Patriot's Day Weekend Update

Friday around 7:00 p.m. I went to the park. It was a nice evening and not a time of day I usually go, but it was still light out. Upon entering the path to the lower gardens I saw a small sparrow quite near me. I thought it was a chipping sparrow but when I saw it through the binoculars it had a distinctive orange beak which means it had to be a field sparrow! Also saw a savannah sparrow not too far away.

Early Saturday morning I saw mostly our regulars, but I did catch the phoebe hanging out in last years nest already! What creatures of habit. From there I went on a great walk with Alison and Ted starting at the Watch factory in Waltham where some of our highlights were a kingfisher, pine warbler and yellow rumps.

Today it was actually pretty cold at 45 degrees. Saw the savannah sparrow again and our regulars in the lower gardens. The tree swallows are practically swarming around the upper gardens as well as some titmice, goldfinches, robins, etc. Heard the red-bellied woodpecker somewhere near the soccer field. Also thinking there might have been a wood duck in the pond. Something flew up from the water before I even got there but the mallards stayed. Those wood ducks sense you before you even realize you're near.

Down by the river I saw a male downie, a red-winged blackbird, chickadees, titmice and a mysterious little olivey-yellow plump, but warbleresque bird. We surprised each other and therefore I didn't really have a chance to examine it. Saw my friend swimming in the middle of the river and got another picture. It finally came towards the edge of the river and now I am almost certain that it is a muskrat. It moved along at quite a clip - I could hardly keep ahead of it and then it disappeared under the water at the exact same spot it disappeared last time.

Muskrat

On my way back I ran into Haynes who had also seen a couple of savannah sparrows. We saw a small hawk overhead and he identified it as a Coopers hawk which was pretty nice. I'm wondering when the warblers will appear at Nahanton. I'm thinking it should be any day now.

Pleasant Weather - Finally!

Mackerel Sky

It was cool, but beautiful this morning and all our regulars were around.

Of interest today in the lower gardens were a couple of white throated sparrows foraging near the edge of some scrub. I ran into Haynes down there and I hope he sees them.

Flicker Couple

I heard the phoebes in the woods at the edge of the upper gardens (driveway side) and eventually saw them - one hanging out there and one at the edge of the woods near the swamp area.

The highlight today for me was when I arrived at the path to cut through the woods to the soccer field. I had only walked a few steps when I saw a very reddish brown bird sitting on a low scrub branch not five feet away. I am sure it was a veery, but it seemed awfully early. As I reached for my camera, it flew off.

Saw a pair of flickers in the upper gardens and also down near the river. They were inseparable today. If one flew off, the other followed.

Can't wait to find out what Haynes sees today if he posts.

Tree Swallows and Chipping Sparrow Have Arrived!

Don't let the bluebirds take this!

Now, to find my wife...

 It was actually pretty cold this morning - 31 degrees around 7:00 a.m. Tons of robins in the meadow and as I headed into the lower gardens I saw a white shape up in a tree and was so excited to see a tree sparrow! Turned out there were lots of them. They were in all their usual places, trying to reserve their favorite boxes. The two at left were in the upper  gardens and the one beneath was in the meadow.

All the regulars were there: jays, song sparrows, cardinals, mourning doves etc. The upper gardens had chickadees, juncos, song sparrows, titmice and goldfinches. It's funny but for awhile several different species were hanging out in their big old favorite tree in the middle of the gardens. I ran into Ian and we also saw some titmice, a flicker and a beautiful chipping sparrow. Geese, ducks and grackles were flying overhead. Ian had seen the cowbirds - 2 females and a male.

No sign of the Eastern phoebes or the bluebirds today.

Eastern Phoebes Back!

Eastern Phoebe

Well, we were promised a nice weekend and it turned out to be as predicted. It was only 38 degrees when I arrived at 7:00 a.m., but it didn't feel too bad.

The river at first seemed pretty quiet, but the longer I stayed, the more I saw and heard. Of course there were robins and blue jays and as I stood on the dock I saw some ducks in the distance and I thought I saw a teal. So I walked along the path and finally saw the teal hanging out with some mallards and geese. It didn't seem to be part of a couple and it turned out to be a green winged teal which I, personally haven't seen before down here (have seen them other places) so that was kind of fun.

Checking out last years nest

Otter/Muskrat?

As I was heading back, I saw a dark brown creature swimming by the edge of the river. It was the exact same color as the creature I had seen a few weeks ago so I don't know if it was the otter, a muskrat or what and I have a very poor picture in case someone else can figure it out. It's all so mysterious that I feel like I'm trying to capture the Lochness monster or something. Heard the red bellied woodpecker and saw some chickadees on my way back and as I stood on the dock a second time I heard a very persistent phoebe call and I suddenly realized this wasn't chickadees. It must be the Eastern phoebe is back! I looked all around and I finally saw it high in a tree. It seemed very excited and was flying all around the Nature Center and then all of a sudden there were two! and they were chasing each other and checking out both the nests. I feel like they just arrived and had to make sure everything was where it should be. It was then that I ran into Ian, only they totally disappeared and we could only hear them from across the river.

Meanwhile, in the upper and lower gardens were our regulars including cowbirds, jays, robins, juncos, goldfinches, cardinals, crows, chickadees, song sparrows and a mourning dove. I did see two blue herons flying overhead squawking loudly in flight. Ran into a man who had seen the bluebirds in the upper gardens but I checked twice and didn't see them and neither did Ian. It's amazing how they're there one minute and then they just vanish.

Screech Owl

After a fairly quiet tour through the park, highlighted mainly by a Hairy Woodpecker above the pond and a large off-leash black dog harassing me near the soccer field, I checked out the pile of debris and Christmas trees near the Winchester Street entrance. In a knothole in the right large tree behind the pile, there was a red-phase Screech Owl. It vanished, amazingly, while I was fussing with my camera.

The Elusive Fox Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

It was pretty darn cold out today. 26 degrees and clear. Back to the winter clothing drill. Even if I took my gloves off for a minute my hands were frozen solid.

I saw some of the shallow water areas were frozen again as I headed down to the river. Tons of robins, blue jays and some grackles down there as well as a few mallards and Canadian geese couples. Saw two herring? gulls flying overhead.

On the way back to the soccer field I saw what I think is the same red tail hawk I keep seeing hanging out in a tree near the pond. Just as I saw it, there was some scrambling in the leaves near me and I saw a very reddish brown furry creature that I thought might be a woodchuck or something but I couldn't get a good look it. I'm always amazed at all the creatures that live here. Near the little round-about parking area I saw lots of chickadees, titmice and had a great look from underneath of a beautifully red breasted nuthatch.

Red Tail Hawk

In the lower gardens I was so hoping to see the fox sparrows that Jane and Haynes had seen. At first I only saw song sparrows, some juncos and a few mockingbirds although I did see a tree with three cowbirds - 1 female and two males. Then heard a beautiful song that I didn't recognize. I had heard it last weekend too and was wondering if it might be the fox sparrows but since I couldn't see the songster and I'm not familiar with their song, I couldn't confirm. Today though, I finally caught a glimpse of it and I'm glad I had studied up on it because I only saw it from underneath but its breast was unmistakeable and at top left is a poor picture of it. Ian appeared from nowhere and he heard the song too. He checked it against his iphone bird song app and we both think it was definitely the fox sparrow. Also, saw a bright yellow goldfinch looking very elegant.

We headed to the upper gardens and had another very close encounter with the hawk. I think it really likes to be photographed. It's most cooperative and lets you get very close.

Morning visit to the garden plots with a quick swing past the river. Spring is here! I did not see the bluebirds this morning, nor the otter. But the singing Fox Sparrows were a treat. What's that large piece of junk just below the trail through the woods from the wildflower meadow to the upper garden, at the meadow end?

Canada Goose 2

Mallard 8

Turkey Vulture 1

Red-tailed Hawk 2

Ring-billed Gull 3

Mourning Dove 8

Downy Woodpecker 1

Blue Jay 10

American Crow 4

Black-capped Chickadee 4

Tufted Titmouse 4

American Robin 60

Northern Mockingbird 2

European Starling 1

Fox Sparrow 5 Around the lower garden, singing

Song Sparrow 12

White-throated Sparrow 4

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 9

Northern Cardinal 4

Red-winged Blackbird 4 All M

Common Grackle 12

Brown-headed Cowbird 4 2 M 2 F

House Finch 4

American Goldfinch 3