First of year Chimney Swifts arrived in Brookline, Saturday, 3rd May.
I was also able to make almost daily visits to Boston Public Garden which turned up a wonderful number and variety of species. Most notably on Wednesday 7th I joined a BBC walk, and along with a good selection of warblers, I was fortunate enough to tally two life-ticks in LEAST FLYCATCHER and AMERICAN WOODCOCK which flopped onto the ground right at the end of the walk!
Monday 5th, Tuesday 6th, Wednesday 7th & Thursday 8th, Boston Public Gardens, MA, USA.
I then visited the Olmsted Park patch and again got lucky at Willow Pond in the meadow area where a White-Eyed Vireo was lurking along with some Swamp Sparrows, both site-ticks.
Friday 9th, Leverett Pond, MA, USA.
Friday 9th, Willow Pond, MA, USA.
My sort of annual pilgrimage to Mount Auburn Cemetery was a soggy affair. It poured down so when I caught up to the BBC walk the group hadn't moved very far or seen too much. It was a good morning but with lower numbers seen that usual because of the rain.
Saturday 10th, Mt. Auburn Cemetery, MA, USA.
Followed by a few good yard birds, 11th and 12th: Magnolia, Yellow and Black-Throated Green Warbler.
Daily visits to Boston Public Gardens as migration entered its peak. Monday morning was particularly stunning with many warblers and other migrants in full voice, including life-tick BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER high in one of the trees, and one of my target species for this migration season. I also was excited to see another one of my target species in the gardens, a life-tick, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, which allowed excellent views.
Monday 12th, Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th & Thursday 15th, Boston Public Gardens, MA, USA.
First of year Common Nighthawks registered on my yard-list, Saturday 17th May.
Weekend Olmsted Park patch yielded a site-tick Prairie Warbler among the knotweed jungle.
Sunday 18th, Leverett Pond, MA, USA.
Sunday 18th, Willow Pond, MA, USA.
Sunday 18th, Ward's Pond, MA, USA.
A couple days later I went on a nearby twitch for a special warbler and was delighted to see life-tick PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, very active along the river at Nahanton Park. I also saw my second Rose-Breasted Grosbeak there after only recently seeing my first.
Tuesday 20th, Nahanton Park, MA, USA.
Next day I visited another new location that I been reading was registering some good birds. I hoped to pick up a mourning warbler but was unsuccessful. However I did see a wide range of spring migrants, notably singing Veery and a few Scarlet Tanager.
Wednesday 21st, McLaughlin Woods, MA, USA.
Black-Throated Blue Warbler was another good yard bird, Friday 23rd.
My final May outing was to Leverett Pond, where breeding now seemed to be in full swing, with many Starling fledglings already, and a site-tick female Brown-Headed Cowbird also maybe in the area looking for hosts.
Saturday 31st, Leverett Pond, MA, USA.
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