Category: nature

Wednesday 4/27: More or less the usual at College Pond.

Thursday 4/28: Virginia Rail calling at Pantry Brook, nothing too exciting near Round Hill.

Friday 4/29: Parula, several Black-and-whites, a Pine, tons of Palms, 5+ BH Vireos, a Turkey Vulture on the ground, and a towhee at BBN.

Saturday 4/30: Started at Forest Grove and Purgatory: Kingbird, Chimney Swifts, BH Vireo, Hermit Thrush, etc. On to Prospect Hill, which was quiet in 30 minutes of scanning the skies. Nothing at the res. Spotted Sandpiper, Palm Warbler, and more swifts at Hobbs Brook plus first of season Eastern Forktail and another Henry’s Elfin.

Sunday 5/1: Chased the White-faced Ibis. Couldn’t pick it out of the flock, even knowing it was in there but a few year birds and 100+ Glossies made the trip somewhat worthwhile. Stopped at Arlington Res after had had both yellowlegs. Nothing of note at either bit of Cambridge Res.

Monday 5/2: 2 Ring-necks and an eagle at the res. Bank Swallow, 10+ Rusties, and a few other things at Heard Pond.

Tuesday 5/3: About the same.

Wednesday 4/20: Quiet at Prospect Hill.

Thursday 4/21: Quiet at Dunback.

Friday 4/22: Arlington Res in the morning had a Spotted Sandpiper and tons of Yellow-rimps and Palms. Stopped at Cambridge Res on the way home and had a Long-tailed Duck.

Saturday 4/23: Quiet at the res, Flint’s, and then pouring at Great Meadows. Did finally get Barn Swallows. Afternoon walk around AGM had a Henry’s Elfin.

Sunday 4/24: BH Vireos and Black-and-white Warblers at Mt. Auburn in the morning, 3 species of ode at Assabet in the afternoon.

Monday 4/25: Yellow Warbler at Forest Grove.

Tuesday 4/26: Looped around a bit and had next to nothing anywhere.

Wednesday 4/13: RC Kinglet, lots of Palms, and nothing much else at Forest Grove.

Thursday 4/14: Nothing overly exciting at Round Hill. Lots flying around Pantry Brook, having a bit more time to sit there would have been nice.

Friday 4/15: Started with a RC Kinglet in the yard. More or less the usual expected stuff at College Pond.

Saturday 4/16: Started with the MBC walk at Horn Pond. Other than a pair of kestrels, not much. Stopped at Arlington Res, which had my first migrant Yellow-rumps and the usual, then hawkwatched a bit at Prospect Hill with a Merlin and some Rough-winged Swallows.

Sunday 4/17: Led the MBC walk at BBN: kestrel, raven, not much else. Went to Kaveski after where I had a Pileated and Savannah Sparrows finally.

Monday 4/18: Took advantage of the day off, starting at Great Meadows. Nothing much on the water (pair of GW Teal and a coot about it) and no raptor movement. Did have a couple Osprey and a flyover loon was new for me here. Continued to the Massport Trails where I got the Field Sparrow and towhee I expected (100 for the year in the county finally) along with a Pine(?) Elfin and Six-spotted Tiger Beetles. No meadowlark though. Went to Foss Farm for a change next, nothing too exciting beyond another Pileated, some Azures, and another Pine Elfin. Finally, checked Hayden Woods where the Rusties were vocal and eventually popped up.

Tuesday 4/19: Tons of Yellow-rumps and Palms between Purgatory and Forest Grove plus a gnatcatcher.

Wednesday 4/6: DC Cormorant and PB Grebe at Forest Grove plus a Rusty.

Thursday 4/7: Tree Swallows, a vulture, and the usual ducks at the res. Same at Flint’s, Nine Acre, Heard, and Pelham Island Rd.

Friday 4/8: Very little at Dunback.

Saturday 4/9: Merlin and not much else at Great Meadows. GW Teal at Hobbs Brook. Snipe at Waltham St. Peregrine over Concord Ave was new for Belmont, usual at Rock Meadow. No waterfowl at the duck ponds.

Sunday 4/10: Two Turkey Vultures and a singing Winter Wren at BBN. Quiet at West Meadow. Hermit Thrush at the res was actually a new bird for me there. Also about 45 Ruddy and 4 Lesser Scaup.

Monday 4/11: Tree Swallows, 2 Common Mergansers, and a couple Rusties at Heard Pond in the rain.

Tuesday 4/12: Res about the same (good number of scaup and Ruddies plus at least 3 Pine Warblers singing). Nothing at Flint’s or Nine Acre and nothing more than a few Rusties at Heard Pond.

Wednesday 3/30: Fox Sparrow and nothing else exciting at BBN.

Thursday 3/31: Forest Grove started fairly quiet beyond some phoebes but an odd chip made me turn around as I headed back from the landfill. After a bit of a run-around, it turned out to be bright Palm Warbler. Back near the houses, I then had a singing Pine. Detoured along the edge of Purgatory and got one on the Waltham side as well.

Friday 4/1: RC Kinglet, 3 Fox Sparrows, and the usual early spring stuff at College Pond.

Saturday 4/2: Started at Meriam’s and Kaveski, which had the usual but no new sparrows. Rain picked up right as I finished, so tried School St, Nine Acre, and the res (all nothing) before giving up.

Sunday 4/3: Snow

Monday 4/4: Snow

Tuesday 4/5: Managed a quick stop on Pelham Island Rd, Killdeer, cowbirds, and a few teal were highlights. Plus a few swallows made it through.

Wednesday 3/23: Poked around Nine Acre with not much more than a Pied-billed Grebe.

Thursday 3/24: Traffic led me to Flint’s, so walked around a bit, nothing unexpected.

Friday 3/25: Bit too damp but the usual ducks and Tree Swallows along Pelham Island Rd.

Saturday 3/26: 4 Snipe at Waltham St. Two Kestrels at Dunback. Clay-colored still at Arlington Res. DC Cormorant at the res.

Sunday 3/27: Fairly quiet at Great Meadows. Likely otter and then one the Virginia Rails eventually started calling at my feet. Decided to work Bedford at bit. Started with swans and Mallards at Fawn Lake (not sure how I didn’t have Mallard yet), then stopped at the Hanscom trails where I had a Pileated among other things, getting the overall list into the 70s. Nothing at Hobbs Brook, the ducks at the res weren’t in a good spot but a breeding plumaged loon was more than worthwhile.

Monday 3/28: Too rainy more or less.

Tuesday 3/29: Looped Nine Acre without much until an Osprey flew over as I was pulling out of Nashawtuc. TV over the road a minute later and then a couple Rusties on Water Row (Wayland side).

Wednesday 3/16: Nothing exciting at Nine Acre or in Wayland.

Thursday 3/17: Same old at Forest Grove.

Friday 3/18: Same at BBN.

Saturday 3/19: Woodcocks and a Fox Sparrow at BBN after the loon.

Sunday 3/20: Started by walking to the duck ponds and back. Phoebe at Lot 1, Tree Swallows and 2 Turkey Vultures at Rock Meadow, and then a catbird at the West Meadow on the way back made it mostly worthwhile. Still nice(ish), so went looking for geese without any luck (but more vultures and a herd of 7 deer at School St). Same flock of Ring-necks and scaup at the res, nothing at Waltham St.

Monday 3/21: Snow…

Tuesday 3/22: Tree Swallows and the usual at Forest Grove. Two Gadwall at Norumbega.

Wednesday 3/9: Quiet at Forest Grove.

Thursday 3/10: Singing creepers and Fox Sparrow at College Pond.

Friday 3/11: Flint’s had mergansers and stuff. Moderate variety at Nine Acre, although nothing particularly noteworthy. Ring-necks and teal on Pelham Island Rd at lunchtime.

Saturday 3/12: Six shovelers on the res, Tree Swallows at Great Meadows, and something in Winthrop.

Sunday 3/13: GW Teal and a good 300ish Ring-necks on the res.

Monday 3/14: Fox Sparrow at Dunback.

Tuesday 3/15: Ton of Tree Swallows at Wayland Town Building. More of the same in a quick scan of the res on the way home.