBN had more of the same warblers along with another Tennessee.

Saturday 9/21: Led an MBC walk in Lincoln. No sun and fog made for a slow time at Farm Meadow (the farmer wrapping bales of hay didn’t help, although it was interesting). Lindentree had lots of sparrows and bluebirds and a surprising flock of Pine Warblers in the middle of the field.

Pine Warbler

Sunday 9/22: Since it was cloudy, I headed back to Heard Pond. Spent some time on the swallows and found 4 species (no Tree surprisingly). Over to Purgatory Cove for the first time in a few weeks and had first American Wigeon of the fall plus 5 Rough-winged Swallows and a few warblers.

Monday 9/23: Dunback was somewhat quiet but 3 Scarlet Tanagers and a few warblers made it worthwhile. Bob and I decided to try to find a sheltered spot and went across the street to the other section of the Waltham St. Fields. Getting towards the back corner, Bob found one of the most cooperative Connecticut Warblers you’ll ever see.

Connecticut

Connecticut

Tuesday 9/24: Prospect Hill again. Twelve species of warblers including at least 2 Cape Mays, 3 Swainson’s Thrushes and a sapsucker. Quick check of the Cambridge Res had 1 Pectoral, 3 Solitary, 1 Killdeer, 2 Semipalmated Plover, and a Peregrine.

WIR 9/11-9/17

Wednesday 9/11: Nothing at Rock Meadow or the duck ponds.

Thursday 9/12: Couple Osprey at Great Meadows. Probable White-rump at Cambridge Res.

Friday 9/13: Duck pond refilled from rain. More of the same at Cambridge Res (eagles at the south end).

Saturday 9/14: Added BT Green and Cape May to the yard list and had yet another Broad-wing.

Sunday 9/15: Lots of warblers and vireos at BBN, including my first Philadelphia in Waltham. More of the same at Cambridge Res.

Philly

Monday 9/16: Would have been a very good day at Prospect Hill if the light was better and it didn’t start to rain. Even so, 10 species of warblers including a Tennessee and a Cape May and a good number of vireos and flycatchers plus my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the fall. Quick stop at Cambridge Res had a single eagle. Hardy Pond had a big swift flock that I searched through and came up with a Cliff Swallow eventually (and while watching that a Blue-winged Teal flew across). Afternoon trip to Dunback was quiet, Parula, Magnolia, few redstarts, White-throat.

Tuesday 9/17: Started scouting Farm Meadow for an MBC walk this weekend. Wasn’t hopping but a bright Philadelphia Vireo made it worthwhile. Handful of warblers and many pewees besides. Quick walk around Lindentree had a Lincoln’s Sparrow and my first Palm Warbler of the fall. Stopped at Heard Pond on the way home, where there was a large flock of swallows, all distant. After multiple scans through those (only able to pick up Barn and Rough-winged), I noticed an adult Bald Eagle sitting in the treetops right where the flock was hanging around!

Philly

WsIR 8/28-9/10

Wednesday 8/28: Didn’t get out again.

Thursday 8/29: Walked to the duck ponds. On the way: Green Heron and Redstart at Lot 1, more Redstarts, a Black-and-white, and a Canada at Met State, and a gnatcatcher at Rock Meadow. Five Solitaries, 1 Least, 1 Killdeer, and not much else at the ponds.

Friday 8/30: Great Meadows: 3 Snowies plus the Little Blue, a snipe among the usual shorebirds, and a few warblers.

Saturday 8/31: Full loop of Dunback. Mostly quiet beyond lots of grosbeaks, but right as it poured Cliff and I had a Mourning Warbler in a small flock.

Sunday 9/1: Usual at Duck Ponds and Cambridge Res (except a GW Teal).

Monday 9/2: Same as yesterday

Tuesday 9/3: Another Mourning Warbler at BBN (plus something that’s getting a separate post). More of the same at the ponds.

Wednesday 9/4: Nothing exciting at Dunback, although Nashville was a year bird.

Thursday 9/5: Great Meadows in the rain: American Golden-Plover. Once it cleared, good views of the Little Blue plus a nice raptor show including a Bald Eagle and a Merlin. More of the same at the Cambridge Res.

Friday 9/6: Rock Meadow and BBN were quiet, beyond an interesting Catharus that I really needed a better view (and to hear). Nothing new at the ponds. Brought my computer in for repairs and stopped at Cambridge Res on the way over (Hooded Merganser) and Kaveski on the way back (got the Buff-breasteds eventually).

Saturday 9/7: Joined (and then accidentally wandered away from) the Menotomy trip at Dunback without much. Handful of warblers at Hayden Woods after and then a Marsh Wren at Waltham St. Great Meadows late in the afternoon was pretty dull, a nighthawk shortly after arriving was the best, minimal heron/duck flight.

Sunday 9/8: Nothing at Cambridge Res or Arlington Res. Hawkwatched a bit at Prospect Hill: 1 Osprey, 1 Cooper’s, 3 Red-tails, a few unidentified, plus a cuckoo over my head.

Monday 9/9: Lots of birds at BBN including an early Lincoln’s. Ran over to Dunback after but no luck with the Hooded.

Tuesday 9/10: Absolutely nothing at Dunback. Up to 12 Least Sandpipers at the duck ponds. Couldn’t find the possible good birds Bob had at the Cambridge Res later.

WIR 8/21-8/27

Wednesday 8/21: Eventually turned up a good flock of warblers at BBN including a couple Redstarts, a Chestnut-sided, and a really nice Tennessee (which may be the first one this fall in state). Still waiting for something better at the ponds.

Tennessee

Thursday 8/22: Caught up on other stuff.

Friday 8/23: Prairie Warbler and little else at Prospect Hill. Nothing at the res. Dragging muffler ruined plans to go elsewhere.

Saturday 8/24: Besides a sparrow and the yellowlegs flock, 1 BT Blue at Lot 1 (and a White-M), 2 Broad-wings between the West Meadow and Concord Ave, Orchard Oriole at Rock Meadow, and then redstart and Least Flycatcher back at West Meadow.

Sunday 8/25: Repeat

Monday 8/26: Didn’t get out. I think.

Tuesday 8/27: Ran to the duck ponds quickly. Interesting young Red-shoulder that I may post more about soon.

WIR 8/14-8/20

Wednesday 8/14: Great Meadows was pretty quiet. Finally got both teal but nothing else of note.

Thursday 8/15: Cape with Bob. Fairly slow day, but a few Forster’s Terns, a Whimbrel, a Prairie Warbler, and a few other things were worthwhile.

Friday 8/16: Went out to Fort Pond Brook with Alan and Soheil. Possible Zebra Clubtail was replaced by a Dragonhunter or two but otherwise it was slow.

Saturday 8/17: BBN had lots of redstarts, a Chestnut-sided, and another woodcock. More of the same at the duck ponds but finally got a waterthrush.

Olive-sided

Sunday 8/18: Got the expected Olive-sided at Dunback plus a waterthrush. 

Monday 8/19: Rock Meadow had loads of hummingbirds and a late family of Orchard Orioles. Two Leasts and a Solitary were it at the ponds. Nighthawks over the yard finally.

Orchard

Tuesday 8/20: Two Snowy Egrets were about it at Great Meadows (lots of the expected shorebirds though).

WIR 8/7-8/13

Wednesday 8/7: Found something

Thursday 8/8: Nothing exciting at Purgatory Cove (beyond a Bank Swallow and a couple Yellow Warblers). First juv Least Sandpiper at the duck ponds but nothing better.

Friday 8/9: Rainy and lazy

Saturday 8/10: Great Meadows: Semipalmated Plover, 11 egrets, not a whole lot else.

Sunday 8/11: Checked out the Massport trail at Hanscom, nothing too exciting. Then on to an ode walk at the Cranberry Bog, where a Green-striped Darner was the best.

Monday 8/12: Dunback briefly (trails overgrown, 1 redstart, lots of wrens). Six plus Solitaries at the duck ponds.

Tuesday 8/13: BBN: flushed a woodcock, otherwise about the same. No changes other than fewer Solitaries at the ponds.

WIR 7/31-8/6

Wednesday 7/31: Went to the Cranberry Bog for the first time in awhile. Nothing much there, but a probable Sweetflag Spreadwing down the Otter Slide trail was nice as was the miniflock containing a yellowthroat, Ovenbird, and Black-and-white. Two Leasts and a Spotted at the duck ponds.

Thursday 8/1: BBN to start. One small flock at the top of the hill had a Chestnut-sided, Redstart, Yellow, and Blue-winged (last was probably local, the rest not). Quiet from there though. Duck ponds again found Bob, a Spotted, and 2 Solitary.

Friday 8/2: Great Meadows: 3+ Great Egret, not much else. One Spotted at the duck ponds. Down to the Cape for the rescheduled pelagic where we drove around Falmouth and did not hear Chuck-will’s-widow.

Saturday 8/3: Pelagic, link to report sooner or later.

Sunday 8/4: Took a quick check for Clapper Rail without luck and then worked our way off Cape.

Monday 8/5: Great Meadows midafternoon: 14+ Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Greater, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 3 Solitary, 1 Spotted, 8+ Least, 1+ Semipalmated. Same Least, Solitary, Spotted at the duck ponds.

Tuesday 8/6: BBN had presumably the same Black-and-white and Redstart, but not much else for birds. A White-M Hairstreak and Zabulon Skipper made up for that. White-M was probably my most wanted.

White-M

Zabulon

Quick stop at the duck ponds had more of the same shorebirds but a Black-crowned Night-Heron was new for the location.

WIR 7/24-7/30

Wednesday 7/24: Great Meadows to start. A flock of Lesser Yellowlegs briefly touched down but nothing much else. Stopped at the duck ponds and had 6 Leasts.

Thursday 7/25: Duck ponds again: 4 Least, 4 Solitary, 2 Killdeer. Rock Meadow was pretty quiet (as expected with it being 60, cloudy, and windy).

Friday 7/26: Waited out the rain then wandered to the duck ponds again. Rain had refilled them, nothing of note.

Saturday 7/27: Started at Rock Meadow where I finally got a local Willow Flycatcher for the year. Walked through there and BBN without much else. Stopped at the duck ponds yet again on the way home, about halfway down and with 3 Least Sandpipers. New Salem in the afternoon. Only took a short walk, but came across a family of Ruffed Grouse (no camera unfortunately, although I was close enough to being attacked that I doubt I would have gotten any good shots).

Sunday 7/28: Great Meadows: Caught up with a Great Egret and a BW Teal finally, not much else.

Monday 7/29: Purgatory Cove was quiet. Couple Leasts in a two minute stop at the duck ponds.

Tuesday 7/30: Started at Cat Rock Park where I had a Pileated, Marsh Wren, and pair of bluebirds. Six ravens on the tower at Prospect Hill was a bit of a surprise, but quiet otherwise (another river cruiser and a spinylegs about it).

WIR 7/17-7/23

Wednesday 7/17: Quick walk at BBN didn’t have much. Went back to Purgatory Cove with a camera but no Vespers to photograph.

Thursday 7/18: Prospect Hill had the usual, plus a Swift River Cruiser. Quick stop at the duck ponds had 5 Solitaries.

Friday 7/19: Very quick stop at Hardy Pond, where I picked up about 15 dragonfly exuviae that I may eventually key out. Sat on the deck instead of heading to the Cape for Saturday’s canceled pelagic and added a kestrel to the yard yearlist (and a Red-bellied at the peanut feeder in the morning made for another).

Saturday 7/20: Great Meadows started with 3 Least Bitterns and a Green Heron from the tower. A few shorebirds were around, but none easy to see. Made it down to the river and after dismissing an odd call by the opening to the left as a blackbird, I noticed a Sora standing right there.

Sunday 7/21: Dunback to start. A female kestrel and lots of overgrown paths. Quick check of the duck ponds on the way home added a Killdeer, 2 Least Sandpipers and a Solitary.

Monday 7/22: Mt. Misery to Farm Meadow without much of anything.

Tuesday 7/23: Dodged rain to run to Hardy (1 Herring Gull, a few geese) and the res (eagle, more geese, mallards, and cormorants). Continued to the duck ponds but a landscaping crew was working so didn’t stop.

WIR 7/10-7/16

Wednesday 7/10: Checked Hardy Pond and the res but it was too foggy out to see at either. Moved on to Great Meadows where I could see, but the highlight was an all white pigeon. Also made a quick stop at Purgatory Cove in the afternoon, where there were 10 Wood Ducks, 7 swans, and a night-heron.

Thursday 7/11: Got to Prospect Hill just as the rain started. Tanager on the ground was all I managed before it got too heavy. Eagle again at the res.

Friday 7/12: Walked from Rock Meadow through BBN and the West Meadow without seeing much. Quick stop at the duck ponds had a Solitary in the usual corner. The left pond is very low (possibly to fix the walkway) and has potential for shorebirds soon.

Saturday 7/13: Concord Butterfly Count.

Sunday 7/14: Great Meadows early. No repeat of the Whistling-Duck, but a Least Bittern put on a good show.

Monday 7/15: Duck ponds again. Solitary and Spotted plus a deer and a huge snapping turtle.

Tuesday 7/16: Purgatory Cove eventually. Vesper Bluet and Striped Hairstreak.