Reports from 2020 Boxborough Birders Trips

Barrett’s Mill Farmland
October 31, 2020
Highlights included a bald eagle, two palm warblers, and various sparrows: tree, song, savannah, white-throat, and junco (full list)

NARA
October 25, 2020
A good morning bird walk at NARA park in Acton with big numbers of Juncos and Bluebirds. Highlights included a Cooper’s Hawk hunting the numerous passerines, a vocal Common Raven, very trusting Ruby-crowned Kinglets that offered close views, and three species of warblers: Blackpoll, Palm and Yellow-rumped. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
October 24, 2020
Walked along the old meadow to the new meadow and returned through the woods on the orange trail to the lower campus. Overall, a quiet morning with a few excellent sightings. (full list)

Steele Farm
October 18, 2020
It was a frosty morning but turned into a beautiful, sunny day. The trees were stunning along the trail. And we saw a few birds along the way as well, including 7 Yellow-rumped Warblers! (full list)

Delaney WMA
October 12, 2020
A beautiful morning, with many birds and not enough eyes to capture them all! The highlight was a Solitary Sandpiper and the Black-throated Blue warbler (late!). (full list)

Cisco
October 11, 2020
Morning walk at the Cisco campus and Fifer’s Field in Boxborough. Despite the breeze, the birding was productive and featured an adult Bald Eagle, an immature White-crowned Sparrow, and 2 Palm Warblers that offered great looks. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
September 26, 2020
Did not see many of the usual species, especially raptors most likely due to the weather and visibility issues. More sparrows than counted based on brief glimpses of activity and calls that could not be identified with certainty at New Meadow. (full list)

Bolton Flats
September 12, 2020
The bird walk to Bolton Flats was fortunate to enjoy cool, clear weather and a nice list of birds. Highlights included a Merlin harassed by Blue Jays, a Great Crested Flycatcher, and a Peregrine seen from the parking lot after some participants had left. (full list)

Dexter Drumlin and Bolton Flats
March 14, 2020
Most memorable at the Drumlin were Eastern bluebirds and song sparrows and a gorgeous red-shouldered hawk in flight. And at Bolton Flats we had very good looks at American tree sparrows and song sparrows, and a northern flicker, among others. (Bolton Flats list)

Fruitlands Museum
March 7, 2020
Despite a 30F morning, it was very windy with wind chills at 19F. We thoroughly enjoyed watching the red-tailed hawks soaring, and, the solar “halo”, the half rainbow encircling the rising sun created by ice crystals. Otherwise, a very subdued morning for birding. (full list)

Patch Hill
January 23, 2020
Eleven of us had a beautiful evening walk and a great view of a Pileated Woodpecker, but, alas, no owl heard or seen despite our best efforts. An abutter to Patch Hill had reported hearing an owl with an atypical call, so, we did our best without luck. (full list)