A very ducky morning at Plum Island

Black ducks in the grass at Plum Island

A blustery morning, not a good day to search out songbirds (see windblown tree sparrow feathers below). But a terrific day for ducks!


Lots of pintails.

And northern shovelers (shoveling mostly) plus scaups (greater?)

Ocean-side, lots of scoters surfing. Both black and

white-winged.


Most fantastic sight (unpictured) northern gannets plunge-diving.

Down at Sandy Point, a zillion dunlins.

with black-bellied plovers (left). And what's that on the right?

The world famous one-legged Hudsonian Godwit (a "lifer" for me).


It was nice to get back up to Plum Island, if just for a couple of hours.

The Songs of Insects (Book)

Handsome Trig (from The Songs of Insects)

I scored a copy of Lang Elliot's The Song of Insects at a local used book for $4 last night. Today I discovered that the enclosed CD was cracked--that's why it was so cheap! So I was happy to find that the associated web site allows you to listen to the songs one by one. I highly recommend taking a spin through them, if just for the close-up views of some stunningly interesting creatures. Here's the link to the Master Species List.

Two favorites: the slightly musical conehead (actually, I like the name more than the song) and the common virtuoso katydid (which does have an elegant song).

Here's another site (more species, only some with recordings).

Look Up!

Happy Halloween

Spooky abandoned structure in Cutler Park, Needham


Cat-tails going to seed


Canada Goose gets in the Halloween spirit.


Mystery Duck

Late October at the Charles River Peninsula

Charles River Peninsula, freshly mowed

[soundtrack]I could hear the red-winged blackbirds from across the meadow. Hundreds of them. Through the binoculars, a constant stream of birds continuously flowing. I made my way through the freshly mowed field. They saw me. Instant silence, then a loud whoosh as hundreds of birds simultaneously winged across the river to a new roost. The cacophony began again, distant now.

[soundtrack]The ruby-crowned kinglet was singing as I passed, then chattering a lot, then singing some more. It sings while it works, hopping from branch to branch, hovering a little to snag a bug from a berry.


[soundtrack]A white-throated sparrow is whisper singing. Thin wobbly nursery rhyme whistles from the shadows.

UPDATE: Here are four more White-throat examples. The first is less whispered than less-than-fully articulated and got a response. The rest (2, 3, 4) are softer and odder.

Wednesday morning warblers

Yellow-rumped warbler (Charles River Peninsula)

A large flock of yellow-rumps roaming the CRP this morning, including one that still had blazing yellow spots on its sides.

Early morning walk at Millennium Park

Arrived at Millennium Park in West Roxbury at dawn. Listened to the meadows wake up. Sparrows chirping. Robins caroling. Blue herons barking. Two giant V's moved across the sky.

It's northern harrier time. Low flyer and low percher. Look at its amazing owlish face. [UPDATE one year later: Why did I think this was a northern harrier?]

It was getting dive-bombed by a kestrel. Then it flew towards me (ever feel like a bird was going to fly right into your binoculars?) and landed in a tree right behind me.


Also, although the light wasn't good, I was pleased to find some white-crowned sparrows that actually had white crowns! Three of them, just sitting by the path, soon to be disturbed by some passing jogger or unleashed dog (or me).