Mount Auburn, Boston, Sept 2014

The rodents were keeping their heads down at Mount Auburn Cemetery today and who could blame them with Red-tailed Hawks everywhere it would seem. I was on the look-out for warblers, but had no luck. The hawks however made it an enjoyable morning in Boston.

The first one was seen by using all my field craft skill and wandering over to a couple of birders and looking over their shoulders as they watched the bird in a tree at the southern end of Auburn Lake.

The others told me that 3 birds had fledged from the resident couple. And shortly afterwards, two more birds, an adult and a juvenile crossed the lake and the first bird followed.

The birds were seen frequently during the day, with at least 10 sightings. I assume that I was seeing the same birds over and over and only recorded 4 that I could recognise individually.

Chipmunks called piercingly throughout the day and I am guessing that the hawks were hungry. One bird gave me an appraising look before deciding that the squirrels on the lawn behind me would make a more manageable meal. It launched a strike, but the squirrels were too alert and were back in cover before the hawk even reached the lawn.

The hawks provided some excitement on an otherwise quiet day in the cemetery which only brought 20 birds and no warblers.

Bird List for Mount Auburn;

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 4, Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 1, Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 4, Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 6, Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 2, Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1, Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1, Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1, Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3, Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 2, Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 1, Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 20, Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 6, Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1, White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 3, American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 60, European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 20, Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 15, Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 5, Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 1.

Harvard Square Station is on the Red Line of the subway, heading out of Boston towards Alewife. Bus nos. 71 and 73 leave from the station and take less than 10 minutes to reach the cemetery. There is a stop close to the cemetery gates and between them there should be a bus twice every 15 minutes.

For previous posts from Mount Auburn, see the links below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/operation-autumn-colour.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/05/mount-auburn-cemetery-boston-april-2011.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/mount-auburn-cemetery-boston-june-2011.html

http://www.redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/mount-auburn-cemetery-boston-oct-2013.html

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Boston including; Back Bay Fens, Pleasure Beach and Whale watchingfrom the New England Aquarium. 

Belle Isle Marsh, Boston, August 2014

The Boston transport system tried to thwart my attempts to reach Belle Isle Marsh by digging up my transfer station at Government Center and then truncating the Blue Line so that trains only reached as far as the airport transfer station. Shuttle buses took punters the rest of the way to Wonderland, stopping at the Blue line stations along the way. I am given to understand that planned work to Government Center will last for 2 years as of March 2014.

Anyway, I eventually reached the marsh which was very quiet for a Saturday afternoon. A few dog-walkers and a couple of joggers were the only other visitors for most of my time there. This morning, the birds had been very quiet at Boston Back Bay Fens and this continued into the afternoon at Belle Isle Marsh.

The path describes a circle around a slightly raised mound which was bursting with wildflowers on this early August weekend and the buzz of insects drowned out any bird noise. The insects in turn were over-powered by aircraft that passed over as they took off from Boston’s Logan airport very close by.

The tide was high and I hoped that a few waders might have been pushed up into the marsh. A few patches of water with muddy edges could be seen from the tower, but the only waders that were in evidence were spooked by a boat speeding along the distant channel. I would hazard a guess at Semi-palmated Sandpiper.

A Merlin flew over with a small bird clutched tightly and an Osprey was seen in the distance.

Back in the car park, a Cooper’s Hawk flew into a dead tree and stopped long enough for a photo.

Opposite the Blue Line’s Suffolk Downs Station is Leverett Ave. At the bottom is a small path that runs back into the marsh. It cuts through the reeds and a small patch of woodland until it reaches a platform that overlooks Rosie’s Pond at Google Earth ref; 42 23 18.94N 70 59 35.84W. This proved to be the most productive area of the visit with Warbling Vireo, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler and Eastern Kingbird seen here. A Grey Catbird followed me for nearly half the length of the path, scolding all the way.

Bird list for Belle Isle Marsh; 25

American Black Duck 1, Double-crested Cormorant 3, Great Blue Heron 4, Great Egret 7, Osprey 1, Cooper’s Hawk 1, Merlin 1, Herring Gull 35, Mourning Dove 25, Chimney Swift 6, Downy Woodpecker 2, Eastern Kingbird 3, Warbling Vireo 1, American Crow 1, Barn Swallow 5, American Robin 15, Grey Catbird 4, Northern Mockingbird 2, European Starling 80, Cedar Waxwing 8, Yellow Warbler 1, Song Sparrow 4, House Finch 1, American Goldfinch 6, House Sparrow 15.

Belle Isle Marsh is very close to the Boston Metro’s Suffolk Downs Station on the Blue Line. It only takes about 10 minutes from downtown Boston and costs around $2.25 one way.

There are no facilities apart from a bulletin board at the car park.

A tower and a jetty give good views out across the marsh.

For a previous post from Belle Isle Marsh, see the link below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/belle-isle-marsh-boston-feb-2014.html

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Boston, including Mount Auburn, Back Bay Fens and Pleasure Bay.

Birding, Birdwatching, Boston, Massachusetts.

Victory Gardens and Back Bay Fens, Boston, August 2014

The delightful Victory Gardens at Bostons Back Bay brought most of the birds from the list below. A sudden hotspot made up most of the balance with just the ducks, kingbird and the vireo not accounted for between them.

My beautiful colleague, LK, accompanied me on a mid-morning walk that was notable for being very quiet. There was very little bird noise and remarkably few people on a Saturday morning. I am guessing that most of the park visitors would usually be students and summer break probably accounted for the empty lawns and sports pitches.

Even the Blue Jays were subdued and hardly called at all. This was LK’s first overseas birding outing and she was thrilled to see some common and easy birds on a feeder in the gardens at Google Earth ref; American Robins, American Goldfinches and Northern Cardinals become rather samey to us hardened birders so it was a real pleasure to see them through a first-timer’s eyes again.

We meandered down through the formal part of the park past the Vietnam Memorial and the Rose Garden noting Red-shouldered Blackbird and American Robins whilst trying to avoid the Canada Goose droppings that littered any grassed area.

The path along the waterside below the sports field brought Warbling Vireo and Eastern Kingbird before we headed back up and crossed the bridge by the Rose Garden.

Just here we were stopped by a small party of feeding birds that included Downy Woodpecker and Yellow Warbler with a stringy Blackburnian Warbler.

I haven’t included it in the list below as we were sharing binoculars and I passed them over quickly without taking a real good look. Only as I came to make the submission to eBird did I realise that this would be a bird of interest, but I cannot claim it as I didn’t take a close enough look to confirm such a significant bird.

Bird list for Boston Back Bay Fens; 21

Canada Goose 80, Mallard 8, Herring Gull 4, Mourning Dove 4, Chimney Swift 8, Downy Woodpecker 6, Eastern Kingbird 1, Warbling Vireo 2, Blue Jay 4, Black-capped Chickadee 1, American Robin 45, Gray Catbird 12, Northern Mockingbird 3, European Starling 35, Yellow Warbler 4, Song Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 2, Red-winged Blackbird 4, Common Grackle 6, American Goldfinch 1, House Sparrow 150.

Previous visits to Back Bay Fens (some even have photos), can be seen at the links below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/boston-back-bay-fens-and-mount-auburn.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/back-bay-fens-in-boston-april-2011.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/bye-bye-boston.html
http://www.redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/back-bay-fens-boston-october-2013.html

Visit the dedicated USA and Canadapage for more posts from Boston, including Mount Auburn, Whale watching and Belle Isle Marsh.

Birding, Birdwatching, Boston, Massachusetts.

Belle Isle Marsh, Boston, Feb 2014

Just inside the entrance to Belle Isle Marsh, Boston, some feeders had attracted Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadees and American Tree Sparrows. The feeders are maintained by Rosanna, the hero of the half-shell in these parts, and I had bumped into her at another one of her feeding stations close by. 

American Robins were feeding from the Rhus bushes here. Whilst some fed from the seed heads, others picked up what was dropped onto the snow.

Were it not for the feeders the list below, already rather sparse, may have been a whole lot shorter: Not that the marsh is unable to support a varied birdlife, a quick glance at eBird’s hotspot details shows that one could aspire to 221 species at this site. But they weren’t here today is all I’m saying.

Snowy Owls have been reported here during the latest irruption and the most recent individual had been logged 4 days previously, so obviously it became the focus of my ramblings. Belle Isle Marsh is a small area of salt marsh and the tide was a long way out today, leaving large plates of ice which had cracked and broken as the water level dropped.

The paths were snow bound but it was easy enough to get around. Dog walkers and their hounds were circling the reserve and treading down the snow, making a compacted course to follow. Sadly the sign asking dog owners to use leashes was being universally ignored, as was the plea to "pick it up".

Inside the circular path is a slightly raised piece of ground with rough grass that pushed up through the white blanket. This looked like a promising place for the owl, but despite a good scanning, I couldn’t find one.

A short boardwalk juts out into the marsh (at Google Earth ref; 42 23 21.23N 70 59 26.50W ) and I spent quite a bit of time here scanning and trying to make small snow piles into Snowy Owls to no avail (as it happens, eBird reveals that the next day she was seen just in front of the boardwalk and this picture makes me wish I could have found her there regardless of the conditions).

But wait.......what is this? The report suggested that it was seen in the reeds by the end of the jetty and so I reviewed my photographs and noticed a ghostly little snowman in the area described. I had been concentrating my search further from the jetty as the latest report had sighted the owl "waaaay off". Had she been right under my nose and I missed her? Doh!

Similar lack of success was in store for me at the viewing tower that affords a great panorama across the marsh, but trying to find a white bird against a white background in a mist with a slight drizzle proved beyond me. I have no doubt that on any other day, the marsh would be jumping with life and I will surely return to see that, but on this occasion I was not able to do it justice. 

Of the few birds that I saw away from the feeders, only a Red-tailed Hawk, warranted a photograph. It had a gummy eye on the right side, so mostly presented its left side to me. Perhaps this was why it stayed put as people passed below it on the path.

Belle Isle Marsh bird list; 17

Canada Goose 40, America Black Duck 3, Red-breasted Merganser 2, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Mourning Dove 3, Downy Woodpecker 3, Northern Flicker 1, Black-capped Chickadee 6, American Robin 25, Northern Mockingbird 1, European Starling 50, American Tree Sparrow 6, Song Sparrow 5, White-throated Sparrow 2, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Northern Cardinal 1, House Sparrow 40.

Belle Isle Marsh can be reached very quickly from Downtown Boston on the Blue Line Train. The entrance to the parking lot is just 300 meters northeast of Suffolk Downs Station along Bennington Rd. It is very close to the airport and the altimeter warned “500 feet” as we passed over on the approach last night.

Pleasure Bay, Boston, January 2014

Be careful what you wish for….

The irruption of Snowy Owls along the eastern seaboard of the USA had me wishing for a Boston trip so that I could join the thousands of birders who have been enjoying the spectacle. Corey found 6 birds over a New York weekend and reports had been logged of owls being seen in the centre of cities!

The east coast of the USA has been hit by snow and bitter temperatures this week with an arctic vortex bringing silly low temperatures. Credit must go to the snow ploughing guys who even managed to clear the pathways out to the castle at Pleasure Bay and made the walk so much easier and comfortable. Oh my goodness it was cold, but joggers, dog walkers and even a limey birdwatcher made it out to the point this morning.

Even the salt water had frozen and the tide had left interesting patterns as it ebbed. As it came back in, little slushy wavelets rode gently up the beach. A few ducks inside the lagoon included Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser and Red-breasted Merganser.

Beyond the walkway separating the lagoon and the bay, Horned Grebe skirted the edge of the ice that was piling up against the shore and Common Eiders kept a tight formation in their flock just off the viewpoint at Google Earth Ref;42 19 49.69N 71 0 55.23W

Back on the lagoon side, a Ruddy Turnstone hunkered down behind a rock to gain a little shelter from the cutting wind.

I had come out here to cast a scoped eye across the bay towards Logan International Airport. Hopefully, a Snowy Owl would be teed up on a runway sign, or perhaps one might be seen roosting on the lighting pier. I had forgotten however that the distance from the boardwalk at Google Earth ref; 42 20 21.43N 71 0 35.82W to the airfield was at least 1km and even with a scope, it would be difficult to pick out a snowy Owl against a snowy background.

A Northern Harrier passed through the scoped view and I hoped that it might lead me to an owl. Predators are famously intolerant of other predators and the harrier, cruising over the taxiways had a far better view than I did. Perhaps it would suddenly dive-bomb a slightly patchy clump of snow and give me something to concentrate on. This was a bit of a hit-and-miss method of looking for Snowy Owls and brought no luck on this occasion.

My only suspicion of a Snowy Owl came from a small snowman shape on the top of a small hut. The hut formed part of a cluster of buildings and radar, but at such a distance it was difficult to be sure that the little shape was alive. I took a series of pictures and when played back, the shape appeared to move slightly with each frame, but there was enough atmospheric turbulence that could account for that.

 

I had wrapped up well, but there is only so much that a body can take and I had to call it a day after a short while, the wind and the temperature drove me back to the bus stop, but on the way a Cooper’s Hawk sat just long enough for a quick snap.

Birds seen; 17

Brant 20, American Black Duck 18, Common Eider 200, Surf Scoter 15, Bufflehead 12, Common Goldeneye 35, Hooded Merganser 1, Red-breasted Merganser 20, Common Loon 1, Horned Grebe 3, Northern Harrier 1, Cooper’s Hawk 1, Ruddy Turnstone 1, Ring-billed Gull 15, Herring Gull 8, Great Black-backed Gull 2, House Sparrow 20.

Bus number 9 runs every 15 minutes or so from outside the library on Boylston St to Pleasure bay, taking about 20 minutes. It stops opposite the water at Broadway and Farragut Rd. For the return journey the bus stop is one block back from Farragut Rd at Broadway and P St.

For a previous Snowy Owl hunt from Pleasure Bay, follow the link below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/pleasure-bay-boston-dec-2012.html

Visit the dedicated USA and CanadaPage for more posts from Boston, including; Mount Auburn Cemetery and Back BayFens.

Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston, Oct 2013

Mount Auburn Cemetery was looking exquisite today. A blush of autumn colour complimented a slight chill in the early morning air. It could have been perfect were it not for the grass-cutting and hedge-shredding that seemed to go on all day. I guess it is necessary to keep the cemetery from getting overgrown, but in surroundings that would otherwise have been so tranquil and calm, it seemed like a terrible intrusion. After reminding myself that I was in fact the intruder, I set off along the ridge that starts to the left of the gate.

I was hoping to find “birds of passage”, flying south seeking “warmer climes” and coincidentally found the first Blackpoll Warbler by Wordsworth’s tomb. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drilled into a juicy trunk and an American Robin sat for an autumnally themed picture.

A stand of Rhododendron bushes on a slope by Auburn Lake held Common Yellowthroat and White-throated Sparrows. A Great Blue Heron had caught a frog and was trying to swallow it. The frog was still kicking. I took one picture and moved on, a little squeamish.

The Northern Cardinals looked a little tatty today so the less seen of them amongst the leaves, the better.

A Yew bush and taller adjacent tree provided some exciting warbler watching and I spent half an hour with Betsy Neagles (1787 – 1871), trying to get a fix on the south-bound plumage. I had come without a field guide. Someone please tell me why I would do that in fall warbler season?

Actually, these ones were easy enough with Black and White Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Green Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler. I should have thought to bring a guide though, in case of anything a bit more tricky.

I had seen the Red-tailed Hawks a number of times today, but suspect that it was the same juvenile bird each time. It allowed me a close look as it landed on a horizontal branch before flying across to the gravestone of Walter Scott Fitz and alighting there.

Rain had been threatening all morning and eventually the clouds could hold it no longer and let it all out in a rush. 

The shower was heavy, but short-lived, but by this time  I had made the decision to head home. A small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets with a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a Red-eyed Vireo stopped me for a short damp moment on the way out.

Birds seen; 33

Wild Turkey 1, Great Blue Heron 5, Red-tailed Hawk 2, Herring Gull 4, Mourning Dove 1, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1, Downy Woodpecker 6, Northern Flicker 5, Red-eyed Vireo 4, Blue Jay 20, Black-caped Chickadee 10, Tufted Titmouse 3, Red-breasted Nuthatch 2, White-breasted Nuthatch 6, Brown Creeper 1, Carolina Wren 1, Golden-crowned Kinglet 15, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2, Hermit Thrush 1, American Robin 120, Grey Catbird 1, European Starling 40, Black and White Warbler 5, Common Yellowthroat 3, Blackpoll Warbler 8, Yellow-rumped Warbler 8, Black-throated Green Warbler 2, Song Sparrow 2, Swamp Sparrow 2, White-throated Sparrow 8, Northern Cardinal 8, Common Grackle 30, Brown-headed Cowbird 20

Harvard Square Station is on the Red Line of the subway, heading out of Boston towards Alewife. Bus nos. 71 and 73 leave from the station and take less than 10 minutes to reach the cemetery. There is a stop close to the cemetery gates and between them there should be a bus twice every 15 minutes.

For previous posts from Mount Auburn, see the links below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/operation-autumn-colour.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/05/mount-auburn-cemetery-boston-april-2011.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/mount-auburn-cemetery-boston-june-2011.html

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Boston including; Back Bay Fens, Pleasure Beach and Whale watchingfrom the New England Aquarium.

Back Bay Fens, Boston, October 2013

Boston’s famed fall spectacle was underway on this first week of October at Back Bay fens. The show has not yet reached its peak, but there were plenty of colours to enjoy on a breezy evening. It was a busy time with local students heading home, climbing trees and smoking amongst the bushes. Even with a brisk breeze, the atmosphere was filled with pungent smoke and made for a very relaxing walk. 

I was hoping to find a few wood warblers heading south and a couple of Blackpoll Warblers brought a feeling of anticipation and livened me up a bit.

A hot spot by the lake brought more Blackpoll Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Downy Woodpecker and an autumnal Wood Thrush.

Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Red-eyed Vireo were seen in the trees down by the sports area with American Black Duck and a Great Blue Heron on the water. 

Birds seen; 21

Canada Goose 200, American Black Duck 30, Mallard 80, Great Blue Heron 2, Herring Gull 5, Downy Woodpecker 2, Red-eyed Vireo 1, Blue Jay 12, Black-capped Chickadee 3, Tufted Titmouse 5, Hermit Thrush 1, Wood Thrush 1, American Robin 7, Northern Mockingbird 3, European Starling 2, Blackpoll Warbler 6, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2, Swamp Sparrow 1, Red-winged Blackbird 1, Common Grackle 4, Brown-headed Cowbird 3.

You can find more posts from Boston Back Bay Fens at the links below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2010/09/boston-back-bay-fens-and-mount-auburn.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/05/back-bay-fens-in-boston-april-2011.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/bye-bye-boston.html

Visit the dedicated USA and Canada page for more posts from Boston including, Whale-watching, Mount Auburn and Pleasure Bay.

Pleasure Bay, Boston, Dec 2012

It was a bit of a disappointment to wake up this morning and find that the world had not ended. After toasting the approach of the End of Days with a mixture of red wine and margaritas, I was hoping not to have to face the consequences.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, "Conquest", "War", "Famine" and "Death" did not ride last night, but “Hangover”, the fifth member of the band who left before they became famous, was thundering through my head. Rain and wind drove me back into the hotel on my first two attempts and it looked as if the rest of the day would be washed out. Then a sixth horseman rode out. This manifestation of ruin terrorised those who had put off their festive preparations just in case the doom-sayers had been right. "Panic-purchase" was abroad. Eventually, the afternoon brightened. Being unable to cope with the shopping madness, I managed to get out to Boston’s City Point with just an hour of daylight left.
 

A lagoon, known as Pleasure Bay, has been enclosed by a sea wall with two openings to allow the tide to flow in and out. Ring-billed Gulls were seen at the water’s edge on a strip of sandy beach on the western side at Google Earth ref; 42°20'8.54" N71° 1'23.73"W.

 

I took an anti-clockwise walk along the sea wall. The water in the lagoon was smooth and would have made good viewing with the sun over my shoulder in the late afternoon, but the flat water also attracted wind surfers and kite surfers who kept the birds away. A few Herring Gulls flew by, but most of the interest was found outside the sea wall.
 

Red-breasted Mergansers, Buffleheads and Horned Grebes dived in the rougher water of the bay. Greater numbers were seen as I progressed along and crossed the first of the inlets. The sun had dipped low in the sky now and the wind was beginning to bite, though the temperature was still very mild. Small flocks of birds were flying past, mostly heading in a southerly direction.
 

I reached the fortifications at the north-west corner and moved down onto a small jetty looking across the water to Logan International Airport. A Red-throated Loon was close to the shore here, but my main interest was in looking for a Snowy Owl that is occasionally seen on the airfield during the winter. I quickly realised that it would take better light and a scope to confidently identify a Snowy Owl from this range. It is over 800 meters to the closest point on the airport and 1200 to the jetty that supports the landing lights. A white object at the far end of the lights jetty looked promising, but could just as easily have been a plastic bag. It still beat lying in bed feeling sorry for my poor aching head and wishing that the world would get on with it and end.

 

A Herring Gull was trying to crack a mollusc, but was having very little success. It had mastered the concept and would carry the shell aloft and drop it onto the rocks below. The rocks however, were well spaced apart and mostly the shell fell, undamaged onto the sand.

Birds seen; 13

Brant 8, American Black Duck 4, Common Eider 35, Bufflehead 8, Common Golden-eye 2, Red-breasted Merganser 35, Red-throated Loon 1, Horned Grebe 2, Ring-billed Gull 15, American Herring Gull 25, Great Black-backed Gull 15, European Starling 6, House Sparrow 4.

 

Bus number 9, to City Point runs every 10 – 15 minutes from the Copley area of Boston to the beach at Pleasure Bay.

For more posts from Boston Follow the links below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.com/2011/05/back-bay-fens-in-boston-april-2011.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/mount-auburn-cemetery-boston-april-2011.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/boston-whale-watch.html