birding – Page 5 – brewster's linnet . com

Concord in the storms

After wandering around in the mist yesterday morning and seeing very little, I finally decided that Great Meadows was probably the place to be. Right decision, a bit too late, as I immediately ran into Cole, David, and Tim and found that I missed a probable Arctic Tern and 3 Black-bellied Plovers. The Red-necked Grebe didn’t move and, fortunately, the shorebird show continued a bit, with both yellowlegs, some Solitaries, a Least, and a Red-necked Phalarope all flying around.

Guessing the loons overhead were not overly related. Moderate swallow/swift show including a Cliff plus a possibly interesting swift.

Mt. Auburn kept me from the Willets Sunday, but I decided to head back after seeing that report and the rain moving in. Wasn’t the best trip, not many swallows and nothing else overhead. The ibis did finally fly around, so it wasn’t a wasted trip at least.

Stopped at Elm Brook on the way home and got Simon a yardbird (and the first I’ve seen in state away from Great Meadows and not chased).

557/375

Couple photos of the incredible Yellow-billed Loon from Race Point last weekend:

Center with Common on the left, Red-throated on the right.

And a couple of the Common Gull:

374

Makes up for not driving to Race Point.

370/371+555

I decided to go back for the Mountain Bluebird Saturday. Took the long way, with a stop in Hopkinton for what is likely the first Lesser Yellowlegs in New England away from the coast in January.

Reached Crane, found it almost as windy. Walked out this time and the bird was in the juniper as expected. Got decent scope views thanks to John and Audrey and Bobbie before it flew over our heads. I wandered back after it, but a photographer leaving said it was returning to the juniper every 20 minutes or so, so I went back and waited. Close to 45 minutes later, I gave up and went back to the car. The bird promptly dropped into the depression by the parking lot.

At this point, I debated going out towards Race Point, but decided that Plymouth to Quincy sounded better. First stop Scusset Beach. Parked, pulled out phone, checked email, read Hammond’s Flycatcher Fairhaven, turned car back on. Forty five minutes or so later, I had distant views. The bird dropped out of sight and an hour and a half later I decided to head for lunch. Came back, and it popped up and came in much closer, giving the views I wanted for a lifer.