On Sun, Mar 16, 2025 at 10:55 AM John Edmondson <johnhedmondson...>
wrote:
>
> We had a large group today at the Arlington Reservoir for the co-sponsored
> Brookline Bird Club and Menotomy Bird Club walk. Cloudly, bordering on
> foggy. Not very cold though. Only a few drops of either rain or condensing
> fog while we were out.
>
> At the start we heard from a dog walker that there was a hawk over the
> path near the Lexington Gardens so we headed that way. On the way we were
> treated to a lengthy conflict between a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a
> Northern Flicker in the vicinity of a freshly made cavity in a tree. We
> speculated that the hole was made by the Red-bellied and it was trying to
> chase off the Flicker. The Flicker was not leaving without a fight.
>
> There were Killdeer in the farm fields and flying around actively. Hard to
> count accurately. Some were heard in the reservoir direction and I assumed
> were part of the same group of 4 that were moving around, but there could
> have been more.
>
> We finally came across the Red-tailed Hawk in the back part of the farm
> near the chicken coop. Then another. Both first year birds with banded
> tails instead of the classic red tail. Recognizable by the belly band and
> general shape.
>
> On the water, we had good looks at Bufflehead, Ring-necked Ducks, Ruddy
> Ducks, Mallards and Black Ducks. One Scaup turned up and was probably a
> Greater but I didn't feel certain and put it down as Greater/Lesser.
>
> Expected more Grackles. The only ones I saw were flying over the farm
> field at one point. Lot's of Red-winged Blackbirds.
>
> Thanks for the help from participants finding birds and helping others to
> see them! It was a fun walk I thought.
>
> This link will allow anyone to add the list to their ebird checklists.
> https://ebird.org/mychecklists?subID=ZW1haWw/c3ViSUQ9UzIxODg0MjAzNg==&s=t >
> John Edmondson
>
>
> Arlington Reservoir, Middlesex, Massachusetts, US
> Mar 16, 2025 7:57 AM - 9:40 AM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 1.05 mile(s)
> Checklist Comments: 27 of us (maybe 28). BBC and Menotomy BC
> co-sponsored walk. Interesting to see a Red-bellied Woodpecker have a
> conflict with a Northern Flicker which may have been investigating a fresh
> cavity made by the Red-bellied.
> 27 species (+1 other taxa)
>
> Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 17
> Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 2
> Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 13
> American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 3
> Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 3
> Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 17
> Greater/Lesser Scaup (Aythya marila/affinis) 1 Ed noticed it with the
> Ring-necked Ducks. Likely Greater but it was a bit distant and I think we
> can't be sure. It had a rounder seeming head that was held low and forward.
> Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 12
> Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 2
> Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 3
> Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4
> Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 2 2 first year birds
> Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 2 Having a fight with a
> Flicker, perhaps because the Flicker was investigating a cavity made by the
> Red-bellied. Can't be sure the casue of the fight.
> Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 3
> Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 2 Having a fight with a
> Red-bellied
> Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
> Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) 1
> Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1
> White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
> European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 6
> Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1
> American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 12
> House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 7
> Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 4
> Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 7
> Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 18
> Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 4
> Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4
>
> View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S218842036 >
>
>
