Nighthawks Over Newton

Common Nighthawk

 Things have been busy this summer and I haven't had much opportunity to get out for some birding. But so far this summer has been a great one for Common Nighthawks. Last year I don't think I found any, but this year has been a different story as I've often heard their "pent" calls from a open window or while walking. In the last month though I've seen quite a few as they fly over the yard (and numerous other Newton locations) at dusk. I'm not sure why, but these Nighthawks always make me really happy. Maybe its because I'm rarely birding when I find them, so they are just an unexpected bonus.

I took a walk at Mass Audubon's Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary today, much too late for serious birding (but blue jays were the biggest hit with my hiking companion). The weather was perfect and the scenery was fantastic. Back in the woods I caught a loose warbled song that was likely a Pine Warbler, a not so subtle reminder that Fall migration is here and I aught to get out birding more!

A Halloween Raven

Common Ravens

 This morning I was waiting for the T in Newton Centre when a strange croak made me look up from my reading. I think my brain had already figured out who was producing the low raspy throaty "kraa kraa kraa" but I almost couldn't believe it. Flying low, down the middle of the tracks came the large black corvid, thinking fast I tried to remember what else I could look for to confirm the ID and remembered the tail. American Crows tail feathers are all similar lengths, so the tail appears rounded when fanned out. But this bird's outer tail feathers were distinctly shorter than the center tail feathers, clinching the ID of Common Raven. And then he was past, heading down the line into Boston, still calling. (Audio recording can be found at All About Birds along with downloadable ID guide for Crows and Ravens). I've had a few birds at Millennium Park that I thought could be Ravens, but was just never sure enough. I later realized that today was Halloween, a fitting time to find my first Massachusetts Raven. Poe would be proud.

This picture is obviously not Newton, I took it on a mountain peak in Virginia several years ago, but thought its always nice to have picture if possible. Also, as demonstrated in the picture, Ravens will soar and glide on thermals more like hawks, which crows don't do, so observing flight patterns can help with the identification.

On a side note, I took a walk in the very light drizzle in Cold Spring Park this afternoon before the trick-or-treaters were out. The highlights were a large loose flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Hermit Thrushes, and 2 Brown Creepers. I'll have to come back during a better season so see what the park has to offer.

Turkey Tussle

Wild Turkeys

 My wife came home a little late one day this week, but said I would think it was well worth it. Then she pulled out this video as way of explanation. While she isn't a birder, she was still enthralled watching these two toms have it out in the middle of Newton Center (the original video is quite long I am only showing a portion). It is interesting to note that half way though the video, you can see the object of desire that inspired this battle royale.

P.S. The still photograph was taken in December at Newton City Hall during this outing.

Cooper's Hawk in Newton Centre

Cooper's Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

 This morning while walking in Newton Center, I saw a hawk up in a tree by the T station. This exact same tree has previously held a red-tailed hawk. But I was excited as this bird was the wrong size, shape, and color for a red-tailed. This smaller bird had to be an accipiter and I hate narrowing them down to Cooper's or sharp-shinned hawks (Cornell Lab of Ornithology as a great page on this tricky ID). This bird however, made me think she was a Cooper's Hawk. She was remarkably big, about the size of a crow, had a rounded tail, and appeared to have the right body shape (large head with forward set eyes and torso that doesn't taper). It also helps that accipiters in our suburban area are more likely Cooper's than Sharpies. If you have any other thoughts on this identification let me know! Just as I was walking around to see her from the front, she disappeared when my head was turned.

Another Barred Owl

After the last post about the Millinium Park Barred Owl and the Hammond Pond Redheads, I kept thinking about all of the barred owl sightings that have been reported on massbird. With all the barred owls showing up all over Boston, I was thinking that I should remind everyone to keep their eyes and ears out for barred owls as there is a good chance we might find some in Newton.

Typically our most common owls are the eastern screech and great horned owls, while barred owls tend to like larger forested spaces and so are less common in urban or suburban environments. (There are a total of 11 owl species that can be found in MA, with 7 species that breed in the state). in fact, the recent barred owl at Millenium is the first record for that park, even though many great birders frequent that spot. Barred owls still show up regularly in Newton with sightings at Nahanton park (check out Suzette's picture) and I might have caught a brief glimpse of the Cold Spring Park owl that was seen this spring.

This morning was a different story though. I did not get enough sleep last night and one of my pre-sunrise walks around the house resulted in my hearing the strangest sound through a window. I only needed to hear the one utterance to nail down the "who cooks for you, who cooks for you all" distinctive song of the barred owl. This was an exciting find, especially as an accidental yard bird. When I am able to muster up the energy I may head out to see if it isn't roosting nearby. This also now makes 4 owl species for me this year including great horned, eastern screech, snowy, and now the barred. And only the snowy owl from Duxbury was from outside Newton. I still have a ways to go if I want to find all the MA owls, and I hear that the long eared owl is notorious difficult to find. But its been a pretty good year considering I started it at Nahanton Park looking for owls.


P.S. As I was writing this post, a Cooper's hawk crash landed with a somersault over some bushes in the yard. I know birds are amazing fliers, but my amazement at their abilities is at its absolute peak when watching an accipiter in break-neck pursuit of some poor bird.  Her prey escaped and they both headed off down the street before I could even grab binoculars.

The Owl and the Nuthatch

These were certainly an odd pair of birds for accidental sightings within 12 hours.

Last night I was relaxing beside an open window enjoying our current cool night air when the insect chorus was joined by a new songster. This was a rolling whistle and it took me a minute to recognize it for the "whinny" song of an Eastern screech owl. His song was soft and blended in with he other nights sounds. Some night I'll have to I find him, if I hear him again. Just as I started to make an audio recording, his song became softer and I'm not sure that it's good enough to share. Earlier in the spring I heard the "bounce" song of a screech owl in Newton as well, they apparently are doing well in our suburban environment. If you would like to listen to the different screech owl songs, Owl Pages has great recordings, though they refer to the whinny as the B-song and the bounce as the A-song.

Then this morning walking Newton Centre, I was startled by the call of a red-breasted nuthatch! My first in Massachusetts. While the song of the more familiar white-breasted nuthatch is similar, the red-breasted sounds more like a kid playing a toy trumpet: "yang-yang-yang."

All in all two great surprises to find, let alone within 12 hours.

A Night-Heron at Boston Public Gardens

Black-crowned Night-Heron

  I was enjoying the cooler weather this afternoon while walking around Boston and the Public Gardens. Initially, a fenced off section of the shore drew in my attention. As it turns out the mute swans had made a nest of twigs and sticks on the banks, but in addition to a preening swan, many mallards were making use of the undisturbed location. I turned to go when a little movement on the island in the pond caught my attention. When I was finally able to get a good look it turned out to be a black-crowned night-heron! I was pleasantly surprised by this accidental find in the middle of the city. So far, I have only had luck finding them in Boston, with this being my third sighting. I know that Haynes and Suzette have seen black-crowned night-herons at the vernal pool in Nahanton (you can see Suzette's picture here) and eBird shows sightings at Hammond Pond, Chestnut Hill Reservoir, and Auburndale Park.  Before too long I'll have to run into a night heron in Newton between the Charles and all our ponds.

Accidental Birding

I very much enjoy accidental birding (finding a fund bird when you aren't birding). Finding a fun bird when you aren't looking for it makes the find that much sweeter. Seeing Wild Turkeys or Wood Ducks from the T or the Red-tailed Hawk from your window at work are always quite a treat.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Just this weekend, I was in the yard and heard a soft musical warble similar to a Pine Warbler, except that the warble sometimes changed pitch half way through. I knew it had to be a warbler as I had just heard this song on my bird song CDs.  So I hunted for the singer to find a beautiful Yellow-rumped Warbler. I was even lucky enough to grab a couple of pictures. Keeping the binoculars on the back steps while in the yard certainly paid off. With spring migration in full swing now, you never know when there will be a great bird in the backyard or just outside work. And I think a warbler in the backyard is particularly good, even for accidental birding.

For the start of warbler season I wanted to share links for YouTube videos from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology on tips for finding warblers and a warbler ID quiz. They are worth watching just to see great video of these birds and to hear their calls.

Turkey Update

Yesterday I was taking the T home and when the T crossed Glen Ave. in Newton Centre, I looked up, and was rewarded with a sighting of a group of about 10 wild turkeys in someones front yard. I wonder if this rafter of turkeys live in the Webster Conservation Area? While I have no pictures to share, any time I can "bird" from the train, its been a good ride.

The Beginings of Spring

I stopped by Hammond Pond for a few minutes this weekend. Mostly it was the regulars, hooded and common mergansers, mallards and a single black duck, and ring-billed gulls. The great black-backed gull who had stayed for a few weeks was gone, nor could I find the ring-necked ducks.

But my walk to work this morning was much more eventful. As soon as I stepped outside the house I was greeted by the two noted "phoebe" mating call of the black-caped chickadee, usually one of my first signs of spring and the impending chorus of birdsong. I do miss the slightly more musical four-noted song of the more southerly Carolina chickadee: "fee-bee fee-bay". The song sparrow who has been gracing the us with his complex song was absent from his usual tree. But before I turned down the next street I had an excellent consolation prize. The slurred liquid whistles of a single northern cardinal rang out and I looked up to find this brilliant red specimen singing with full morning light to show him off in stark contrast to the branches of the bare oak he was perching in. This cardinal certainly knows that spring is on the way.