Wednesday 10/18: Traffic was wild, Umbrello Hay Field ended up being the easiest to get to. Rusty, raven, a few sparrows. Tried getting to the res but wouldn’t have had time, so stopped for a minute at Flint’s and had two loons. Did get to the res in the afternoon and there was nothing.
Thursday 10/19: Nothing exciting along the river in Watertown. Bunch of Savannahs at Gore.
Friday 10/20: Had to go to our data center in Connecticut. PB Grebe and 3 Ruddy at the res beforehand. Got there just early enough for one quick stop, but there were zero birds on the pond I picked. Went to Scoville Reservoir briefly after. Just about beat the rain and added 4 birds to my CT list (up to a whole 38): Ruddy Duck, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Dark-eyed Junco. Absolutely pouring on the way back until the state line, at which point it almost immediately stopped and looked like it hadn’t rained all day. Got off the Pike a bit early and checked Heard Pond, Pelham Island Rd, and the res on the way home but nothing worth noting.
Saturday 10/21: Was supposed to be rainy, but nothing yet in the morning. Nothing good on the res. Went out to Nagog next. One cormorant, one Hooded Merganser, and a swan were it on the water but there were a lot of common birds in the orchard at the south end. School St had a pile of pipits, killdeer, and several hundred cowbirds. Nothing on Flint’s. Noting on the main part of the Mystic Lakes, 4 Ring-necked, a PB Grebe, and a few land birds at Sandy Beach. Huron Ave is being remodeled so no easy parking by Fresh Pond (but did get a Merlin fly off as I gave up). Nothing much at Blair Pond either.
Sunday 10/22: Went for wind avoidance today. Started at Hall’s Pond where I again failed to find a sapsucker. A Wilson’s Warbler was nice though. Fenway next, took half an hour to remember to park by the MFA instead of trying to find a space closer. Lots of sparrows included 2 Field, a Lincoln’s, and a towhee. Only warbler was a Nashville. Decided to give Waltham St. a quick check on the way home. Interesting pale-ish Savannah and then a Clay-colored on the way out.
Monday 10/23: Forest Grove for the first time in forever. Nothing much on the water, lots of Yellow-rumps in the woods. Trail was flooded (there was a portable pump at the pump house so broken?) so didn’t check the marsh. Afternoon loop of the res had a loon.
Tuesday 10/24: BBN had a ton of robins and Yellow-rumps, 3 GW Teal, and 4+ Purple Finches.