Tag: weekinreview

Wednesday 6/1: Rock Meadow survey, Willow Flycatcher was about it. Really wish they were reversed and we were at Habitat today…

Thursday 6/2: Usual at College Pond, Barred Owl was showy today.

 

Friday 6/3: Nothing much at Dunback, probable Alder didn’t quite cooperate.

Saturday 6/4: Decided to head towards the coast for a change and give my Suffolk county list a boost. Started with a stop at the Earhart dam, where a Common Tern dropped in fairly quickly. Pretty busy otherwise, although nothing exciting. Continued to Belle Isle. Walked out to the platform, could see a bunch of shorebirds to the right, so wandered back to the car to grab the scope. That ended up working well as a Black-billed Cuckoo started singing at the parking lot. It even posed for a few seconds before dropping back.

Back with the scope, it was the usual shorebirds. Wandered back and forth for a couple hours and got a decent variety, but nothing terribly exciting.

Finally gave up and went to Pico, where 2 oystercatchers flew by immediately.

Sunday 6/5: Quiet in a short walk at Great Meadows, one flyover shorebird and 2 calling Virginia Rails about it.

Monday 6/6: Habitat survey, GH Owl but no moose.

Tuesday 6/7: Final Rock Meadow survey, ok after 10 minutes of downpour. Wood Duck family (finally) at the duck ponds on the way home.

Wednesday 5/25: West Meadow for a change. Calling BB Cuckoo was it for birds, but a Dytiscid beetle larva (common name Predacious Diving Beetles) was cool.

Thursday 5/26: Breeding bird survey at Habitat had a bunch of migrant warblers.

Friday 5/27: Rock Meadow survey had the expected. Quick loop around Lot 1 didn’t have much.

Saturday 5/28: First central MA swing of the year. Started at Willard Brook, which had a few BT Blues and not a whole lot else. Ashby side of Watatic next, which had a Silver-bordered Fritillary, Silvery Blues, Beaverpond Clubtails, and American Emeralds, which surprisingly appear to be a county ode (99!). More of the same at Townsend State Forest. Doing the loop around to the back of the rear pond, there was some interesting rustling ahead of the trail. Exciting to see the bear walk out, but I wasn’t about to continue so never checked the pond.

Sunday 5/29: Led a BBC/MBC/probably 3 more groups walk at Great Meadows. Too many people to start, but we worked our way to the river with a few decent things. Slightly odd song along the river, so I walked down a bit while everyone else looked at a Great Crested. It finally flew across and confirmed what I was thinking.

A couple quick snaps, then a shout Prothonotary! Unfortunately most people heard Solitary and scanned the bank and not the branches above. The bird came back to our side of the river and disappeared. We wandered down and just about everyone was able to hear it, but it was much too deep to see. The rest of the walk was fairly quiet.

Monday 5/30: Wandered back to Great Meadows as the rain ended, hoping for Least Bittern or Black Tern, but it was quiet. Didn’t try for the warbler, but heard negative reports. Checked Heard Pond and Pelham Island Rd quickly, with an Osprey at the pond and a snapping turtle laying eggs on the side of the road. Vulture and hummingbird over the yard in the evening.

Tuesday 5/31: Another Habitat survey, BB Cuckoo was interesting and there was a flycatcher that I would have liked to have heard more.

Wednesday 5/18: 10 warblers at Prospect Hill including a Wilson’s but nothing much else.

Thursday 5/19: Two BB Cuckoos calling at BBN but not much else.

Friday 5/20: Osprey, Chestnut-sided, not a ton else at Forest Grove (plus construction meant I had to walk in from Lyons Park which cut down on time actually looking).

Saturday 5/21: Went to Mt. Auburn, which was pretty quiet (Tennessee and Blackburnian about it). Continued to Assabet for boghaunters. No luck with those, but 11+ other odes. Plus a surprise as I reached the end of the Patrol Road, when a flycatcher started calling pit-seet! 

Sunday 5/22: Slow at Dunback (Prairie and Magnolia and possibly Blue-winged the only migrants) but a Virginia Rail that popped up and landed on Bacon St was nice.

Monday 5/23: Heard Pond was fairly quiet (did finally get Marsh Wren and Green Heron for Wayland, but a stop at the bridge had a Semipalmated Plover, 2 Leasts, 4 Spotted, and a Solitary.

Tuesday 5/24: Nothing at the res. Got a Cliff Swallow at Nine Acre for the commute yearlist but little else. Solitary and single Least at Pelham Island Rd, expected a bit more with the rain.

Wednesday 5/11: More arrivals at Prospect Hill included an Indigo, Nashville, a bunch of Scarlet Tanagers, and a Black Swallowtail.

Thursday 5/12: Bobolinks and stuff at Forest Grove.

Friday 5/13: Up early, so ran to Nobscot for something a bit different. YB Cuckoo flying through and an apparent Gray-cheeked Thrush. Did miss a Blue Grosbeak though.

Saturday 5/14: Birdathon, started with 2 Hoodeds and a Worm-eating, ended with something better. If I bothered going to the Charles, it would have been a new record too. First Green Darners too.

Sunday 5/15: BBN early, before I realized how bad the wind was. Singing Bay-breasted, a few other things.

Monday 5/16: Still too windy but a waterthrush and FOY pewee at Hayden Woods.

Tuesday 5/17: Lots of the usual at College Pond.

Wednesday 5/4: Sora (in flight!) at Great Meadows.

Thursday 5/5: Least Flycatcher and a few other expected arrivals at Purgatory/Forest Grove.

Friday 5/6: Grosbeaks, an Ovenbird, Blue-wings, and a few other things at BBN.

Saturday 5/7: Started at the res, which was quiet. Made a lousy decision to check Arlington Res next, which was very quiet.

Sunday 5/8: BBC walk at Mt. Auburn had a few new warblers, plus a tanager, GC Flycatcher, etc. More later in the day.

Monday 5/9: BBN was moderately busy. New birds included a Broad-wing or two, Magnolia, BT Green, Redstart, Yellowthroats, and orioles.

Tuesday 5/10: More additions at Dunback included Prairie and BT Blue. Eagles on both ends of the commute.

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.