Author: jason

Wednesday 12/6: Nothing exciting at BBN.

Thursday 12/7: Even less at Hanscom.

Friday 12/8: Usual at Forest Grove.

Saturday 12/9: Started with a Suffolk run. Got 10 new December Suffolk birds at Millennium but no Wilson’s. Yellowthroat, flyover Horned Larks, 2-3 Marsh Wrens the highlights. Red-shoulder was at Cow Island Pond. Nothing interesting (no Pileated) at Allendale Woods. Was planning on Nahanton after but saw the eider report from Earhart and rushed that way. No luck, Wood Duck from Station Landing the most interesting.

Sunday 12/10: Another eider attempt. Went to the Everett side today. Yellowthroat by the casino but not much else, few ducks today. Decided to make a quick coastal run from there. Started at Revere Beach, which had a ton of scoters and Herring Gulls. Fisherman’s Bend had 3 Dunlin. Quick check from one of the parking lots at Crystal Cove had the yellowlegs, which was what I actually came over for (December bird). Stopped at Rivergreen Park on the way home and dug up the towhee but not much else. And gave Draw Seven a quick check, which was quiet.

Monday 12/11: Too wet, bunch of mergs and Ring-necks at the res.

Tuesday 12/12: Ruby-crowned Kinglet crossing between Cookson and Gore.

Wednesday 11/29: Nothing much at Dunback.

Thursday 11/30: Tried for crossbills at Brewster’s Woods and somewhat surprisingly had 4. Also Winter Wren, 3 Common Mergansers, etc.

Friday 12/1: Weston Station Pond had 3-4 Gadwall, a pintail, and the Clay-colored.

Saturday 12/2: Mt. Auburn had 3(!) Orange-crowns.

Sunday 12/3: Couldn’t find anything driving around in the rain.

Monday 12/4: Usual ducks at Arlington Res, no shorebirds or interesting land birds.

Tuesday 12/5: Crossbill and lots of geese at Great Meadows.

Wednesday 11/22: Nothing at Flint’s, little at Nine Acre, mergansers at the res.

Thursday 11/23: Quick check of BBN didn’t have any interesting geese. Winter Wren at the West Meadow and giant flock of blackbirds about it. Sharpie in Otis plus what was probably an owl flying by soon after (just about at sunset).

Friday 11/24: Checked Otis Reservoir on the way home, 4 Common Mergansers all that was on the water. Also got junco for Hampden county on the way. Tried for roosting geese at BBN in the afternoon, but they apparently drop in then leave. Lots of robins flying out too.

Saturday 11/25: Went to Halibut Point for a change. Not much on land, usual ducks but that was about it on the water. Heard about the tanager as I was leaving, so gave it 30+ minutes with no luck (but got the sapsucker and a few other things I had missed up until then). Pulled in to the Lynnfield Marshes on the way home and after scoping distant dabbling ducks, noticed that the closest bird wasn’t a Bufflehead but a Long-tailed Duck! Was thinking about how to tell local bird Melissa about it when I looked up and saw her pulling in, so that worked out well. Gave Lake Q a quick check too and had an Iceland Gull. Got home to a message from Karsten about an Ash-throated at Danehy, ran right over but only a Palm and 2 Winter Wrens.

Sunday 11/26: Did an abbreviated walking day, only from Falzone to BBN. Siskin was on foot #105 for the year but not much else. Parkway marsh was frozen, no luck with the Winter Wren or any blackbirds. Brookhaven Pond was open by the time I got there but nothing on it. Got home to Karsten calling that the flycatcher was back, which worked out well as I was about to head there anyway. Walked up to him watching it, then we followed it around a bit then circled the back side, although nothing else of note to add.

Monday 11/27: Very little at Great Meadows, 6 wigeon the most interesting.

Tuesday 11/28: Got the Ash-throated for the commute (#251). Cold and windy there and I wasn’t seeing much, so I ran over the the Beaver Brook Ponds for a few on the way home. Geese and Mallards and that was about it.

Wednesday 11/15: Decent number of siskins and a Purple Finch at Rock Meadow, otherwise just good numbers of common stuff. Mergansers, a Bufflehead, and a turkey it at the res.

Thursday 11/16: Harrier and 18 Snow Buntings at Danehy.

Friday 11/17: Big flock of cowbirds but not much else at Ricci, nothing on the res.

Saturday 11/18: Nothing on the res. Saw that the rain was supposed to be less a bit to the south and went to Great Pond. Seven Pintail and a bunch of teal by Norroway. Lots of diving ducks on the main pond but the rain came in strong as I reached the other end of the causeway and I got soaked and couldn’t see much. Kicked around Quincy a bit after without anything of note.

Sunday 11/19: Wayland swing. Nothing on Heard Pond. Heard Farm had an eagle, a few finches, a Fox Sparrow, and not too much else. Still was pretty early, so checked Landham Rd (nothing) and then the Raymond Reservation (not much). Watched from the Old 27 Bridge for an hour and a half and a Snow Bunting was about the only thing of note.

Monday 11/20: College Pond had at least one towhee, a catbird, a Pine Warbler, 3 Winter Wrens, and a bunch of finches.

Tuesday 11/21: Not much at Cookson or Gore.

Wednesday 11/8: Nothing at the res, 20 Killdeer, first of fall Tree Sparrow, a Palm, and a bunch of cowbirds at Ricci. Mergansers at Flint’s.

Thursday 11/9: Pond loop, scoter (probably White-winged) on the res but little else anywhere.

Friday 11/10: Day off, so went chasing the Black-headed Gulls that have been around Belle Isle. Started at Morton St where nothing was obvious. Found the flock halfway between there and Lawn Ave from Lawn Ave, which meant they were in the sun, pretty sure at least one was enough larger to be one though. Decided to try Belle Isle proper and see if the angle from the boardwalk was better. It was, slightly, but no luck finding them. Did have the Red-shoulder and a Field Sparrow plus a yellowlegs and other shorebird sp. Went around to the Greenway, which had a ton of sparrows. The bridge was under repair so had to drive over to the cemetery. The gulls had moved over to closer to where I had been but did have a couple Hoodies and a mixed flock of shorebirds flying around. Drove back to Belle Isle and found the flock right in the channel along the entrance. Two Black-headed stuck out, unfortunately too much vegetation to get good photos. Continued around and didn’t find the shorebirds or much beyond the Red-shoulder. Quick stop at Norumbega on the way home had a bunch of GW Teal and 3 wigeon.

Saturday 11/11: Went out to Watatic hoping for a Golden Eagle. No luck with that, but a decent number of Balds, a Red-shoulder, and a type 2 crossbill from the hawkwatch plus Fox Sparrow on the way up and a few waterbirds at Fitchburg Res.

Sunday 11/12: Flock of Snow Buntings, a few Rusties, and a Fox Sparrow at Dunback.

Monday 11/13: BBN was fairly quiet, a few ducks on the unfrozen part of the parkway marsh/pond, a Hermit Thrush, and some posing kinglets.

Tuesday 11/14: Kaveski had 2 harriers and a Merlin. Couple goldeneye, Bufflehead, and a Ruddy on Flint’s.

Wednesday 11/1: Took the scope to Weston Station Pond and ended up with 11 species of waterfowl including 2 BW Teal and a White-winged Scoter (on the quarry pond). Two loons flew over the bike path but a Cooper’s got in the way along the field. Nothing on Cambridge Res.

Thursday 11/2: Car work in the morning, so only time for a res run in the afternoon. Decent number of ducks included 14 Ring-necks, 4 scaup, 15 Bufflehead, and 5 Hoodies.

Friday 11/3: Tried for the Purple Gallinule in Stow. No luck, although by the time I walked to the spot, I didn’t have much time. Lot of Rusties, 2+ Winter Wren, a Pileated, etc were nice compensation at least.

Saturday 11/4: Started at Water Row. Usual stuff, lots of sparrows, robins, Yellow-rumps, etc. Thought I heard a gnatcatcher a couple times but never found it. Old 27 Bridge had a Hairy, Hermit Thrush, and few Rusties. Nothing obvious along Pelham Island Rd, so on to Farm Pond. Two Common Mergansers near the causeway were #100 for Framingham. Also a late yellowthroat, a few coots, and a ton of Song Sparrows.

Sunday 11/5: Started at the Charles River Reservation. Lots of common stuff, a lateish Pine Warbler, a Pileated made for a decent hour. McCarthy Park next, bunch of Field Sparrows but not much else. Handful of Bufflehead and a Hoodie was it at the res.

Monday 11/6: Finally some interesting birds on Cambridge Res with 3 Horned Grebes, just Bufflehead otherwise though. Arlington Res had 4 Lesser and 1 Greater Yellowlegs along with lots of ducks.

Tuesday 11/7: Just short of nothing at Cookson and along the river. Lunchtime check of the res had 2 Bufflehead and a few geese.

Wednesday 10/25: No traffic keeping me from Weston Station Pond today. Few sparrows on the walk in, then 125+ Ring-necks, a shoveler, and 3 Pecs at the pond. Wanted to check the res quickly, so skipped the solar field. Wigeon and 2 Ruddy were it at the res.

Thursday 10/26: Arlington Res had a Greater Yellowlegs, Solitary, 3 Pecs, 3 Lessers, the usual ducks, etc. The farm had a Dickcissel and Field Sparrow. Nothing on Cambridge Res.

Friday 10/27: Piles of finches and robins at Rock Meadow including lots of Purples and probably more than a few siskins. Nothing at the res again.

Saturday 10/28: Still nothing at the res. Tried the North Shore Community Gardens thinking I needed 2 for 100 in October in Essex. Turns out I needed 4 but fortunately got 5 (perks of having a bunch of easy targets). Nothing particularly noteworthy there. Went to Ipswich River Park in North Reading next, which was just about birdless and full of people. Martin’s Pond had nothing obvious, Reading Town Forest looked mobbed, so I went to Waltham St, which was mostly Savannahs.

Sunday 10/29: No early report of the LeConte’s to detour from Deer Island. Lots of ducks, loons, and cormorants moving including a flock of scaup and a flock of GW Teal. Not a ton on land, creeper being new for me there was the highlight along with a group of Snow Buntings that started to fly by and turned around. Greater Yellowlegs also new for me, unfortunately what sounded like a Red-bellied only called once. Yirrell Beach next, other than a ton of RT Loons there wasn’t much. Rain picked up by the time I got to Lawn Ave but I ran out anyway. Yellowlegs and Dunlin plus a Marsh Wren called for a minute when the rain slowed briefly. Nothing of note along the Charles on the way home. Afternoon look at the res had Bufflehead and a Black Scoter (Hoodies were new in the morning).

Monday 10/30: Scoter didn’t stay the night but a Common Merganser was nice. Nothing obvious at Nine Acre, Great Blue was the only bird at Flint’s, and a big flock of robins and blackbirds took off at Hardy. Afternoon loop of the res had nothing different.

Tuesday 10/31: Nothing on the res. Tons of robins and waxwings at the West Meadow plus a bluebird, 3 Purple Finches, and a siskin.

Wednesday 10/18: Traffic was wild, Umbrello Hay Field ended up being the easiest to get to. Rusty, raven, a few sparrows. Tried getting to the res but wouldn’t have had time, so stopped for a minute at Flint’s and had two loons. Did get to the res in the afternoon and there was nothing.

Thursday 10/19: Nothing exciting along the river in Watertown. Bunch of Savannahs at Gore.

Friday 10/20: Had to go to our data center in Connecticut. PB Grebe and 3 Ruddy at the res beforehand. Got there just early enough for one quick stop, but there were zero birds on the pond I picked. Went to Scoville Reservoir briefly after. Just about beat the rain and added 4 birds to my CT list (up to a whole 38): Ruddy Duck, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Dark-eyed Junco. Absolutely pouring on the way back until the state line, at which point it almost immediately stopped and looked like it hadn’t rained all day. Got off the Pike a bit early and checked Heard Pond, Pelham Island Rd, and the res on the way home but nothing worth noting.

Saturday 10/21: Was supposed to be rainy, but nothing yet in the morning. Nothing good on the res. Went out to Nagog next. One cormorant, one Hooded Merganser, and a swan were it on the water but there were a lot of common birds in the orchard at the south end. School St had a pile of pipits, killdeer, and several hundred cowbirds. Nothing on Flint’s. Noting on the main part of the Mystic Lakes, 4 Ring-necked, a PB Grebe, and a few land birds at Sandy Beach. Huron Ave is being remodeled so no easy parking by Fresh Pond (but did get a Merlin fly off as I gave up). Nothing much at Blair Pond either.

Sunday 10/22: Went for wind avoidance today. Started at Hall’s Pond where I again failed to find a sapsucker. A Wilson’s Warbler was nice though. Fenway next, took half an hour to remember to park by the MFA instead of trying to find a space closer. Lots of sparrows included 2 Field, a Lincoln’s, and a towhee. Only warbler was a Nashville. Decided to give Waltham St. a quick check on the way home. Interesting pale-ish Savannah and then a Clay-colored on the way out.

Monday 10/23: Forest Grove for the first time in forever. Nothing much on the water, lots of Yellow-rumps in the woods. Trail was flooded (there was a portable pump at the pump house so broken?) so didn’t check the marsh. Afternoon loop of the res had a loon.

Tuesday 10/24: BBN had a ton of robins and Yellow-rumps, 3 GW Teal, and 4+ Purple Finches.

Wednesday 10/11: Went to Arlington Res hoping the Stilt Sandpiper had stayed, so was quite surprised by a second. Also lots of teal, 2+ Pecs, plenty of yellowlegs, 5 Ruddy, 5 Hoodies, etc.

Thursday 10/12: Stopped at Chandler Pond while running errands. No luck with the bittern. PB Grebe, wigeon, hoodie weren’t too bad.

Friday 10/13: Rock Meadow had a ton of Yellow-rumps, a Clay-colored (none in 9 years before work then 2 in a week), an Orange-crowned, and a few other things. Two Gadwall at the res at lunch time.

Saturday 10/14: Nothing at the res. Menotomy 20th anniversary party at Sandy Beach had a parula, sapsucker, and a few other things in the few minutes I spent at the pond. Yellowthroat was somehow my first warbler at Draw Seven, RC Kinglet was overdue at Earhart but not much else there.

Sunday 10/15: Started around Belle Isle. Greenway trail and cemetery had a Purple Finch (which appears to be the first in Suffolk county this fall), a bunch of sparrows, and a flyover flock of pipits. Three ravens and a Red-shoulder on the way out were nice too. The Key had Tree Swallows, no luck on a Nelson’s. Belle Isle itself had a plover, probably a golden and an Orange-crowned plus a White-crowned Sparrow that looked good for Gambel’s. Big gull flock at the north end of Revere Beach but couldn’t pull a Forster’s Tern from it. Last stop was Chestnut Hill Res, where the ‘Tufted’ Duck was out in the middle. Too far for photos or to get some detail but enough to see it wasn’t a pure bird. Final ID is proving interesting.

Monday 10/16: Black ducks were it at the res. Arlington Res had most of the shorebirds (no Stilts) and ducks. Cooper’s at the farm kept things down.

Tuesday 10/17: Sharpie, bunch of Palms, etc at Hanscom.