Pre-Work Birding at Hopkinton State Park

The sun was breaking through some pretty dark clouds this morning, so I drove over to Hopkinton State Park to see if it was worth capturing in a photo.  Once I arrived by the boat docks, birding fever took over any desire to photograph the sky!

I spotted a Spotted Sandpiper working the docks!  So many times when I visit HSP, there is nothing but a boring Canada Goose.  Not so today!  I also saw:  American Robins, Tree Swallows, two Great Blue Herons, a Double-Crested Cormorant, two American Goldfinches (which were standing on and near a nest but flew off), and a couple Song Sparrows.  I am going to check that nest where the goldfinches were again, but they were not acting like it was theirs.

Update:  I forgot that American Goldfinch do not mate until late summer (August), so that nest was definitely not theirs!

  Spotted Sandpiper

Tree Swallow

I was really hoping that the Tree Swallows were going to mate.  She was perched on this post, and occasionally when the male flew overhead, she would sing out and flash her feathers.  I think I made him nervous and he never approached her, so I left to give them their privacy.

Double-Crested Cormorant

Love this trail!

I went down this trail a bit in order to identify that Double-Crested Cormorant.  This particular section really appeals to me.