Olmsted Park--Ward's Pond, Suffolk, MA, USA, 28-Apr-2013

2:15 PM - 2:40 PM

Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: Third part of my Olmsted Park patch visit.
9 species

Mallard 1 male.
Double-crested Cormorant 1 over.
Eastern Phoebe 1 singing from the trees by the east side of the pond.
Blue Jay 1
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 1 singing noisily on the west-side of the pond. There may have been two near to each other but I only saw one.
Yellow Warbler 1 seen after checking all the yellow-rumped on the south-side of the pond. It was foraging among the branches in the sunlight, minding its own business. FOY & site-tick.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 6 approx. in the trees on the east and south-side of the pond, some singing.
Song Sparrow 1 singing on the south-side.
Northern Cardinal 1 over water.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13921144

Olmsted Park--Willow Pond and Meadow, Suffolk, MA, USA, 28-Apr-2013

2:02 PM - 2:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.25 mile(s)
Comments: Second part of my Olmsted Park patch.
9 species

Blue Jay 3
Black-capped Chickadee X
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
American Robin X
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 1 over, chipping.
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
House Sparrow X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13921108

Olmsted Park--Leverett Pond, Suffolk, MA, USA, 28-Apr-2013

1:22 PM - 2:02 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: Another spring walk around the patch for arriving migrants.
Weather: bright, sunny, warm.
19 species

Canada Goose X
Mallard 2 , a pair.
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Mourning Dove 1 near softball pitches.
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 seen flying onto trunk of large tree in area to the east of the pond, before the small bridge.

Blue-headed Vireo 1 seen high in one of the tall trees on the pond's east-side and small footbridge area. At first I heard a vireo call, thinking it was red-eyed I waited to see it in the un-leafed out tree, but soon realised the song was too languid and less repetitious than than the red-eyed, so I looked more keenly. Soon I saw the bird flitting about among the high branches & was able to identify from dark head, prominent eye ring, yellow wash on underwing area & wingbars. It moved about & eventually I lost sight of it. Life-tick.

Warbling Vireo 2 just after the blue-headed. They were singing aggressively from pond-side trees, at each other and soon chased themselves away, one flying over the pond. Took me a few seconds to become reacquainted with the song, but their unremarkable appearance helped jolt my memory. FOY.

Tree Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee X
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 1 singing from trees in the productive east-side area. A strange squawking song, I was able to get nice views as it busied itself calling out and foraging. Site-tick.
American Robin X
European Starling X
Palm Warbler 3 all in the area at the east side of the pond and the small footbridge, a productive area; all were foraging busily.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2 individuals, one singing softly.
Song Sparrow 1 on the way back.
Red-winged Blackbird X - in song.
Common Grackle X
American Goldfinch 1 singing on a tree next to the pond in the productive east-side area.
House Sparrow X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13987460

Olmsted Park--Ward's Pond, Suffolk, MA, USA, 21-Apr-2013

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: Third part of Olmstead Park walk around Wards Pond.
10 species

Herring Gull 2 over the pond, one adult one immature.
Downy Woodpecker 1 descending call heard just after the hairy from the opposite direction.

Hairy Woodpecker 1 female at the base of the small hill before the pond. I spotted it from the path next to the pond as it flew up to a trunk where it stayed low down before flying off back towards Willow pond way. Obvious difference in size to downy with prominent bill, as it flew off it also gave a strong 'pik pik pik' call; a species I had been hoping to see more of. Site-tick.

Tufted Titmouse X

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 males fighting and displaying at each along the path. Initially buzzy blur when they stopped on shrubs right next to the path I got a good look before they quickly flew off again. I followed and saw both displaying at each other with their ruby crowns, like a couple of angry punk-rockers. They went for each other again & disappeared into the undergrowth. Site-tick.

American Robin X
Song Sparrow 2 singing at each other across the southern end of the pond.
Northern Cardinal 1 male singing above the path on the west side of the pond.
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13847954

Olmstead Park--Willow Pond and Meadow, Suffolk, MA, USA, 21-Apr 21-2013

2:20 PM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.25 mile(s)
Comments: Second part of Olmstead Park walk in the pretty productive area between the small Willow Pond and the small hill before Wards Pond.
8 species

Canada Goose X
Mallard 1 male.
Blue Jay 1
Tufted Titmouse X
American Robin X
Northern Cardinal 1 heard.
Red-winged Blackbird 1 male, vocal, on the boom that stretches across the pond. Emitting a high-pitched persistent 'zeeep' call.
Common Grackle X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13847805

Olmsted Park--Leverett Pond, Suffolk, MA, USA, 21-Apr-2013

1:45 PM - 2:20 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: First part of a spring Olmstead Park walk, looking for early migrants.
Weather: bright & sunny, cool.
21 species

Canada Goose X
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 2 a pair on the west side of the pond on the way back.
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1 over.
Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker 1 heard.
Northern Flicker 1 flew east over Jamaicaway.
Blue Jay 1
Tree Swallow 1 over the water of the pond. FOY.
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse 2 including one carrying nesting material.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 singing on a small island on the west side of the pond. I heard it first then picked it out, as I headed back home and after seeing two males fighting at Wards Pond.
American Robin X
European Starling 3 over.

Palm Warbler 1 just behind the yellow-rumped, on the ground amongst the knotweed. Pumping its tail with a brown crest.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 at the south-eastern end of the pond in the area of knotweed, it moved among the branches of a small tree. Close views of bright spring plumage: yellow flanks, rump & small yellow head streak. FOY.

Song Sparrow 1 singing near the warblers.
Red-winged Blackbird 1 male, very vocal at the water's edge.
Common Grackle X
House Sparrow X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13847728

Apponagansett Beach & Bay inc. Knowles Beach & Marsh, Bristol, MA, USA, 31-Mar-2013

12:00 PM - 1:45 PM

Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: Easter visit to the in-laws & the usual walk with Kim & father-in-law.
Weather: bright & sunny, cool.
13 species

Bufflehead 3 distant from Apponagansett on the water.
Great Northern Diver 1 flew in to the water as we sat at Apponagansett.
Turkey Vulture 1 at Apponogansett.
Osprey 1 on nest platform in creek, seen from a road off W Smith Neck Rd.
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Blue Jay X
Black-capped Chickadee X
European Starling X
Savannah Sparrow 6 approx. foraging over the short grass in the carpark at Apponagansett, occasionally perching on fences & picnic tables. Hint of yellow lores and lightly streaked underparts without conspicuous chest dot of song sparrow.
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
American Goldfinch 1 sticking close to feeders in one of the gardens on Smith Neck Road. It moved between a tree next to the feeders & the feeders.

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13634074