Wednesday 6/3: Driving day, usual vultures/Osprey/swallows etc along the road. Probably added something in Connecticut but first new state bird I actually recorded was Boat-tailed Grackle in NJ.
Thursday 6/4: We did the loop at Brigantine. Pretty casually, didn’t get out much with the scope and wanted to be back on the road in an hour and a half. Tons of terns, peep (almost all Semi Sand), egrets, Laughing Gulls, etc. Ten new NJ birds, White-rumped, Caspian Tern about the most exciting. Long drive from there with basically the same as yesterday (so mostly vultures).
Wednesday 5/27: Alder, Comma, and not too much else at Dunback.
Thursday 5/28: Looped Farm Meadow. Got the Bobolinks for the year and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo as well. Few odes and butterflies as well.
Friday 5/29: Barred Owl, Mourning Warbler, parula, couple Magnolias, maybe more at Habitat. Afternoon loop of Meriam’s/Kaveski didn’t have too much.
Saturday 5/30: Tried to listen again at Habitat but the rain was too much. Did a pond loop and other than lots of gulls and cormorants on the Mystic Lakes there was nothing. Afternoon try for terns had 2 loons on the res but nothing else there or along the Charles.
Wednesday 5/20: Went to Fenway for the Bicknell’s. Super cooperative plus finally got a Suffolk Mourning Warbler in the same plot. A few other warblers, a Least Flycatcher, probably more that I didn’t pay attention to. Also had Spot-winged Gliders walking back to the car.
Thursday 5/21: Did the walking day I had wanted to do Tuesday. Falzone had an Alder (#168 on foot), a few redstarts, and not too much else. West Meadow was quiet. BBN had a few more warblers, FOY Willow Flycatcher, and a few raptors. Return trip was fairly quiet. Ended up with 66 species, not too bad considering minimal migrants and didn’t have time to go to Rock Meadow or the ponds.
Wednesday 5/13: Estabrook had the usual, FOY Eastern Wood-Pewee the most exciting.
Thursday 5/14: Only had time for a quick res/Hardy loop, which had very little. Did see the Peregrine leaving Weston Station Pond on my way to other stuff later.
Friday 5/15: Went to Mt. Auburn to finally catch up with the Summer Tanager. Got that and a bunch of warblers.
Saturday 5/16: Out to Townsend to work on that list. Started at Elm Circle, which had a couple warblers but was pretty quiet. Went to the West Meadow Road section of Squannacook WMA next, although the phone took me to some other road. Tried walking in from there but there wasn’t much of a path and I was getting coated in ticks. Switched boots and drove to the actual entrance. Few feet down there was a Golden-winged Warbler song, so had to spend a few minutes making sure that was a Blue-winged. Walked further and a Black-billed Cuckoo flew in. Found more ticks, then almost ended up at the other entrance. On the way back had a bunch of Purple Finches and a Uhler’s Sundragon. Got up to eight new birds but decided to move on to Shirley rather than find another spot in Townsend, this area will be good for sparrows and stuff in fall.
Wednesday 5/6: Marsh Wren, Pileated, 9 warblers, tanagers, Wood Thrush, RE Vireos, etc at BBN.
Thursday 5/7: Had to drive into Boston in the morning and had no interest in getting back in the car after.
Friday 5/8: Prospect Hill was fairly quiet, FOY Indigo Buntings, a few warblers, a turkey, and a Pileated.
Saturday 5/9: Had originally thought about Burrage or something for global big day but the weather didn’t look great, so just did some more town listing. Lake Q was quiet, walked the cemetery a bit and did add a couple common things but had zero migrants. Audubon Rd had a couple egrets, Savannah Sparrows, and a bit more, ending up with 5 for Wakefield, just three short of 100. Next stop was Harold Parker State Forest, which just reaches North Reading. Rain picked up a bit here but it was also the busiest part of the day. FOY Louisiana Waterthrush and Magnolia Warbler and a pile of other warblers. Ran to Martin’s Pond next, added Bank and Rough-winged Swallows (and probably should have scoped for more), which meant 16 new ones for the town. Made one more stop at Wilmington Town Forest, which was extremely quiet, only added turkey and Ovenbird. Afternoon loop of the res somehow missed the Bonaparte’s (and martin) and didn’t see the Cliff at Hardy either, but since it was still being reported I walked down Hardy Pond Rd and found that.
Wednesday 4/29: FOY oriole and Chimney Swift from the yard, then both of those and a Northern Waterthrush at Weston Station Pond.
Thursday 4/30: Arlington Res had more of the same, nothing good in the swallows and Yellow-rumps. Stopped at McClennen too but the rain picked way up.
Friday 5/1: Rock Meadow had RB Grosbeaks and catbirds, duck ponds had nothing exciting. Still had time to run down the parkway for snipe. Didn’t find those but did have a pipit.
Wednesday 4/22: Arlington Res had about the same. Nothing on the res or Hardy.
Thursday 4/23: Nothing east of the square, Yellow and a bunch of Yellow-rumps at the square.
Friday 4/24: Slow to get going so just went to BBN. Solitary and six snipe still there, couple Yellow-rumps, couple Palms, not much else so probably a good thing that I didn’t go further.
Saturday 4/25: Started at Squantum for the White-faced Ibis. Beat the road race but no bird when I arrived. Walked around a bit and eventually came back to people on it, fairly close. Also a few ducks and shorebirds, but glad I parked further away and was able to leave. Decided that nearby wasn’t a good idea so zipped up to Belle Isle. Had a long conversation with Paul before he took off for the ibis, nothing too exciting on the platform. Headed to Revere Beach where I eventually picked up the Manx flock and then got a message about a White-faced at Belle Isle, so ran back. No luck finding it (still not clear if I missed it or not earlier), did get Turkey Vulture for the area and an American Lady at least.
Wednesday 4/15: Nothing put down (or lingering at least) at the res. College Pond and FOY Green Darners and Broad-wing.
Thursday 4/16: Ton of Yellow-rumps, a few Palms, a few swallows, not much else at Arlington Res. PB Grebe and Great Black-back at Hardy.
Friday 4/17: Nothing at the res. GW Teal, Lesser Scaup, Merlin, continuing Green Heron at Fresh Pond.
Saturday 4/18: Westborough WMA was pretty quiet beyond a couple beavers. Did get creeper and Tree Sparrow for Worcester for the month at least. Continued to Waseeka which was pretty good. Got 8 for Hopkinton including FOY BH Vireo and gnatcatcher. Couldn’t dig up any warblers though. On to Weston Pond in Holliston, 5 more there although Rusty was the only one of much interest.
Wednesday 4/8: Mt. Auburn had a pile of sapsuckers, a Field Sparrow, a Hoodie, and a Hairy.
Thursday 4/9: Snipe, Pileated, kestrel at Meriam’s/Kaveski.
Friday 4/10: Nothing much at Arlington Res. Finished early so had time to check Hardy (usual) and the res (Redheads back, but at the Trapelo end).
Saturday 4/11: Mostly town listing. Nothing at Lake Q. Tried the Partridge Island trail for the Rusties I still need for Essex but no luck, nothing more exciting than a Rough-wing. Audubon Rd was also fairly quiet. Reading Town Forest was ok, got 8 new birds, so first town past the goal of 10 for the year. Five more at the Wilmington dog park along with FOY Mourning Cloak.
