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Wednesday 11/13: Started at Dunback, where there was a Merlin enjoying breakfast along Allen St. Also sapsucker and a couple Yellow-rumps but not much else. Gave the res a swing but other than goldeneye and mergansers didn’t notice much. Looking at reports during the day, I noticed how the Long-tailed Duck flock out west looked somewhat like Bufflehead and figured I better give the res another look. Sure enough there was one mixed in.

Thursday 11/14: Kaveksi was pretty quiet. Work was being done at Meriam’s, so didn’t go onto the trails there. Quick check of Flint’s had a loon and a swan, nothing jumped out at the res or Hardy.

Friday 11/15: Chased the Snow Goose around BBN a bit (watched it fly over the parkway, worked towards the golf course only for it to fly back to the parkway). Also a sapsucker, not too much else.

Saturday 11/16: Tried a bit of town listing building. Started at Ell Pond in Melrose where nothing was new but lots of Hoodies and Ruddies. Pine Banks Park next. Very quiet but my Malden list is low enough that I added five. Tried for Pinnacle Rock but one parking area was full and the on street option had multiple landscapers and leaf blowers, so just went to Prospect Hill instead (doesn’t look like I missed anything anyway). Almost an hour and a half of scanning had a few Red-tails and a Cooper’s.

Sunday 11/17: Started at Heard. Late catbird, Fox Sparrow, sapsucker, not much else. Old 27 Bridge next. Another Fox Sparrow but zero movement. Nine Acre had very little, so on to BBN. Spent an hour and a half scanning the geese and didn’t find any obvious Cackling.

Monday 11/18: Started at Rock Meadow, which was fairly quiet and a bit rainy. Had time to check the parkway but there were no geese so went to Concord Ave instead. Found a couple hundred on the golf course, again the Snow was the only different one I could see. Quick res check didn’t have much.

Tuesday 11/19: Nothing much at Cookson or the square.

Wednesday 11/6: Hanscom was quiet (other than meadowhawks) as were a bunch of ponds.

Thursday 11/7: Couple Red-shoulders at the West Meadow, waxwings and an RC Kinglet at Falzone.

Friday 11/8: Weasel (presumably Long-tailed), Snow Bunting, Peregrine, few other things at Great Meadows. Gadwall at the res in the afternoon and very little in an evening check of the parkway marsh at BBN.

Saturday 11/9: With NW winds, decided to try for Golden Eagles at Watatic. Started hiking at about 8:30 and made the watch by 9:15. Unfortunately, the winds seemed a bit too strong. In the hour before I gave up, I had one Red-tail, one Bald Eagle, a couple ravens, a few finches, and 50 geese. More geese and a couple Red-shoulders on the way down. Reports indicated it was a scoter day, so I did a few ponds on the way back. Hoodies on Ashby Res, nothing on Fitchburg, nothing on Nagog, geese on Flint’s. Cambridge Res however was very birdy. Big flock of wigeon with a few Gadwall at the south end along with some mergansers. Found the scoter flock in the middle but they disappeared before I got photos. Ton of swans and Ring-necks further down, then some Bufflehead at the Trapelo end.

Sunday 11/10: Was thinking about a Cave Swallow search at Heard but realized Water Row would probably be better. Got to the overlook just after 7:30 and gave it an hour. No swallows and very few larger birds moving (a few geese and Mallard, a hunting harrier, a flock of teal) but there were good numbers of robins and blackbirds and a creeper that landed right in front of me was nice. Eventually decided walking was a better idea. Put the scope in the car and immediately heard a siskin going over. A few feet down and 70 Canada Geese fly by. Got down to the FWS buildings and heard an odd call that eventually I realized was crane bugling. Searched a bit and 4 flew over. Unfortunately I was basically too slow on the audio and had no chance at any photos. Continued down to the end where there was a Fox Sparrow mixed in with some juncos and a pile more siskins. Started back and heard a Marsh Wren across from the pond, then had a phoebe and Winter Wren at the pond. A Red-shoulder was sitting behind one of the houses, but there wasn’t too much else from there.

Back at the car, I drove to Cow Common just in case the cranes had landed there, then doubled back to the Old 27 Bridge. Forty-five minutes of scanning there had a Yellow-rump andanother Fox Sparrow or two, but not much flying around. To Heard from here where there were swans and an eagle. Nothing exciting at the swamp, so home.

Went back out to check the res, which had about the same as yesterday. Then, just at halftime, got a text from Lily that the Snow Goose was back at BBN. Perfect timing to run over, patch bird!

Monday 11/11: Started at Horn Pond. Egret was one of the first birds, then 3 Gadwall. Nothing much exciting after that, most of the usual stuff, no Great Cormorant. Sandy Beach after was pretty quiet. Decided on Earhart next and had very little.

Tuesday 11/12: Usual ducks at Arlington Res highlighted by 5 Lesser Scaup. Bluebird at the farm was a new bird for me here. Quick buzz of the res and Hardy didn’t have anything of note, although I didn’t scan most of the dabblers.

Wednesday 10/30: Nothing much at College Pond other than a Pileated driving over. Couldn’t find the dabbling ducks at the res but did have a flock of scaup (awake ones were Lesser).

Thursday 10/31: Lesser Scaup, couple coots, 2 Palms about it at Fresh Pond.

Friday 11/1: Very few sparrows at Ricci but 2 were Field. Also 24+ turkeys, a bunch of pipits, a ton of robins overhead, etc. Quick check of the res had lots of ducks but nothing obvious of note.

Saturday 11/2: Started at Millennium where there were a few siskins, a couple Hermit Thrushes, a Winter Wren, and not too many sparrows. Great Pond next, did a full loop. Two BB Plovers, 2 Semipalmated, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, 2 Snow Buntings, 3 eagles, and Osprey, etc.

Sunday 11/3: Tried for some of the stuff seen recently on the Rose Kennedy Greenway without much luck. No chat, no Dickcissel, no towhees. Lincoln’s, 2 Swamps, sapsuckers about it. Went towards the public garden to look for kingbirds but ended up on Storrow looking for a space, so just continued to Revere Beach. Good number of Bonaparte’s but all far out. Had time for Winthrop Beach too. No oystercatcher but a golden-plover, pile of Dunlin, a few turnstones, 2 Bonaparte’s, a bunch of gannets, a few Snow Buntings, a few scoters, lots of loons were all good.

Monday 11/4: Got the BT Gray at Mt. Auburn after a bit of a wait, ‘commute’ #257!

Tuesday 11/5: Nothing of note at Cookson or along the river.

Wednesday 10/23: Cormorant still hanging around and a bunch of Ruddies at Arlington Res. More Ruddies and a couple coots at Cambridge Res.

Thursday 10/24: Decided it was murky enough that Great Meadows was the better choice. Cleared up a bit and was pretty quiet. Harrier, ton of sparrows, couple snipe, big snapper. Pulled in at Elm Brook on the way out and had the Snow Goose and almost as many species in 5 minutes as I had in the hour at GM.

Friday 10/25: Sun was brutal at the res, don’t think there was anything different. Pretty quiet at Rock Meadow, BH Vireo walking back to the car at the Lone Tree Hill lot was about the most interesting.

Saturday 10/26: Went west. Started at Wachusett where I had a Red-necked Grebe and Great Egret at Gate 40. Couple scaup and a GW Teal were about it at 37 and just about nothing at 25. Up to Jewell Hill next, where the Red-headed Woodpecker eventually popped up (technically not in Worcester county but whatever) and I flushed a woodcock first. Walked to the overlook and hawkwatched for a couple from the parking lot without much else.

Sunday 10/27: Brant was at Magazine Beach. Worked the Bonaparte’s at Revere Beach, probably got the Little but obscured and then it flew away. Had to run to get to Mt. Auburn for Ted Davis’s service, which was nice although we didn’t exactly see anything on the bird walk portion.

Monday 10/28: Lindentree and St. Anne’s had the usual. Couple Hoodies on Flint’s on the way over, nothing obvious on the res in the evening.

Tuesday 10/29: BBN had the continuing Greater Yellowlegs, a GW Teal, and a few other things at the marsh. Went over to the West Meadow instead of uphill for a change. No Nelson’s yet but a Lincoln’s was nice and a Sharpie was somehow a commute year bird. Went down the side trail and chickadees were very upset. Eventually had to just about crawl into the bushes but found a Screech-Owl. Ran to the office to find out the internet was down, gave the res a swing on the way home and had a few Gadwall and a pair of wigeon. Probably more if I had time to stop.

Wednesday 10/16: Kaveski and Meriam’s had the usual. Merlin, ton of pipits, bunch of Yellow-rumps, Field Sparrow, etc. Tried comet viewing from the BBN parking lot in the evening (barely visible naked eye, ok with bins/phone) and heard a Night Heron overhead.

Thursday 10/17: Not much at Cookson, sapsucker on the river.

Friday 10/18: Nothing terribly exciting at Weston Station Pond, lots of Ring-necks, a few blackbirds, very few sparrows. Flock of Ring-necks flying around the res.

Saturday 10/19: Fought traffic up to Halibut Point. Didn’t expect too much on the water but there was a steady flight of ducks (10 species) and gannets. Also a flyover pipit and 2 flyover longspurs. Walked the trails a bit, although the only interesting thing was a creeper in the quarry.

Meant to go to Waring Field but apparently missed a turn, so just went straight to Audubon Rd. Bunch of teal from the parking lot, then 2 coots from Audubon Rd. Quick check of the res didn’t have much.

Sunday 10/20: Waltham St. early (almost too early as the sun was barely hitting the field when I arrived). Oriole at Dunback first. White-crowned Sparrow and Orange-crowned Warbler in the swale almost together, then a Nashville in the front. Otherwise the usual blackbirds and Savannahs. Did the other section too, which was more of the same. Afternoon loop of the res had a ton of ducks including 8 Ruddy and a wigeon.

Monday 10/21: Sat in traffic for half an hour to get to Danehy. Purple Finch, Field Sparrow, Orange-crown about it.

Tuesday 10/22: Ricci Fields had an apparent Vesper Sparrow (essentially only in flight) and then a Grasshopper Sparrow in the same general spot later. Also a harrier, pipit, etc.

Wednesday 10/9: College Pond had a pile of ducks including both teal, 2 swans, and a pile of common sparrows.

Thursday 10/10: Good warbler day at Dunback including Orange-crowned, Tennessee, Nashville, and what had to be a Connecticut. Winter Wren too.

Friday 10/11: Danehy had what seemed like extra dogs plus construction equipment driving along the path on sparrow hill. And the back path had a sign about herbicide spraying, so I avoided that. Ton of Songs, an Indigo Bunting, and not too much else.

Saturday 10/12: Started at Waltham St. Bunch of Yellow-rumps along the entrance, bunch of Savannahs in the field, and a blackbird perched in the corn. Looked odd, seemed to show some yellow. I tried to get around and get better light but it flew. Started to walk around and saw a bird drop back in, so I circled the one strip and got another view. Still in bad light, but it looked pretty clearly yellow on the throat. And examining the pics, there was a hint down the chest, some white tipped primary coverts, and a tiny bit of yellow at the vent, which was enough to send out a message calling it a Yellow-headed. Worked the rest of the fields, ton of common sparrows, a couple flyover pipits, and not much else.

Dunback next, mostly the same as Thursday. Nashville replaced the Tennessee at Bacon, no Connecticut or Blackpolls, even more Yellow-rumps. Circled out to Blossomcrest and around, then went down to the other side of Waltham St, but several of the farm team were there, so I didn’t stay. Quick look at Hobbs Brook had a Semipalmated Plover and 8 Lesser Yellowlegs. Cambridge Res had 4 GW Teal. Hardy had very little.

Sunday 10/13: Started at Great Pond in Randolph. Did a very long loop from Oak St. Had no luck with the godwit but did have the Dunlin, which I somehow still needed for Norfolk. Also a bunch of Semi plovers and sandpipers, a BT Green, BH Vireo, Merlin, couple Field Sparrows, GW Teal, the hybrid Aythya, a Tree Swallow, and a bit more. Stopped at Magazine Beach on the way home. No Brant, but there were people just finishing up on the fields. Did have a Blackpoll, both kinglets, a BH Vireo, one of the Peregrines, etc.

Monday 10/14: Flock of scaup on the res. BT Blue, few Blackpolls, etc at Sandy Beach. Nothing exciting driving out to Stockbridge and back.

Tuesday 10/15: Usual at BBN. Still one egret, one peep(?) that got away, a flyover pipit among the more interesting stuff.

Wednesday 10/2: Slow to get moving so went to BBN. Two egrets, usual ducks, Red-shoulder, and a few Rusties at the marsh. Parula, couple Red-eyed Vireos, Blackpolls, etc up the hill. Working through them for a second time when Lily texted about a Golden-wing at Rock Meadow. Ran back to the car and had 15ish minutes to look without luck. Supposed to be south winds, so hopefully it’ll be out again in the morning.

Thursday 10/3: Nashville, couple sapsuckers, ton of robins and similar at Rock Meadow but no Golden-wing and couldn’t find the Lark Sparrow a photographer told me about.

Friday 10/4: Orange-crowned, Nashville, 2 Lincoln’s, Bobolink at Danehy.

Saturday 10/5: Went down to Plymouth for a change. Started at Ellisville Harbor. Marsh was quiet on the walk out. Tide was super low, lots of Laughing Gulls and cormorants but not much else. Eventually picked out a few shearwaters on the water way out, appeared to be Manx. Walked to the tip without much more, but a whole bunch of Yellow-rumps flew off on the way back and a few more shearwaters joined. Loop of the fields on the way out didn’t have much of anything.

Tidmarsh next. Much improved trails since I was last here, but not a ton happening. One small flock had a BT Green and BH Vireo, a sharpie flew over, a Sachem was out in the asters, and another flock of Yellow-rumps had a Nashville. Drove up to Nelson Park from here. Looked to be a decent bit on the water but the wind looked pretty rough and I had enough.

Sunday 10/6: Walking day. Ton of waxwings at Falzone, nothing much at the West Meadow. BBN had about the same as Wednesday (3 Rusties, 4 Night Herons, 3 egrets) but few warblers anywhere. Rock Meadow was quiet as were the duck ponds. Return trip through Rock Meadow added Savannah and White-crowned, getting me past 50. Walked Concord Ave to the incinerator trail, then back through the West Meadow and Falzone, but about the only thing of interest was a Cooper’s almost at home.

Monday 10/7: Figured the dark and showery conditions would be good for Great Meadows. Started fairly slow beyond a ton of Swamp Sparrows. Made it down to Borden without anything. While photographing a tame Cooper’s on the way back, I heard the call of the Golden-Plover I was expecting. Ran up to the platform and got some lousy shots. Quick stop at Elm Brook on the way out had an egret.

Tuesday 10/8: White-crowned, pipits, continuing Great Cormorant and Semipalmated Plovers at Arlington Res. Couldn’t find Jonathan’s Prairie Warbler though.

Wednesday 9/25: Lots of warblers staying high against the cloudy sky at BBN but did pick out a parula, couple Black-and-whites, and Blackpolls. Also a tanager, turkeys, 5 BC Night Herons, and Yellow-rumps were in.

Thursday 9/26: RE Vireo at Cookson was the most exciting thing there, nothing on the river.

Friday 9/27: 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, more of the usual at Weston Station Pond.

Saturday 9/28: Went a bit north in case the Lark Bunting hung around. North Shore Community Gardens had a Lincoln’s Sparrow, lots of common sparrows, a RC Kinglet, and not too much else. A few shorebirds and an eagle were at Putnamville Reservoir. Hobbs Brooks had a bunch of Semipalmated Plovers and yellowlegs. Waltham St. was quiet. Went around the res just to kill a bit of time before going home and had an egret.

Sunday 9/29: Went looking for mostly terns in Norfolk county. Started at Nut Island, where one interesting one flew fairly close but I got on it too late. A few more were way too far. Usual gulls and a few scoters otherwise. Wollaston had some Commons and unidentified (and I probably should have scanned harder). Squantum Marshes had egrets and a Merlin. Thrashed around Commander Shea a bit and got one Nelson’s to cooperate just enough. Walked from there up to Squantum Point Park, which was very quiet. Was about to give up, but saw Forster’s reported from Nickerson Rock, so figured I could spend a few minutes scoping. Got a couple flying quickly and then 5 more on the sandbar. Buzzed the Charles and res on the way home without anything.

Monday 9/30: Arlington Res had the Great Cormorant, a few shorebirds, a bunch of Yellow-rumps, and that was about it.

Tuesday 10/1: Kaveski had a ton of birds, mostly Killdeer, red-wings, doves, and waxwings. About the same crossing into Meriam’s. Lincoln’s and an Indigo on Shadyside walking back were nice, as was the Merlin chasing a Cooper’s earlier.

Wednesday 9/18: Waterthrush about it at Dunback.

Thursday 9/19: Expected good Great Meadows weather but it was much too nice for that so went to Arlington Res. Smaller numbers but the same shorebirds and ducks, a Palm, a Peregrine or two, etc.

Friday 9/20: Still minimal rain, but hit Great Meadows. And saw nothing. Gave up with enough time to buzz Hobbs Brook, which had a few shorebirds (but not enough time to actually park and walk back). Res had the cormorant on the sign again but nothing else and nothing but Mallards at Hardy.

Saturday 9/21: Went searching for Forster’s Tern in Suffolk today. Started at Revere Beach where there were gulls at both ends but not much else. Gave Winthrop Beach a check next, which was a mistake considering how hard it was raining. Had what was probably a Western Sandpiper but not much else. Town Landing had what was probably a tern but distant, so I went over to Fisherman’s Bend where there were a couple perched on a boat with some Commons. They flew, so I went to Pico to get closer. Terns didn’t return but lots of birds around including a golden-plover flyby with a flock of Black-bellies. Got wet again at Earhart on the way home, Palm, bunch of Savannahs, and a couple Yellowthroats the only things of interest.

Sunday 9/22: Quick check of the res had a Cooper’s but nothing else. Nothing but swans on Heard. Heard Farm had a few shorebirds, lots of raptors and first of fall White-throats (plus a heron that looked interesting flying way off). Decent flock of warblers behind the community gardens along with FOF Lincoln’s Sparrow, although the light didn’t allow for a full check. That took a bit longer than I expected, so I skipped Hobbs Brook and just went to Waltham St. Lots of Savannahs, another Lincoln’s, a Yellow Warbler, and that was about it.

Monday 9/23: Danehy had a BH Vireo, redstart, pile of sparrows (mostly Savannah), towhee, and junco. Couple Ruddy at Hardy.

Tuesday 9/24: Was going to Rock Meadow but a tree truck pulled in in front of me so Lone Tree Hill it was. One decent flock with 3+ RE Vireos, a Blue-headed, a few Blackpolls, a redstart, and a Black-and-white plus a few others scattered along with a Field Sparrow. Had enough time to cross over and do the gardens, not much there.

Wednesday 9/11: Red-shoulder, handful of warblers including a BT Blue at BBN.

Thursday 9/12: Prospect Hill had a handful of warblers, mostly on the way out. Had almost as much at Hardy while waiting for an oil change, although nothing exciting.

Friday 9/13: Pec, snipe, bunch of other sandpipers at Arlington Res. Egret at Hardy.

Saturday 9/14: Did the annual Watatic hawkwatch trip. Ring-neck and 4 loons on Fitchburg Res. Grouse flushed on the way up the mountain. Sort of a slow day with under 300 birds counted, but excellent variety including 2 Black Vultures, a close Peregrine, and a ton of eagles and kestrels. Walk down had the grouse again but little else.

Sunday 9/15: Started at Deer Island, which was pretty quiet. Turnstone and a few other sandpipers at the tip, nothing in the trees. Walked from Yirrell to Winthrop Beach next, picking up the Golden-Plover and having some good chats. Just short of back at the car, 3 birds that looked like Caspian Terns flew over and kept going. I had the tripod folded by then, so had to fumble with putting it down to get the camera up and pretty much missed, then tried viewing with only one leg open, which left me unconvinced. So I was very happy when my text of “any chance you had Caspian Terns” to someone still at the beach got a reply of “yes, 3!” Checked Fisherman’s Bend quickly without anything of note. Tried Lewis Lake for a minute after, mostly to catch Soheil (failing that). Nothing much in birds, a few Familiar Bluets and a forktail were good. Got home and checked facebook and saw someone posting a Rambur’s from there, so I should have paid more attention.

Monday 9/16: Indigo was about it at Rock Meadow. Single Solitary and Killdeer in a couple minutes at the duck ponds.

Tuesday 9/17: 2 BT Green, the usual herons at BBN.