Birding at Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary

I spent a couple hours this morning walking around Stony Brook in Norton, MA.  I didn't even make it to the boardwalk when I heard high, thin whistling in the thicket next to the water.  I waited and soon saw a small flock of juvenile Cedar Waxwings.  The sun was behind them so I had to try to move past them to get back on a good side to photograph them.  They allowed me to pass them.  They stayed close, even moving in closer.   It was a great start to a great walk!  They are one of my favorite birds.

Cedar Waxwing

Downy Woodpecker

American Goldfinch

 Hooded Mergansers

 Canada geese and a Pied-Billed Grebe

 Red-Breasted Nuthatch

 Ring-necked Ducks

 Mute Swan

Birding at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Canada Geese

American Coots

Black-Capped Chickadee

American Goldfinch

My challenge on this particular walk was to photograph the sparrows in the marshes.  I will tell you that for the most part, as a walker, you watch the sparrows fly out of their hiding places low in the reeds and fly off to a safer location.  Within seconds of landing, they jump down into the deeper thicket where they are easily hidden from human eyes.  Patience was key!  Good hearing is a plus.  You listen for rustling and then you know to wait and see what might pop up.  I was pleasantly surprised a couple of times to find a Downy Woodpecker rather than a sparrow.  There must be some good bugs in these reeds as well!  Also, there were several mice rustling around in the leaves on the ground.  I never got a photo, but I did see their little faces a couple of times.

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-Throated Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

American Goldfinch

Great Blue Heron

Swamp Sparrow

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Downy Woodpecker

Marsh Wren

Gull w/ fresh catch
Variety unknown

Just as I was leaving the trail and getting back to the parking lot, what should I see flying overhead but our national bird.  Love it!  First sighting at Great Meadows.  Second sighting this fall!  It was circling around the parking area, so it came back in for another view, but it flew into the sun and then was hard to be sure about it on the return flight.  Was glad I had that good view initially.

Bald Eagle

Crow

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.  What a wonderful place.  You never know what you'll see. Every visit is unique!

Birding at Mass Audubon Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

 Black-capped Chickadee

 Northern Cardinal

 Golden-Crowned Kinglet

 House Sparrow

 White-Throated Sparrow

 Curiosity killed the Cardinal?

 White-Throated Sparrow

Northern Mockingbird

Is this my good side?

Or this?

You better get my good side....don't make me come over there!

This reminded me of one, two other photos of mockingbirds I took over the past year.  It's a cooperative bird!  The one above actually came out of the deep thicket to pose for me at the top!

Other birds seen today:

Northern Cardinals

Black-capped Chickadees

White-throated Sparrows

Dark-eyed Juncos

Blue Jay (1)

American Robins

Southboro, MA
50s and overcast

Chickadee and Cardinal

OK, sometimes there are no interesting birds out when I am out.  It is those times that you just have to look around for other things to photograph, or take photos of the common birds.  Today's photos are a little of both, but I do like the cardinal photo.  Every time I see a cardinal these days, I think of my friend Deb from British Columbia, who has never seen one except in photos.  I think she'll like this one!  It reminds me that birds that I find common may still be interesting to those who don't see them!

 Black-capped Chickadee, the Massachusetts State Bird

 Bittersweet

(I've seen robins and bluebirds eating this during the winter months.)

 Aren't these cute?  They make me want to look around for a tiny troll.

 Northern Cardinal (male) looking very fine 

Still a few pretty leaves left