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)

Reports from 2019 Boxborough Birders Trips

Nagog Hill
November 16, 2019
Clear and cold. A very small bit of ice at the edge of Nagog Pond, less than expected. Highlights were mergansers and a goldeneye on the pond, a barred owl sitting in a pine tree, and nice views of various woodpeckers. (full list)

Bolton Flats WMA
October 26, 2019
A stunningly gorgeous morning with rising sun streaming through hundreds of dew-laden spider webs.  Five of us outfitted with orange successfully negotiated the large turnout of hunters.  Fortunately they were headed to a back meadow for pheasants and we stayed on the main path between the water and farm field.  A constant chips of sparrows and calls of red-winged blackbirds throughout the walk. (full list)

Rock Meadow Pond
October 19, 2019
The juvenile red-headed woodpecker was easy to find on the north side of the Habitat Observation Point as it frequently moved from tree to tree. Other highlights included great views of rusty blackbirds, eastern bluebirds, towhees, palm and yellow-rumped warblers, and a ruby-crowned kinglet. (full list and photos)

Fruitlands Overlook
October 13, 2019
An informal hawk watch: red-tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawk, bald eagle, turkey vulture (full list)

Barrett’s Mill Farmland
October 5, 2019
Three of us bundled up and enjoyed some good birds at the Barrett’s Mill farmland yesterday, with some excellent views of a sharp-shinned hawk and some very accommodating sparrows, among others. (full list)

Fruitlands
September 28, 2019
53 – 69F, sunny, clear and breezy.  Very quiet morning until New Meadow and fantastic display between an immature red tailed hawk and immature coopers hawk.  A joint walk for Brookline Bird Club and Boxborough Birders.  The falling colored leaves, the fully canopy and breeze made for a challenging morning for identifying moving birds in canopy.  Most noted was hearing the soft “chip” of probable song or white-throated sparrows in the dense grassy, bushy areas, but, no sightings. This was during the first hour or so when it was cold. (full list)

Assabet River NWR
September 15, 2019
We had a great day out, nine of us enjoying surprisingly dry trails after so much rain the night before… the highlight of the day was perhaps seeing a ton of pine warblers and bluebirds flitting about in the trees some distance away… and as we were nearing the end of our hike, a mini-fallout of warblers that were too high up for us to identify with any confidence… Also we were very lucky to see a red-shouldered hawk in flight. In addition, there were no mosquitoes, and we enjoyed views of many turtles sunning themselves on logs. (full list)

Steele Farm
September 8, 2019
Sunny, 60 degrees F, traveled through farmland and Beaver Brook Woods loop (full list)

Liberty Square Fields
September 3, 2019
Despite a lovely evening, not one Common Nighthawk flew over. Enjoyed each other’s bird stories and watching the adult and immature Robins (stunningly attractive). (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
July 6, 2019
Bird highlights included a brilliant scarlet tanager that flew into the cedar across from the upper parking area at the start of our walk, indigo buntings offering us several excellent views, and a few singing warblers, including a black and white warbler that we were able to see very well near the New Meadow edge and an American redstart giving voice perched up in a tree near the Fruitlands farmhouse. Sounds of veeries and wood thrush were wonderful to hear. And we were able to locate a pair of well-hidden Eastern towhees at the end of the yellow loop trail. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
June 22, 2019
Excellent sightings of blue-winged warbler near main campus at edge and near New Meadow. Clearly heard prairie warbler near main campus and at old meadow. Three of us had a brief sighting of a kestrel near Pergola site and it soared over the meadow towards New Meadow. (full list)

Steele Farm
June 1, 2019
Nice views of bobolinks, cedar waxwings, orioles, Cooper’s hawk, and barn and tree swallows. Also brief views of blue-winged warbler and female redstart. Red-tails were soaring overhead much of the time. Notable for their absence: bluebird, flicker, downy, phoebe. (full list)

Long Lake Park
May 25, 2019
Highlights were VERY close looks at a red tailed hawk we came upon and visited with for a few minutes, and really nice open views of a female American Redstart, up along the mowed trail by the cell tower and adjacent to the lower field. Also of note were ravens on their nest, Great crested flycatcher, overbirds aplenty. (full list)

Acton Arboretum
May 19, 2019
It was a beautiful sunny day. Many of the trees, flowers, and wildflowers are leafing out, blooming, etc. There is an abundance of birds. We went around the Orchard and Wildflower Loops and then on the Bog Loop, where we saw the Oriole, Flycatcher, Tanager, and many more. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
May 18, 2019
Highlights included 9 species of warblers, 3 types of thrushes, scarlet tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, and indigo bunting. (full list)

Assabet River NWR
May 4, 2019
It was a later start due to the rain but we did well, despite some flooding along Winterberry Way trail that kept us from venturing as far along the trail as we would have liked… some excellent spotting led us to find pine, palm, and black-and-white warblers, and a hermit thrush, among many other highlights. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
April 20, 2019
The rain held off, luckily. We had some great views of a female American kestrel in the old meadow, then as we left we saw the male kestrel at the overlook, excellent close views. We also had great looks at a male Eastern towhee. Bird song was everywhere. (full list)

Rolling Meadows
April 10, 2019
An evening “concert” of peenting and flight displays. ~ 38F, slight breeze, beautiful post-sunset clear sky provided excellent back drop for flight displays. (full list)

Great Meadows
April 7, 2019
Spent about 15 minutes on the Observation Tower, where we saw the Northern Harrier and Merganser, Wood, and Mallard ducks, and some sparrows, etc. Then we walked to the Concord River on the Dike Trail, and back on the Dike/Edge Trail. We saw a Painted Turtle and heard Wood Frogs. We looked for Virginia Rails but didn’t see any. Good view of the Pie-Billed Grebes, first from the Dike Trail, and then closer on the far side of the Lower Pond. (full list)

Boxborough Station WMA and Rolling Meadows
April 6, 2019
Chilly start at the WMA, but trending toward clearing. Herons and osprey were on nests. Many ducks and geese on the pond. Especially nice views of ring-necked ducks and hooded mergansers. Short stop at Rolling Meadows where we had nice views of phoebes, song sparrow, and a goldfinch sitting in the pussy willows. (lists: Boxborough Station WMA / Rolling Meadows)

Jenks Land
March 30, 2019
We had a nice walk this morning and saw a fair number of birds at the Jenks land in Acton though it was cloudy and a bit chilly when we first started. There was much bird song. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
March 16, 2019
Icy trail conditions and very windy (~20 mph+ gusts). 42F with wind chill 37F. Most of time spent in meadow as wooded trails very icy and quite challenging to negotiate. Low species count due to windy conditions. Highlight of the morning was the Snow Geese sighting. (full list)

Reports from Boxborough Birders Trips in 2017

Plum Island/Parker River NWR
December 16, 2017
Highlights: snowy owl, snow buntings, gannets, grebes, loons, and scoters (full list)

Sargent Memorial Library & Hager Land
November 15, 2017
Very clear sightings of many Wood Ducks gathered with the Canada Geese on west bank of pond behind the school. Icy patches on the water, but, Wood Ducks present much to our surprise. Excellent, close-up sightings of Rusty Blackbirds, both sexes on the west pond in the grasses, small snags and on the trees on the banks of the west pond behind the school. (full list)

Long Lake Park
November 4, 2017
Cold, breezy morning and there were no ducks on the lake, but it warmed up nicely in the sunny fields, where we had nice views of bluebirds. We also saw golden-crowned kinglets, kingfishers, a great blue heron, and a monarch butterfly. (full list)

Great Meadows NWR
October 28, 2017
Highlights include pied-billed grebe, northern harrier, peregrine falcon, palm warbler, yellow-rumped warbler (full list)

Delaney WMA
October 7, 2017
Highlights included Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Chipping Sparrows, Field Sparrow, White-throated Sparrows, and Savannah Sparrow (full list)

Captain Sargent Conservation Land
October 1, 2017
Sunny, 50F, no wind. Forest vibrant with bird calls, chipmunks. With more eyes and time, would have probably found more warblers. This is a great birding destination, especially on such a gorgeous morning. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
September 23, 2017
Sunny as we started, cool, 60 degrees. Quiet day. Heard a common yellowthroat and some other birds that couldn’t be positively identified. (full list)

Sargent Library, Blanchard School, ABFN
September 17, 2017
A one-hour afternoon walk for parents and very young children with the Acton-Boxborough Family Network. Thankfully some wood ducks and a great blue heron showed up to assist! Another highlight was a baby snapping turtle found in the Library parking lot (photo).

Jenks Land – Beginning Birding Walk
September 16, 2017
We had a good group of folks show up, people of varying familiarity with bird watching. Highlights definitely would have to include the Prairie Warblers, Yellow Warblers, and the Red-Tailed Hawks and the Northern Harrier. Flycatchers were about, including one that was a bit unusual, the Olive-sided Flycatcher. (full list)

Grassy Pond
September 9, 2017
Chilly start (upper 40s) but bird activity picked up as the sun warmed things up. We had very good looks at an ovenbird, a redstart (female or young), and scarlet tanager (likewise female or young). We watched a great blue heron across the pond as it stalked and caught a fish or frog. Also saw 2 otters swimming in the pond, and a deer in the woods. (full list)

Hager Land
September 4, 2017
Beautiful walk Labor Day morning at the Hager Land. The highlight was the altercation between the Cooper’s Hawk and the Belted Kingfisher! (full list)

Great Meadows
September 2, 2017
Great Meadows yielded a good variety of birds on a sunny day. Highlights were a Merlin, a Cooper’s Hawk, and 4 Cedar Waxwings hawking for insects over the Concord River. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
July 8, 2017
The meadows and edges were most productive. We worked hard to see the Chestnut-sided Warbler (we’ve been hearing it sing but hadn’t seen it) and our efforts were finally rewarded. Excellent views of Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and Red-eyed Vireo as well. (full list)

Sargent Memorial Library & Hager Land
June 25, 2017
Great viewing of the adult Great Horned Owl yesterday. 3 juvenile Great Blue Herons in the far nest; 1 in the near nest. The Black-crowned Night Heron was a fly-over at the end. (full list)

Goosewing Beach Preserve, Newport, Rhode Island
June 10, 2017
Walked Goosewing beach, fording a stream, and proceeded to climb the dunes over to the Quicksand mudflats, returning through the stream and along the beach. The Least Terns have not yet been nesting. As soon as they do, the staff at Goosewing Beach fears that their eggs and the Least Terns may suffer the same fate as the Piping Plovers–being attacked at night by foxes and coyotes. We saw only 3 Piping Plovers, as so many had been killed by predators. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
May 28, 2017
Mostly cloudy, 56 – 60F. Walked through the Old Meadows to the New Meadow, then returned to the woods taking the orange to yellow trail to the campus. Mystery birds: probably woodpecker with yellow on crown; buteo soaring with missing tail feathers and deeply notched wing tips; scarlet tanager with patches of yellow plumage. (full list)

Jenks Land
May 27, 2017
Sunny morning, 58 degrees F, 0-5 mph winds. Willow flycatcher, blue-winged warbler, indigo bunting, black-billed cuckoo (heard), common merganser (flyover). (full list)

Mt. Auburn Cemetery
May 20, 2017
Clouds gave way to sun and warmed to low 50sF. Observations area included Indian Ridge Path, brief visit to Halcyon Lake returning to Indian Ridge Path and down to Auburn Lake, to the Dell, Washington Tower and Laurel Ave (Circle), Willow Pond and back to the main entrance. Highlights included 14 species of warbler, great horned owl (one dead, one alive), orchard oriole, veery, ravens. (full list)

Bolton Flats
May 11, 2017
Yesterday evening, seven of us walked Bolton Flats (off Route 117) and saw many yellow legs, greater and lesser. American Bitterns calling was a highlight, as were the Swamp
Sparrows and warblers. A magnificent sunset breaking below the cloud cover ended a short, but, very enjoyable walk. (full list)

Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
April 29, 2017
Cloudy at first, gradually brightening. Very warm. We started by climbing the observation tower, where we sighted 2 Wood Ducks, a Beaver, and several Canada Geese. Then we took the Dike Trail to the Concord River, and turned left, walking .75 mi., returning by the same route. (full list)

Sargent Memorial Library & Hager Land
April 19, 2017
A cool (~ 40F), beautiful but relatively quiet morning with an exceptional number of Tree Swallows! We  did not see several anticipated species: no mourning doves; no Red-tailed Hawk; no Brown Creepers; only 1 White-breasted Nuthatch. (full list)

Long Lake Park
April 15, 2017
Sunny morning at ~ 39F at the start ~51F at the end. Nine of us started at the Queen Road entrance of Long Lake Park walking south on the trail uphill to the meadow just west of the cell tower, then west on the AT&T easement trail to the flooded section and returned to the Queen Road entrance following the trail bordering the Lake’s south shore. Northern harrier, fish crows, 3 species of warblers. (full list)

Rolling Meadows
March 29, 2017
We could hear the flights of several woodcocks. Ground calls were sparse and there were only a few visual flights. (full list)

Rolling Meadows
March 28, 2017
We braved the cold, wet rain in wait for Woodcocks and we were not disappointed. Despite a steady rain, and, 40F temps we had nice, if wet, views from the roadside at the entrance to Rolling Meadows. (full list)

Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
March 25, 2017
Walked from the Visitor Center along Puffer Pond to the end of Winterberry Way and back to the Visitor Center. 7:30 to 9:30 overcast, 9:30 to 10:30 drizzling. 40 degrees. Great views of common mergansers, hooded mergansers and an early Eastern phoebe. (full list)

Sargent Memorial Library & Hager Land
March 18, 2017
Walked the west side of the Hager land and the back of the Blanchard Mem. Elem. school to better view the beaver pond. It was sunny and cold (~ 20F). Nice views of the Cooper’s Hawk and female Pileated Woodpecker. Pond behind school frozen; about 8-10 inches of crusted snow cover. (full list)

Reports from Boxborough Birders Trips in 2016

Assabet River NWR
October 29, 2016
Full list

Hager Land
October 22, 2016
Five braved the weather at the Hager Land yesterday morning. Nothing unusual
except the Rusty Blackbirds, but, very enjoyable viewing the Wood Ducks. Not
one warbler heard or seen. (full list)

Grassy Pond
October 15, 2016
Frosty start to the morning, but warm sunshine. Birds congregated in the sunny corner of the field, where we had great views of yellow-rumped warblers, ruby-crowned kinglets, blue-headed vireo, etc. When we returned to the field, a red-tailed hawk and two raven disputed hunting rights over the field. Five species of woodpecker. (full list)

Delaney WMA
October 8, 2016
Highlights included savannah sparrows, palm warblers, and a family of mute swans (full list)

Bolton Flats
September 24, 2016
We enjoyed birding Bolton Flats and Pine Hill Rd (Lancaster) on Saturday, though it was a bit cool to start, it was a beautiful morning. At first the birds were slow to reveal themselves but as things warmed up we had some good looks at quite a few of them – the highlight was a dramatic (low) sweep through of a gorgeous Northern Harrier. Hawks are definitely on the move. We had a couple of warblers too. (full list)

Morrison Land & Ice House Pond
September 17, 2016
Eight of us met for a walk in Acton on Saturday on a cool but pleasant morning. We began at Ice House Pond, where we saw great blue heron, cormorant, and mallards. We then walked up the road to Morrison Farm, where the community gardens were very active with people and birds. House wren, flicker and towhee were among the sightings. We also took a loop through the woods, where we looked in vain for the brown creeper that some heard, and out to the Woodlawn Cemetery, where we saw bluebirds. (full list)

Yapp Conservation Land
September 11, 2016
A quiet day, however, this is gorgeous land, and, beautiful wooded walk. Cobb Pond
water level very, very low; however did not see shorebirds in the muddy
boundaries. (full list)

Jenks Land
September 3, 2016
Six of us walked the Jenks land in Acton on Saturday, crossing over the train tracks to check out the wooded piece as well, then returning to cover the meadow. We had some excellent sightings. We saw an American Redstart as we set out on the path. We had great looks at several Bobolinks on the wing and in the field. Bluebirds were about as well as were raptors: we had good looks at a Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Cooper’s Hawk; and phoebes were plentiful. (full list)

Oxbow NWR
September 1, 2016
We ventured to Oxbow after the front moved through last Thursday. We only saw 2 common nighthawks; however, it was a beautiful evening and nice sighting of a Pileated Woodpecker who conveniently landed in front of us mid-journey. (Lists: Still River Depot Road, Bridge over Nashua River)

Sargent Memorial Library & Hager Land
August 27, 2016
Saw a Green Heron on a log in the water between the trees with the Great Blue Heron nests and the shoreline abutting the Hager Land, closer to the shoreline. An Osprey flew along the far shore heading north. Saw a Cooper’s Hawk on east side of library parking lot and flew into Pine canopy…same tree on which a Red-tailed Hawk was perched. (full list)

Still River Depot Road and Nashua River (Oxbow NWR)
August 25, 2016
Common Nighthawk (CONI) migration: 4 of us met on Still River Depot Road in Harvard and spent some time viewing from the hill, and, about 30 minutes viewing from the bridge over the Nashua River (Oxbow NWR). A beautiful calm evening, but, we only saw (barely) 4 CONI soaring high above the riverbed looking due north from the bridge. It was a very quiet evening; however, at about 6:30PM as we were leaving the Still River Depot Road position between the meadows, a flock of about 12 birds that at first seemed to be cedar waxwings until they stopped flying and all dropped abruptly out of sight into the grass. They were probably migrating Bobolinks, based on the flock’s size, individual bird size and behavior. (full list)

Knox Trail, Acton
June 25, 2016
Great views of little blue heron and green heron catching frogs, and of an osprey circling overhead. (full list)

Acton Arboretum
June 11, 2016
Saw ovenbird, rose-breasted grosbeak, common yellowthroat, brown creeper, and indigo bunting. (full list)

Delaney WMA
June 5, 2016
Heard a black-billed cuckoo and saw 2 spotted sandpipers. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
June 4, 2016
Saw a red-shouldered hawk in gliding flight, most notable reference point – translucent pale crescent across wingtips.(full list)

Great Meadows NWR
May 29, 2016
We saw and heard some fantastic birds: the highlight was the great surprise of the prothonotary warbler — we could hear it singing away near the end of the Dike Trail at the opening to the Concord River and then along the left side trail. Some of us got a fleeting view of it. We saw and heard many other birds — flocks of cedar waxwings, and lots of Eastern kingbirds and warbling vireos. Also a singing Northern waterthrush. (full list, including blurry pictures of the prothonotary warbler)

Steele Farm
May 28, 2016
Four of us Boxborough birders had some wonderful looks at a pair of bobolinks at the start of our walk and at the end of the walk, beautiful Baltimore orioles. It was so mosquito-y in the woods we had to keep moving and did most of our birding by ear! (full list)

Oxbow NWR
May 21, 2016
49 species (Full list)

Cisco, Boxborough
May 15, 2016
6 species of warblers (full list)

Grassy Pond, Acton
May 14, 2016
Fleeting glimpses of several different warblers and a yellow-throated vireo. Nice views of ovenbirds, swamp sparrow, common yellowthroat, and great crested flycatchers.  Four red-tailed hawks circled over the pond at the same time. (full list)

Jenks Land, Acton
April 30, 2016
Full list 

George & Lucy Yapp Conservation Land
April 24, 2016
Low 40s; sunny; breezy; we got great look at the Sharpie and the Hermit Thrush. (full list)

Fruitlands Museum
April 23, 2016
Six Boxborough Birders joined up with a Brookline Bird Club walk of the Fruitlands Museum trails in Harvard (MA). The day started out looking very iffy; it was gray and drizzling but the air was warming, already in the mid-50s. The trails were muddy from the recent rain and the drizzle was with us for about the first 45 minutes of our walk. The first birds we counted were two turkey vultures lazily drifting overhead. The last bird we counted was a male northern harrier – ‘Gray Ghost’ as it is often called. (Full list)

Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
April 16, 2016
Palm, pine and yellow-rumped warblers, as well as a blue-headed vireo (full list)

Rolling Meadows
March 27, 2016
At least 3 woodcock; 2 seen soaring then diving; 3 heard peenting; peenting began at 7:26P; flight shortly thereafter; still peenting when we left at 7:40P (full list).

Sargent Memorial Library & Hager Land
March 26, 2016
Excellent sightings of Brown Creeper pairs along the water’s edge (at least one nest in progress). Also six great blue herons, one winter wren, and a pileated woodpecker nest (full list).

Bolton Flats
March 14, 2016
Highlights were the Wilson Snipe and the early Tree Swallows (full list).

Boxborough Station WMA
March 5, 2016
A cold, but enjoyable first walk of the season with ring-necked ducks and hooded mergansers among the highlights (full list).

Boxborough Birder trips in 2015

Plum Island
December 13, 2015
Razorbills, Snow Buntings, Shovelers, Peregrine Falcon and more (full list)

Sarah Doublet Forest
November 14, 2015
Limited species, but, great Brown Creeper and Golden-crowned kinglet sightings. Hiked Sarah Doublet Dr. Ed Bell trail to AT&T easement to Charter to Fort Pond and back doing Wunnuhhew Loop. (full list)

Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
November 7, 2015
A beautiful walk, with some birds. It was pretty breezy with significant wind
gusts (20+mph), sunny, 57F. Despite intense search, no Wood Ducks or Hooded
Mergansers seen! (full list)

Yapp Land
October 24, 2015
14 Hooded mergansers, 15 yellow-rumped warblers and a hermit thrush (full list)

Delaney WMA
October 17, 2015
Bald eagle, American pipits and stunning views of eastern bluebirds. (full list)

Jenks Land
October 12, 2015
Two Cooper’s hawks put on a show chasing each other and a crow. Three rusty blackbirds gave us a very good look. There were many warblers, especially palm warblers, and a quick glimpse of a black-throated green. Other sightings included blue-headed vireo, white-throated sparrow, and eastern towhee. (full list)

Sargent Memorial Library
October 10, 2015
13 White-throated Sparrows and 15 Yellow-rumped Warblers (full list)

Cisco
October 4, 2015
Full list

Great Meadows NWR
October 3, 2015
Osprey and spotted sandpiper (full list)

Yapp Land
September 26, 2015
After sighting 2 Redtail Hawks across the street, we had a lackluster walk through the Yapp Land woods and decided to walk back to the parking lot via the road. We stopped at the large meadow next to the lot and spent about an hour there.​ The highlight was a bald eagle. We saw several Bluebirds and House Finches and a Song Sparrow. Also Downy, Hairy, and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers. (full list)

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
September 20, 2015
Three from Boxborough Birders, and, joined by 3 Brookline Bird Club members for part of the walk. It was remarkably quiet, and, no warblers! While deficient on warblers, we had great looks at a few birds, especially the Solitary Sandpiper. (full list)

Delaney WMA
September 12, 2015
Watched an accipiter chasing birds when we met at Blanchard School to car pool (list). Delaney was very foggy, but eventually found pine warbler and black-and-white warbler in the woods (list).

Long Lake Park
September 7, 2015
Killdeer, least sandpiper and spotted sandpiper were on the mud flats at the end of the cove. Two osprey were flying over the lake. Other birds seen or heard included barred owl, brown creeper, flicker, house finch, rose-breasted grosbeak. (full list)

Blanchard School, Sargent Memorial Library and Hager Hill
August 29, 2015
Walked from library to pond view from behind Blanchard School, then followed trail abutting pond to end then returned on pump/well service road. Excellent views of Green Heron, but, did not see Pileated. Exchange with crows and 2 accipiters occurred at library in canopy in front of, and, behind library building. (full lists: Blanchard School, Library and Hager Hill)

Nighthawks
August 27, 2015
One hour at Liberty Fields which proved a great location for seeing Common Nighthawks and 45 minutes at Steele Farm where there were no nighthawks but a stunning sunset and moon rise. (full lists: Liberty Fields, Steele Farm)

Steele Farm
June 13, 2015
Highlights: Yellow Warblers, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Waterthrush, and a pair of Bobolinks (full list)

Knox Trail
June 6, 2015
The osprey came and went for more than an hour, bringing a couple of fish but mostly sticks for adding to the nest. We saw two adults and there did not appear to be young ones yet. There were many swallows criss-crossing the pond, as well as chimney swifts. (full list)

Grassy Pond
May 23, 2015
Saturday’s walk at Grassy Pond was cold, but, superb
looks at the Indigo Bunting and Scarlet Tanger, and, a symphonic duet with
the Wood Thrush in the woods. (full list)

Great Meadows
May 17, 2015
Boxborough Birders with Peter Alden.  Evening walk. 76F, clear skies. Excellent view of yellow warbler; brief view of marsh wren (full list)

Mt. Hope Cemetery and Heath Hen Meadow
May 16, 2015
Nice view of a bluebird in the cemetery. Watched mallards, red-wings, and grackles from the bridge across the brook. Heard great crested flycatcher, rose-breasted grosbeak, yellowthroat, and ovenbird. (full lists: Mt. Hope Cemetery, Heath Hen Meadow)

Nagog Hill, Acton
May 9, 2015
A great show of warblers, with especially good looks at Nashville, Canada, Parula, Black-and-white, and Ovenbird. (full list)

Guggins Brook
May 2, 2015
Full list

George & Lucy Yapp Conservation Land, Littleton
April 25, 2015
Weather was sunny, cold at 37F, breezy. Highlights were the Pileated sighting, and, the intimate and prolonged interaction with the Palm Warblers (and, the YRWs). (full lists: Yapp Land, Cobb Pond)

Rolling Meadows
April 23, 2015
Woodcocks are alive and seemingly well at Rolling Meadows. I went for 10 minutes this evening and there are at least 2 males peenting and displaying their aerial talents. (full list)

Bolton Flats
April 19, 2015
We discovered a new and interesting area of Bolton Flats accessible going west on 117, past the parking area. Definitely worth a visit as we saw a Vesper Sparrow, a Field Sparrow and Kestrel. Bolton Flats was saturated in Green-winged Teal, 1 Pipit and more although no Glossy Ibis. (list 1, list 2)

Sargent Memorial Library & Hager Land, Boxborough
Sat Apr 18, 2015
Sunny day; upper 40s – upper 50s by end of walk; did NOT see the Phoebes on the bottom of the service road, and, did not see/hear the Kildeer at the school, nor did we see any raptors, specifically did not see the RT Hawk. (full list)

Delaney Wildlife Management Area
April 11, 2015
Highlights: 6 species of ducks, 2 osprey, and several hawks, including a kestrel that perched on tall post then flew over the field, hovering in place and diving to ground. (full list)

Assabet Rail Trail and Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
April 4, 2015
Highlights: Bald eagle, wood ducks, teal, merganser (full lists: Rail Trail, ARNWR)

Depot Station, Boxborough
March 28, 2015
With deep snow still on the ground and more snow coming down, six of us ventured briefly out to look at beaver pond where herons have nested in the past, but the pond was still almost entirely iced over. The brook flowing out of the pond was open though, and we saw wood ducks in the distance and heard red-winged blackbirds. (full list)

2013

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Sept 8, 2013

Sunday morning at 7 am at Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, we joined up with a Brookline Bird Club walk. A first-time birder joined the group; she commented that us seasoned birders all had caps on, so she fished in her car to come up with one too. She also noticed we were all wearing pants so she changed from shorts to pants.

First, we heard a gray catbird calling in the parking lot. Next, we walked a short distance up Still River Depot Road where we saw and heard a few more catbirds, as well as many robins, starlings, a couple of common yellowthroats, a red-eyed vireo, and several cedar waxwings that were high in the treetops. Walking up Still River Depot Road is a good thing to keep in mind to do. Then we headed back past the parking area and began walking the Tank Trail where we saw several song sparrows, an American redstart, and heard a yellow-throated vireo singing its unmistakable song. We caught a glimpse of two green herons, counted at least four great blue herons, two belted kingfishers, a solitary sandpiper, among others.

One problem with Oxbow is the artillery noise from Devens, which starts in at around 8 am. The sound of rapid fire can be daunting. But we had an excellent two hours at Oxbow and were wishing we could stay longer. Thank you to our BBC leader for showing us the way.

Littleton Heron Rookery
Mar 30, 2013
At the heronry, there was a lone heron on a nest, an osprey (not on a nest), and quite a few ring-necked ducks.

Rolling Meadows
Mar 30, 2013
Highlights at Rolling Meadows included a brown creeper and a turkey vulture.

Hager Muni Land
Mar 24, 2013
Wood ducks, Red-bellied Woodpecker, winter wren