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The Swallows of Plum Island…..Prelude to Fall Migration

Subtle as a harrier, soft-winged as an owl, but flicking along at twice their easy speed, she was as cunning as a fox in her use of cover and camouflage. She clings to the rippling fleece of the earth as the leaping hare cleaves to the wind. J. A. Baker THE PEREGRINE

Last month the Woburn Peregrine, Charlotte/Philip, fledged on July 7th. The fledgling was just beginning to explore its world as we ended our last update. It was tentative in its flying and a bit uncertain as it landed on perches on the cliffs and waited for mom (mostly) and dad to drop food for it. But it learned to be a Peregrine Falcon quickly. In a little more than a week it was flying in tandem with mom and dad and even sometimes flying upside down below mom or dad and taking a food exchange in flight.

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Peregrine mid-flight food drop. Photo by John Harrison

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Peregrines flying together. Photo by John Harrison.

We were amazed at how quickly the little one learned to do this. On one morning Charlotte/Philip was perched on a telephone pole and there was a flurry of activity as mom landed next to it and dropped food. Then mom flew to a telephone pole nearby and just watched the kid. At first the fledgling screeched and screeched at mom, not touching the food. We all inherently knew that the fledgling was calling mom to prepare the food. Up to this time mom would bring food that she had already prepared for the fledgling. The feathers were plucked or whatever else was necessary for the prey to be easily eaten by the fledgling. But this time mom was resolute and calmly perched on the nearby pole ignoring the pleas of her young one. She watched but remained where she was. We understood that this was the next stage of the fledgling’s learning curve. It was time for the fledgling to learn to eat prey without mom’s preparation, just as it would soon be time for the fledgling to begin capturing prey on its own. Finally the fledgling figured out that mom wasn’t going to come to the rescue and it slowly began eating the prey. It quickly realized that it was capable of eating the prey without mom’s intervention. It ate most of the prey and grasped the rest in its talons and took off. All of this was a teaching moment for us watchers as well as for the fledgling itself.

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Fledgling Peregrine with prey without mom’s intervention. Photo by John Harrison.

Peregrine mother takes off after making sure her fledgling was able to eat the prey she left on the light pole. Photo by John Harrison.

Male Peregrine in flight. Photo by Kim Nagy.

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Female Peregrine in flight with prey – a pigeon. Photo by John Harrison.

What an education this has been for us. In the past couple of weeks when we have gone to the cliffs early in the morning, sometimes the fledgling has appeared and sometimes it hasn’t. The size of its world is growing as it ranges out and we have to be satisfied with the exciting moments it’s given us. We all hope that mom hangs around until next year and maybe brings three or four fledglings into the world. Video moments with the Peregrines:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeENUx3CO_U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNgkJBrCdb4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMM7i2OQXg0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FfkBpBIgyE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=991n3X6a02s

On the morning of July 20th I took Jeff Meshach, Director of the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, MO, to the cliffs in Woburn to see the Peregrines. Jeff was here to check in on the Masters of Flight Show at the Stone Zoo which the World Bird Sanctuary has sponsored for several years every summer at the zoo. Being a Peregrine Falcon bander in Missouri, Jeff was interested in seeing our falcon family.

Jeff Meshach, Director of the World Bird Sanctuary, holds bird after banding near St. Louis, MO.

More birds banded by Jeff Meshach.

Also on hand that morning to meet Jeff were Jill Maroni-Flemming, who had witnessed Charlotte/Philip’s fledge, Craig Gibson, our Peregrine whisperer, a regular follower of the Woburn Peregrines and Peregrine families in Lawrence and Haverhill and photographer Judd Nathan, also a regular watcher of the Woburn Peregrines.

from CRAIG fx LAWRENCE PEREGRINES PRE FLEDGE CF2C3209-001

Lawrence Peregrine chicks, pre-fledge. Photo by Craig Gibson.

Lawrence Peregrines mock battle. Photo by Craig Gibson.

Haverhill hatchling Peregrines. Photo by Craig Gibson.

Haverhill Peregrine. Photo by Craig Gibson.

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At Peregrine site in Woburn. (L to R) Jill Maroni-Flemming, Jeff Meshach, Judd Nathan and Craig Gibson. Photo by John Harrison.

On this morning mom and dad showed up and did some flying for us but the fledgling didn’t make an appearance, I keep Jeff informed about the progress of our fledgling but I was disappointed that Jeff didn’t get to actually see the young one. Later that day I watched the Masters of Flight show at the Stone Zoo with Jeff and Jill Maroni–Flemming.

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Barn Owl flies past Jill Maroni-Flemming at Masters of Flight Show, Stone Zoo. Photo by John Harrison.

Leah Tyndall of the World Bird Sanctuary with the Barn Owl at the Masters of Flight show. Photo by John Harrison.

Lauren Lawrence of the World Bird Sanctuary with the Bald Eagle. And below the Great Horned Owl takes off. Photos by John Harrison.

(L to R) Jeff Meshach of the World Bird Sanctuary at the Masters of Flight show and John Harrison. Photo by Jill Maroni-Flemming.

If you haven’t seen the Masters of Flight show at the zoo, it will be there until Labor Day. From Monday through Friday there are three shows daily, at 11am, 1pm and 3pm and on weekends four shows each day. Don’t miss it! Masters Of Flight Show, Stone Zoo, Wed. July 20, 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFHpRKxfDk0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rQc8HHGnRw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ4pt5Zr16g

Kim Nagy and I enjoyed a morning at Mount Auburn Cemetery recently photographing dragonflies and an explosion of frogs at Auburn Lake. While doing this I noticed a muskrat eating further along the banks of the lake. We got closer and were able to watch and photograph the muskrat as it ate and then as it swam away.

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Muskrat, Auburn Lake, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

Dragonfly at Auburn Lake, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by Kim Nagy.

On July 26th we went to the Osprey nest in Lynn to see how they were doing. We thought that the three chicks would be close to fledging but when we arrived at the site we were surprised to see two of the chicks and both adults flying around. Two of the three chicks had fledged.

Osprey nest with two fledglings in Lynn. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Female Osprey flying to nest with green leaves. Photo by Kim Nagy.

We didn’t expect this. We didn’t have as much time as usual but there was plenty of action from the two adults and the two fledglings to keep us busy for an hour and a half. This is a great nest for video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alLWhgqyIgU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HREAPf2sIgM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toBqMfS-ndE

After a hiatus of a few months, Kim and I went to Horn Pond on Saturday, July 30th.

from KIM young wood duck with dragonflies

Immature Wood Duck, Horn Pond. Photo by Kim Nagy.

We hadn’t been there since spring migration and the hatching of the swan signets. The low water level at Horn Pond was striking. Some of the lagoons along the path were totally dry. We’ve never seen the water level so low at Horn Pond as well as all of the other bodies of water in the area. As a result of this low water level, we had to effect a Snapping Turtle rescue. As we walked along the path, we noticed a big Snapping Turtle on the side of the path. It seemed to be in distress.

Snapping Turtle, Horn Pond. Photo by Kim Nagy.

We felt that it needed to be in the water. But we realized that even if it lumbered across the path and dropped down into the lagoon, it wouldn’t find the expected water. That lagoon was totally dry. Kim asked a walker if she could borrow some water to pour on the turtle. She did that and the turtle immediately reacted. The water seemed to give it energy. We knew we had to get it into water. But the closest water was maybe the length of city block away. Realizing how important it was to get the turtle into the water, a passing walker picked it up by its tail and walked for about thirty seconds to where there was some available water and put the turtle in.

Good Samaritan carries the Snapping Turtle to the water, Horn Pond. Photo by Kim Nagy.

The turtle immediately reacted and slid happily into the water and disappeared.

Snapping Turtle put into the lagoon. Photo by Kim Nagy.

We didn’t think the turtle would have found the water on its own. Usually Horn Pond is a water paradise for wildlife. Not so right now. We need a great deal of rain to bring the water levels back to normal.. Here is a video look at the Snapping Turtle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIfFHHbXX7o

Photographer Mimi Bix-Hylan has made her back yard bird-friendly. Especially Hummingbird friendly. Her family has been rewarded with several Hummingbirds, including juveniles, at her feeders and flowers. Seeing the young male Hummingbird with the red speck on its throat, that will become all red as an adult, is especially exciting.

from MIMI fx MALE FLEDGLING HUMMINGBIRD IMG_7030

Juvenile male Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Its entire throat will be fully red as an adult. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird, female, perched. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

She has continuing plans to attract birds and hopes that maybe next year a warbler or two will show up. She did recently see a Scarlet Tanager in her yard so maybe she will get to photograph warblers in her own back yard next year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xOCzAMh-u0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82gXJFeUP6c And a Cooper’s Hawk has been using the yard as a restaurant. There are often feathers and other bird remains as evidence of the Cooper’s Hawk’s presence. The Coop has given Mimi plenty of photo ops.

Juvenile Cooper’s Hawk. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

Juvenile Cooper’s Hawk take-off.

The Cliff Swallows returning to Capistrano every March might have the cachet but the thousands of Tree Swallows that come to Plum Island every August certainly must rival the Capistrano experience. I was there on Saturday, August 06 and watched in awe as thousands and thousands of them covered the sky. And this is the beginning of the process. In a week or two there will probably be thousands more. I hope to get to Plum island a few more times before the Swallows fly south.

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Thousands of Tree Swallows at Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison.

Tree Swallows at Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison.

For a couple of weeks prior to my Saturday visit, an American Avocet, a southern bird not seen around here, has been hanging around Hellcat Trail at Plum. I watched it for a couple of hours as it moved along the water’s edge, sometimes flying and landing closer to me.

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American Avocet, Hellcat, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison.

Greater Yellowlegs, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison.

It’s a life bird for many Plum Island visitors, including me. Now that fall migration is right around the corner, more shore birds are showing up at Plum. Along with the Avocet and Swallows, I saw Greater Yellow Legs, Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Terns and other shore birds. Here’s some video of the Tree Swallows:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmpQhen60Us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKBICcA-qtE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moEhjpEzHxo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytNFtZnpbHg

In three weeks or so we will start seeing fall migrants. We will be making the usual migrant rounds to Mount Auburn Cemetery, Plum Island, the Mystic Lakes, Horn Pond, Dunback Meadows and the other usual suspects. Rest up. They’re coming!

Charlotte/Philip’s Leap Of Faith

The peregrine sees and remembers patterns we do not know exist: the neat squares of orchard and woodland, the endlessly varying quadrilateral shapes of fields. He finds his way across the land by a succession of remembered symmetries. J. A. Baker THE PEREGRINE

Usually after spring migration birding slows down a bit. We always have the Red-tailed Hawk pair and their fledglings to look forward to around Memorial Day at Mount Auburn Cemetery and a couple of other possibilities in the area but the pace after the zaniness of spring migration is less frantic. This year’s post-migration, however, has been fantastically busy. We’ve had the ongoing drama of the Peregrine Falcons in Woburn to enjoy. As we watched the Peregrine pair mating in March and April we wondered if the female Peregrine was ready to breed. The female is banded and we were able to discover that she was hatched in May of 2015. A female Peregrine breeding at not even a year old was a long shot. Possible, but unlikely. We were all rooting for her wanting, of course, to have fledglings to watch in late spring and through part of the summer. The long shot came through. We stopped seeing the female flying around and could see her in their lair on the rocky ledge. She exhibited all of the signs of a female sitting on eggs. We weren’t 100% sure, but it looked like that was what was going on. And even if she was indeed sitting, there was no way to know if the egg(s?) were fertile and would result in young. Tom Luongo, Karen Burton and Jill Maroni-Flemming, all from Woburn, reported the first sighting of the chick from a vantage point above the nest on May 27. Houston, we had a chick! I had my first glimpse of the chick on Monday, June 13. The little white fluffball popped up for a few seconds for me.

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Peregrine chick, Monday, June 13, 2016. Photo by John Harrison.

Peregrine chick and mother, Friday, June 24, 2016. Photo by John Harrison.

It was something to celebrate. As the weeks have gone by we were seeing more and more of this little one and we quickly knew that there was only one chick. We’re proud of that young female bringing one Peregrine into the world against the odds. After watching these falcons since the hatchling first showed itself, we were delighted to hear that on July 6th at about 2pm the nestling became a fledgling. Photographer Craig Gibson, who has been reporting on this Peregrine family regularly, stopped by early that morning for a look.

from CRAIG FX INCUBATING EGGS APR 16 2016 CF2C7543-001

Mother Peregrine Falcon incubating egg, Saturday, April 16, 2016 Photo by Craig Gibson.

Mother Peregrine Falcon feeding chick, Friday June 03, 2016. Photo by Craig Gibson.

Craig agreed that the little one was aching to fly. I, too, was there early that morning and the bird was flapping its wings furiously and jumping around and helicoptering. It was ready for its leap of faith. A few hours later it did just that. Devoted birder Jill Maroni-Flemming, who has been watching and photographing this Peregrine pair for a year, even to the point of keeping a journal of her discoveries, was fortunate to be on hand at the moment the nestling (that she calls Charlotte) fledged. It is fitting that Jill would be the one to witness this event. She has ‘paid her dues’ this year at that site, as has photographer Tom Luongo, who is also at the site daily. For all of us rooting for that little one, this was exciting news. Here is Jill’s journal entry when Charlotte fledged on July 6th: I am so overcome with excitement that I can hardly type! I’m sitting here at the quarry. It’s 2:00. I was looking straight at Charlotte sitting in the shade of the nest. When all of a sudden, her shrill teenaged call rang out sustaining for about a minute. Kate showed up and then flew off and then Charlotte leaped from the cliff ! OMG!!!!!!!! WOW!!!! I couldn’t believe it! She awkwardly crashed into the lower left triangle area of the cliff and perched there for a minute or two. Regaining her breath , she then flew off over my head. Freedom! What a sight to behold!!!

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The new fledgling Peregrine Falcon, first morning, Thursday, July 07, 2016. Photo by John Harrison.

The new Peregrine fledgling. Photo by Mimi-Bix Hylan.

The new Peregrine fledgling. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

The new Peregrine fledgling. Photo by Jim Renault.

The next morning I was back at the site at 6am hoping to see the fledgling on its first full day in its new world. Also present were Ursula (President of the Eastern Mass Hawk Watch) and Dave Goodine and photographer Jim Renault. The adult Peregrines were present but we couldn’t find the fledgling. After a couple of hours I decided to leave and told Jim Renault that if the fledgling showed up to please call me. I then went to the nearby Dunkin Donuts. Had to have an iced coffee. It was 8am. I no sooner parked than my cell phone rang. It was Jim Renault. “Get back here,” he said. “The fledgling is perched on the rocks really close.” (Thanks Jim!!!). I was back and parked in seven minutes. The striking young Peregrine was proudly perched on the giant boulder that had years ago fallen from the rock face (crushing a vehicle below). It was flapping its wings and moving around for us, putting on quite a show. It was a photographer’s bonanza. I had been on my cell a couple of times with photographer Mimi Bix-Hylan, who was on her way to the site with her daughter Mari, whose favorite bird is the Peregrine Falcon. Mari, at 6 years of age, is already a keen birder. I knew little Mari was going to love this close look at her totem bird. Soon after that photographer Tom Luongo appeared. Like Jill, he has been following the Peregrines at this site for a long time. He was just in time for this exhilarating show. As were Mimi and Mari, who also arrived in time to see the fledgling, that Mari named Philip, on the rock. It didn’t take long for the audience to grow. As we’ve learned about young birds of prey, they’re very trusting. The bird was unperturbed by the presence of an audience of photographers and watchers. It stayed on that rock for about a half hour then slowly flew in short hops higher and higher until it was eventually at the top of the mountain. Sometime later the mother Peregrine flew in and dropped food for the young one. It hid behind brush there at the top and ate the prey. Photographer Sandy Selesky eventually arrived at the site and watched the fledgling’s progress for most of the afternoon. After being cooped up in that rocky little cave for about a month, the fledgling must have felt freed (and perhaps a bit frightened) being out and flying around. I hope we get to see more of it for a while. As it gets stronger and does more flying, it will show itself less and less. We were lucky to have the first post-fledge morning experience. Here’s a video look at the Peregrine fledgling, Charlotte/Philip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCADT5hZEfQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN_vFgCuEO0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qQ_1adEW9U

The naming confusion should be addressed. Jill Maroni-Flemming and Tom Luongo and other long-time watchers had dubbed the male Peregrine Waldo (because it was often so hard to find, blending in so well with the gray quarry cliffs where he has resided for several years…..Where’s Waldo?). The female was named Wesley Kate at her banding site in May of 2015 at 55 Water St., Manhattan, NY. Considering the fascination with British royalty, Jill named the fledgling Charlotte George after Kate Middleton’s daughter. Six-year old Mari, the youngest and biggest fan of the musical HAMILTON, named the adult male Hamilton, of course, and his mate, Eliza (after Alexander Hamilton’s wife) and the fledgling Philip (after Alexander Hamilton’s son). Since Charlotte/Philip’s mother was born in Manhattan, the New York-Hamilton connection was obvious. Though most fans of this trio will know them as Waldo, Kate and Charlotte, for a few of us it will be Hamilton, Eliza and Philip. I don’t think this wonderful family of Peregrines, that has taught us so much and given us such joy, will really mind that they each have two names.

Early in June we were able to watch a Barred Owl family in Winchester.

Three Barred Owlets in Winchester. Photo by Jim Renault.

Barred Owl mother, Winchester. Photo by Jim Renault.

Barred Owlet out of tree cavity about ready to fledge. Photo by John Harrison.

There were four owlets in this family but by the time I found out about it, two had fledged. We were able to watch and photograph the two remaining owlets before they fledged. They were on a good tree for video, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdAhFD_TqtA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvcM2kVLNSw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aECHUNG8k7Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0fCQajmbiI

Barred Owlet and mother. Photo by John Harrison.

Also in early June Al Parker of Mount Auburn Cemetery discovered a Hummingbird nest near Auburn Lake. We monitored it for a couple of weeks but the nest ultimately failed, unfortunately.

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Red-tailed Hawk fledgling, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

But at least we were able to see a Hummingbird nest in the wild. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=5k6L7gWzEdg

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Hummingbird on nest, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Sat. June 04, 2016. Photo by John Harrison.

We also continued watching the Eastern Kingbird nest at the Mystic Lakes, where three chicks hatched and fledged.

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Eastern Kingbird mother feeds chick, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison.

Eastern Kingbird mother, Mystic Lakes. Photo by Kim Nagy.

And on a trek to Plum Island’s Sandy Point in late June there were Piping Plover chicks pecking around on the beach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8QS2Uj6rTE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA-hHTzN0AU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8qa9ys_x4o

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Piping Plover mother, Sandy Point, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison.

Piping Plover chicks, Sandy Point, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison.

The Tufts Park, South Medford, American Kestrels are back. The pair that wowed us with three chicks last summer brought four chicks into the world this year. We’ve been having a grand time watching these fledglings as they fly from light pole to light pole. We have been able to watch the parents drop food off for the kids and we’ve seen siblings taking food from each other and all manor of Kestrel behavior. I can’t imagine a better venue to watch this species.

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American Kestrel with prey, Tufts Park, Medford, MA. Photo by John Harrison.

American Kestrels with prey, Tufts Park, Medford. Photo by John Harrison.

American Kestrel in flight with prey. Photo by John Harrison.

Medford’s raptor guru, Paul Roberts, could be seen at the park most mornings chronicling the life and times of the Tufts Park Kestrels. Video of a Kestrel with prey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdoyuu9N6d4

The Mystic Lakes has been especially busy this season with Ospreys, Great Blue Herons and Black-crowned Night Herons. Sitting on the banks of the lakes day after day we could count fifteen or twenty or twenty-five Great Blue Herons every time. It’s as if the Great Blue Heron Society decided to hold their annual convention at the Mystic Lakes.

Black-crowned Night Heron, Mystic Lakes. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Great Blue Heron and swans, Mystic Lakes. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Great Blue Heron with fish, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison.

And if that wasn’t enough to keep us busy, we had a couple of Ospreys show up several times a day and they would fly around and often dive for fish. An Osprey dive is one of the most exhilarating wildlife events to witness. To catch this activity in our own back yard has been wondrous.

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Osprey emerges from dive, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison.

Osprey takes off with fish after dive, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison.

On Tuesday, July 5th, I went to Mount Auburn Cemetery to see if the Red-tail chicks had fledged. I assumed they had but I hadn’t been there in a few days so I wasn’t sure. I began walking a grid from the nest tree and found the two fledglings about fifteen minutes later, with an assist from Mount Auburn staffer Al Parker.

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Red-tailed Hawk fledgling, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

Both hawks were on the grass, one eating a squirrel that was dropped off by one of its parents while the other sibling was stretched out on the grass, the sun warming its wings. Here’s video of the Red-tail fledglings at Mount Auburn Cemetery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-dcN_SVj3w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMwctlkPMpQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkDnAUopupY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkDnAUopupY

As all of these stories have unfolded, photographer Kim Nagy and I also had some fun mornings at Ipswich River Audubon. Though the beavers have been in a quiet mode lately, we have seen a great deal of a muskrat family at the pond and our favorite mink, Harry, has made quite a few appearances, often trotting right by us.

Muskrat, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by Kim Nagy.

“Harry” the mink, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by John Harrison.

“Harry” the mink with fish, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by John Harrison.

On the tree close to where we sit on the boardwalk, a young Pileated Woodpecker landed and posed for Kim last week.

Pileated Woodpecker, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by Kim Nagy.

On another morning, the usually shy Nuthatches were landing on Kim’s hand for seeds.

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Nuthatch eating from Kim’s hand, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by John Harrison.

We’re used to this with Chickadees but the Nuthatches were a special treat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-LcZw_nWjg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeHS0bAkQwY The mulberry tree in the reserve parking lot is now laden with fruit so the Cedar Waxwings and Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been regular visitors.

Red-bellied Woodpecker on mulberry tree, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Cedwar Waxwings on mulberry tree, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by Kim Nagy.

The pace should slow now. The Osprey nest in Lynn should really be the last hurrah of the season. But, of course, ‘surprise happens!’ In mid-July the three Osprey chicks should be bouncing around in the nest and there should be plenty of action. That will take us into August, which is pretty much the dog days of birding. But we won’t have much idle time. September isn’t far away and then fall migration begins. We never have to wait too long before the next adventures! Thanks for the exciting moments. Charlotte/Philip, Peregrine Falcon fledgling, July 06, 2016, 2:00.

Peregrine Falcon fledgling, first morning, July 07, 2016. Photo by John Harrison.

MOOD INDIGO….The Warblerpalooza

To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life. John Burroughs

OMG….OMG….That email acronym best describes spring migration of 2016. It was off-the-charts spectacular. Last time, I discussed our good fortune at the Arlington Reservoir in late April, which was a prelude to the big show in May. Historically the mid weekend of May is the peak weekend of spring migration. It was right on time this year. Mount Auburn Cemetery was awash with migrants. Every year a particular tree or part of the cemetery is the hot spot. Last year on Cedar Ave at the cemetery there was a surfeit of Cape May Warblers, that migration super star of which in past years we would be lucky to catch even a glimpse. This year the star tree was a flowering crab apple near Bigelow Chapel. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, May 9, 10 and 11, (after the week prior of rainy day after rainy day) this tree hosted around 15 species. The biggest surprise of the three days was two – or maybe even three – Indigo Buntings that were in and out of the tree at regular intervals on all three days. It was this season’s rock star migrant. Indigo Buntings, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photos by John Harrison

Black-throated Green Warbler, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison

Black-throated Blue Warbler, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison

Chestnut-sided Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery..Photo by John Harrison.

There were lots of birders and photographers attending that tree for all of those three days. It was thrilling. To be able to watch and photograph the Indigo Bunting, a bird I’ve seen only twice – and for only a moment – in the past 16 years was more than I could have asked for. In addition to the Bunting, the other elites joined the party….We saw Black-throated Greens, Black-throated Blues, the Chestnut-sided, the Yellow, the Nashville, the Blue-winged the Magnolia, the Cape May, the Blackburnian, the Northern Parula, the Prairie, the Wilson’s, Redstarts, a few vireo species and more. American Redstart, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Nashville Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Blue-headed Vireo, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Yellow-throated Vireo, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Prairie Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

Wilson’s Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Blackburnian Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

Bay-breasted Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

Cape May Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

Northern Waterthrush, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

These species and others were spotted at other parts of the cemetery too, but to watch them flit in and out of one tree – for three days – was, well, a warblerpalooza. On Thursday, May 12th, I was at the cemetery at 6:30am and watched the tree for an hour. It was as if a light switch had been turned off. The birds that had been enjoying the tree for the past three days had packed their bags and headed north on the next leg of their journey. Spring migration is a quicksilver thing. The birds are here one day and gone the next. The small time window of opportunity requires that you be there as many days as possible.

Of course every May we trek to Plum Island a few times. Spring migration there is usually awesome, too. And this year was perhaps the best. On Saturday, May 14th, photographer Kim Nagy and I had the most intense, exciting few hours of birding imaginable. Our destination was Hellcat Trail but when we got to the famous S-curve and saw all of the cars parked along the road and the people with cameras and binoculars aimed into the trees, we knew we had found the hot spot. The next few hours were frantic. It was hard keeping up with the birds. There were many species and they were all around us. Most exciting were the three male and one female Scarlet Tanagers that worked several trees giving us ample opportunity to photograph them, often very close. It was a rare opportunity with this striking species.

Scarlet Tanager, male, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison

Scarlet Tanager, female. Plum Island. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

When the S-curve explosion of birds slowed down, we did get to Hellcat Trail but there wasn’t much activity. That day it was all S-curve all of the time. And in the days after, we visited Plum Island again and had more surprises. Photographer Mimi Bix-Hylan had a great Towhee encounter as well as some nice moments with other migrants. Eastern Towhee, Plum Island. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

Common Yellowthroat, Plum Island. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

Northern Parula, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison

Yellow Warbler singing. Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison

Black and White and Canada Warbler, Plum Island. Photos by John Harrison.

And I finally had my Bobolink encounter, as it perched on top of a small tree at the edge of the maintenance shed parking lot. This species is seen in the meadows in that area often but I have just kept missing it through the years.

Bobolink, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison

Only a few days before our Plum Island adventure, Kim Nagy spent a day at Magee Marsh in Ohio, considered THE premiere spring migration hot spot in the country. After being there for a day, Kim concurs. Here are some of Kim’s catches that day.

Prothonotary Warbler, Magee Marsh. Photos by Kim Nagy.

Yellow-throated Warbler, Magee Marsh. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Magee Marsh. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Just-fledged Great Horned Owlet, Magee Marsh. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Scarlet Tanager, male, Magee Marsh. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Last time it was noted that photographer Jim Renault had discovered a Gray Fox in his back yard. His attention has been riveted since then and he has been photographing the adult foxes and their 5 (five!) kits in his yard. This year’s spring migration season will be especially remembered by Jim. And not only for the great birds……

Gray Foxes. Photos by Jim Renault.

It’s difficult saying good bye to the spectacular warblers after such a great few weeks. But now we will look ahead to the Osprey nest in Lynn and the beavers and minks at Ipswich River Audubon, the Red-tailed Hawk fledglings at Mount Auburn Cemetery, the King Bird, Warbling Vireo and Baltimore and Orchard Oriole nests at the Mystic Lakes and the other summer surprises that await. Below Baltimore Oriole from the Mystic Lakes and, last, the Eastern Kingbird nest at the Mystic Lakes. Photos by John Harrison.

At Her Best In May

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! Sitting Bull

The heralds of spring are here. We are seeing Red-winged Blackbirds everywhere.

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Red-winged Blackbird, Horn Pond. Photo by John Harrison

And there are also reports of Pine Warblers and the occasional Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers. I saw my first Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers at the Arlington Reservoir on Sunday, April 17th.

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Yellow-rumped Warbler, Arlington Reservoir. Photo by John Harrison

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Palm Warbler, Arlington Reservoir. Photo by John Harrison

Last year, after the spectacular winter of snow, I saw my first Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers on Sunday, April 26th, again at the Arlington Reservoir. On Wednesday, April 20, a birder at the Arlington Reservoir told us there was a Pine Warbler way up in a pine tree. That species has eluded me for 15 years. Finally it showed itself for me.

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Pine Warbler, Arlington Reservoir. Photo by John Harrison

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Palm Warbler, Arlington Reservoir. Photo by John Harrison.

Spring is unfolding as it should. Our favorite rite of the year, spring migration, is only weeks away. In one of his great songs, French crooner Charles Aznavour wrote, “Paris is at her best in May, when spring and youth possess her and gentle winds caress her….” Birders might have written those lyrics somewhat differently. “Sweet Auburn’s at her best in May….” or Plum Island’s at her best in May…..” or “The Mystic Lakes is at her best in May…” We’ll soon know.

Another rite of spring, the Masters of Flight show at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, is also getting ready for an exciting summer. Director of the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley park, MO, Jeff Meshach, arrived with this year’s inventory of birds on Wednesday, April 6. The raptors are now in Masters of Flight boot camp preparing for their opening on April 30th. We stopped by the arena to get a preview of the birds on Sunday, April 10th. The Sanctuary’s Leah Tyndall and Matt Levin showed us the birds in this year’s lineup, among them a Bald Eagle, juvenile Harris’ Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Barn Owl, Black Vulture, Red-legged Seriema ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfkUI-U2p_A ) and, this year for the first time, a magnificent Golden Eagle. It’s going to be a raptor summer at the Stone Zoo.

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World Bird Sanctuary’s Leah Tyndall and Matt Levin. Photo by John Harrison.

Six year old Mari is enthralled by her close look at a Barn Owl. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

Leah Tyndall of the World Bird Sanctuary gives six year old Mari a close look at the Barn Owl. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

There’s a Swans nest at Horn Pond, in the same area it has been for the past few years. The female is sitting on eggs and we should be seeing little cygnets in mid to late May. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zetsUa8kHJQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzc9TEe5kS8

On Saturday, April 9th, photographer Kim Nagy and I watched and photographed a pair of Wood Ducks at Shannon Beach at the Mystic Lakes as the female, it seemed, was trying to find a suitable nesting cavity.

Female Wood Duck checking tree cavity, Mystic Lakes. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Female Wood Duck inspecting tree cavity, Mystic Lakes. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Male Wood Duck, Mystic Lakes. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Male Wood Duck on tree, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison.

As we watched she flew to several trees poking her head into cavities checking them out. We hope that she finds just the right tree for a family so we can watch that cycle unfold.

For two days we thought we were going to have another Great Horned Owl’s nest at Mount Auburn Cemetery. The female was sitting, it seemed, in a tree at the edge of Ivy Path. There was a broken egg beneath the tree and we hoped that there was another one or two eggs beneath her. It was an odd place for a Great Horned Owl to nest and it was a little late for her to be sitting. But we were hopeful, nevertheless. I saw her sitting on Sunday, March 20 in the late afternoon and then the next morning, Monday, after it had snowed overnight.

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Great Horned Owl sitting on eggs (?), Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photos by John Harrison.

By that afternoon she was back in the Dell next to her mate, Alexander. We don’t know what this was all about. One theory is that this new mate of Alexander’s is too young and didn’t really know what she was doing. If she stays in the Dell maybe next year she will be ready and we can have another fantastic Great Horned Owl’s nest as we did in 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTbIWYUKZhI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX11vW6BTks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeewEAnGBAU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vypK05RPfaM While watching the owls in the Dell recently, a striking Hermit Thrush landed on a holly bush.

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Hermit Thrush in the Dell, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

And Flickers have been all over Mount Auburn. Another sign of spring.

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Northern Flicker, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

The Osprey pair in Lynn that we watched and photographed with their chicks beginning last July are back for another Osprey summer. It’s amazing that every year all over New England Osprey pairs return to the same nests they’ve been using, sometimes for years. How they find their needle-in-a-haystack nest when they return, without Garmin or Waze, isn’t understood. There are theories but we don’t really know. It’s good that there is still some mystery. They are in the process now of shoring up their home. As we spent time there lately they showed up every now and then bringing branches to the nest. It’s a great opportunity to photograph them as they hover above the nest with a branch in their talons and then land and work the branch into the nest.

Osprey about to land on nest with branch, Lynn. Photo by Kim Nagy.

They have a strong work ethic and labor diligently making the nest ready for their next family. Last year they had three hungry chicks on the nest and we would watch the adults fly in with fish on a regular basis.

Osprey in flight with fish, Lynn. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

We were even fortunate to be there on the day that the last two chicks fledged. It was exhilarating to catch that. This year we’re at the beginning of the breeding cycle. Around the end of April the female will be sitting on eggs. We will be able to watch as the male brings fish to the female throughout the day. Once the chicks hatch, in about a month, the male will be especially busy bringing fish to the nest for them. The chicks will be on the nest 7-8 weeks before fledging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvRZjxrpeYg

While watching the Ospreys in Lynn recently, we got to watch a couple of Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets.

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Snowy Egrets, Lynn. Photos by John Harrison.

The Saugus River, which is close to three sides of the Osprey nest, is a great habitat for shore birds. As the next couple of months pass at that Lynn site, we will be seeing Sanderlings, Sandpipers, Yellow Legs and other shore birds.

Fresh Pond has been the home of a couple of Screech Owls for a few years. There’s a path down to the pond from Huron Ave. and the Screech Owl (sometimes two of them) can be seen in the same tree cavity they have occupied for a long time.

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Screech Owl, Fresh Pond. Photo by John Harrison.

I’ve been there several times lately and was even fortunate to catch the Screech Owl hooting on video on April 18th. It hooted once and I quickly turned on the video hoping that it would again. About eight seconds after turning on the video, it did hoot again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i79HPUJ_jNQ A couple of days later I caught another active scene with the owl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5X855JDovY

We were hoping to hear word that there was another active fox den at Salisbury Beach. That doesn’t seem to be the case this year. But that didn’t keep regular photography contributor to this blog, Jim Renault, from discovering a fox – right in his own back yard.

Gray Fox. Photo by Jim Renault.

As Jim tells it, he has had glimpses of this fox now and then for quite a while. But it never hung around long enough for Jim to get a photo. But finally it did. Here’s a look at this Gray Fox in Jim’s back yard. Jim also caught a nice moment recently with the male peregrine Falcon in Woburn driving off a male intruder Peregrine.

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Woburn male Peregrine Falcon fights off intruder Peregrine. Photo by Jim Renault.

Next time we will sum up this year’s spring migration. Every year is different. Last year was off-the-charts magnificent. There was an abundance of migrants everywhere. Mount Auburn was sensational as was Plum Island, the Arlington Reservoir and our own Mystic Lakes. Let’s hope this year’s spring migration is another memorable one.

While seeking warblers at the Arlington Reservoir this week, we were entertained by a muskrat. Photo by John Harrison.

The Eagles Have Landed.

Aimed at a distant bird, a flutter of white wings, he may feel – as it spreads out beneath him like a stain of white – that he can never fail to strike. Everything he is has been evolved to link the targeting eye to the striking talon. J. A. Baker The Peregrine

The new year continues to delight. We have been enjoying a pair of Peregrine Falcons in Woburn. Watching them reminds me of the beginning of Superman episodes…’Faster than a speeding bullet….Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound….’ That’s Peregrines!

Peregrine Falcon taking off. Photos by Jim Renault.

Peregrine Falcon taking off. Photo by John Harrison

There’s an adult male and a juvenile female on the sheer rock wall all the time. Occasionally an adult female shows up to check out the male and see if he’s the ‘right guy.’ So far they have all moved on. And the feeling is that the young female that has been hanging around isn’t old enough yet to breed. So this might not be a nest year for these Peregrines, But meanwhile we get to watch them in action, day after day. All things considered, they are very dependable. I often arrive at the site around 7AM. Sometimes one or even both of them are on the rocks in separate places. The young female often perches on last year’s nest site. If they are not present at 7AM we don’t have to wait too long. Very soon one will fly in and soon after the other. And now and then they will take off and fly around for us. Sometimes the adult and juvenile fly around together. Great

Adult and juvenile Peregrines flying together. Photos by John Harrison

photo ops for us. The author of THE PEREGRINE, J. A. Baker, also notes in his book, “Subtle as a harrier, soft-winged as an owl, but flicking along at twice their easy speed, she was as cunning as a fox in her use of camouflage. She clings to the rippling fleece of the earth as the leaping hare cleaves to the wind.” If you are interested in following a Peregrine season this book is a must. Here are a couple of video looks at the Woburn Peregrines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrj79Y1rsyI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QOyqoaSEc4

In addition to the Peregrines, there’s a pair of Ravens that have a nest and like last year it looks like they are once again going to be successful.

Raven bringing material to nest. Photo by John Harrison.

Their nest is right in the midst of the Peregrine Falcon action and we wondered about that. But they seem to coexist just fine. Occasionally one of the Peregrines will harass the Ravens, chasing them around the site, but it looks like an opportunity for the Peregrines to play and show who’s boss rather than genuine hostility. So if we don’t get to see Peregrine chicks this year it looks certain that we will get to see Raven chicks. Here’s a look at the Ravens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whLYdan4iKo

As unbelievable as it is, we have been dazzled watching a pair of Bald Eagles building a nest – in Waltham. Not Fairbanks, Alaska. Waltham. MA.

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Bald Eagle nest tree, Waltham, MA. Photo by John Harrison.

I never thought I would get to see this up close and personal.

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Bald Eagles, Waltham. MA. Photos by John Harrison.

Of course we have been watching Bald Eagles at the Mystic Lakes for years and we expected that sooner or later they would nest nearby. But this opportunity was more than we could have hoped for. Day after day we visit this Waltham site and they are always there. Some days they are very active, landing on trees and breaking branches and bringing them to the nest.

Bald Eagle taking off. Photo by Jim Renault.

They also bring in clumps of mud and grass taken from the nearby Charles River’s banks. Sometimes they perch on nearby trees….For hours at a time. On one morning recently I arrived at 7:30 AM and and found the female perched on a dead tree just across from the nest tree. (We know it’s the female because her head has a little gray on top so she’s not a full adult. Maybe four years old. The male has a full white head so we are able to differentiate them that way). I quickly set up my tripod and aimed the lens at the eagle, hoping it would take off soon…. Photographer Jim Renault arrived about 15 minutes later and set up his tripod. Two hours later, at 9:30, we were still waiting. At that point you have so much time invested that you hate to throw in the towel. So we waited. A half hour later Jim had to leave. I continued to wait. It was a comfortable, especially warm March morning, so other than the strain on my back for standing all of that time, I was comfortable enough. Finally…. at 10:30… the eagle shook, preened, put her ‘landing gear’ talon onto the branch and took off right at me. Wonderful. Worth the three-hour wait!

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Bald Eagle takeoff and in flight with branch for nest. Photos by John Harrison.

Sometimes at the last minute, after perching facing you for a long, long time, it will quickly turn

around and fly away from you. That’s exasperating but it’s part of the pursuit. It happens and you accept it. But this time it worked out perfectly. These eagles even gave us great video opportunities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aySQCB60s_k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzHaHu8wz3k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNMqd4gTa-I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMfDL_VIVFk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOkxk4TyZSc

Our favorite Snowy Owl, Rocky, has been seen sporadically at Rye Beach, NH the past few months. We had some time with him in February then he was not seen for a while. He returned, we heard, so photographer Kim Nagy and I went to Rye Beach on a Saturday morning at the beginning of March hoping to see him, since we talked to a photographer who had photographed him in the middle of the week. Unfortunately he didn’t appear that morning. But we continued to hear from birders who were seeing him occasionally at the beach. Kim and I returned on Saturday morning, March 12th, and as we approached the beach parking lot we saw lots of cars and photographers with cameras aimed at the house next to the beach and sure enough, there was Rocky perched on the roof. We quickly set up our tripods, next to all of the other photographers around us, and waited for Rocky to lift off. One of the watchers said that Rocky had been on the roof since sunrise. He looked comfortable sitting there but we knew that sooner or later he would lift off. Five minutes later his body tipped a bit and he looked like he might be ready and sure enough, up he went.

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Snowy Owl Rocky, takes off at Rye Beach, NH. Photo by John Harrison.

Fantastic takeoff opportunity. He flew to a nearby light pole and perched there for a while. Then he saw something in the marsh and he took off and landed on the ground.

Snowy Owl Rocky in flight over Rye Beach, NH. Photo by Kim Nagy.

He pulled up clumps of marsh grass but there was no mouse or vole there. He had missed it. He moved around on the grass for a few minutes looking for whatever he had seen and then flew up to a stake in the ground and perched on that for a while.

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Snowy Owl Rocky on the marsh grass. Photo by John Harrison.

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Snowy Owl Rocky takes off from post. Photo by John Harrison.

He was there for about 15 minutes and then took off and landed on a roof several houses away. It had been an exhilarating morning with our favorite Snowy Owl. We look forward to getting back to Rye Beach to see our Snowy Owl pal soon. Rocky posed for some video that morning, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBMwrw98THA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcM_V1uql0o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRdKh0VX40U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxDaZ05o8tI

At the beginning of March as we New Englanders were enjoying an early taste of spring, photographer Kim Nagy was in Florida photographing birds at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach and Green Cay. She snapped a bunch of great species and even had a few moments with a prized Painted Bunting. This bird is so magnificent it doesn’t even look real. It looks like an artist’s vision of the perfect bird. Here are some of Kim’s special moments in the Sunshine State.

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Painted Bunting, Wakodahatchee. Photos by Kim Nagy.

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Male Anhinga feeding chick, Wakodahatchee. Photo by Kim Nagy.

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Anhinga young, Wakodahatchee. Photo by Kim Nagy.

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Spoonbill, Wakodahatchee. Photo by Kim Nagy.

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Wood Stork in flight, Wakodahatchee (top) and Green Heron with fish. Photos by Kim Nagy.

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White-eyed Vireo, Wakodahatchee. Photo by Kim Nagy.

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Black & White Warbler, Wakodahatchee. Photo by Kim Nagy.

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Common Yellowthroat, female, Wakodahatchee. Photo by Kim Nagy.

It’s the middle of March after an easy winter, compared to last year. We’re only five or six weeks from the first sightings of early arrival spring migrants. Already we’ve had Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, and Rocky the Snowy Owl. We’re off to a good start……

Endings…and Beginnings….

……birdwatching…is the real national pastime, it just isn’t televised. Jonathan Rosen, The Life of the Skies

A while ago we waved goodbye to 2015, quite a good year in our pursuit of wildlife. The year began with our wondrous Snowy Owl, Rocky, at Rye Beach, NH. Snowy Owl Rocky, Rye Beach. Photo by Kim Nagy.

We watched him for all of January until the relentless snow of February kept us from visiting the beach. We don’t know how long Rocky stayed at the beach, as the snow flew for endless weeks, but we were glad of the encounters we did have with that special owl.

In March we had a surprise visit of Bohemian Waxwings, a species not much seen in the area since April of 2008. As magnificent as their cousins the Cedar Waxwings are, the Bohemians take your breath away.

Cedar Waxwing. Photo by John Harrison.

Our views of a couple of these birds was in Waltham on Moody St., behind Biagio’s restaurant.

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Bohemian Waxwings. Photos by John Harrison.

In April we heard about a Great Horned Owl pair with one owlet at Forest Hills Cemetery. We were able to watch this nest unfold for a couple of weeks and were fortunate to be present the morning after it fledged. We knew the owlet was close by since owlets just after fledging don’t stray too far from the nest. We searched for the owlet for a couple of hours and discovered it perched on a dead tree about 20 yards from the nest. It was at eye level right before our eyes and we missed it for a couple of hours. That’s how well it blended in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGHBNUM7E4g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeUKMPecVzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl9PjjsxOx0

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Great Horned Owlet, Forest Hills Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

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Five year old avid birdwatcher Mari delights at such a close look at the newly-fledged owlet. Photo by John Harrison.

This owlet’s mother has only one eye but it didn’t seem to hamper her hunting abilities.

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Great Horned Owl mother at Forest Hills Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

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Great Horned Owl mother in flight, Forest Hills Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Once the Great Horned Owl experience was over, we were at the beginning of spring migration. It was my best migration season at Mount Auburn Cemetery since I began photographing there in 2000.

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Wilson’s Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

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Cape May Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

It was also a great migration season at Plum Island and our own Mystic Lakes.

Not long after spring migration, we followed up on a report from videographer Ernie Sarro about an Osprey nest on the Saugus River in Lynn. We spent many exciting days watching the Osprey parents and their three chicks.

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Adult Osprey landing at nest in Lynn with a fish. Photo by John Harrison.

We happened to be there the morning that two of the Osprey chicks fledged. Serendipity. https://youtu.be/6aFU7uoYyI0 (Osprey video by Ernie Sarro).

After the Ospreys I checked on a report from Arlington Birds about an American Kestrel family at Tufts Park in Medford, We had some great moments for about three weeks watching the parents and two chicks as they landed on the light poles surrounding the park. It was an extraordinary opportunity to watch and photograph this private species.

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American Kestrels, Tufts Park, Medford. Photos by John Harrison.

Their numbers are decreasing so opportunities to see them are less and less. That they chose Tufts Park in Medford to raise their two chicks was a bonus for us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35XaBl4Vt3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EwD0e7sicI

August found us going to Ipswich River Audubon in Topsfield regularly to watching the beaver family (that we of course named Ward, June and ‘The Beav’) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uBxRVYovvE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVBQ2x9Dxqc otters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdxb9E9y4aQ and minks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwHYBtMb278 August was also the month of the release of Kim Nagy and my book about Mount Auburn Cemetery, Dead In Good Company.

The book kept us busy right through the end of the year but we also found time to enjoy fall migration and then the return in December of our favorite Snowy Owl, Rocky, at Rye Beach, NH. The year ended and began with Rocky. For us, a Snowy Owl is the perfect way to begin and end a year.

Snowy Owl Rocky, Rye Beach, NH. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

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Snowy Owl Rocky, Rye Beach, NH. Photo by John Harrison.

We thought we would be enjoying Rocky for a couple of months at least but December 20th was the last time he was seen. There was a rumor that Rocky was removed from Rye Beach by Fisheries and Wildlife because of complaints from residents abutting the beach that this owl’s rock star status was bringing too many birders to the beach that would walk onto their properties to watch and photograph Rocky. We hope this isn’t so but even if it is, Rocky would have been relocated and is enjoying a beach somewhere else in the area. He’s a resourceful guy! We’ll never forget you, Rocky……

The new year began with a couple of rare visitors. At Danehy Park in Cambridge an Ash-throated Flycatcher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKpNpsMAMNU and an Orange-crowned Warbler hung around for weeks and in Lexington a Common Ground-Dove, a southern bird about the size of a sparrow, was seen for a while..

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Ash-throated Flycatcher, Danehy Park, Cambridge. Photo by John Harrison.

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Orange-crowned Warbler, Danehy Park, Cambridge. Photo by John Harrison.

Common Ground-Dove, Lexington. Photo by Jim Renault.

The flycatcher packed its bags and headed south around the middle of January but as of Tuesday, January 26th, I saw the Orange-crowned Warbler in the same place in the park where we had been seeing it all month. These three birds are way out of range here and we wonder what’s keeping the warbler from flying south. We love seeing it, but we hope that one day soon it doesn’t appear because it’s on its way to warmer climes. While we were waiting for the flycatcher and warbler, an immature Red-tailed Hawk entertained us. Mari, at five years old already an avid birdwatcher, named this hawk Hamilton. Danehy Park seemed to be Hamilton’s territory since we saw it there on those occasions when we were searching for the flycatcher and warbler.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk, Hamilton, Danehy Park. Photos by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Alexander The Great (Horned Owl) and his mate (his 3rd!) seem to be in a nesting mode. For a while now we have been seeing both of them in the Dell, often a foot or two away from each other.

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Alexander the Great Horned Owl and his mate, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

Alexander The Great Horned Owl, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by Mimi Bix-Hylan.

In 2011 when the cemetery celebrated its first successful Great Horned Owl nest, we were seeing the pair often, as we are this year, until, at the end of January, we were only seeing Alexander. We hoped that meant that his mate, Roxane, was sitting on eggs. This turned out to be the case and on April 15th we had our first glimpse of the two owlets that we would get to enjoy for the next six months. So…..If one day soon we stop seeing Alexander’s new mate, that will hopefully mean another nest is on the way. That would make 2016 an Owlapalooza year! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljEzSDDJcQU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kc7XbNLv0w

Medford, Alaska. There are days at the Mystic Lakes in Medford that I feel like I’m in Alaska. So far this year there are (at least) three adult Bald Eagles and two immatures entertaining us on the lakes. ‘Their tree,’ in front of the Medford Boat Club, is where we still often find them.

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Bald Eagle pair on ‘their tree’ in front of the Medford Boat Club. Photo by John Harrison.

Year after year they claim this tree as their own. Is it an accident? We feel that some of the same eagles come back year after year to this lake that they have come to know.

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Bald Eagle in flight, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison.

There is always some open water on the lakes, no matter how cold it gets, and this open water is where they are able to take ducks. The eagles seem to thrive here every year and we’re hoping that even more of them show up before the winter ends. Photographer Jim Renault caught one of the eagles as it swooped down from ‘their tree’ to take a Ruddy Duck. It was a striking sequence of raw nature.

from JIM RENAULT Bald Eagle approaching Duck fx

from JIM RENAULT Bald Eagle Capturing Ruddy Duck fx

Sequence of a Bald Eagle taking a Ruddy Duck at the Mystic Lakes. Photos by Jim Renault.

These are the moments that wildlife photographers pray for! Great catch, Jim!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u09vfnfzH6w

We ended January on a fantastic note. We watched and photographed a Merlin on the weeping beech above the R. H. White Mausoleum at Mount Auburn Cemetery. The Merlin had taken a bird, a Robin, it looked like, and spent more than an hour on top of the beech eating the bird and resting.

Merlin with prey, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Merlin with prey, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Merlin takes off after eating prey. Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

For the eight or ten of us watching, it was a rare opportunity to watch this species for such a long time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9L7Kk_NnO4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9uV0oMdKxY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja-8uVqTD3k

The new year has begun in grand style. We’re only one month down and we have spring migration and whatever other surprises nature has in store for us to look forward to. We await Mother Nature’s decisions………

Adventure in Trinidad

If you don’t know the name of a bird you’re looking at, and don’t care, but just write “bird” in your notebook, you’re not birding. On the other hand, if you see only a Yellow-rumped Warbler, say, or a Goldfinch, without seeing something far more general and mysterious binding you to the bird and all birds to each other, you’re also not birding. Jonathan Rosen

The Life of the Skies

Rocky, the magnificent Rye Beach, NH Snowy Owl, has returned to the beach. This is the third year in a row. And there’s little doubt it’s the same owl. Its behavior is the same as it has been for the past two years. It spends a lot of time on the beach on the rocks as the waves splash behind it.

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Snowy Owl Rocky, Rye Beach, NH. Photos by John Harrison

When the water gets too close, it flies either to the piece of driftwood on the other side of the beach or onto the shack roof or a lightpole or onto the roof of a nearby house. The same exact MO it has displayed each year. How magical that this owl is able to find its way from Canada or the Arctic to this little beach in Rye, NH year after year. We don’t understand that mystery and, as author Gary Goshgarian recently quoted to me from Mark Twain when I expressed this thought to him, “When scientists explained the rainbow, we lost more than we gained.” Perhaps there are things we are better off never knowing. We’ll have more to say about this amazing owl during the next couple of months. But for now we’re going to go someplace warm with regular contributor and co-editor of the new book Dead in Good Company, Kim Nagy. She recently spent a week in Trinidad photographing birds. That small island is a bird paradise and Kim is going to tell us about that trip and show us some of the exotic birds and mammals she encountered. If we can’t go to an island right now, at least we can visit vicariously through Kim. All of the photographs below were taken by Kim Nagy in Trinidad.

ADVENTURE IN TRINIDAD

Trinidad is a small country located seven miles off the coast of Venezuela, with approximately 435 different species of birds. It is a beautiful country to visit, especially this time of year.

The premier attraction is the Asa Wright Nature Center, located in the lush Arima Valley rainforest, 1200 feet above sea level. The Lodge is a hundred-year-old former plantation home, and over 170 of Trinidad’s bird population can be found on the property, which encompasses 200 acres of conservation land.

Some travel memories cling to the edges of thoughts long after trips end, whereas other impressions and recollections can be recalled in an instant, prompted by a whiff of scent that still clings to your belongings, however faint.

I don’t need to smell my backpack with its still-slightly musty odor to recall that first day at Asa Wright. All I have to do is close my eyes and return to that morning in the sunroom in the still-dark. That was before I discovered we shared our room with geckos.

I sat quietly while primal jungle rainforest sounds filled the room, like Boston’s old Morning Pro Musica classical station, but without the music. This avian orchestra consisted of loud Crested Ororpendolas as the dominant section, layered with the voices of many others; a chorus of Kiskadees, Bananaquits, Yellow Orioles and Tropical Mockingbirds joined in as the birds started their day.

Feeding began at six o`clock, and by the time I arrived at the veranda about twenty minutes later, it was wild. Several species of Hummingbirds with their wings beating 60 times a second, along with Purple Honeycreepers, Flycatchers and more zoomed by, racing to get the best position for their sugar water breakfast.

The veranda was set up for long term occupation, with several comfortable chairs, couches, and stools positioned just a couple of feet from the many feeders. Books were spread on the table, and the human conversation was lively and nearly all about the birds. Maybe the birds’ conversation was all about us, who knows?

Asa Wright Hummingbird.

Honeycreeper.

Golden Olive Woodpecker.

Green Honeycreeper eating banana.

White-bearded Manakin.

An orientation walk around the property took us on a path down to the forest, where we learned about the different birds and the environments they preferred. We also learned of the several species of deadly poisonous snakes, and this piece of information was the deciding factor to never go exploring on my own, as I did comfortably when I traveled alone to Panama’s Canopy Tower last year.

The next day, we took the Oilbird tour to Dunston Cave. This cave is one of the most accessible sites in the world to see an active Oilbird colony, but it was treacherous to reach. The monsoon-like rain soaked the already wet ground, and the handrails on part of the trail were unstable at best, and non-existent in other critical sections. When we reached the swollen stream at the bottom, we saw the entrance to the cave. Finally.

Flash was not allowed to photograph the birds, but our guide briefly shone a light on them for illumination, which did not disturb them; they were calm and didn’t move. There were several Oilbirds visible, once you knew what to look for; some singles and several pairs. Asa Wright only allows two tours a week, so as not to stress them. There is a healthy colony of about 130 birds.

Oilbirds are the only nocturnal fruit-eating bird in the world. They are a protected species found in northern South America. Years ago the local Chaime Indians and Capuchin Monks used to cut off the heads of the Oilbird chicks and they used their fat bodies to light torches for up to five hours. They were hunted to near-extinction.

Because Oilbirds live on low-nutrient fruit, pericarp, it takes up to 120 days for the chicks to fledge; they grow fat, and are up to 50% heavier than their parents, but they lose weight as their feathers develop.

Oilbird pair.

Oilbird.

The Scarlet Ibis is the national bird of Trinidad. Sunset at Caroni Swamp where hundreds of Ibis, Egrets and Herons roost for the evening is the number one tourist attraction in Trinidad, and for good reason. Asa Wright took us to the swamp the next day.

Caroni swamp.

Caiman.

Four-eyed fish.

You pile into a large wooden boat, and motor slowly on the water, nearly silent, like the creatures that inhabit the swamp. The guide points out boa constrictors coiled tightly in the mangrove branches; you never would have noticed them without his announcement. You wouldn’t live long as a bird if you were as oblivious, either! A young Caiman quietly left the water as we approached. Little Blue Herons foraged along the banks, and strange four-eyed fish followed the boat for a short time; then propelled themselves out of the water, skimming the surface like an odd aquatic projectile.

The big attraction, of course, were the birds coming home to roost before sunset. The operator tied the boat a good distance from the birds so as not to threaten them, and we settled down to watch flocks ranging from a pair to 50 and more fly in from all directions. The sun was behind us, and the red landing birds on the lush green trees lent a festive Christmas feel to the experience, despite the heat and humidity.

Ibis and Egrets in trees.

Ibis in flight.

There are some moments, even entire days, that stand out in sharp relief and striking clarity in your mind, accompanied by a steady pulse of happiness with recollection. Most people have several of these experiences locked in their memory bank. The day at Yerette in the lush Maracas Valley was one of them. We traveled with Trinidad’s premier nature photographer, Roger Neckles, to visit the gardens of Dr. Theo Ferguson and his lovely wife Gloria, who were kind enough to allow us to photograph the Hummingbirds. We saw four rainbows before we even got there.

With over 50 feeders and innumerable flower bushes, hundreds of these magical creatures propelled themselves around the property, so generously opened to the public by the Fergusons. That day we saw the Copper-rumped, Long billed Starthroat, White-chested Emerald, Blue-chinned Sapphire, Black Mango, White-necked Jakobin, Tufted Coquette, Rufous-breasted Hermit, and the Little Hermit.

It’s hard to describe the moment when your top-goal bird actually appears. Mine was the Tufted Coquette Hummingbird. Words often don’t describe emotions adequately; it is even harder to describe the feeling when conditions conspire to give you a perfect shot. You might have flown thousands of miles, knowing that it was unwise to set up unrealistic expectations – anything could happen – but you did it nevertheless. And when the bird really does finally appear and you are thrilled with both the encounter and the photo, it’s hard not to collapse in gratitude, both to the bird and whoever made that bejeweled creature. Spending half a day in their world left us weak, humbled, and over-stimulated from all the beauty. We were in awe of their aerial mastery.

Tufted Coquette.

Tufted Coquette.

Long-billed Starthroat.

Copper-rumped Hummingbird.

We moved on to the Hilton in Port of Spain, where we stayed for several nights. There were great birds even there! Orange-winged parrots roosted in the trees nearby; I once counted a flock of 42 birds, chattering away as they flew to their favorite tree. There were Copper-rumped hummingbirds, Spectacled Thrush, Yellow Orioles, Yellow Warblers, Streaked Flycatchers, Tropical Kingbirds, Tropical Mockingbirds, Kiskadees and Bananaquits, just around the pool! On some local tours we saw Southern Lapwings, Whimbrels, Dunlins, Yellowlegs and many other shorebirds.

Oriole.

Hummingbird.

Spectacled Thrush.

Streaked Flycatcher.

Southern Lapwings.

Tropical Kingbirds.

Back in Boston at night in dreams, birds and words formed strange combinations as images of rainbow spectrums and ribbons of light in the prism of the Hummingbirds’ tails swirled in my mind, and I looked forward to another adventure in a new jungle, experiencing the smorgasbord of birds as art in yet another South American country. KIM NAGY

HAPPY NEW YEAR…….

Mr. MacGillivray

Birding for me is a kind of intermediate term, a place where poets and naturalists, scientific seekers and religious seekers, converge. Jonathan Rosen, The Life of the Skies

After a few weeks, when it looked like it was going to be a slow year for fall migrants, they started filtering in. We always jump the gun and look for migrants earlier than we should. Then I look back at my folders from previous years and see that they always begin coming in later than we hope. This year, once again, they were right on time. The Blackpoll Warblers were here in the greatest numbers, especially at the Mystic Lakes at the small pond next to Shannon Beach, which was really active again this season.

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Blackpoll Warbler, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison

I remember that last year there were tons of Blackpolls and tons of Yellow-rumpeds. Though there were plenty of Yellow-rumpeds this year, there weren’t nearly as many as last year.

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Yellow-rumped Warbler, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison

But every year is different in numbers, so that’s not cause for concern. The big Yellow-rumped numbers were most likely scattered about in other places. In addition to the Blackpolls and Yellow-rumpeds, we had quite a few Kinglets – both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned.

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Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison

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Golden-crowned Kinglet, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison

We also had some great moments with a juvenile Common Yellowthroat and a Northern Parula

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Northern Parula, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison

and a few Black-throated Greens

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Black-throated Green Warbler, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison

and a few Black-throated Blues were seen at the lakes, too. And there were a couple of fleeting looks at the Nashville Warbler. We also have had several visits by a pair of Rusty Blackbirds. This species is seen along the banks of the small pond every once in a while but one Sunday morning there were a pair of them slowly making their way around the pond and they gave birder/photographer Chris Ciccone and me the best opportunities we have yet had with this species.

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Rusty Blackbird, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison

So it has turned out to be a pretty good fall migration after all, especially at the Mystic Lakes. There have been some migrants at Mount Auburn Cemetery, including the guaranteed vireos, both Red-eyed and Warbling, at the sweet bay magnolia trees at Auburn Lake and Willow Pond, but all in all it’s been a slow migration season there. Every migration season has its own personality. Blackpoll Warbler video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2bGUuqTs04

Medford’s Bald Eagles have been very active lately. It looks like a pair of adults and an immature are making their home in this area. Medford’s ‘Raptor Guy,’ Paul Roberts, keeps close tabs on these eagles and posts their activities and sightings regularly. There have been looks at these eagles throughout the summer and this past month they have made many appearances, often being found on ‘their tree’ in front of the Medford Boat Club. Several times we have spotted one of the adult eagles from Shannon Beach on a tall pine not far from the beach. Photographer Jim Renault caught the adult pair on ‘their tree’ at the boathouse recently and snapped a couple of great moments.

from JIM RENAULT Oct27 First Adult take off from tree (1 of 1)

from JIM RENAULT Oct27 First Adult take off from tree showing 2nd adult (1 of 1)

Bald Eagles of the Mystic Lakes on ‘their tree.’ Photos by Jim Renault

The past few years we have always had several bald eagles come down to the lakes from their

habitats in the north. The cold weather usually drives them south and since the Mystic Lakes always has some open water, even during the coldest winters, it’s a good place for the eagles to hang around and find food – especially the ducks on the lakes. We’re all waiting for them to make their winter debut.

On Sunday, November 1st, noted Coyote expert Jonathan Way, author of SUBURBAN HOWLS and MY YELLOWSTONE EXPERIENCE, came to Bemis Hall in Lincoln to tell us about coywolves. He informed us that the Eastern Coyote, a larger version of the Western Coyote, has wolf DNA, thus they are in reality coywolves. Jon’s presentations are always interesting and informative and it was great having him back in the area for an evening. If you are ever able to attend one of his presentations, don’t miss it. He makes this fantastic species much less mysterious. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPOk-vjQJ-E Jon Way at Bemis Hall).

Jonathan Way at Bemis Hall. Medford’s Paul Roberts speaks with Jon. Photos by John Harrison

A couple of rare visitors have shown up recently, a Lark Sparrow in the Shannon Beach area of the Mystic Lakes and a MacGillivray’s Warbler at the Arlington Reservoir. Both of these species are common in the mid west to the west coast. There was a very cooperative Lark Sparrow at Plum Island in late September at Hellcat ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAD4tUkvI1c )

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Lark Sparrow, Hellcat Trail, Plum Island. Photo by John Harrison

and a MacGillivray’s Warbler spent a week or so at the victory garden at the Fenway six years ago in November of 2009. The MacGillivray’s is particularly striking and it’s been a sensation at the Arlington Reservoir. It has been there for more than a week, in the Busa Farm part of the reservoir. Day after day it has been seen in the brush, close to the ground, quickly making its way along the path. Those with patience have been able to capture some great images.

from JIM RENAULT MacGillvray WarblerJohn#3 (1 of 1)

MacGillivray’s Warbler, Arlington Reservoir, Busa Farm. Photo by Jim Renault

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MacGillivray’s Warbler, Victory Garden at the Fenway, November, 2009. Photo by John Harrison

As with all warblers, they are like the energizer bunny and flit around endlessly, seldom popping out in the open. But every now and then, it will pop out onto an open branch or onto the grass in front of the brush and give you a second or two to – maybe – manage a photograph. This striking bird is worth the effort, though. Since I had to wait from November of 2009 to this November to see it again, I might not see this species for another six years, so getting to the Arlington Reservoir to catch this rarity was a must. One recent morning a couple of birders showed up for the warbler and had driven two and a half hours from Maine. As we left Busa Farm on Friday, November 13th, a car parked behind us and the two birders in the car told us they had driven up from Rhode Island for this bird. It seems that the MacGillivrays has a rock star following!

Winter Pond in Winchester and Horn Pond in Woburn have both been interesting lately. There have been as many as twenty or more Hooded Mergansers at Winter Pond and the usual Great Blue Heron.

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Hooded Merganser, Horn Pond. Photo by John Harrison

There have been Bald Eagle sightings at the pond and on one recent morning a pair of Killdeer put on a show for me at the water’s edge ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl15bO0Y7Yo ).

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Killdeer, Winter Pond, Winchester. Photo by John Harrison

Only a short drive from Winter pond is the always-exciting Horn Pond. It’s a fantastic habitat for many species. Lately there have been many Hooded Mergansers ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G4YHmNo0Bw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsCsOqeCQ-g ) at the reserve as well as a pair of Green-winged Teals.

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Green-winged Teal, Horn Pond, Woburn. Photo by John Harrison

A Great Egret has also been seen quite a few times lately, a couple of times quite near the red bridge, fishing alongside a Great Blue Heron,( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBe5FZ1YFJY )

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Great Egret, Horn Pond, Woburn. Photo by John Harrison

and on one morning I witnessed a very busy Cormorant catch big fish a couple of times within five minutes.

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Cormorant with fish, Horn Pond. Photo by John Harrison

On another morning a Cooper’s Hawk flew by me on the path like a gunshot. It looked like it was going to land not far from me, but I couldn’t find it. It was only a couple of years ago that we followed the Cooper’s hawk nest at this reserve and we have hoped every year since that they would nest there again, but we haven’t found a nest since. Maybe in 2016…..

Photographer – and co-editor of the book Dead In Good Company – Kim Nagy is going to be in Indiana for a few days, beginning November 17th, and hopes to photograph the thousands of Sandhill Cranes that gather there every year. We will have images from her adventure next time. Here is a recent sunrise that Kim photographed at Cathedral Ledge in Echo Lake Park in Conway, New Hampshire.

from KIM complete sunrise CATHEDRAL LEDGE

Sunrise at Cathedral Ledge, NH. Photo by Kim Nagy

As the days get colder, there is one big question that all birders around here have….Will there be Snowy Owls this winter?

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Snowy Owl ‘Rocky,’ Rye Beach, NH, January 5, 2015. Photo by John Harrison

There has been one sighted already at Hampton Beach and Salisbury Beach (the same one?). There is information from Wisconsin that right now there are more Snowy Owls there than in the historical irruption of 2014. It’s conjectured that the food supply (lemmings) in the Arctic isn’t enough this year for the Snowy Owl population so maybe we will have another glorious winter of Snowies. As we learned in 2014, there is absolutely nothing more exciting than that! More on this next time…..

Turkey and Coyote, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

HAPPY THANKSGIVING……

The Grand Ole Osprey

Birds are like those castles in the air that Thoreau said we must now put foundations under. This is how birdwatching, which grows out of books but can never be satisfied with books, creates environmentalists. If we don’t shore up the earth, the sky will be empty. Jonathan Rosen, The Life of the Skies

The summer has passed quickly. Every summer has its own flavor and its own surprises. Without a doubt a highlight of this summer has been an Osprey nest in Lynn. Videographer Ernie Sarro informed me of the nest and in early July I followed Ernie there and we sat and watched the Ospreys for hours. I can’t imagine better access to this species than this nest. It’s in a field and the Saugus River winds around the nest close by giving the Ospreys an ample fishing area.

Osprey Nest, Lynn, MA. Photo by John Harrison.

We quickly discovered that there were three chicks in the nest and we would sit and watch as the mother would tend to the chicks and feed them when the father flew in with fish. Often the pair would fly around the nest in circles allowing us sensational opportunities to photograph them as they flew right over our heads, looking down at us as they soared. At times the male Osprey would fly in with a fish and land immediately. Other times it would fly toward the nest with a fish and then fly around with the fish in its talons for a while and then land at the nest. These were all sublime photo ops for us. Every time we visited the nest, which was a couple of times a week, the Ospreys put on shows like that for us. And as we visited, the chicks got bigger and bigger until we knew that they were ready to fledge.

Osprey in flight with fish, Lynn nest. Photo by John Harrison.

Osprey in flight, Lynn nest. Photo by John Harrison.

On Wednesday, July 29, I got to the nest early in the morning and after watching for a while could only see two of the chicks. Suddenly an Osprey was flying toward the nest. Its landing was somewhat ungainly and I soon realized that it was one of the chicks. It had fledged since my last visit. Very exciting. The remaining two chicks were bouncing around the nest and ‘helicoptering’ (flapping their wings and hovering over the nest). These two were obviously close to fledging, too. The two adults were keeping close watch on the remaining chicks in the nest and now had to contend with one of their ‘kids’ flying around and exploring its new world. But I have learned through the years that raptors are good parents and they did everything they had to do to protect their chicks and guide them through the process. And for us watching it was a joyous learning experience. Here are two videos of the Osprey nest from videographer Ernie Sarro: https://youtu.be/6aFU7uoYyI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaq5OwNLaUs

Realizing that the remaining two chicks were close to fledging, I returned to the nest a few days later on August 1st. I watched the chicks do more helicoptering and look longingly as their sibling would land in the nest and take off. This was motivation for them to find the courage for their first flight. Further motivation was that the father Osprey would land in the nest with a fish and then take off with the fish in its talons a minute later, It would do this two or three times, probably trying to motivate the remaining two chicks to fly. I have watched this activity from Red-tailed Hawk parents. too. As I watched the nest intently, suddenly one of the remaining two chicks took off. I witnessed its first flight. It flew around in circles, never far from the nest, and made a couple of passes at the nest wanting to land, but it would hover over the nest and was obviously not sure of itself so it would continue flying around. It took three attempts before the fledgling felt secure enough to land back in the nest. Once it was safely there, it rested for a few minutes and then took off on its second flight. The remaining chick, jealous of its two flying siblings, finally mustered the courage and took off. I had witnessed two fledge flights within a half hour. For those of us that do what we do, witnessing the fledge flight of two Osprey chicks within a half hour of each other was a privilege. And to capture their first flights in photographs was a bonanza.

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Osprey chick, first flight. Lynn nest. Photo by John Harrison.

Sometimes while at the Osprey nest we would walk a little on the path along the Saugus River near the nest. It was a great area to see shore birds. At low tide there were always lots of Sanderlings at the bank of the river and I also saw a Greater Yellow Legs and a Semipalmated Plover.

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From top, Greater Yellowlegs, Sanderlings and, last, Semipalmated Plover. Photos by John Harrison.

Photographer Boz Cogan took a walk while I was watching the Osprey nest and he came back a half hour later to tell me he had seen a Bobcat on the other side of the river and a coyote as well. The Bobcat didn’t give him time for a photograph, but he managed a ‘proof of life’ shot of the coyote.

As we head toward September, we start looking for fall migrants. In late August and throughout September and even into October migrants heading to their winter grounds pass through Mount Auburn. They feed and rest and get stronger and then continue on their journey south. Fall migration is never as spectacular as spring migration, and the fall birds aren’t as striking, but still they are interesting and beautiful in their own way. On Saturday, August 15th, Je Anne Strott-Branca of the Red Rock Audubon Society in Las Vegas, Nevada was visiting. While walking along the path around Willow Pond with Je Anne and Cheryl Amato, we had a nice look at a mink and then we saw

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Mink, Willow Pond, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison.

a small bird flitting on the sweet bay magnolia tree. We finally got a good look at it and it

was a female fall Black & White Warbler. A couple of minutes another small bird was in the shrubbery. When it finally came out for us, it was a fall female American Redstart. Our first fall migrants. I have seen Warbling Vireos at the Mystic Lakes and at Mount Auburn Cemetery for the past few days.

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Warbling Vireo, Mystic Lakes. Photo by John Harrison.

When I witness the vireos enjoying the fruit of the sweet bay magnolias, fall migration has officially begun for me. From now on, every time we are at Mount Auburn – or the Mystic Lakes, Ipswich River Audubon, Dunback Meadows, Horn Pond, Arlington Reservoir, Plum Island – and the other venues on our checklist, we will be looking for fall migrants. This year’s spring migration was spectacular. Though fall migration is never as busy as spring, it still holds promise. We’ll know soon enough……

After a hiatus of about six weeks, we are seeing the beavers again at Ipswich River Audubon in Topsfield. They were off the radar as they prepared their baby beavers’ debut. On September 1st I caught one of the beavers gliding along the water near the bridge. It looked small to me and might have been one of the new young ones. Here is a short video of that (baby?) beaver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzRlWN2nehI

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Beaver, Ipswich River Audubon, September 1st.

On Wednesday, September 2nd, photographer Kim Nagy had a bonanzapalooza of a day at Ipswich River Audubon, photographing a mother and young beaver, a mink, three otters and a Kingfisher. Days don’t get better than that in our world.

Mother and baby beaver, Ipswich River Audubon. September 2nd. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Mink, Ipswich River Audubon. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Otter, Ipswich River Audubon. September 2nd. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Three otters. Ipswich River Audubon. September 2nd. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Kingfisher. Ipswich River Audubon. September 2nd. Photo by Kim Nagy.

In the last Wildlife Watch post I mentioned that the book on Mount Auburn Cemetery, Dead In Good Company, edited by Kim Nagy and myself, was about to be released. The official release date was Monday, August 3rd. On the following Sunday, August 9th, we had our book launch at Bigelow Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Even the weather cooperated on that day. It was a sunny, late September-like day and just perfect for the event. There were more than 125 people present for the celebration. President and CEO of Mount Auburn Cemetery, David Barnett, began the program and then I spoke after him and Kim Nagy followed me. Then Arlington author and professor of writing at Northeastern University, Gary Goshgarian, spoke, followed by well known broadcaster and once youngest General Manager of the Boston Patriots, Upton Bell. Historical novelist William Martin spoke after Upton Bell and the program ended with Wayne Petersen of Mass Audubon. It was a memorable afternoon. It was catered by South Medford’s famous Italian Deli, Bob’s Food. My first job, at 14 years of age, was at Bob’s Food. Owner of the store, Bob Di Giorgio, has been a good friend for lo the past 55 years. Kim and I thank Bob for the sumptuous feast he and his staff provided!!! Kim and I also want to thank videographer Ernie Sarro for being at the event and taping the launch from beginning to end. We will now always have a vivid record of the event thanks to Ernie. Here is Ernie’s video of the celebration at Bigelow Chapel, Mount Auburn Cemetery, on Sunday, August 9th, 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N

Videographer Ernie Sarro, Bigelow Chapel. Sunday, August 9th, 2015.

Bigelow Chapel. Launch of Dead In Good Company. Sunday, August 9th, 2015. Foreground, (center), President and CEO of Mount Auburn Cemetery, David Barnett. Photo by John Harrison

Bigelow Chapel, Sunday, August 9th, 2015. (L to R) Gary Goshgarian, Kim Nagy, William Martin. Photo by John Harrison

Signing books, Bigelow Chapel, Sunday, August 9th, 2015. Front (L to R) Anneliese Merrigan and Elsa Lichman. Rear, John Harrison. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Contributors to Dead In Good Company at Stellina Restaurant in Watertown, MA. Front (L to R) Hank Phillippi Ryan, Elsa Lichman, Susan Moses, Wendy Drexler, Edith Maxwell, Gary Goshgarian. Rear (L to R) Sandy Selesky, Upton Bell, Eric Smith, Kim Nagy, Ray Daniel, William Martin. Photo by John Harrison.

Enjoy fall migration. We have maybe 6 weeks of it to look forward to. It’s an exciting time of the birding year……….

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum-Summertime

Birds are the life of the skies, and when they fly, they reveal the thoughts of the skies.

Birds, Beasts and Flowers, D. H. Lawrence

At the end of the last entry, we were awaiting the results of several nests in the area. Spring migration was past and the arrival of the young birds in these nests was the next phase of the summer. We were watching a Baltimore Oriole nest at the Mystic Lakes and a Warbling Vireo,

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Warbling Vireo nest, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Red-bellied Woodpecker,

Red-bellied Woodpecker nest, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photo by John Harrison

Northern Flicker, Baltimore Oriole, Robins, and Red-tailed Hawk nest at Mount Auburn Cemetery (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjOSayHM5ew Baltimore Oriole nest), (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvrwLygtlh4 Warbling Vireo nest ), (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvMjMnKcESE Red-bellied Woodpecker nest) All of these nests were successful and we were able to watch the parents coming in on a regular basis to feed the young. This was especially exciting for the Warbling Vireo and Red-bellied Woodpecker nest at Mount Auburn. We would watch for an hour at a time and catch repeated trips in by the adults to feed the young. Every year at Mount Auburn we are fortunate to have a nesting Red-tailed Hawk pair and this year’s nest has progressed nicely. We did lose one of the three Red-tail chicks, however, which was sad. It was found below the nest. We don’t know if it fell out of the nest or if there was another issue, but the remaining two chicks are in good shape and have only just fledged. There have been quite a few wild turkeys and a little army of poults. I counted about fifteen of these little turkey chicks recently as the mother turkey led them through tall grass.

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Turkey Poults, Mount Auburn Cemetery. Photos by John Harrison

These poults are almost defenseless from predators. They are easy prey for Red-tailed Hawks that swoop down and grab them. A woman walking at Willow Pond reported watching a mink come from the pond and take one of the poults and run back to the pond. The adult turkeys are hard pressed to protect their charges from such ambushes, which is why they spend lots of time walking in the tall grass which hides the poults to some extent. (https://www.youtube.com/watch? H21pdrpXJbs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo630AGyelg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsGot7Furwo Wild Turkeys)

Ipswich River Audubon has been exciting, as it always is. We had good luck watching the beavers until a few weeks ago. Suddenly we stopped seeing them. One of the staff explained to us that the beavers were taking care of their new born and would be out on the pond with the young ones as soon as they were ready. We are looking forward to that. But Ipswich River being such a great habitat, there is always much to see. At the boardwalk bridge near the beaver lodge we have had several quick visits by a mink. On three occasions the mink walked right by us with a big fish in its mouth.

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Minks, Ipswich River Audubon, Topsfield, MA. Photos by John Harrison

Two of the three fish were catfish. The mink wasn’t particularly afraid of us and it walked by us on the boardwalk getting within a couple of feet of us. We expect that the mink was bringing the fish to feed young. We are of course hoping that early some morning that mink will march some little minks along the boardwalk for us to see. We’re not counting on this but at Ipswich River Audubon this is certainly possible. On one morning we watched a big old snapping turtle climb from the top of the beaver lodge down to the bridge and then plop into the pond (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAeta_5lU-A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n0AcWdJEzs Snapping Turtle)

On one Saturday morning as we were exploring at the pond, a couple of Common Yellowthroat Warbler adults and juveniles were flitting around the trees and shrubbery giving us great opportunities to photograph them on open branches, sometimes with dragonflies in their beaks.

from KIM juvenile yellowthroat with dragonflies facing left

Common Yellowthroat Juvenile, Ipswich River Audubon, Topsfield, MA. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Common Yellowthroat Adult, Ipswich River Audubon, Topsfield, MA. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Obviously the yellowthroats nest at Ipswich River. We see Yellow Warblers in that area, too, so this

species is probably nesting there, too.

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Yellow Warbler, Ipswich River Audubon, Topsfield, MA. Photo by John Harrison.

In addition to this, the mulberry tree in the reserve parking lot has ripe fruit so the tree is alive with Cedar waxwings (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53DLF5WDQBM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3Q2ABbxuQ Cedar Waxwings )

Red-bellied Woodpeckers,

Cedar Waxwing, Ipswich River Audubon, Topsfield, MA. Photo by Kim Nagy.

from KIM red bellied woodpecker with berry

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Ipswich River Audubon, Topsfield, MA. Photo by Kim Nagy.

Baltimore Orioles and even an occasional visit by a Scarlet Tanager. Last year we saw Scarlet Tanagers a couple of times on the mulberry tree toward the end of the summer. This indicates that this species, too, is nesting at the reserve.

The past few weeks many Black-crowned Night Herons are being seen. There have been many reports of them at the Mystic Lakes and they are also active at the Charles River waterfalls in Watertown. One can sit along the water near the waterfalls and watch the Black-crowned Night herons and Great Blue Herons fish. It is one of the best venues to view these species (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWrXv-JmYyc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7CfSxGUAFA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL8Ih7zyEqA Black-crowned Night Herons).

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Black-crowned Night Herons, Watertown. Photos by John Harrison

South Medford’s Tufts Park is playing host to a pair of American Kestrels and their two chicks.

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American Kestrel Adult, Tufts Park, South Medford, MA. Photo by John Harrison

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American Kestrel Chicks, Tufts Park, South Medford, MA. Photo by John Harrison

Kestrels, America’s smallest falcon, are a threatened species. Their numbers are decreasing. To have a nesting pair of them so visible right at Tufts Park is quite a coup for us.

American Kestrel In Flight, Tufts Park, South Medford, MA. Photo by Kim Nagy.

American Kestrel, Tufts Park, South Medford, MA. Photo by Kim Nagy.

I watched them day after day lately and was enthralled to have such access to this skittish species that usually isn’t so accommodating. Often the two chicks would sit side by side on one of the light posts near the baseball diamond (the one closest to Main St.) and pose for me. Fantastic. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ls-u68PC1g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQ733YckiU American Kestrels).

As I continue to learn all the time, if you are ‘out there’ often, surprising things happen with regularity. We’re only half way through the summer. I’m sure more surprises await us. Next time we’ll spend some time with our new Mount Auburn Cemetery Red-tailed Hawk fledglings and a delightful Osprey nest in Lynn.

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Osprey Father Landing With Fish, Lynn, MA. Photo by John Harrison.

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