Dawn Chorus Easter edition

A brisk Easter morning, around 6 (right under a flight path, it seemed). Somewhat subdued chorus, but with a very special guest, the white-throated sparrow. Later, I caught a bit of cowbird--three males courting a female.

And the bluebirds seem to have moved in. The box is right near the entrance to the property.

Quick visits to Marblehead and Quincy

Get to Salem early? Why not pop up to the Audubon Sanctuary on Marblehead Neck? You are sure to encounter something interesting. Such as a group of golden-crowned kinglets (above) feeding on the forest floor.

Need to walk off lunch? Stroll over to the Forest River Preserve. Today: phoebes.


And finally, got a little time to kill before picking up your daughter in Milton? Stop by Squantum Point Park in Quincy. Today: oystercatchers, pii-pii-ing away, especially when being harassed by herring gulls.


Don't forget to catch a peek at the Osprey couple on their platform off of East Squantum Street.

Irresponsible dog owners [updated]

I sent an email to the Trustees of Reservations last night about an unfortunate incident involving an unleashed dog at a Trustees property and my five-year-old daughter. They responded promptly and appropriately. I'm taking the text of the email off this post.

This morning's slightly later dawn chorus

This morning's "dawn" chorus (gosh the sun is beginning to rise earlier and earlier) features a couple of new voices, the tree swallow and the eastern phoebe. The phoebe is in the far background (here's a phoebe recording in which it is slightly more audible), and just to confuse things, there is a goldfinch in the foreground making its squeeze-toy sound.

The tree swallows are back and competing for box space (the bluebirds and house sparrows are also in the competitive mix). (No wonder the kestrel (who I saw again today) sees such easy pickings).

Interesting things at the Charles River Peninsula

I spotted these geese on a quick stop by the CRP on Friday afternoon. Interesting markings on that goose on the left.

I came back today to get a better look. The goose of interest above is now on the far right. Note a touch of white on the back of left hand goose's head as well.

I'm no expert on geese plumage. I don't know if this is leucistic, molting, a snow goose hybrid, or something else.

Frankly, this goose does not look real healthy. Its call also sounded wrong--more like a caw than a honk.


Also of interest, a kestrel hanging out on a swallow box. (Spotted via binos from across the field, hence the poor photo). It was all puffed up due no doubt to the brisk, gusty weather. (I saw a red-tail today blown right off the top of a pine tree). It looked like it was waiting for a tree swallow to happen by. It'll be waiting a while, I thought, because the swallows haven't shown yet at the CRP this year. And then ten minutes later, I heard the bubbly swallow sound--there they were, flying up the river.




Finally, this goose has not moved from her nest for the past week. Might we be seeing goslings by Easter?

Evening Peeper Chorus

Savor the evening sounds of the spring peepers. It doesn't last forever.

Handfeeding Greater Black-Capped Chickadees

Usually the black oil coconuts work fine.