Date: 6/20/26 10:44 am From: 'Paul Peterson' via Boston Birds <bostonbirds...> Subject: [BostonBirds] 6/19 Virginia Rails at Belle Isle Marsh, Etc.
I birded here at the park along Lawn Ave., the observation platform off Lawn Ave,. and, of course, the main section. This was from 7:10 p.m.-8:30 p.m. In the evening, the light is behind you when you're looking out over the marsh, illuminating the area ever so helpfully
Great Blue Heron 4 together
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3 minimum; three flying together
Snowy Egret 2
Great Egret 2
Osprey 1
Red-taiuled Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
VIRGINIA RAIL 2 one starting to call at 7:25 p.m., doing the gik gik gik siddik giddik giddik diddik call then really started calling incessantly a short time later. One-half hour later, the rail was still calling I then left This was near the observation platform at end of Lawn Ave. The other rail called just once from near the pond. It did the pig grunt call wep wep wep weprr weprr. Nesting?
American Oystercatcher 5
Willet 2+
Least Tern 3
Willow Flycatcher 1+
Yellow Warbler 3+
Saltmarsh Sparrow 6 very visible and active now
Date: 6/18/26 1:48 pm From: 'Paul Peterson' via Boston Birds <bostonbirds...> Subject: [BostonBirds] 6/17 Leland Wilds Highlights
This place, in the town of Norfolk, has a wonderful grassland and some nice woodlands as well In addition, If one parks at the small lot near where the Mill River crosses Miller Rd,, there is a beautiful marshland that opens up at the small bridge. There is also an entrance into the former airport there! I birded from 1:30-5:00. Warning! This small parking area may be dangerous to pull out of? (my guess) due to the contours. There is also parking along Leland Rd.
Green Heron 1+ heard and then seen five minutes later along Miller Rd.
Great Blue Heron 1+
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 heard along Medway St.
Killdeer 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Kingbird 1 at aforementioned small bridge
Great Crested Flycatcher 1 woods
Warbling Vireo 3
Common Raven 1 Norfolk Station as I was waiting for train back to Boston
Brown Creeper 1 sang in woods
Purple Martin 10 impossible to get a count here
Tree Swallow 8
Barn Swallow 3
Marsh Wren 4 at aforementioned small bridge; love their song
Eastern Bluebird 8 way down former runway; two families
Ovenbird 8
Pine Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 9
Yellow Warbler 4
Savannah Sparrow 15 surely more
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Bobolink 50 impossible to count
Baltimore oriole 2
White-tailed Deer 1 being bombed by a Bobolink in grassland
Date: 6/15/26 5:26 pm From: 'Paul Peterson' via Boston Birds <bostonbirds...> Subject: [BostonBirds] 6/15 Fowl Meadow in Milton Highlights
What a beautiful day to be in Fowl Meadow. The mosquitoes were basically non-existent, and there were only a few deerflies in the more than five hours that I was birding here. There is a fallen tree blocking the path about one-third of the way down. I'm surprised it is still there, seeing as I saw it there about ten days ago. Unless your in good shape, you may (like me) have difficulty getting through the obstacle. I managed it, but it rewuired my getting on my back to go under the low branches.
Great Blue Heron 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 minimum; heard many times, as well as seen twice; once, it was way up there. Wow!
hawk sp. 1
PILEATED WOODPECKER 2 heard repeatedly on left before the obstacle
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Eastern Phoebe 2 probably nested under historic Paul's Bridge
Eastern Wood-Pewee 4
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 4
House Wren 1
WINTER WREN 1 singing in swamp near the 4-way; unmistakable
Wood Thrush 2 singing
Cedar Waxwing 4
Northern Waterthrush 1 singing annually from same area!
Blue-winged Warbler 1 take a right at 4-way; in bush about one-hundred and fifty yards down
Pine Warbler 2+
Ovenbird 9
Common Yellowthroat 12
Yellow Warbler 8
Eastern Towhee 13
Swamp Sparrow 3
Scarlet Tanager 2 female near 4-way; male singing in upland woods
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
White-tailed Deer 2
Gray Squirrel 12 wild guess
Garter Snake 1
American Toad 1
frog sp. 1
Oxeye Daisy
daisy sp. with yellow rays
Cow Vetch
Yellow Crown Vetch
Daisy Fleabane
Wood Betony ?
Viburnum
Water Hemlock
Buttercup
Cinquefoil
Blue-eyed Grass
Red Admiral 1
Monarch 1
Pearl Crescent 1
Skipper Sp. 12
Spring Azure 3
Cabbage White 3
Little Wood- Satyr 2
Red-spotted Purple 1
large butterfly sp. 2
Ebony Jewel-wing 2
Date: 6/11/26 11:20 am From: 'Paul Peterson' via Boston Birds <bostonbirds...> Subject: [BostonBirds] 6/8 Possible Yellow-breasted Chat in Same Spot as previously posted Mourning Warbler
Shortly after hearing the Mourning Warbler, I heard a strange song. I had forgotten about this bird until after posting about the Mourning Warbler at the library. It wasn't until I got home and went through my Sibley guide that I realized the bird must've been a Yellow-breasted Chat.. The locale is near where the Bold Knob Trail dirt path comes off the asphalt main path. This is also where tree marker 200 is located. The wetland has a clearing. If you find (and I don't see how you could miss it) the enormous, white-blossomed Viburnum shrub., that's the area. There is a small parking area where the trail begins. This is opposite Smith Field a short ways.
Date: 6/10/26 3:11 pm From: 'Paul Peterson' via Boston Birds <bostonbirds...> Subject: [BostonBirds] Common Nighthawk Recently in Brookline
Sorry for the late post, but I'm sure the bird or birds are still there up in the sky somewhere. It, or they, come to the Coolidge Corner/main public library area every year. This time, about five days ago, I heard one while walking along Park St. and along Auburn St.. This was from 8:22 p.m. to 8:37 p.m., at which time I decided to move along.
Date: 6/2/26 1:04 pm From: 'Paul Peterson' via Boston Birds <bostonbirds...> Subject: [BostonBirds] 6/1 Fowl Meadow Lincoln's Sparrow, etc.
Imagine my surprise when I saw a Lincoln's Sparrow not too far down the path. It was near where the first raised sewer is located, on your right. There is also a tall pole there. Unfortunately, there is a fallen tree across the path (Burma Road) about one-third of the way down. I also went as far down as I could along the river path (about one-half mile) until it became unpassable and I had to turn around.
Turkey Vulture 1
cuckoo sp. 1 ? calling at dusk near beginning
Willow Flycatcher 1 at perennial locale with the willow trees
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Warbling Vireo 6
Eastern Towhee 1
Blue-winged Warbler 1+
Common Yellowthroat 10
Yellow Warbler 10
Ovenbird 3
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 foy
Swamp Sparrow 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Baltimore Oriole 4
