If spring came but once a century instead of once a year, or burst forth with the sound of an earthquake and not in silence, what wonder and expectation there would be in all the hearts to behold the miraculous change.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Spring migration 2015 began in grand fashion. It was without doubt the best migration in my fifteen years of birding. On Wednesday, May 6th, following a great early morning encounter with a bunch of Warbling Vireos at the Mystic Lakes small pond,

Warbling Vireo, Mystic Lakes.  Photo by John Harrison.

when I arrived at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Al Parker, security guard and keen birder, informed me that the royalty of spring migration, the Cape May Warbler, was being seen in the area of Bigelow Chapel, on the tree next to the Colossal Sphinx. Also on the same tree and in that area an Indigo Bunting, another migration prize, was being seen. This was exciting news. In my years of birding, I had only seen the Cape May maybe three times, with a couple of so-so photographs. Same with the Indigo Bunting. You just didn’t see much of these two species. Hearing that both were on hand, I was galvanized. Here was my chance, maybe…..hopefully…..to finally get a good look and some good photographs of one or both species. I spent an hour at the tree next to the Colossal Sphinx and though I didn’t see either the Cape May or the Indigo Bunting, I did have some great moments with a Black & White and Northern Parula. While photographing these two species, Al Parker drove up and said the Cape May, in fact several of them, were now in trees on Cedar Ave, a short walk from Bigelow Chapel. I quickly made my way to the knot of people looking up into the trees and within thirty seconds had my closest look ever at His Majesty Cape May. In another part of the tree was a second Cape May. I watched and waited and soon one of them dropped down and was on a branch in the open. I was able to get maybe six photographs before it flew farther up in the tree.

Cape May Warblers, Mount Auburn Cemetery.  Photos by John Harrison.

I was thrilled. At last a good Cape May photo op. I stayed in this area of Cedar Ave. for about three hours. There were plenty of chances to photograph the several Cape Mays that were on that tree and a couple of others near it. In addition to the Cape Mays, there were the ever-present Yellow- rumpeds, Black & Whites, Northern Parulas,

Northern Parula.  Photo by John Harrison.

Bay-breasteds, Black-throated Greens and Blues, Common Yellowthroats,

Common Yellowthroat.  Photo by John Harrison.

American Redstarts,   Great Crested Flycatchers and a quick in-and-out by the Indigo Bunting.

Indigo Bunting.  Photo by John Harrison.

The Tennessee Warbler, another less-seen migrant, was visible often on a flowering tree on Central Ave. and the Nashville Warbler was also seen in the area. It was the most intense three hours of my birding life thus far. I left the cemetery at 4PM, thoroughly exhausted from this adventure. And looking forward to the next morning, hoping lightning would strike twice.

American Redstart.  Photo by Kim Nagy 

Black-throated Green Warbler.  Photo by Kim Nagy

Black-throated Blue Warbler.  Photo by Kim Nagy.

Great Crested Flycatcher at Washington Tower, Mount Auburn Cemetery.  Photo by Jim Renault.

Lightning did strike twice on Thursday morning. Again there was a surfeit of Cape May’s. And the same lineup as the day before. Also the Chestnut-sided and Magnolia Warbler joined the party and even a Blackburnian, Canada and Mourning Warbler were showing themselves. This was an extraordinary week.

Chestnut-sided Warbler,  Photo by John Harrison.

Magnolia Warbler.  Photo by Kim Nagy.

The next morning, Friday, all of the same birds were present, though in less numbers than the prior two days. As we watched, a flash of red flew by. A Scarlet Tanager.

Scarlet Tanager, male.  Photo by Jim Renault.

Scarlet Tanager, female. Photo by Jim Renault.  

We watched and snapped shutters as it flew from tree to tree, giving us great looks each timed it landed. This species is always prized and there were several of them in the cemetery each day along with a Summer Tanager that made an appearance. This intense parade of migrants continued into the next week. On Tuesday, May 12^th, below Washington Tower, A Wilson’s Warbler was foraging in the Forsythia bushes and popping out onto a tree above every ten minutes or so.

Wilson’s Warbler.  Photo by John Harrison.

A Magnolia Warbler was mirroring this activity. As this was occurring, above us in that tree many other migrants were flying from branch to branch – the Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumpeds, Yellows, Blackpolls and others. Migration 2015 continued to dazzle us. And if history is any judge, the middle of May was usually the peak time for migrants, so the best might be yet to come.

With migration in full swing, we still couldn’t resist our Saturday morning visits to Ipswich River Audubon in Topsfield. For the past month the Beavers of the reserve have been very active, if you get to the pond early. After a winter that kept them in their lodge, they were probably very happy to be out and swimming about. Kim Nagy and I arrived at the reserve by 7AM the past few Saturday’s. And we always have fun with the Beavers from that time to about 8:30AM. They glide around and eat and sometimes climb ashore for a while. We even had some great video opportunities with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnGcdm55beU BEAVER #133 04/19/15    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx-3Yl-FqrU BEAVER #134 04/19/15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsOAn706z8Y BEAVER #135 04/19/15   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fef6dJQt2qM BEAVER #136 04/19/15

Beaver eating.  Photo by Kim Nagy.

Beaver swimming.  Photo by Kim Nagy.

This past weekend I was happy to host Sandy Komito on a visit to Boston.  Sandy was the subject of both the book and film The Big Year.   Sandy won the Big Year title in 1998 with a grand total of 748 birds that he saw in North America.  He held that record until 2013 when Neil Hayward won the Big Year title with 749 birds.  Actually, Neil Hayward tied Sandy’s record of 748 birds but had one provisional bird to bring his total to 749, one more than Sandy Komito.  In the film version of the book, Owen Wilson played Sandy Komito.  Mount Auburn Cemetery is one of the few places in the world where Sandy hasn’t been birding.  And he wanted to go to Plum Island, too, since he had been there only in the winter.  Sandy,  being the birder he is,  chose the perfect May weekend to come to Boston from his home in Boynton Beach, FL.  As we had hoped, Sandy came to Boston on the peak migration weekend.  We explored Mount Auburn all day Saturday, May 16 and Plum Island all day Sunday, May 17.  Both venues were awash with spring migrants.  Many birders at both Mount Auburn and Plum Island had read the book and seen the film The Big Year and were delighted to meet Sandy.  He was happy to meet Wayne Petersen of Mass Audubon on Indian Ridge at Mount Auburn Saturday and Mark Wilson of Eyes On Owls Sunday at the ‘S’ curve at Plum Island. I was fortunate to hear many of Sandy’s wonderful birding stories from his 75 years in the pursuit.  Imagine…75 years birding.  I particularly enjoyed Sandy’s recollections of his eleven (I believe) visits to Attu Island, off of Alaska. Sandy has his own book of his 1998 Big Year adventure, entitled I Came, I saw, I counted.  I hope Sandy decides to visit Boston every year from now on in mid-May.

Sandy Komito and Kim Nagy at Plum Island.  Photo by John Harrison.

Sandy Komito and John Harrison, Mount Auburn Cemetery.  Photo by Al Parker.

(L to R) Jim Renault, Sandy Komito and Wayne Petersen.  Indian Ridge, Mount Auburn.  Photo by John Harrison.

I am happy to announce that in about a month a book that Kim Nagy and I have put together about Mount Auburn Cemetery will be released.  Its title is DEAD IN GOOD COMPANY  A CELEBRATION OF MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY.

Front and back cover of Dead In Good Company.

It’s a book of essays and poems of the cemetery through the eyes of well known authors along with photographs of the wildlife of the cemetery from a dozen nature photographers who regularly explore ‘Sweet Auburn,’ as the cemetery is affectionately known..  Some of the authors who have contributed to the book are Alan Dershowitz, William Martin, Ray Flynn, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Megan Marshall, Peter Alden, Dee Morris, Dan Shaughnessy, Gary Goshgarian, Katherine Hall Page, Kate Flora, and Upton Bell.  We expect to release the book in about a month.  I will keep you apprised as publication gets closer.

Our fabulous spring migrants are pretty much out of the area, on the journey to their northern summer habitats.  Now what?  Plenty!  Now that the migrants have gone we have the Mount Auburn Cemetery Red-tailed Hawk nest to look forward to.  And a Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker and Warbling Vireo nest, also at Mount Auburn.  At Ipswich River Audubon in Topsfield in a few weeks we might get a look at baby Beavers.  And at that time the mulberry tree at Ipswich River Audubon will have fruit and that tree will be alive with Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Cedar Waxwings, Bluebirds and maybe the occasional Scarlet Tanager.   There’s a great Baltimore Oriole nest at the small pond near Shannon Beach at the Mystic Lakes that will be fun to watch.

Baltimore Oriole, female.  Mystic Lakes.  Photo by John Harrison.

And always other surprises occur.  So the summer is shaping up.

Use those talents you have.  You will make it.  You will give joy to the world.  Take this tip from nature:  The woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except those who sang best.  Bernard Meltzer

Hello Medford wildlife and nature enthusiasts. It’s great to be back here in the midst of the most relentlessly snowy winter in our history – well, at least for February, at this point. It’s been almost a year since the last Medford Wildlife Watch posting. Thus it is with computer program updates.   2014 is history but what a sterling year it was. If Academy Awards were given to particular years, there’s no doubt that 2014 would have been a winner in the wildlife realm.   From the very first day of the year at Salisbury Beach watching and photographing the Snowy Owls to the very end of the year on December 27th watching the resident Snowy Owl ‘Rocky’ at Rye Beach, NH, it was a year of one sensation after another.  Of course the Snowy Owl irruption that brought hundreds of Snowy Owls to New England (and hundreds more to many other parts of the country) was the most amazing event of the year – in fact, of a lifetime for so many of us.

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

We would go to Salisbury and Plum Island a couple of times a week, at least, and we were absolutely guaranteed to see several Snowy Owls.

Snowy Owl takeoff, Plum Island.  Photo by Kim Nagy.

This was especially so at Salisbury. There were days we would see five or six of them and would be able to photograph them up close and personal. The snowies were the rock stars of the year. There were snowies at Hampton Beach, Rye Beach, Duxbury Beach, Plum Island and other places but they were so accessible at Salisbury Beach State Park that we never felt the need to explore the other venues, except for Plum island, where we would go to see the snowies and whatever else was going on. And we were even fortunate enough to be at Plum island on one of the days that Norm Smith of  Blue Hills Audubon released a Snowy Owl he had trapped at Logan Airport.

Norm Smith releases Snowy Owl, Plum Island.  Photo by John Harrison

The Snowy Owls wowed us right through April, pretty much. It was from the middle of April to the end of April that they packed their bags and began to head north to their home in the Arctic or upper Canada. As the temperature climbed, the snowies moved out. They’re cold weather owls. But we had some sightings even in May. The snowies were good to the last drop as (I believe) Eight O’Clock Coffee promises.

Snowy Owl with prey, Salisbury Beach State Park.  Photo by John Harrison

As the Snowy Owl lollapalooza was winding down the park had another surprise for us. The Red Fox family that we had watched in 2013 was back at the same den. The foxes moved around the park to a few different dens but settled in ultimately at the same den on the marsh along the causeway where we watched them the year before. My first photographs of the foxes was on April 9th. We would go back and forth on some days from the snowies to the foxes. It was an embarrassment of riches. If we were patient, the kits would often come to a meadow very close and play for us. We had many opportunities to watch and photograph them in that meadow. It was our own Red Fox photography studio. My last photograph of this fox family was on May 31. We didn’t see them after that. We look forward to the return of the foxes this spring.

Red Fox kits, Salisbury Beach State Park.  Photos by John Harrison

Of course, if it’s April, no matter what else is going on it’s time to think of Spring Migration. At the end of April we had spring migrants at all of the usual places; Plum Island, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Salisbury, the Mystic Lakes, Ipswich River Audubon, Horn Pond, the Arlington Reservoir and other venues. I photographed my first ever Prairie Warbler on May 3rd at Salisbury as we waited for the foxes to appear.

Prairie Warbler, Salisbury Beach State Park.  Photo by John Harrison

2014 was in fact a sensational Spring Migration year. Mount Auburn Cemetery was especially exciting. For me, Spring Migration at Mount Auburn Cemetery in 2014 was the best ever. On Mother’s Day alone at Mount Auburn we saw at least eight warbler species – including ‘THE CANADA’ (which was on one tree for about six hours) on the same tree. This day, too, was an embarrassment of riches.

Canada Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Mother’s Day.  Photo by Kim Nagy.

Canada Warbler, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Mother’s Day.   Photo by John Harrison

Mid-May is usually the peak of Spring Migration. As migration began slowing we had another surprise. We were informed of a very accessible Pileated Woodpecker nest at Ipswich River Audubon in Topsfield. This Mass Audubon reserve is one of our favorite places. We spend time every spring and summer there for the Bluebirds and the species that hang out on the mulberry tree. It’s a great opportunity to watch and photograph Red-bellied Woodpeckers and, if you’re lucky, a Scarlet Tanager or two on this mulberry tree. And a ten minute walk to the pond will bring you to the Beaver lodge and if you are patient they – or the River Otter family – might appear for you.

Beavers, Ipswich River Audubon.  Photos by John Harrison.

River Otter, Ipswich River Audubon.  Photo by John Harrison.

And the occasional Barred Owl encounter wasn’t unusual at this reserve.

Barred Owl, Ipswich River Audubon.  Photo by John Harrison.

 We weren’t strangers to Ipswich River. But a Pileated Woodpecker nest was a new surprise. There was a crowd of the usual-suspect photographers on hand every day watching this exciting nest. It was a singular opportunity to photograph the adult woodpeckers flying to the nest to feed the young.

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

Pileated Woodpecker about to land at nest, Ipswich River Audubon.  Photo by John Harrison.

2015 has begun with great promise (blizzards not withstanding).  At Rye Beach, NH, the Snowy Owl (Rocky) that we first saw in late December of last year has taken up residence.  It has been there for us every time we’ve gone.  Week after week after week.

Snowy Owl ‘Rocky,’ Rye Beach, NH.  Photo by Kim Nagy.  

 It has attracted many watchers and photographers but since the onslaught of snow, the parking lot has not been plowed so we haven’t been able to look for it.  We checked with the Rye DPW and they said they don’t plow out the parking lot.  So we ‘owl kooks’ will have to wait until probably April to get back in to check on Rocky.  But he’s already made this an exciting beginning of the year.  And there are more surprises awaiting us this year, I’m sure.   The Bald Eagles, regular winter visitors to the Mystic Lakes, are back.

Bald Eagles, Mystic Lakes.  Photos by John Harrison.

 Bohemian Waxwings have been in a few venues in New Hampshire lately.  It’s been a few years since that magnificent species has been this far south.

Bohemian Waxwings in NH, April 2008.  Photos by John Harrison.

We are hoping they stick around and that they come farther south.  It would be a wonder to catch them at Mount Auburn or Horn Pond or Ipswich River, etc…..We will be watching that possibility – and others – closely….Stay tuned…….