Tag: weekinreview

Wednesday 10/16: A loop of the Charles: 2 Lesser Scaup, 7 Ruddy, many GW Teal, and a Parula at Purgatory Cove. More teal and a shoveler at Norumbega. Coots at Charlesbank. On to the res, where a big flock of ducks in the middle had me jumping out of the car. They were Ruddies however. Hardy Pond had wigeon and Ruddy.

Thursday 10/17: Prospect Hill had a few warblers. About 27 Ruddies on the res, 2 Common Mergansers on Flint’s.

Friday 10/18: More Common Mergansers on Flint’s. Nothing at Great Meadows.

Saturday 10/19: Lots of the usual at BBN and West Meadow (Nashville the best). Dunback was quiet beyond another Nashville and a Bobolink and Waltham St was dead. Greater Yellowlegs and not much else in a very quick scan of the north end of the Cambridge Res.

Sunday 10/20: Possible Blue Grosbeak at the other section of Waltham St, Field Sparrows at both.

Monday 10/21: Started at the West Meadow (Lincoln’s Sparrow about it). Decided to quickly check Rock Meadow since I was almost there and came up with 2(!) Vesper Sparrows. In between those, Marj called and confirmed the grosbeak. I was headed there way anyway, but skipped the far side of the marsh. Walked in and got a very brief view immediately but it took a good bit of effort to get enough to feel comfortable with it. Didn’t spend much time on other stuff but a leucistic Song Sparrow was interesting (there was a White-throat yesterday). After giving up on getting photos, I headed out to the rotary fields to look for the White-fronted Goose seen yesterday. It wasn’t in the flock at the front of the prison field and I couldn’t find a way to check the bigger flock at the back. No birds at Weatherbee and nothing but crows at School St. Nothing but cormorants in a quick scan of Flint’s on the way back.

Tuesday 10/22: Went to Plum for a change. Quiet overall but nice. Skimmers showed up towards high tide, Eurasian Wigeon at the north overlook, raven over the Dunes trail, lots of Yellow-rumps, GC Kinglets, etc. Gannets constantly moving along the ocean, shovelers all over the pools.

Wednesday 10/9: Joined the MBC walk at Danehy. Chestnut-sided was about it.

Thursday 10/10: Went to BBN to look for sparrows. Tons of birds around early, although nothing interesting. Boardwalk at West Meadow as busy with lots of Swamps and a White-crowned. Decent variety of warblers including Nashville and BT Green. On return, there were a bunch of sparrows behind the basketball court including an interesting looking White-crowned. After some reading and consultation, I feel pretty good about calling it a Gambel’s.

More orange bill, pale lores, etc. Click through the photo for a full set.

Walking down to the cemetery and then up the hill was not particularly productive.

Friday 10/11: The morning was described elsewhere. Sitting outside in the afternoon, a juvenile Bald Eagle flew over (and then a Yellow-rump for #80 for the yard this year).

Saturday 10/12: Waltham St/Dunback MBC trip. Couple Rusty Blackbirds, 2 Bluebirds at Dunback, and that was about it. Ruddy at both Cambridge Res and Hardy Pond.

Sunday 10/13: Wandered to Lindentree and Waltham St without much.

Monday 10/14: Refound the sparrow and then the goose. Scarlet Tanager at the West Meadow in between.

Tuesday 10/15: Started for Rock Meadow but construction stuff there, so I went to Lone Tree Hill first. Lots of Hermit Thrushes and that was about it. On to Dunback, which was busy but not much exciting (late House Wren, Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos about it). Waltham St had a kingfisher.

Wednesday 10/2: Wandered Lincoln for a bit in the morning without seeing too much (missed a Connecticut by a few minutes). A Band-winged Meadowhawk over the yard in the afternoon tied my late date.

Thursday 10/3: Went somewhere slightly different for a change, McClennen Park in Arlington. Lots of sparrows but nothing unusual. Stopped at Arlington Res after, a Ring-necked Duck among the Mallards was it. Then on to Arlington Great Meadows to look for Buck Moths. No luck with those but 10 wigeon and a Solitary Sandpiper were on the Waldorf Pond and a couple Parula were in the trees back at the car.

Friday 10/4: BBN and Waltham St were on the quiet side.

Saturday 10/5: Started at the Wayland Community Gardens. Nothing too exciting, assuming the junco isn’t anything. Cambridge Res next: 21 Ring-necks, 3 Pied-billed Grebes, 1 eagle. North end had 2 Least, 1 Solitary, 1 Spotted, and 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, a Greater Yellowlegs, a Semipalmated Plover, and the two Blue-winged Teal. After a call from Marj, I headed to Waltham St where the Clay-colored cooperated briefly (but longer than the Yellow-billed Cuckoo).

 

Sunday 10/6: Cambridge Res: nothing, Flint’s Pond: nothing, north end of Cambridge Res: similar shorebirds to previous days, Hardy Pond: nothing. In nice weather too.

Monday 10/7: Rock Meadow: Meadowlark (1st record for the site?), lots of common stuff. Cambridge Res: Great Cormorant.

Tuesday 10/8: Prospect Hill: 6 species of warblers, multiple sapsuckers, a bunch of Blue-headed Vireos. Nothing at Waltham St.

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.