Wednesday 5/1: Cool and dark so decided Dunback for grosbeaks was better than trying for migrants. Good idea as they were there (unseen but noisy) so top target for the county for the month already taken care of. Continued around and had a snipe winnowing overhead, which was probably the first time I’ve heard that in years.
Thursday 5/2: Not much at Purgatory. Thrasher by Flowed Meadow was a new bird for me on the Charles. Afternoon buzz of the res didn’t have much.
Friday 5/3: Good morning at BBN. Started with a pair of BW Teal. FOY Parula up the hill, then a loon flyover. Pair of Nashvilles on the way back to the car. Odd sparrow song just as I got back to the parkway, couldn’t find the source but suspected Vesper. Drove out that way and got the bird as it flew a few feet and then posed. Also had a flyover Solitary in between.
Saturday 5/4: Tried the same idea as last year’s eBird big day but Norfolk instead of Suffolk. Higher species total, less county birds. Started (after an oriole in the yard) at Squaw Rock Park which had a singing thrasher and moderate mixed flock including 3 BH Vireos, 2 BT Greens, and a few other things. Marshes had lots of scoters behind the hummock plus 2 Horned Grebe and 2 gannet. The actual pans had a few yellowlegs and Willet along with both egrets. Nut Island next, more gannets, LT Ducks, and a few other things. Annoyingly, a nice flock of sandpipers was way out. Suspect Purple but any of the possibilities would have been county birds. Broad Meadow Marsh was quiet and had people camping right on the bridge. Nothing at Wollaston. Tried Lake Massapoag but there was a sailing event going on so I skipped over to McCarthy Park. Added BW Warbler, kestrel, Field Sparrow, plus a few other things (FOY hummingbird among them). Stopped at Kendrick Lake to pad out the list and got to 83 (plus Red-tail along the road), 6 of which were new for Norfolk.
Sunday 5/5: After yesterday’s forecasted sun never appeared, today’s forecasted rain didn’t either. Went to Great Meadows hoping for the tern show from earlier in the week to continue but with no rain, that wasn’t likely. Did have a few Cliff Swallows, some flyover yellowlegs, a Broad-wing, a kestrel, and heard a Sora. Simon and I eventually came to the conclusion that the rain was staying south and headed to Nine Acre. Two yellowlegs on the flooded edges, an eagle over, a pair of Fish Crows, and FOY Bobolinks plus 150ish Chimney Swift. We next picked up Peter and went to School St. One Killdeer and not much else. Pulled into the fields behind Warner’s Pond almost on a whim and we had an adult eagle drop in. Got out to walk a bit and 23 pipits flew around. Very quick check of Hobbs Brook on the way home didn’t have any swallows.
Monday 5/6: GC Flycatcher was about the only thing new at Heard Pond.
Tuesday 5/7: Nobscot had a few migrants. FOY Ovenbirds, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush plus BW Warbler, Parula, etc. And a singing waterthrush was my first for the valley Louisiana finally, which was also #100 on my valley workday year list. Also Eastern Pine Elfin and Six-spotted Tiger Beetle.
