Sunday, May 25, 2025

Spring migration continues!

Finally some sun! 

This male Eastern Bluebird was singing lustily in the lower garden. Was it the same bird as the one hanging around a box in the upper garden earlier this morning?

Bald Eagle!

Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk, over the river.

The back of the upper garden was hopping. This female Chestnut-sided Warbler 

was joined by a pair of Common Yellowthroats

and this Northern Parula. 


Sunday, January 12, 2025

Fox Sparrow!

 Some nice birds on this nice January Sunday: Two pairs of Carolina Wrens 

this very calm Cooper's Hawk


and best of all this lovely Fox Sparrow at the Pond. 


Monday, November 18, 2024

Busy times

Sunday morning: The gardens were quiet - the action was elsewhere. A Hairy Woodpecker was near the river - 

At the "pond" (dry for most of the summer) there was a nice mixed flock of sparrows - Song, Whitethroated, American Tree - and this continuing beautiful male Eastern Towhee.


The other busy spot was Duane's Lawn, near the Winchester St entrance to the park. First this immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker made a brief visit - 


and then a Hermit Thrush strutted along the fence -


On my way back down to the lower garden, this Great Horned Owl flew in for a photo.


I can't resist posting this Field Sparrow from a few days ago, as well - 




Sunday, September 22, 2024

Could this be a Swainson's Hawk?

Nice morning at Nahanton Park, after yesterday's rain. Becky was finding things, and later Reade. Warblers: Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, Nashville, Black-and-white, Magnolia, and this Tennessee Warbler in the upper garden. 


While I was looking around Woodcock Meadow, this bird flew over. I didn't have my camera set right, so the pictures are even worse than usual. I thought this was a Swainson's Hawk: White wing linings and underparts, long wings, short densely barred tail, hint of throat color and hood. But in fact it's an Osprey, just holding its wings out straight in migration. 




Here are a couple more warblers: 




Sunday, April 28, 2024

Late April

 

April 26 at the Park -- 







Thanks to a text ms from Suzette, on April 28 I got to the upper garden in time to see this gorgeous adult male Summer Tanager! 



Sunday, December 3, 2023

Even later fall ...

November 29 was a good day too. This Hermit Thrush was in the thicket behind the lower garden bat-house 


The Chat was still around - and was being seen by many till on Dec 8! ...


And this Red-shouldered Hawk obligingly paused for a moment in the woods between the lower garden and Duane's Lawn.




 

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Late fall roundup

Not so many migrant sparrows this fall, as observed at Nahanton Park and elsewhere in Eastern Massachusetts. An exception: a good showing by Field Sparrows. But there were some good birds around anyway.  Several Orange-crowned Warblers were around (Oct 10, continuing for Linda's BBC walk on Oct 14, and much later, Nov 23), and also on Nov 23 I caught a glimpse of a very late Blue-winged Warbler at the back of the upper garden. 



On Nov 4 a very late flock of 4 Chipping Sparrows appeared on Duane's lawn. 


Eastern Bluebirds were around the upper garden from Nov 19 till today at least, when there were three.


And today there was a Yellow-breasted Chat near the bat-house at the lower garden! - the first I've seen here since 2015, and by far the latest in the fall.