Weekend Birding

 Met Whale at Great Meadows yesterday.   Lots of birds and birders.  

The usual suspects were present.  Ringed-neck ducks, a green winged teal or two, a pair of wood ducks. Plus the recently arrived tree swallows and red-winged blackbirds.

We had a great view of a female goldeneye.  The yellow on the bill and the white on the edge of the wings were totally visible.  

And we had a great view of a red bellied woodpecker. The red on the belly was very noticeable. 

Today (Sunday), I did a quick trip to Hagerland.  Hooded mergansers and ring necked ducks, and lots of tree swallows.

Woodcock Season

 Went over to Rolling Meadows after dinner to look for American Woodcocks.  Its a great looking bird if you can get a good look at it.

I couldn't.  

From Cornell's site:

Superbly camouflaged against the leaf litter, the brown-mottled American Woodcock walks slowly along the forest floor, probing the soil with its long bill in search of earthworms. Unlike its coastal relatives, this plump little shorebird lives in young forests and shrubby old fields across eastern North America. Its cryptic plumage and low-profile behavior make it hard to find except in the springtime at dawn or dusk, when the males show off for females by giving loud, nasal peent calls and performing dazzling aerial displays.

I could hear them and seem them fly, but it's dusk and they show up as silhouettes.  Maybe next time.

I did see a couple of bluebirds though.

Yesterday I stopped by Blanchard and got a great look at a Ring-necked duck and his wife.

Belle Isle Marsh

 Attended a Brookline Birding Club / DCR morning walk at Belle Isle Marsh in East Boston.

At least three dozen Green-winged Teals

And several Black Ducks

Stopped at Winthrop Beach on the way home and saw some Buffleheads.  

Concord Ducks

Plenty of ducks at Great Meadows and Warner's Pond (near the prison).

Ring-necked, common mergansers, hooded mergansers, wood ducks, wigeons.  Probably others as well.

Great Meadows is great, but big and the ducks are often pretty far away.  Warner's Pond is small, closer to home, and the views are great.  Like Hagerland.  Or Ice House Pond.