Wednesday 5/13: Estabrook had the usual, FOY Eastern Wood-Pewee the most exciting.
Thursday 5/14: Only had time for a quick res/Hardy loop, which had very little. Did see the Peregrine leaving Weston Station Pond on my way to other stuff later.
Friday 5/15: Went to Mt. Auburn to finally catch up with the Summer Tanager. Got that and a bunch of warblers.
Saturday 5/16: Out to Townsend to work on that list. Started at Elm Circle, which had a couple warblers but was pretty quiet. Went to the West Meadow Road section of Squannacook WMA next, although the phone took me to some other road. Tried walking in from there but there wasn’t much of a path and I was getting coated in ticks. Switched boots and drove to the actual entrance. Few feet down there was a Golden-winged Warbler song, so had to spend a few minutes making sure that was a Blue-winged. Walked further and a Black-billed Cuckoo flew in. Found more ticks, then almost ended up at the other entrance. On the way back had a bunch of Purple Finches and a Uhler’s Sundragon. Got up to eight new birds but decided to move on to Shirley rather than find another spot in Townsend, this area will be good for sparrows and stuff in fall.
Wednesday 7/31: Six Least at Blair Pond, raven, 2 Solitary, 5 Killdeer, 2 Yellow Warbler at the duck ponds, nothing at Hardy.
Thursday 8/1: BC Night Heron was the only different thing at BBN (maybe). Ran back over in the evening for the Little Blue, patch #191/Waltham #227!
Friday 8/2: Little Blue was still at Hobbs Brook, also 2 Great Egrets, Greater Yellowlegs, a couple Orchard Orioles, etc.
Saturday 8/3: Did a Squantum run. Started at Nickerson where a Wood Thrush was the highlight. Also a bunch of redstarts and a gnatcatcher or two. BBC trip was still filling the parking by the marshes, so went to Passanageset and had a few shorebirds, a Saltmarsh Sparrow, and not much else. Back to the marshes (with a quick pull over for Piping Plover), which were quiet. Thought about Earhart on the way home but gave up with traffic and checked the res quickly, seeing nothing.
Sunday afternoon, the Middlesex RBA group dinged with a picture of a Barnacle Goose at Bullough’s Pond in Newton. No way to chase it then, but I figured I could stop by on the way home Monday. It turned out the bird had been seen at the cemetery too, but disappeared shortly after.
Monday turned crappier than expected and I ended up lazing around but reports were negative anyway. I thought the Charles seemed a likely place and planned on a few stops Tuesday.
Wednesday 8/4: Was heading to BBN but a couple odd birds that appeared to drop towards Hardy Pond turned out to be Glossy Ibis! Drove over to the other side to try to find them with no luck, but yard #117 and Waltham #225! Green Herons and a Hooded Merganser were nice at BBN.
Thursday 8/5: Went to Nine Acre for egrets and anything the rain might have put down. Found a Night-Heron flying off and that was it. Headed for a pond loop after but it started pouring again, so didn’t see much of anything.
Wednesday 5/26: Arlington Res had too much construction, so went to McClennen which had mowers. Quick run around there then had time for the res, which had a fox running along Old County.
Thursday 5/27: Got the merganser along the Charles (stay another few days), plus a redstart.
Friday 5/28: Usual stuff at Farm Meadow, Bobolinks are always enjoyable.
Saturday 5/29: Pretty nasty, but a NE wind. Swallows at the res, more swallows at Great Meadows. Decided it wasn’t too bad so walked a bit, Least BIttern flew off to the left and then a perched Purple Martin to the right!
Wednesday 12/16: Yellow-rump and a flyover redpoll were it at Dunback.
Thursday 12/17: Nice out.
Friday 12/18: Made a lunchtime run down the Charles, one Bufflehead about it. A few mergansers on Hardy.
Saturday 12/19: Semi-attempted CBC scouting. Checked whether the road at Prospect Hill was cleared, then gave the res a quick buzz. Or would have been quick had a Tundra Swan not stuck its head out. Waltham #222, res #182! Didn’t really check much beyond that.
Wednesday 7/29: Had to stop by Habitat so walked around a bit. RB Nuthatch along the road and the goats were about it. Solitary at the duck ponds after.
Thursday 7/30: White-throat was a real surprise at Dunback, my first in July.
Friday 7/31: Nothing at Falzone, which left enough time to check Hardy (nothing) and the res (PB Grebe was back, which means 140 up for the Cambridge region pre-work list).
Wednesday 10/2: Fairly quiet at Great Meadows, wasn’t quite nice or lousy enough. Did have a close Pileated and a flyover Rusty plus a couple Bronze Coppers.
Thursday 10/3: 2 Solitary, RE Vireo, BT Green, 40+ waxwings about it at BBN.
Friday 10/4: Green Heron at Pelham Island Rd bridge, then a very early Common Merganser at Heard Farm. Thought that would be a good day, but got an interesting text at work.
Wednesday 5/29: Rock Meadow survey. Alder Flycatcher or two, not a whole lot else but the weather didn’t exactly help. Stopped at Lot 1 on the way home and had a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher almost immediately. Waltham #218 and patch #179. Continued around and had an Alder and then heard two more Yellow-bellieds. Debated going back after stopping at home to change and get them for the commute, but odds should be good for one in the next couple days.
