Assabet

Assabet river national wildlife refuge is my new go-to spot.  Went yesterday (Sunday).  I didn't hear or find the cuckoo, but did get great looks at the following.

A first . . . a yellow throated vireo

An indigo couple (actually, a lot of indigos)

Three scarlet tanagers

and a blue winged warbler

plus nut hatches, cedar waxwings, towhees, etc.

Millenium Park

Went out with a joint Mass Audubon/Brookline Birding Club walk at Millenium Park in West Roxbury.  I'm not sure we actually birded in the park, though.  We spent most of the time next to the high school in some marsh area.  In any case, it was a Heron day, with multiple black-crowned night heron and green heron sightings. 

Other notable, quality sightings included eastern kingbirds and belted kingfishers.

and a female common yellowthroat eating a worm

Assabet River

 

Assabet National Wildlife Refuge has been a good location this year.  I went with the Boxborough birders earlier, have been biking there from the S. Acton train station, have taken Lori there, and went this morning again.

There are almost always indigo buntings around and I saw several this morning.

Eastern towhees are also very common there.

Today there was also a scarlet tanager (always nice)

and some blue winged warblers (I saw these last time as well)

according to Merlin, there were also yellow billed cuckoos around.  I did not see any.  I didn't even really hear them.  I'll need to go back and try again.

Summer Night in Harvard, MA

 

Belle Isle Marsh

Stopped by Belle Isle Marsh on the way to pick up Lucy from the airport (Miami Swim Week).

Highlights were two firsts: a Saltmarsh Sparrow 

and a Willet.

Also Egrets, diving Least Terns, about eight Glossy Ibises, and a meadow full of Cedar Waxwings.