Category: nature

Wednesday 9/25: Joined the MBC walk at a fairly quiet Danehy, then on to Dunback which was also fairly quiet (tanager, RB Grosbeak about it). After a meeting in the afternoon, I buzzed the Cambridge Res and had a Common Loon and Pied-billed Grebe.

Thursday 9/26: Rock Meadow was slow but 12-13 warblers were at BBN along with a late pewee.

Friday 9/27: West Meadow had a Rusty Blackbird and a very confiding Yellow-rump but not much else. Nothing at Waltham St. Chased the reported Western Tanager at Dunback with no luck.

Saturday 9/28: Rock Meadow had nothing interesting. Ran into Marj at Waltham St. She was on her way out but predicted a Dickcissel in the newly mowed back field. It was actually in the front field, along with a Bobolink. Nothing much at Dunback.

Sunday 9/29: Great Meadows late morning had a calling Sora, 4+ pintail, a few pipits and bluebirds flying over, and a snake eating a frog. North end of the Cambridge Res had a few Least Sandpipers, a Lesser Yellowlegs, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Blue-winged Teal, and a Bald Eagle.

Monday 9/30: Walked Lot 1 and West Meadow. Sapsucker at the meadow was about it.

Tuesday 10/1: Started at Rock Meadow. Quiet otherwise, but a thrasher smashing up a Wooly Bear was interesting. Quick stop at the duck ponds added another sapsucker.

Wednesday 9/18: Checked Prospect Hill again. Numbers down (other than Parula), but the Cape May was still there and I ended up with 13 warblers including my first Yellow-rump of the fall. A Yellow-throated Vireo at Big Prospect was the other highlight.

Thursday 9/19: Hayden Woods was fairly quiet. Ended up with 6 warblers but it was hard work. Very quick run at Waltham St. had nothing. Afternoon check of Cambridge Res had a few of the usual shorebirds and 2 Blue-winged Teal (waterfowl species #26 for the res!).

Friday 9/20: Rock Meadow had a Bay-breasted. BBN had more of the same warblers along with another Tennessee.

Saturday 9/21: Led an MBC walk in Lincoln. No sun and fog made for a slow time at Farm Meadow (the farmer wrapping bales of hay didn’t help, although it was interesting). Lindentree had lots of sparrows and bluebirds and a surprising flock of Pine Warblers in the middle of the field.

Sunday 9/22: Since it was cloudy, I headed back to Heard Pond. Spent some time on the swallows and found 4 species (no Tree surprisingly). Over to Purgatory Cove for the first time in a few weeks and had first American Wigeon of the fall plus 5 Rough-winged Swallows and a few warblers.

Monday 9/23: Dunback was somewhat quiet but 3 Scarlet Tanagers and a few warblers made it worthwhile. Bob and I decided to try to find a sheltered spot and went across the street to the other section of the Waltham St. Fields. Getting towards the back corner, Bob found one of the most cooperative Connecticut Warblers you’ll ever see.

Tuesday 9/24: Prospect Hill again. Twelve species of warblers including at least 2 Cape Mays, 3 Swainson’s Thrushes and a sapsucker. Quick check of the Cambridge Res had 1 Pectoral, 3 Solitary, 1 Killdeer, 2 Semipalmated Plover, and a Peregrine.

Wednesday 8/28: Didn’t get out again.

Thursday 8/29: Walked to the duck ponds. On the way: Green Heron and Redstart at Lot 1, more Redstarts, a Black-and-white, and a Canada at Met State, and a gnatcatcher at Rock Meadow. Five Solitaries, 1 Least, 1 Killdeer, and not much else at the ponds.

Friday 8/30: Great Meadows: 3 Snowies plus the Little Blue, a snipe among the usual shorebirds, and a few warblers.

Saturday 8/31: Full loop of Dunback. Mostly quiet beyond lots of grosbeaks, but right as it poured Cliff and I had a Mourning Warbler in a small flock.

Sunday 9/1: Usual at Duck Ponds and Cambridge Res (except a GW Teal).

Monday 9/2: Same as yesterday

Tuesday 9/3: Another Mourning Warbler at BBN (plus something that’s getting a separate post). More of the same at the ponds.

Wednesday 9/4: Nothing exciting at Dunback, although Nashville was a year bird.

Thursday 9/5: Great Meadows in the rain: American Golden-Plover. Once it cleared, good views of the Little Blue plus a nice raptor show including a Bald Eagle and a Merlin. More of the same at the Cambridge Res.

Friday 9/6: Rock Meadow and BBN were quiet, beyond an interesting Catharus that I really needed a better view (and to hear). Nothing new at the ponds. Brought my computer in for repairs and stopped at Cambridge Res on the way over (Hooded Merganser) and Kaveski on the way back (got the Buff-breasteds eventually).

Saturday 9/7: Joined (and then accidentally wandered away from) the Menotomy trip at Dunback without much. Handful of warblers at Hayden Woods after and then a Marsh Wren at Waltham St. Great Meadows late in the afternoon was pretty dull, a nighthawk shortly after arriving was the best, minimal heron/duck flight.

Sunday 9/8: Nothing at Cambridge Res or Arlington Res. Hawkwatched a bit at Prospect Hill: 1 Osprey, 1 Cooper’s, 3 Red-tails, a few unidentified, plus a cuckoo over my head.

Monday 9/9: Lots of birds at BBN including an early Lincoln’s. Ran over to Dunback after but no luck with the Hooded.

Tuesday 9/10: Absolutely nothing at Dunback. Up to 12 Least Sandpipers at the duck ponds. Couldn’t find the possible good birds Bob had at the Cambridge Res later.

Wednesday 8/21: Eventually turned up a good flock of warblers at BBN including a couple Redstarts, a Chestnut-sided, and a really nice Tennessee (which may be the first one this fall in state). Still waiting for something better at the ponds.

Thursday 8/22: Caught up on other stuff.

Friday 8/23: Prairie Warbler and little else at Prospect Hill. Nothing at the res. Dragging muffler ruined plans to go elsewhere.

Saturday 8/24: Besides a sparrow and the yellowlegs flock, 1 BT Blue at Lot 1 (and a White-M), 2 Broad-wings between the West Meadow and Concord Ave, Orchard Oriole at Rock Meadow, and then redstart and Least Flycatcher back at West Meadow.

Sunday 8/25: Repeat

Monday 8/26: Didn’t get out. I think.

Tuesday 8/27: Ran to the duck ponds quickly. Interesting young Red-shoulder that I may post more about soon.

Wednesday 8/14: Great Meadows was pretty quiet. Finally got both teal but nothing else of note.

Thursday 8/15: Cape with Bob. Fairly slow day, but a few Forster’s Terns, a Whimbrel, a Prairie Warbler, and a few other things were worthwhile.

Friday 8/16: Went out to Fort Pond Brook with Alan and Soheil. Possible Zebra Clubtail was replaced by a Dragonhunter or two but otherwise it was slow.

Saturday 8/17: BBN had lots of redstarts, a Chestnut-sided, and another woodcock. More of the same at the duck ponds but finally got a waterthrush.

Sunday 8/18: Got the expected Olive-sided at Dunback plus a waterthrush. 

Monday 8/19: Rock Meadow had loads of hummingbirds and a late family of Orchard Orioles. Two Leasts and a Solitary were it at the ponds. Nighthawks over the yard finally.

Tuesday 8/20: Two Snowy Egrets were about it at Great Meadows (lots of the expected shorebirds though).

Wednesday 8/7: Found something

Thursday 8/8: Nothing exciting at Purgatory Cove (beyond a Bank Swallow and a couple Yellow Warblers). First juv Least Sandpiper at the duck ponds but nothing better.

Friday 8/9: Rainy and lazy

Saturday 8/10: Great Meadows: Semipalmated Plover, 11 egrets, not a whole lot else.

Sunday 8/11: Checked out the Massport trail at Hanscom, nothing too exciting. Then on to an ode walk at the Cranberry Bog, where a Green-striped Darner was the best.

Monday 8/12: Dunback briefly (trails overgrown, 1 redstart, lots of wrens). Six plus Solitaries at the duck ponds.

Tuesday 8/13: BBN: flushed a woodcock, otherwise about the same. No changes other than fewer Solitaries at the ponds.