After Work Birding

When I got home from work my goal was to grab the family and make a few stops. I wanted to try for Eastern Meadowlark at Tufts University. No luck. I did photograph finally a Red-tailed Hawk. This is the first time out of 65 Red-tailed Hawks this year that I actually was not at work, on a highway, and had my camera.  Just a record shot but none the less it counts. After leaving Tufts I wanted to try Westboro A-1 Site on Arch St for some ducks. This location is usually a mecca for Mute Swans. Today, there was 1 :).  I was able to update that species for the year.  There was still ice over 98 percent of the water. Only 6 Mallards were present with it. Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds were all over.  I was able to photograph a female Brown-headed Cowbird. A new species for the year! 4 species of Woodpeckers were also present and I was able to update my Hairy Woodpecker species picture. My next stop was going to be Lake Quinsigamond to check on the Iceland Gulls to try and get a late record date for my personal record for Worcester County. While driving I noticed a flock of small birds out of the corner of my eye and immediately it felt like finches. Then it clicked that there were all birch trees right there. I stopped and sure enough there were Common Redpolls EVERYWHERE. There were 103 birds in the trees and on the ground. The largest in the county this year and so close to home.

Red-tailed Hawk-Westborough  #70

Brown-headed Cowbird- Westborough #71

Upgrades

Mute Swan

Hairy Woodpecker

Common Redpoll Shots