Wednesday 1/31: Great Meadows was flooded but had 3 Marsh Wrens and a harrier while debating whether I could walk through (it was iced over, so no), #100 and 101 for the year. Walked the woods instead and had a Pileated, creeper, and 4 deer.
Thursday 2/1: Creeper was about the most exciting thing at BBN. Or maybe the muskrat.
Friday 2/2: Usual ducks at Arlington Res, nothing of note at the res.
Saturday 2/3: Chasing sparrows. The Gambel’s White-crown at Nahanton was there when I walked up. Quiet otherwise however, Common Mergansers on the river the only other thing of note. Started for Forest Hills Cemetery next but decided to pull in at Allandale Woods and search for Pileated. No luck and a grackle was about the only thing of any interest. Cemetery next, spent an hour and a half circling the area where the Lark Sparrow had been without luck. Quick check of Norumbega on the way home (and the res on the way out) had nothing.
Sunday 2/4: Kamchatka Gull was the target today. Started with a brief scan of the Mystic Lakes and Revere Beach (nothing obvious worth lingering for at either). Still on the early side, so I drove out the Nahant causeway and stopped at the Audubon thicket, which was just regulars. Decided against other stops and went to Lynn Beach. A few gulls but nothing of interest. Waves made scanning the water tough. Over to King’s Beach where 4 of us scanned for an hour without any luck. Went to a random spot for some woodland birding next and didn’t have much. Flax Pond after, found 2 of the 3 night-herons quickly plus got a few more of my February Essex county targets. Quick trip back down the water had no gulls on the ballfield and nothing different at King’s Beach.
Monday 2/5: Started with a nice surprise when I looked out the window while getting dressed and noticed a hawk perched. Not a normal spot for one and sure enough, it was a Red-shoulder, only the second from the yard (and the first was a flyover). Weston Station Pond was frozen and the scaup apparently didn’t move to the quarry. Did get the Field Sparrow though, believe that’s species #71 seen in all 12 months in the county.
Tuesday 2/6: Hairy at Cookson, Bufflehead and Ring-neck about it at the square.