WIR 8/20-8/26

Wednesday 8/20: Hobbs Brook had a pile of Least and Killdeer plus a few Solitary and Spotted off road. Caught something more interesting along the road just before the rain started, which proved to be a Stilt Sandpiper. Spent some time attempting to document it but the rain eventually won out. Quick check of Hardy and the res had nothing.

Thursday 8/21: Nothing at Spy Pond, cormorants flying over the Mystic Lakes and presumably one of the young eagles were it there. Nothing much at the res or Hardy.

Friday 8/22: Prospect Hill was on the slow side but a Blackburnian was quite nice. Also Black-and-white, couple redstarts, and a deer.

Saturday 8/23: Ode trip out west. Bog in Ashburnham had a pile of darners including a Mottled, several Martha’s Pennants, and a few other things. We walked a bit of a bike trail after, not finding much. A side trail led to a little stream which had Fawn Darners, a Black-tipped, and an emerald flying around, so worth it in the end.

Sunday 8/24: Did a good bit of Cutler Park. Green Heron over the boardwalk, a Chestnut-sided, a few shorebirds not easily viewed, and an Osprey with a fish to start. Relocated to Kendrick and had a few more shorebirds but little else.

Monday 8/25: Chestnut-sided but no Little Blue (or early Ring-neck) at Fresh Pond.

Tuesday 8/26: Nothing exciting around Watertown Square.

WIR 8/13-8/19

Wednesday 8/13: Usual at Weston Station Pond, Broad-wing the most interesting.

Thursday 8/14: Redstart, bunch of yellowthroats and orioles at Dunback. Felt like there was more that I just wasn’t finding.

Friday 8/15: Decided Hobbs Brook again was the best bet. Less shorebirds off road, although most of the same variety. Walked down towards the power lines with Cliff and shortly after we got there he said “there’s a turnstone over here”. Panicked a bit, but eventually got it in the scope (it was shockingly hard to find when it wasn’t moving). County 314, ‘commute’ 260, res 185, etc. More shorebirds at this end but that was the only one of interest. Did a loop of the hill when we finished as I didn’t quite have time to check anywhere else but nothing of any note there.

Saturday 8/16: Three Baird’s remained at Winthrop Beach (Suffolk #258 plus another one off the single county only list), practically able to walk right up to them. Also a couple White-rumps, ton of Laughing Gulls, decent number of Semis. Decided to walk down to Yirrell after, had a few martins fly by about where the change is. Nothing but a nice juv Bonaparte’s at the beach though. Greenway and cemetery next. Thought I heard an RB Nuthatch pretty close to the parking but only heard one set of calls and didn’t see anything. A couple Yellows and a couple Redstarts were near the nature study area. Lots of egrets and a few peep in the channel. Made a quick pass of Morton St and then Belle Isle without anything at all.

Sunday 8/17: Heard had a few shorebirds including a Pec. Nothing at the river along the road and nothing different from the high school side.

Monday 8/18: Very quiet at Great Meadows.

Tuesday 8/19: BT Green was the most interesting bird at BBN but another weasel hunting a chipmunk was the highlight.

WIR 8/6-8/12

Wednesday 8/6: Pileated and nothing else at Prospect Hill. Lot of gulls on the res.

Thursday 8/7: Nothing much at BBN. Blue-winged, couple Night Herons, Hoodie still.

Friday 8/8: Good number of shorebirds at Hobbs Brook including first of fall Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and Semipalmated Plover plus a hummingbird. Even more gulls at the res but all Ring-billed from what I could see. Took a break midmorning and found a Red-banded Hairstreak on the inside of the kitchen window.

Saturday 8/9: Started at Delaney, as much for some Worcester county August birds as for the Trumpeter Swan. Swan was visible off the boat ramp immediately, so I worked around to the county line quickly. Picked up a few things but not a ton and nothing exciting.

From there, I went to Gate 8 at Wachusett. Minimal luck with any of the landbirds I was looking for, but I found the Bonaparte’s Gulls that had been hanging around and got a decent flyby. Continued to Sterling Peat, which had almost nothing.

Sunday 8/10: Squantum area run. Squantum Point Park had a redstart or two but not too much else. The forktail area was very dry. Marshes had peeps, semi plovers, yellowlegs, and dowitchers. Passanageset had a lot of shorebirds but they were outnumbered by mosquitos by a couple orders of magnitude. Fortunately, 4 Purple Martins flew around and then landed at the far end of the parking lot as I was leaving, long overdue for the county. Earhart on the way home didn’t have much.

Monday 8/11: About the same at BBN. Another young night heron, another hoodie, a few shorebirds.

Tuesday 8/12: Couple more of each species but the same mix at Hobbs Brook.

WIR 7/30-8/5

Wednesday 7/30: Hobbs Brook had a few shorebirds, Greater Yellowlegs the most interesting. Shade Street had a family of turkeys and an interesting skipper.

Thursday 7/31: Forest Grove/Flowed Meadow had mostly the usual. Quick check of the res on the way home had a hummingbird, an eagle, and a few gulls.

Friday 8/1: Great Meadows (after an egret stop at Elm Brook) had 5-7 Great Egrets, a rail, still calling Least Bittern, and a Bank Swallow. Saw the Bonaparte’s reports out west and gave the res a run (probably should have started there) but nothing much.

Saturday 8/2: Started at Heard Pond, where the rain had presumably brought the river way up, so no shorebirds. Nothing terribly exciting, a distant swallow might have been a Cliff, a few Bobolink, a Red-shoulder, etc. Gave Water Row a very quick stop at the overlook, nothing worth getting the scope out for. Made it to the Cranberry Bog while the introductions were still being done. Walk itself was very slow, mostly the very common stuff and not much in interesting birds or butterflies either (we’ll see about the syrphids).

Sunday 8/3: BBC Leader’s Appreciation event at Wompatuck. Walk was pretty quiet, Wood Thrush and Purple Martin the highlights. Social time was nice, but got a bit late and hot to stop at Squantum like I had wanted.

Monday 8/4: Nothing at Estabrook that hadn’t been there all summer. Pileated, YT Vireo, etc.

Tuesday 8/5: Night Herons at Cookson, Osprey at the square, very little otherwise.

WIR 7/23-7/29

Wednesday 7/23: BBN was birdy, although nothing terribly exciting. Virginia Rail, couple bluebirds, couple Night Herons.

Thursday 7/24: Nothing of note at Weston Station Pond.

Friday 7/25: Out to Otis. Tried to check Colebrook on the way but the road wasn’t open and nothing obvious on the Connecticut side. Crossbill over later was nice.

Saturday 7/26: Got 3 more Berkshire birds, Eastern Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatcher, and Broad-winged Hawk. Unfortunately that only got me to 98 and I was lazy, so all from the porch. Another(?) crossbill, Clamp-tipped Emerald, and Band-winged Meadowhawk too. Also Black Vultures over Great Barrington.

Sunday 7/27: Made the last day of the NE DSA meeting. Weather did not cooperate, list from 3 sites totaled about 8 species but really happy to see a bunch of people I haven’t seen in 5 years.

Monday 7/28: Had taken the day in case the DSA went long. Finished getting to 100 in Essex in July at Harold Parker State Forest, getting up to 110 without any effort (or anything of any note). Made a couple stops in North Reading next, getting that list from 26 to 39, so hopefully 50 won’t be too hard later this year. Given the Little Blue report at BBN, I stopped on the way home. No luck but a Hooded Merganser was nice. Gave the duck ponds a quick check in case it had wandered that way without any luck.

Tuesday 7/29: Heron was still present, as was the merganser. Also Gray Hairstreak (I think, rather worn) and Appalachian Brown.

WIR 7/16-7/22

Wednesday 7/16: BBN had a single Least and Solitary, an Osprey, a tanager landing right near me, and a Mocha Emerald or two. Quick check of the duck ponds had no shorebirds.

Thursday 7/17: Dunback had Bobolinks, 250+ Red-wings, and not much else.

Friday 7/18: Egret and not much else at Great Meadows.

Saturday 7/19: Started at McCarthy Park to work on my July Norfolk list. Picked up my 3 easiest targets and a couple others, which got me past 90. Felt like I could have come closer to 100 but that’s for next year. Decided a bit of a stop at the Barber Reservation in Sherborn next. Worked down to the power lines and picked up some nice bugs including a buckeye, a Swamp Darner, and a few tiger beetles. Got a few raptors and a few other things, which got by Sherborn list to 75. Checked the fields on the way back, another Swamp Darner and a Silver-bordered Fritillary were nice.

Sunday 7/20: Started at Winthrop Beach. Semipalmated Plover flew by, otherwise just the regulars. Lewis Lake had Night Herons and not much else. Pico had a few martins at the yacht club. Good number of shorebirds from Lawn Ave, but nothing exciting. Decided the mosquitos were going to be too bad from there and even though it was unlikely ot still be up, the Seaside Sparrow in Squantum was better. Gave it a little over an hour without luck but a bunch of Saltmarsh and a few shorebirds were around.

Monday 7/21: Tried Horn Pond in case the intermittent Yellow-crowned Night Heron was around. No luck and nothing else terribly of note.

Tuesday 7/22: Multiple Least Bitterns calling at Great Meadows, no Striped Saddlebags though.

WIR 7/9-7/15

Wednesday 7/9: Too rainy in the morning, didn’t feel like a pond loop.

Thursday 7/10: Still too rainy.

Friday 7/11: Usual at Weston Station Pond. Did a midafternoon walk to avoid sitting in the data center and didn’t see anything of note.

Saturday 7/12: Inland Boston loop. Had Cliff Swallow immediately at Mill Pond along with a Green Heron. Nothing terribly exciting birdwise at Stony Brook, some interesting insects though. Gave Allendale Woods a loop too, no owls or Pileated. No Night Heron at the high school marsh at Millennium and not much in a quick walk along the river.

Sunday 7/13: Concord Butterfly Count with Maria, Alan, Steve, and Nancy in Acton/Carlisle as usual. Good numbers of satyrs and wood-nymphs, a Gray Hairstreak, a few skippers, but not overly exciting. A turkey flushing at my feet and a Virginia Rail were about it birdwise and the odes were the usual.

Monday 7/14: Did a Kaveski/Meriam’s loop. Solitary overhead and a Green Heron were the extent of the excitement.

Tuesday 7/15: Night Heron at Cookson, Peregrine near the square.

WIR 7/2-7/8

Wednesday 7/2: Delaware Skipper was the most interesting thing at Hanscom.

Thursday 7/3: Lone Tree Hill had an Indigo and a Green Heron but nothing exciting for butterflies. Solitary at the duck ponds.

Friday 7/4: Did a coastal loop even though I figured the Ruff and others were long gone. Winthrop Beach was very quiet, but I did finally find Efferia albibarbis. Nothing much at Belle Isle Cemetery. Couple dowitchers and a first summer Least Tern at Belle Isle itself, few more shorebirds from Lawn Ave. Stopped at Earhart on the way home and finally got a couple Common Terns.

Saturday 7/5: Wanted to be near Torbert Macdonald in case the Whistling-Ducks turned back up, but chased some month birds while I waited for news. Acadian took some time at the Hemlock Pool but eventually got a good show. Also finally have the young Barred Owl call down as a Barred Owl. Couldn’t find the Ruddy at Ell Pond but a Night Heron and a couple others were new there. Fellsmere Pond next, just about got Malden to 50 (and did by adding pigeon and starling while driving off, which was town #50). Gave Station Landing a quick check for ducks, nothing of note.

Sunday 7/6: Ode walk at the Cranberry Bog. Started in Estabrook first, no luck with spiketails but Zack did find some nearby after. Walk itself was pretty quiet, not much beyond the common skimmers. Did have a couple Unicorn Clubtails and a few butterflies. Stopped at Healthpoint on the way home and got a (slightly blurry) photo of a Comet Darner and Carolina Saddlebags together.

Monday 7/7: No egret, bittern, or much beyond a weasel at Great Meadows.

Tuesday 7/8: West Meadow was quiet. Few shorebirds at the parkway marsh included3 Solitary and 5 Least.

WIR 6/25-7/1

Wednesday 6/25: Nothing much at Falzone.

Thursday 6/26: Usual at Weston Station Pond.

Friday 6/27: Lots of swallows and an RB Nuthatch at BBN.

Saturday 6/28: Finally got out to Shirley for Grasshopper Sparrows. One or two were singing, although not visible. The field was hopping though, also had a Field Sparrow, a couple Savannahs, a meadowlark, and more. Got Shirley past 50, so moved on to Hudson. Started at Danforth Falls, which was mostly wooded and quiet in the mist. Got 5 of the 6 I needed there, so went to a trail along the Assabet. Parked at the boat launch instead of the school to avoid soccer traffic, figured no one cared with the weather. Got a few more here, so 5 towns to go for the entire county to be over 50. Best thing was a Short-tailed Weasel chasing a chipmunk around several trees. Pretty sure the chipmunk had already gotten away when the weasel saw me, but definitely at that point. Tried to find a spot in Maynard but didn’t see obvious parking, so went home.

Sunday 6/29: After seeing multiple reports of Mississippi Kite at Garden in the Woods over the last few weeks (and last year, and nearby in 2022), decided to conduct a search. Didn’t remember much open sky at the Garden, so decided to try places nearby. Started at Lyons-Cutler. Walked in from the newish Landham Rd trail, which had a nice view but nothing much. Thought I was on to something as soon as I got in the woods but it was a crow. Did the loop but other than GH Owls there wasn’t much of note.

Next up was Raymond Reservation, where the 2022 record was from. Parked (in the shade) at Feeley and walked over. Bushwhacked in to check for gallinules and stuff, but it was just swallows, geese, and blackbirds. Worked around without much more, so backtracked to the paved bit, walked to the end, and started scanning. Wasn’t too long before I had a few Red-tails, which were the first raptors up I had seen for the day. Continuing to scan, I picked up something different way out. Looked interesting shape wise, but it was so far out that I was struggling to get the camera to focus. Eventually got one shot that suggested my initial thought was good, but it was extremely tiny in frame (and once home I found it even smaller in a couple others). Decided I better get the scope, so ran back and gave up the sun to park at the pulloff. Back with the scope, it wasn’t long before I picked up the bird again a bit closer. On it quickly, I got the flash of pale secondaries that I wanted. In a bit of shock that my search actually succeeded, I gave it a few minutes (during which it came close enough for identifiable photos), got it posted, and then spent another half hour waiting for a return. That didn’t happen and it was getting hot, so off I went.

Monday 6/30: Went to Prospect Hill, mostly to check on the tiger beetles. Pretty much the usual birds and not much for butterflies or dragonflies but did have a pair of Red-bellies so a success.

Tuesday 7/1: Had to take the car in, so only had a short bit of time at BBN. Circled the parkway marsh and the hill by the apartments without much of anything. Car only took an hour so I sat at Hardy Pond, also nothing terribly exciting.

WIR 6/18-6/24

Wednesday 6/18: Family of Virginia Rails, Pileated, beaver, FOY Blue Dasher, Hooded Merganser at Great Meadows.

Thursday 6/19: Usual at BBN.

Friday 6/20: Nothing particularly noteworthy at Hobbs Brook (and Cranberry Hill) or Shade St. Not that I could hear much over the wind.

Saturday 6/21: Led the BBC walk to Willard Brook and Watatic. Started with a Luna Moth at the bathrooms, then had a few warblers, flyover crossbills, thrushes, etc. Brook itself was quiet but we had Louisiana Waterthrush immediately so didn’t walk far. Watatic had a few more warblers and a bunch of dragonflies including several emeralds, Martha’s Pennant, and Dragonhunter. Quick check of Fitchburg Res on the way home had an eagle and giant snapping turtle.

Sunday 6/22: Waited out the rain, then went up to some conservation land in Tyngsboro that I had picked out as having Cobra Clubtail potential. No luck with those but a few odes, a bunch of Bank Swallows, and a few butterflies.

Monday 6/23: Nothing exciting at Dunback.

Tuesday 6/24: Nothing east of the square in a very quick visit. Black-and-white was a surprise near the square, otherwise the usual.