Category: nature

Wednesday 10/19: In office day so got out to the Wayland Community Gardens. Tons of sparrows although I didn’t find any of interest. Male Purple Finch about the most interesting thing.

Thursday 10/20: Dunback had a ton of sparrows and robins plus a few Purple Finches, a late Pine Warbler, and a couple Hermit Thrushes.

Friday 10/21: White-crowned at Gaining Ground, Red-shoulder at Hanscom, lots of the usual stuff too.

Saturday 10/22: Did a Quincy run. Quick check of the res partially because the car was fogging up only had swans. Squantum Point Park was loaded with robins, House Finches, and common sparrows. Dug a Clay-colored out eventually but nothing else terribly noteworthy. Passanageset was windy and fairly quiet. Thrashed around enough to get a Nelson’s finally. Ran into Vin partway around who told me he had an Orange-crowned a few seconds earlier. No luck with that, but one flew across in front of me just before I got back to the car, so two county birds today (and with the Clay-colored, 3 questionably upgraded to finds).

Sunday 10/23: Worked the Sudbury River a bit. Started at the Old 27 Bridge. No NW winds and it’s grown up enough to make it tough to see down the river. Walked the bridge and the chip I couldn’t place (but expected Fox Sparrow) turned out to be a very late waterthrush! Hung around enough for 2 harriers and a sharpie. Went down Water Row but there was a photographer right where I wanted to park, so I continued to Lincoln Meadows first. Did the gardens and a loop to Pantry Brook, which were birdy but more of the same. Back to Water Row where I walked just about the whole length. Managed 40 species including 2 harriers (at least one of which was not one of the ones from the bridge), a Red-shoulder with a snack, 3 yellowthroats, a bunch of Purple Finches, and 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows. Quick check of the res in the afternoon had a bluebird but not much on the water.

Monday 10/24: Was planning on the res then Great Meadows if the rain wasn’t too bad, but fog and dark made me go straight to Great Meadows. Lots of sparrows along the dike included a Vesper (Great Meadows bird #205!) and 2 White-crowns. Also flyover pipts and snipe. Bailed a drop early to hit the res, which had a bunch of gulls but nothing else.

Tuesday 10/25: Yellowthroat about it at the West Meadow, 4 Purple Finches at BBN.

Wednesday 10/12: Pipit and White-crowned at Kaveski/Meriam’s were SRV year birds but that was about it.

Thursday 10/13: Sapsucker, Nashville, not much else at Rock Meadow, duck ponds were quiet in a very quick run..

Friday 10/14: Nothing in the rain.

Saturday 10/15: Got to Wachusett a bit late for the LeConte’s but did have a decent showing of more regular stuff. Unfortunately not much on the water either. Two checks at Gate 37, plus a stop at 25 and at the dam. Afternoon check of the res had geese and swans.

Sunday 10/16: Barrett’s Mill was pretty busy, took over half an hour for the species to minute ratio to fall below 1. Likely crossbill and siskin the highlights but lots of blackbirds and stuff too. Tried the Hugh Cargill gardens after, nothing much beyond a Field Sparrow. Waltham St. next, checked both sections for the first time this year. Another Dickcissel, a couple ravens, lots of Palms and Savannahs, etc plus a Common Green Darner.

Monday 10/17: Most of the shorebirds were still at Arlington Res although I didn’t dig out the White-rump and peep in the time I had. Blue Grosbeak took some time but started calling and then showed just as I was walking away. That and the snipe make 150 species photographed before work this year meeting that goal (ed: missed one, so the snipe was 150, grosbeak 151), still 6 away from my goal of 100 audio recorded.

Tuesday 10/18: Some interesting specks too far out at the res. Great Meadows next except it was chained off, so Kaveski instead. Harrier, Field Sparrow, not too much else.

Wednesday 10/5: Did an extended pond check (res, Flint’s, Mystic Lakes (skipping the south end, oops), Spy, Fresh, Hardy and had essentially nothing to show for it.

Thursday 10/6: Back to the south end of the lakes. Got the Golden-winged within a couple minutes, also Black-and-white, Purple Finch, Philadelphia Vireo, ton of kinglets. No GC Thrush and probably overlooked the Acadian.

Friday 10/7: Danehy had a ton of sparrows, White-crowned the most interesting. Also Nashville, 2 Peregrines, a few Purple Finches, etc.

Saturday 10/8: Decided to do the long walk to Rock Meadow or so for a change. Really should do it more often. Wasn’t the most exciting but an Orange-crowned was a new nonmotorized bird. Also a pair of BT Blues and a Red-shoulder were about it for the rest among 50 species.

Sunday 10/9: Led the MBC walk at Waltham St. Lots of the usual sparrows, a few warblers, etc. Most of us went to Dunback for a bit after and had more of the same. Hobbs Brook only had 2 Greater Yellowlegs and a few Killdeer for shorebirds but a flock of 30 Palm Warblers and a bunch of sparrows were nice. Got back to the car and noticed some movement along the highway and found a flock of Purple Finch (6+) and a Rusty Blackbird.

Monday 10/10: Did a complete loop of Millennium. At least 17 Purple Finches, the Clay-colored, and a few other things, lots of birds around. Nahanton next, usual stuff in the gardens. Drove through Norumbega on the way home and had nothing, then watched an eagle fly right over as I got back on the highway. Checked the res too, another eagle, 5 Ring-necks with a teal(!?) mixed in, and 5 Ruddy. Went to Arlington Res later in the afternoon and had 3 White-rumps, 2 snipe, 2 pecs, a pipit, etc.

Tuesday 10/11: Usual at Cookson and along the river, but the otters were back.

Wednesday 9/28: Kaveski had a pile of sparrows, a Dickcissel, a Peregrine, and a handful of warblers.

Thursday 9/29: Arlington Res had a Purple Finch, few warblers, PB Grebe, Greater Yellowlegs, and first local junco of the fall.

Friday 9/30: Weston Station Pond had a towhee, Merlin, lots of Yellow-rumps, a couple Solitaries, a couple GW Teal, and an eagle.

Saturday 10/1: Started at Great Meadows but the storm didn’t quite reach, so it was dead beyond Swamp and Song Sparrows. Started to head to Barrett’s Mill but the rain finally arrived so I gave it 20 minutes without anything dropping in. Rain picked up so I decided not to walk Barrett’s Mill and went to the res instead, which was quiet. Wasn’t as bad so I went to Rock Meadow, which was moderately birdy but nothing new (and no hummingbird or Cape May or anything).

Sunday 10/2: Thought trying Deer Island with NE winds would be a good idea. They turned out to be a bit strong, although I did find a somewhat sheltered spot partway around. A few ducks, one presumed shearwater, and lots of Laughing Gulls were about it. Went to Earhart next, still too windy but had a nice flock of Yellow-rumps and Blackpolls that included a parula and Cape May.

Monday 10/3: Tried Rock Meadow ago, still windy and the sun was staying away so it was pretty quiet. Three loons going over were about it, so I bailed and checked the res but no ducks had dropped in.

Tuesday 10/4: Blue-headed Vireo (first of fall finally) and a parula were about it at Dunback.

Wednesday 9/21: BT Green, Nashville, Lincoln’s, oriole or two at Rock Meadow.

Thursday 9/22: Too dark and eventually rainy to see anything.

Friday 9/23: 2 Lincoln’s, 2 redstart, Black-and-white, Palm, not much else at Dunback.

Saturday 9/24: Led my first MBC walk in ages at BBN. Best day of the fall although a lot wasn’t really cooperative. Ten species of warblers including Tennessee and Bay-breasted plus a few raptors, 4 GW Teal, etc. Went to Rock Meadow after where I didn’t see the Prothonotary, did add a few more including a tanager. Tried again late afternoon with no luck beyond a White-crowned Sparrow.

Sunday 9/25: Decided to continue with my original plan of the Wayland Community Garden and wait on Rock Meadow. Gardens started good with a male harrier and a Dickcissel at Cow Common. Clouded over and got a bit quiet, but I did get a Blackburnian in the woods (SRV bird!) although a possible Bay-breasted got away. Gardens themselves weren’t terribly active. Decided on a quick check of Heard Pond, which was good with 3 species of swallows and a Ring-neck. Rock Meadow was birdy off and on but no Prothonotary again. No luck with the Orange-crowned either but did have 2 tanagers, a Chestnut-sided, Parula, BT Green, and Nashville plus a mantis. 

Monday 9/26: One more try at Rock Meadow. Just about everything from the previous few days was around except for the Prothonotary. Prairie, tanager, Black-and-white, possible Orange-crowned were the highlights.

Tuesday 9/27: Still a few peep and Semipalmated Plovers at Hobbs Brook but nothing better. Walked the hillside a bit but the cloud cover and highway noise made it quite tough.

Wednesday 9/14: Dunback was really quiet, 3 redstarts, a vulture, a grosbeak, and that was about it.

Thursday 9/15: Prairie Warbler, Osprey, 3 Blackpoll, 2+ White-throats, not much else at Danehy.

Friday 9/16: Not much beyond RB Nuthatches at Brewster’s Woods and October Farm.

Saturday 9/17: The annual hawkwatching day. Four loons on Fitchburg Res to start then very little on the hike up. Good Broad-wing day with 850+ along with lots of sharpies, 4 harriers, etc. Ten pipits were nice too.

Sunday 9/18: Missed the chat and no sign of the Golden-winged at Rock Meadow, busy for a bit with oriole, Swainson’s Thrush, a few Purple Finches, etc. Hayden Woods was pretty quiet beyond a BT Blue, Waltham St. was much quieter than last week but did get a Lincoln’s finally.

Monday 9/19: Very little at Great Meadows.

Tuesday 9/20: Fresh Pond had a few warblers and if I didn’t hit every red light on the way over I would have seen even more of them.

Wednesday 9/7: Redstart and Red-eyed Vireo or two at Cookson, nothing on the Charles. Loon at Flint’s on the way home from the office.

Thursday 9/8: Nothing much at Kaveski or Meriam’s, so bailed and ran out to School St. where the Buff-breasted Sandpipers were just about scopeable from the road (commute #243!), plus the pintail.

Friday 9/9: Philadelphia Vireo and a siskin at Rock Meadow but very little else.

Saturday 9/10: Started at Squantum Point Park. Waterthrush, redstart, FOF Blackpoll about it there. Tide was too high so skipped the marshes and went to Passanageset. Heard a Dickcissel early but couldn’t find it even though it didn’t sound like a flyover. Full loop failed to turn up any turkeys and the shorebirds all got flushed before I got a look. Also FOF Palm or 3, a few Yellows, a Red-shoulder, etc. Eagle at the res but not much else on the way home.

Sunday 9/11: Started at Estabrook where one good flock had 4 Black-and-whites, a couple redstarts, a Magnolia, a Parula, and a Least Flycatcher. Not too much else, Sharpie, gnatcatcher, etc. Went to Foss Farm next, unsurprisingly no Lark Sparrow. Did the full loop through Greenough where a warbler flock was pretty similar to the one at Estabrook. Few Bobolinks and a bunch of RB Nuthatches were the only other things of interest. Decided to squeeze in a stop to Waltham St. on the way home. Started scanning the corn: Dickcissel no wait Bobolink, keep scanning ooh there’s a Dickcissel. Also Nashville and Palm.

Monday 9/12: Moderate number of warblers (decent for this year…) at BBN included a BT Green, Yellow, and Parula. Even though the marsh has filled, there were still a couple peep around plus a GW Teal.

Tuesday 9/13: Hobbs Brook had a few peep and Semipalmated Plovers plus a Greater Yellowlegs. Rain came in by the time I got to the end, so no passerines. Went around the res and to Hardy instead of walking the woods at that point and didn’t see much of anything.

Wednesday 8/31: Nothing at the res. Same shorebirds at Hobbs Brook, potentially including the melanistic yellowlegs Cliff found at BBN last week.

Thursday 9/1: Went to Prospect Hill for the first time in ages, not particularly worth the effort. Veery, Parula, Black-and-white about it.

Friday 9/2: Dunback had a Wilson’s, Parula, several redstarts, couple Veeries, a Wood Thrush, and a woodcock (on the ground!).

Saturday 9/3: Went west a bit. High Ridge WMA was on the quiet side, Merlin, Zabulon Skipper, Red Crossbills the most interesting. Lake Wampanoag Bog didn’t have much for odes, did have a Ruffed Grouse though.

Sunday 9/4: Hobbs Brook had better views of the yellowlegs, a Broad-wing, and an interesting skimmer. Four wigeon at the south end of the res.

Monday 9/5: Nothing at the res. Brief views of the adult Yellow-crowned at Borden, snipe finally at Great Meadows but not much else there. Fewer shorebirds at Hobbs Brook but the yellowlegs was close enough to get decent photos finally.

Tuesday 9/6: Didn’t bother much with the rain, nothing in a midafternoon zip around the res. Did look up once while working to see a whole line of Herring Gulls going over.

Wednesday 8/24: BBN had a bunch of redstarts and lots of peep.

Thursday 8/25: Took a bit to convince myself, but the Snowy Egret was out at Great Meadows. Lots around, nothing too exciting beyond a couple Bronzed Tiger Beetles otherwise.

Friday 8/26: Redstarts but not much else at Lone Tree Hill. Lots of peep at the duck ponds.

Saturday 8/27: Started at Lynnfield Marsh where there were lots of shorebirds and a flyover Dickcissel. Continued to Great Meadows.

Sunday 8/28: Started at Millennium and Brook Farm hoping to fill a couple migrant warbler holes on my Suffolk list. Only able to get a Black-and-white though. Decided to not go down to Great Pond after (which seemed to be a good decision) and went to Hobbs Brook instead. Semis, semis, and more semis plus a few yellowlegs.

Monday 8/29: BBN had 3 Great Egrets and a GW Teal. Redstart was the only warbler even with a good bit of effort at the chickadees.

Tuesday 8/30: Didn’t get the Yellow-crowned on the ‘commute’ list, otherwise about the same at Great Meadows, Pileated and Peregrine were nice, as was Swift River Cruiser.