Category: nature

Wednesday 4/26: Towhee was somehow at patch bird at Forest Grove. Also a ton of Yellow-rumps and swallows, an Osprey, 2 turkeys, etc.

Thursday 4/27: Lots of Yellow-rumps, a Palm or two, 3 Savannahs at Cookson. Two night-herons, a Parula, and a Warbling Vireo at the square.

Friday 4/28: Catbirds were in at Estabrook, fairly quiet otherwise. House Wren, maybe an Ovenbird, raven, etc.

Saturday 4/29: Some county chasing. Started at Stony Brook in Boston where the Louisiana Waterthrush was singing (but too far away to see). Looped over to Turtle Pond and around, Peregrine was apparently new for the site and a turkey were about it. Next stop was the high school marsh at Millennium. No luck digging out a snipe but an egret and FOY kingbird were nice. Cow Island Pond had FOY Chimney Swifts go through but nothing among the swallows. Next stop was Needham Reservoir where the funny gap of Solitary Sandpiper is no longer a gap. No other targets nearby, so I decided to do Hobbs Brook and Shade St. A fox was nice on Shade St but it was quiet otherwise. I figured out more of the trails at Hobbs Brook and had a kestrel and Purple Finch plus bluebird was a new bird for me there.

Sunday 4/30: Hoped for some storm-blown stuff. Started well with a Red-necked Grebe on the res. Great Meadows next, got pretty soaked and only had FOY Yellow Warblers plus a harrier. Quick check of the Mystic Lakes and Spy Pond had nothing. Rain was less, so tried Draw Seven which was quiet. Gave Fresh Pond a quick check, only a few gulls on the water but there was a small group looking at one of the Great Horneds right where I walked in. Hardy still had a Ruddy.

Monday 5/1: Basically a repeat of the first couple stops yesterday. Grebe was still on the res without much else. Greater Yellowlegs, 4+ Virginia Rail, a posing Pileated, etc at Great Meadows but no lingering Tree Sparrow or any other storm birds.

Tuesday 5/2: Thought there’d be some movement overnight so fought traffic to Mt. Auburn. And found very little, handful of Yellow-rumps and Palms, FOY Black-and-white, couple BH Vireos, a gnatcatcher, and that was it.

Wednesday 4/19: Rough-wing, couple Hermit Thrushes, more of the same in a quick run around BBN. Barn Swallows and nothing else at the res.

Thursday 4/20: Estabrook had singing Winter Wren, flyover Rusty Blackbird, Common Loon, and a probable siskin but no waterthrush.

Friday 4/21: Savannah Sparrow was actually a new bird for me at Mt. Auburn (about time). Also kinglets everywhere, a few Yellow-rumps and a Palm, and an Osprey were about it.

Saturday 4/22: Eventually decided on a Sudbury/Wayland loop. Started at Nobscot where the was a singing House Wren and a couple Blue-headed Vireos but no waterthrush or new warblers. Raymond Reservation next, Osprey, gnatcatcher, ton of Tree Swallows. Decided to walk Heard Pond, started with a Barred Owl calling then lots of swallows and 2 eagles from the point. The woods had a couple Rusties and lots of Yellow-rumps and Palms along the road. First goslings of the year at the town building. Water Row had more of the same plus a few more ducks. Osprey at Flint’s.

Sunday 4/23: Rain held off enough to lead the Mt. Auburn trip. Pretty quiet beyond the kinglets, displaying Cooper’s and a BH Vireo or two about it. Since it still wasn’t raining much, I went to Rivergreen Park to look for the night-herons that had been around. Made it 20 yards and it was raining as hard as I’ve seen in some time. Ran the rest of the trail (1 Black-crowned) and got totally soaked. It seemed to lighten a bit as I drove off, so pulled in at Draw Seven, but it picked up again. Did stop enough to take a quick walk at BBN though, GW Teal and Ring-necks still on the parkway marsh. Afternoon loop of the res timed it as the rain picked up yet again so I didn’t work the swallows but did have two loons.

Monday 4/24: Brief bittern, FOY Marsh Wren, kestrel, Rusty at Great Meadows and a raven flying  over Hanscom.

Tuesday 4/25: RB Grosbeak was a nice start at BBN, pretty much just the same birds that have been around after, although an Osprey was good too.

Wednesday 4/12: Most of BBN was fairly quiet, but the ducks were still all on the parkway marsh and there were a pile of warblers, a Field Sparrow, and a Rusty all along the adjacent trail.

Thursday 4/13: Not much at Cookson or near the square.

Friday 4/14: Lots of Palms and Yellow-rumps at Arlington Res plus lots of Bufflehead and Ruddy.

Saturday 4/15: Quick check of the res had an opossum but no birds. Busy yard in Otis including a Barred Owl. Afternoon walk down to Upper Spectacle had just about zero birds. Multiple owls and a fox calling at night.

Sunday 4/16: Was hoping for a bunch of ducks and to get my Berkshire list to 100, but after the long drive out to Pontoosuc and Onota had a few geese combined. Worked back to the Stockbridge Bowl where there was a loon but not much else (fortunately I still needed a few of the common things). Jackson Pond had a bit more including Wood Duck and Virginia Rail. Pulled in at Shaw Pond on the way back and had a Savannah Sparrow, which got me to 92.

Monday 4/17: Did a bit of a western loop. Started at the res where there were 4 Long-tailed Ducks. Flint’s had a loon but nothing else. Nagog had nothing. Walked the conservation land at the south end a bit and added a few Littleton birds (nothing of note though). Have Not Pond had a Pileated, Steele Farm had a Barred Ow and both kinglets. That got me to 48 in Boxborough, so looked around and found Wolf Swamp. Creepers were singing quickly but had to walk all the way to the end before I heard a Rusty.

Tuesday 4/18: At least 8 snipe and a bunch of Savannahs at Waltham St, nothing much at Dunback.

Wednesday 4/5: Bunch of Palms, couple Pines, and a Rough-winged Swallow at Forest Grove. Nothing at the res, Ruddy, a cormorant, and a Common Merg still at Hardy.

Thursday 4/6: Super early gnatcatcher, a few Fox Sparrows, Palms and Yellow-rumps, and the same ducks at BBN.

Friday 4/7: Commute year birds at Hanscom included Turkey Vulture, sapsucker, RC Kinglet, and Field Sparrow plus a towhee, 2 Fox Sparrows, 2 Rusties, etc. Also first Syrphids of the year (2 species TBD). Afternoon emergency.

Saturday 4/8: Started at a cold and windy Millennium. Calling Virginia Rail, lots of Palms, FOY Chipping Sparrow, Turkey Vulture. Stopped at the high school marsh but the wind was more than I wanted to deal with so I missed the snipe. Took a ride out 135 to Fisk Pond in Natick next and pushed my list there past 50 with a couple ducks, a phoebe, a Chipping Sparrow, and a few other things. Drove home past Heard, nothing beyond Gadwall and a Rough-winged Swallow.

Sunday 4/9: Continued to town listing kick, went up to Dracut hoping to go from 18 to 50. Got there relatively easily, although I don’t know if I could have gone much higher. Beaver Brook Farm had a nesting Cooper’s and lots of common stuff. I pulled in at some marshy spot and added a few waterfowl, then went to Yapp Farm, which was pretty busy (RB Nuthatch, tree sparrows, singing Winter Wren the most interesting). That got me to 49, so I tried Long Pond and added Bufflehead, Turkey Vulture, and Fish Crow. Billerica was at 48, so a quick stop at Vietnam Veterans Park was next. GW Teal and Ring-necks in the pond next to the parking area got me there, but I did a loop and just missed getting to 60 (staring at the sky for 5 minutes before leaving and no hawks). Also more Syrphids, FOY garter snake, and some bees. First Cabbage White (and first butterfly) of the year along the highway heading home. Quick res circuit had a few Common Mergansers and a Tree Swallow. Ended the day with my town list totals ticks up past 5000 too!

Monday 4/10: Loon at Flint’s. Ibis were still at French Meadow, so 247 up for the ‘commute’ (and between them, the snipe, and the Solitary, 102 for the year). Everything was pretty far out and looked like they were happy there, so I headed off rather than wait for better views. Nothing much at Nine Acre, another loon at the res.

Tuesday 4/11: Kestrel, Rusties, usual at Ricci.

Wednesday 3/29: Ducks still on the water at BBN. Also 2 Fox Sparrows, a couple phoebes, a pair of bluebirds at a hole, etc.

Thursday 3/30: Errands today, Kaveski tomorrow, oops (maybe). Other than 120 geese at Cookson, very little around Watertown.

Friday 3/31: Kestrels and a Fox Sparrow but no crane at Kaveski and Meriam’s.

Saturday 4/1: Midafternoon check of the res had FOY Double-crested Cormorant but that was about it, same ducks at Hardy.

Sunday 4/2: Bluebird and not much else at the res in a quick scan. Nothing at Heard, shovelers still at the swamp. North end of Water Row had an Osprey and around 10 Purple Finches. Overlook was pretty quiet, a few raptors, lots of Tree Swallows, a handful of waterfowl. Another vulture at Nine Acre.

Monday 4/3: 2 PB Grebe and a Rusty at Great Meadows.

Tuesday 4/4: Meriam’s again. Lucked out this time and the crane was out in the open immediately (‘commute’ #246!). Also 3 Savannah Sparrows, a Cooper’s Hawk (somehow the first I’ve seen in the SRV this year), lots of the usual. Fish Crow calling over the house late morning was nice too.

Wednesday 3/22: Walked north side of Hardy, 6 Ring-necks, eventually picked out the Ruddy. Nothing exciting on land there or at Graverson. Evening check of BBN had the same general ducks as last week and then at least 7 woodcock. Also heard some at Rock Meadow as I drove by on the way home.

Thursday 3/23: Pintail and Lesser Scaup at Arlington Res.

Friday 3/24: Worcester county run, had 3 targets. Bolton Flats was fairly quiet, lots of geese and GW Teal but no sign of shoveler (and beyond a wigeon, no ducks of note). A check across the street added a few sparrows but not much else. Westborough WMA next. Quiet to start, but eventually turned up 3 Fox Sparrows, 1 target down. Continued around and had a group of Yellow-rumps fly by. Lots of Ring-necks at Little Chauncy but nothing else of note. Started back and something odd flushes from the sumacs right in front of me. Fortunately it landed at the top of the pines and was obviously a shrike. A target, although not one I expected. A Horned Lark flying over as I walked off was nice too. Continued to the Sudbury Res, which was pretty quiet. Didn’t see the geese on Fay Road, which turned out to be because they were  at the Fay School a mile or two away. Quick check of directions and Snow Geese made the list. Brief stops at Heard Pond and Pelham Island Rd, then the res on the way home had very little. Woodcock walk in the evening at BBN had a pintail and about 4 woodcock.

Saturday 3/25: Decided to squeeze in an on-foot day before it got nasty out. Nothing too exciting at Falzone or the West Meadow (Killdeer the first addition to the nonmotorized year list). The pintail was still in the parkway marsh, #159 on the cumulative non-motorized list. Also 4 GW Teal, 4 Ring-necks, and a bunch of Bufflehead plus 2 Tree Swallows and a Phoebe (and what was probably a Yellow-rump but lousy views and no calls). Weather looked to be getting worse so I skipped Mackerel and went out to Concord Ave without seeing too much more. Flyover Hooded Merganser was about it along Concord Ave and nothing different through the West Meadow return. Falzone was quiet until the pond, which had a goldeneye (#160).

Sunday 3/26: Tried to beat the wind and started at Belle Isle. Gadwall were off Lawn Ave but not too much elsewhere. Finally found the wigeon flock from the cemetery (those and Hooded Mergansers were apparently new for me here). Fought wind and sun for a bit at Revere Beach but eventually had at least one Manx fly through.

Monday 3/27: One of the towhees was out at Dunback. Not much in the woods, phoebes and a Tree Swallow down Bacon, and that was about it.

Tuesday 3/28: Quick stop at Mt. Auburn got the Orange-crowned for March. RB Nuthatch was about the only other thing of interest.

Wednesday 3/8: Wood Duck and not much else at BBN.

Thursday 3/9: Palm Warbler but no Barnacle or Tree Swallows at Great Meadows.

Friday 3/10: Yellow-rump about it at Dunback.

Saturday 3/11: Nothing too exciting at Pod Meadow, Barnacle Goose at School St, nothing at the res or Nine Acre.

Sunday 3/12: no birds

Monday 3/13: Noro

Tuesday 3/14: no time

Wednesday 3/15: no time

Thursday 3/16: Usual along the Charles in Watertown.

Friday 3/17: Bunch of Ring-necks, couple Bufflehead, swan, and a Fox Sparrow at BBN. Vultures over the boardwalk later.

Saturday 3/18: More or less the usual at Meriam’s and Kaveski. Nice harrier at Hanscom driving home.

Sunday 3/19: Cold and windy, figured Sudbury GM would be a bit protected and it was. Ton of Tree Swallows, 2-3 Phoebes (believe that is 100 for the county this year), etc. Nine Acre had a bunch of ducks including a Gadwall and several pintail.

Monday 3/20: no time

Tuesday 3/21: Usual at College Pond and Hardy.

Wednesday 3/1: Nothing much of note at BBN.

Thursday 3/2: Too rainy, but did get RB Mergansers at the Mystic Lakes (no cormorant though). Also 5 scaup sp at Spy Pond, not much at the res or Hardy.

Friday 3/3: Wood Ducks, Wigeon, Ring-necks at Great Meadows.

Saturday 3/4: Too snowy

Sunday 3/5: Started at Water Row (after a Fish Crow filling the car). Field Sparrow by the FWS buildings was nice, fairly quiet the rest of the way down. Heading back, at least 2 eagles and a pair of Pileated. Checked the Wayland side and had 4 GW Teal and 2 Ring-necks, then headed out to Wachusetts. First bird in the scope was the Canvasback, not too much else and it was cold and windy. Stopped at School St (nothing) and Nine Acre (geese and a few common ducks) then hard a Turkey Vulture getting off the highway.

Monday 3/6: Forest Grove had lots of mergansers, a few Wood Ducks, and that was about it. Eagle over Norumbega on the way out.

Tuesday 3/7: Cold and windy at College Pond.

Wednesday 2/22: 2 Pintail, 2 Fish Crow, and the Palm Warbler at Great Meadows (new monthly Middlesex #7 for Feb).

Thursday 2/23: Yuck

Friday 2/24: Walk around the northern edge of Hardy Pond didn’t have anything unusual.

Saturday 2/25: Forest Grove had a GW Teal and not too much else, not much more by Moody St. Res had a couple scaup mixed in with the Ring-necks.

Sunday 2/26: Started at Squantum Point Park. Wasn’t too exciting, lots of robins and White-throats mostly, but Fox Sparrow, 2 Harriers, and a GW Teal were nice. Nut Island had a Razorbill and a few more ducks. Wollaston was pretty quiet beyond lots of geese. Decided to stop at the Mystic Lakes next, 365+ Common Mergansers were about it. Just enough time to check Spy Pond, which had a few Ring-necks, a coot, and several scaup (3 Lesser, 1 Greater at least), plus a feeding eagle.

Monday 2/27: Few ducks east of Watertown Square, kingfisher and more of the same at the square.

Tuesday 2/28: Too snowy.