Author: jason

Wednesday 4/24: Bunch of yellowlegs and some Spotted Sandpipers at Nine Acre. Traffic was lousy, ended up at Heard where a kingbird was the main highlight.

Thursday 4/25: Estabrook had tons of kinglets and goldfinches plus a BH Vireo and Black-and-white.

Friday 4/26: House Wrens were the only addition at Hartwell. Towhee at Flint’s but nothing on the water.

Saturday 4/27: Plans for a Boston swing were ruined by the Swallow-tailed Kites hanging around Rehoboth yesterday. Probably should have birded elsewhere first given the times they’ve been seen, but was at the War Memorial before 9. Took a couple hours but eventually got one, then two, then one right over us, so well worth it. Also a few martins, a gnatcatcher, lots of other raptors, etc. Went to Caratunk after, FOY Six-spotted Tiger Beetle and a Mink plus Pine Warbler which I still needed in Bristol.

Sunday 4/28: Had a Bird Observer thing, so did some Norfolk birding on the way. Started at Lowell Woods where the Louisiana Waterthrush (county bird) was singing. Also a Wood Thrush, Winter Wren, big flock of goldfinches, etc. Charles River Peninsula next. Kestrel, Yellow Warbler, few other things. Saw the Summer Tanager report and Nahanton and had a bit of time, so ran over that way. Fortunately, it was showing as I walked up, which meant I had a few minutes with it and was still about the first person to arrive.

Monday 4/29: BBN had a couple orioles, a bunch of FOY warblers, Chimney Swifts, 2 Hoodies, etc.

Tuesday 4/30: Quick check of the res had nothing put down by the rain overnight. Great Meadows had most of the usual, Yellow Warbler, gnatcatcher, Warbling Vireo all FOY commute birds.

Wednesday 4/17: School vacation week meant Waltham St. was easy to reach at 8 in the morning, so went over there for snipe. Bunch of Savannahs moving around the fields to start. At the back, a Brown Thrasher was singing. Eventually kicked one snipe out from the front, although it didn’t cooperate. Walking out, a meadowlark flew across the field, second new species for me there today. Still had a decent bit of time, so I walked the playing fields at Dunback, adding bluebird and a few other things of minimal interest. Quick stop at Hardy had 5 Ring-necks and over 20 Ruddy.

Thursday 4/18: Nothing much at Cookson. Three Night Herons near the square were ‘commute’ #100 for the year.

Friday 4/19: Barn Swallow, bunch of Yellow-rumps, few Palms at Arlington Res. Nothing new at the res or Hardy.

Saturday 4/20: Waited out the rain (raven chased by crows around the neighborhood), then started at the res. Thought four ducks were all mergansers, but scoped and found a Ruddy and a Horned Grebe. Mergansers didn’t raise their heads but looked more like Red-breasted. The RT Loons were around too and I found an awake Red-breasted Merganser looking way back.

Buzzed through Nine Acre (3 ibis still, didn’t check for much else), then went to Heard Pond. Walking down past the boat ramp, I had FOY gnatcatcher and a bunch of Yellow-rumps. Trail through Griscom Woods was fairly quiet and the bridge was not in good shape. Quick scan at the end had nothing, I turned around to leave and heard a noise, so turned back. A bittern was flying off! Watched it drop back in, then did a bit more of the road.

Had to grab something in Watertown from there, so stopped east of the square and saw very little.

Sunday 4/21: First Mt. Auburn walk of the year. Fairly quiet, but helped by a foreign visitor who enjoyed everything and the group’s interest in showing everything. Ran over to Earhart after, no night herons or much of note. Gave the western view at Prospect Hill close to an hour, a few Red-tails and vultures, one Cooper’s, and one Buteo that didn’t strike me as a Red-tail.

Monday 4/22: Usual at Weston Station Pond, singing Field Sparrow, lots of swallows, good number of Yellow-rumps and Palms.

Tuesday 4/23: Seven(!) Great Blues and a BC Night Heron at Falzone. Land birds were more limited, nothing particularly of note.

Wednesday 4/10: Nothing much at Dunback.

Thursday 4/11: No waxwings at Mt. Auburn, mostly just robins, juncos, blackbirds, Chipping Sparrows, jays.

Friday 4/12: Too nasty in the morning. Osprey at Nine Acre midafternoon, nothing at the res.

Saturday 4/13: Finally had some obvious snipe at Nine Acre. Stood at the Water Row overlook for an hour and a half. Not a ton moving but 4 Ospreys, 2 eagles, a Sharpie, a few Yellow-rumps, FOY Barn Swallow, a harrier, and a couple Red Crossbills were decent. Started for Heard Pond but Pelham Island Rd was blocked(?), so pulled in at the town building (Savannah) to figure out what next. Scrolling a map around, Sudbury Reservoir popped up, so I headed up 126. Passing Cochituate, a flock of odd-looking birds flew over. I was able to pull into the Avalon complex and eventually chase them down to confirm 15 Glossy Ibis! Continued to Sudbury Res where I walked quite a bit and didn’t find much. Buzz of the res on the way home had a Pied-billed Grebe.

Sunday 4/14: Was thinking about a trip to Tewksbury anyway and the Bohemians made that an easy decision. Started at the Pinnacle Trail I explored a bit last January. Decent bit along there including a kestrel, beaver, and more. Waxwings were on show right along the road (unfortunately, also moderately into the sun). Took a swing to where some had been reported in Methuen after but the last report was about a week ago and no luck there. Couple RT Loons on the res on the way home.

Monday 4/15: Realized I still needed Louisiana Waterthrush for Essex county, so went up to Crooked Pond. Tried looping around and couldn’t find a way, but did get BH Vireo, a crossbill, a Red-shoulder (also a need somehow), and lots of creepers. Back at the start, I went around the beaver dam and promptly heard the bird sing. Gave Audubon Rd a quick check after, nothing terribly exciting, Fish Crow, Carolina Wren, and Swamp Sparrow all new for Wakefield. Saw that the Blue Grosbeak at Millennium had been seen earlier and decided to run down. Got there and found a string of messages about how it hadn’t been seen because of paving work in the parking lot. I parked at the far end and looped around figuring if it wasn’t there, it was nearby. Nothing too much on the way, adult eagle about it. Got to the actual parking lot and the grosbeak was sitting right there. Really nice fully blue one too. Went back along the top and watched for raptors for a bit. Not the hoped for but unlikely Broad-wing, but a Red-shoulder, couple Cooper’s, couple vultures, another eagle, and a flock of cormorants weren’t bad. Ran out midafternoon for Simon’s ibis.

Tuesday 4/16: More or less the same stuff at BBN, vulture, Pine Warbler (not near any pines) the most interesting. First Syrphid of the year too, presuming Eristalis dimidiata.

Wednesday 4/3: Wasn’t terribly nice at Weston Station Pond, where the herons were all cowering down on their nests. Did have 5 Rough-winged Swallows, a Field Sparrow, and a few other things. Nothing obvious on the res on a quick drive by.

Thursday 4/4: Yuck

Friday 4/5: Sapsucker among the usual at Arlington Res. Tree Swallows the only interest at Cambridge Res.

Saturday 4/6: Planned on some Norfolk month listing, but started at the res where there were two Red-throated Loons and a Red-necked Grebe. Figured I should stop at Nahanton on the way by and grab the White-crown for the month. Eventually succeeded, unfortunately after Glenn had moved on. Also sapsucker and Field Sparrow. Finally made it to Great Pond, where it was windy and not terribly nice. Water wasn’t overly busy either, 4 loons, a few Ruddies, Common Mergansers, and Bufflehead about it. Did get 7 month birds at least.

Sunday 4/7: Eagle in the fields at Nine Acre was a good start. Tried the Marlboro-Sudbury State Forest in Hudson and got the town list to 25 including Pileated, Red Crossbill, siskin, and a few other things. Estabrook next, more crossbills. Enough Bohemian reports around that I figured I better check Moody St, which had none. Looped the res and the office parks, with 2 RN Grebes being the highlight (plus a random pheasant in one of the driveways).

Monday 4/8: Robins, robins, and more robins at Meriam’s.

Tuesday 4/9: The early spring stuff finally arrived at BBN. Started with a kestrel, then some Palms, a Yellow-rump, and eventually a Chipping Sparrow. Also the usual ducks, a raven, and FOY Mourning Cloak.

Wednesday 3/27: No loon by the watch factory. Usual stuff at Forest Grove/Flowed Meadow.

Thursday 3/28: Nothing at Nine Acre or Flint’s. Two RT Loons at the res, less of the same at Hardy.

Friday 3/29: Nine Acre about the same although I found the teal today. Tried French Meadow, which was flooded and birdless, then Elm Brook, which had nothing of note. Hardy had 3 young eagles and more or less the same ducks.

Saturday 3/30: Started at Hammond Pond, where I actually walked around a bit. PB Grebe, a few ducks, not much else in the wind. Chestnut Hill Res next as most of my March Suffolk needs were inland ducks. Got scaup, Ring-neck, Common Merg, coot immediately plus Pine Warbler, kingfisher, and a RB Merganser. RC Kinglet on the way out too. Quick drive around Crystal Lake (mergs and Ruddy), then did a Charles loop. Almost no birds except at Mt. Feake, where I finally found the RT Loon, patch #181! Cambridge Res next, Common Loon and a Ruddy. Decided it was too windy to walk and there wasn’t anywhere I felt like doing in the car, so gave up early.

Sunday 3/31: Started at Bolton Flats (kestrel in Acton, eagle in Boxborough on the way). Got the shovelers immediately along with 3 Lesser Scaup and 3 BW Teal. Not a ton else, wigeon, eagle, and RC Kinglet the most interesting. Quick stop at School St (nothing) then to Great Meadows. Water was up, tried wading out, and my knees got wet, so turned around and walked the rail bed a bit. Two eagles, a few Common Mergansers about all I found. Went to Water Row next, FOY Osprey and a calling catbird were the highlights. Quick scan at Nine Acre had a pintail. Harrington Park had nothing, Waltham St. was drier than expected and not exciting.

Monday 4/1: Nothing of note at BBN or Hardy. No eagle at the pond for a change, but one was flying over the office at lunch time.

Tuesday 4/2: Flyover waxwings (where were those last month?) and a kingfisher at Cookson, nothing much at the square.

Wednesday 3/20: Siskins, a few ducks, couple Pine Warblers, etc at College Pond.

Thursday 3/21: Nine Acre/School St/Hardy loop had nothing but a cormorant and 2 eagles at Hardy.

Friday 3/22: Couple teal about it at BBN, same stuff at Hardy except for a different eagle.

Saturday 3/23: Too nasty for much, did more or less the same loop at Thursday. Finally got the larks at School St. but that was about it.

Sunday 3/24: Went to Horn Pond in the wind and missed almost everything. No shoveler, no Night Heron, missed the Osprey, no owls. Did get a Hermit Thrush, the RT Loon, and an RB Merg. Made a quick run down to Millennium after where the snipe were a cooperative and overdue Suffolk bird. Worked the Charles on the way back but couldn’t find the RT Loon and no snipe at Waltham St.

Monday 3/25: Had one flyover Rusty at Hayden Woods along with a singing Winter Wren.

Tuesday 3/26: Got the harrier and Marsh Wren finally at Great Meadows but no shoveler.

Wednesday 3/13: Gate was closed at Great Meadows (or I didn’t pull close enough?), so went to Meriam’s and Kaveski. Swamp, Field, Savannah Sparrows about it. And Swamp mentioned only because it was somehow a month bird.

Thursday 3/14: Common Mergansers at Cookson were a bit surprising. River was quiet at first, but a coot and then a RC Kinglet/OC Warbler combo on the walk back were quite nice. Went for woodcocks in the evening, heard at least 5 and saw a couple.

Friday 3/15: FOY Phoebe, lots of herons, Tree Swallows, usual ducks, 2 Field Sparrows, etc at Weston Station Pond.

Saturday 3/16: Did an on foot day finally. Common Merganser at the Brookhaven Pond then 2 Pine Warblers in the woods at Falzone made a good start. Got fairly quiet after that, did break 40 but nothing else really of note.

Sunday 3/17: Did a Squantum run. Raining to start, so went to Nut Island. Usual ducks, nothing seemed to be moving and it got too heavy to stand. Sat at Wollaston a bit before it stopped enough to walk around at Squantum Point Park. Virginia Rail was calling and an Orange-crown flew past me, but not much else. Nickerson Rock had more of the same stuff. Couple egrets and GW Teal were the interest at the marshes. Gave the Charles and res a run on the way home but nothing worth stopping for.

Monday 3/18: Nothing unexpected at Dunback, singing Pine was of note I guess.

Tuesday 3/19: 2 PB Grebe, 7 Lesser Scaup, Peregrine at Fresh Pond. Hit my goal of 85 for the month, debating a run at 100 now.

Wednesday 3/6: Hanscom had a Field Sparrow and that was about it.

Thursday 3/7: Too rainy. Nothing at Flint’s, not much at Nine Acre, 4 RB Mergs at the res.

Friday 3/8: Nothing exciting at Forest Grove.

Saturday 3/9: Started at Nahanton. Was going to start at the nature center and cover the gardens on the way out, but there were a bunch of juncos flying around, so I walked over that way first and immediately had the White-crown. They all vanished, so good thing I did. Fairly quiet otherwise. Allandale Woods next, no Pileated or anything of note, feeders in a yard were the only busy spot. Millennium next. Quick car scan of the high school marsh was just swans and geese, so to the park itself. PB Grebe on the river was nice, as was a big flock of Rusties down the trail to Brook Village. Two teal flew out with a pile of Mallards, a couple Savannahs back by the car, and one of the RC Kinglets eventually showed. Quick stop at Waltham St. on the way home didn’t have anything exciting.

Sunday 3/10: Started with a quick stop at the Wetherbee fields for the Cackling Goose, which was fairly easy to find. Bolton Flats next, trail was totally underwater and there were barely any birds in the field. Big flock of ducks flew over, couple may have been interesting but not terribly. Walked to the bridge without anything. Delaney next, the boat launch was windy and had lots of Ring-necks and not much else. Taylor Rd had a Winter Wren and couple other things but no goldeneye. Drove around the area a bit but didn’t find any other spots. Nothing much on a drive past Nine Acre, RT Loon was on the res but not much else.

Monday 3/11: RC Kinglet about it at Falzone. Two Lesser Scaup among the ducks at Hardy. Flint’s on the way home from stuff in the afternoon had 3 Greater Scaup.

Tuesday 3/12: Same ducks at BBN, not much circling the marsh. Turkeys at Potter Pond on the way out.

Wednesday 2/28: Kingfisher at Cookson, 2 Wood Duck along the river.

Thursday 2/29: Wasn’t as windy as I expected early, so went to College Pond to look for the Pine Warblers found last week. Got at least 14(!). Also singing creepers, 2 Fox Sparrows, a few ducks, etc. Did a half loop, then decided Nine Acre was more interesting than the deep woods. Seven Killdeer on the Brigham fields, but not much elsewhere.

Friday 3/1: Went for the easy March bird to get the month going. Townsend’s was there right as I walked up, which gave me time to check the Mystic Lakes (pintail and RT Loon still around, eagle made a nice pass) and Hardy (scaup, usual ducks).

Saturday 3/2: Worked a bit west. Started on Pelham Island Rd where there was nothing on Heard Pond and 4 Gadwall at the swamp. Old 27 Bridge had very little. Water Row had a towhee, Pine Warbler, Red-shoulder, Fish Crow, and a pile of ducks. Hop Brook still had the bridge blocked off but I did have a crossbill, so decided not to drive around. School St had pigeons and gulls. Not a ton of geese on Warner’s but a Red-shoulder and 4-5 Savannahs in the field were good. Two vultures over Rt. 2, cowbirds at Nine Acre, and the RT Loon at the res on the way home.

Sunday 3/3: Started by heading to the Fells for Sage’s RN Grebe. Saw one of the loons fairly close while passing the Mystic Lakes, so pulled over and found 4 in view at once. Two Pileated right from the car at the Fells and the grebe was visible as soon as I reached the water. Ended up circling the whole South Reservoir, adding RB Nuthatch, Winter Wren, etc. Gave Spot Pond a quick check after without anything, then went to Draw Seven. Tide was as low as I can remember, not much there either. Pulled back in at the lakes on the way home to get the Great Cormorant, then decided to loop Hobbs Brook. It was pretty quiet other than what was probably a phoebe calling once.

Monday 3/4: BBN to the West Meadow had a few ducks on the parkway marsh along with a Tree Swallow (#70 for the month already). Fairly quiet after that.

Tuesday 3/5: Great Meadows was about the same as last week but quieter (no Fish Crow, wren, still no harrier or shoveler, etc).