Birding at Purgatory Chasm State Reservation

I walked Charley's Loop, around the chasm, to see if I could find some good spring migrants.  I was able to find the Blue-Headed Vireo that had recently been posted on Central Mass Birders Facebook page.  I listened to its song and watched it high in the canopy until my neck hurt!

Blue-Headed Vireo (life bird!)

While I was stopped watching the Blue-Headed Vireo, I was also entertained by my first of the year Black-and-White Warbler.

Black-and-White Warbler

Can you see the bird in the next photo?  I thought it had great camouflage.  I saw it fly in, and then could barely pick it out.

Brown-Headed Cowbird

(female)

 Ovenbird

Wood Anemone

American Robin w/ nesting materials

Eastern Phoebe

From here, I made a quick stop at River Bend Farm in Uxbridge, MA where highlights included  Yellow, Palm, and Black-and-White Warblers!

Bluets

Yellow Warbler

singing

sigh...I love these little shots of yellow!

Savannah Sparrow

Palm Warbler

ditto

Black-and-White Warbler

In the afternoon, my friend Gerri and I visited Tower Hill Botanic Garden, where we skimmed through the primrose show and spent a bit more time at the daffodil show before checking out the daffodil fields outdoors.  They were absolutely gorgeous!

Here are my favorites.  (I did not take notes on any names, so I hope you just enjoy the variety.)

Blood Root

 Still not enough sun to fully open the Bloodroot....

Sunset in Southboro

I took a quick trip to Hopkinton State Park and then Southboro to catch some of the spectacular sunset. An American Robin was still hard at work collecting nesting materials.  

American Robin

 Hopkinton State Park

 Middle Road

 Plymouth Congregational Church

Broad-Winged Hawk

The weather was typical for New England today.  Wait five minutes, and it will change.  The sun rose beautifully.  Then clouds moved in, and the rest of the day was a battle between those clouds and the sun.

I started the day at Wildwood Cemetery where I was happy to see Bluets in bloom in the old section.  I love this cemetery.  I don't think the town has enough money to keep it beautifully manicured, so you are able to find bluets and pussytoes and other wildflowers popping up, especially in the older sections. Also, some of the trees are old, and Northern Flickers have drilled lots of holes in them.  You never quite know what you will find there.

Bluets

Fireworks display of spring!

Just as I was headed for the exit, I noticed a squirrel climbing a tree next to the road with something in its mouth.  It sure looks like something someone threw out of their car.  I took a short video of it eating breakfast.

Outside my office window, I noticed one of our resident Broad-winged Hawks swoop down into the wetlands and then back up into a tree.  It was not in my line of sight, but soon after it flew towards the house and when I checked, it was on a favorite horizontal branch just outside one of our front bedroom windows.

Broad-Winged Hawk w/ frog

At lunch, I hiked a bit at Beals Preserve in Southboro, where highlights included three Mourning Cloaks and my first-of-year Yellow-Rumped Warbler.  

Hawk (not sure what kind)

 Mourning Cloak

Moth
(working on ID)

Barn Swallow at Chestnut Hill Farm

This day started out with heavy rain and dark gray skies.  The rain let up enough for a lunchtime hike at Breakneck Hill Conservation Land, but I didn't get any good photos.  I saw the following birds:

American Robin
Blue Jay
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Chipping Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Phoebe
European Starling
House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Red-Winged Blackbird
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Tree Swallow

Eastern Bluebird

On the way home, a coyote was running towards the road but then did a U-turn and headed back through the yard and into the woods.  After checking for someone behind me, I stopped, pulled out the camera and managed one quick shot before it disappeared into the woods.

Coyote

Around 5:00, the sun suddenly decided to make an appearance, and the temperature started rising.  Strange day!  Anyway, my son was agreeable to postponing dinner for a while, so I took off for an evening hike.  I walked at TTOR's Chestnut Hill.  I was surprised to find dozens of Cabbage Whites flying over the meadows.  In the summer, this would not be big deal, but today it was!  I stopped counting at 65, and was only about 1/2 way across the meadow.

I continued my walk through the woods, where I found three nice things:  nesting American Robin, Marsh Marigolds and a Spring Azure.  The robin flushed from its nest, so I couldn't get a photo of it sitting on it.  I went back after I made my loop and tried to sneak up on it, but she was very watchful.  The Spring Azure also performed a disappearing act.   I watched it fly off and thought I saw where it landed, but I couldn't find it again!  

The Marsh Marigolds were so pretty and my first wildflowers outside of Garden in the Woods.  A very nice surprise!

Marsh Marigold

It was the kind of hike where you needed to keep your mouth firmly shut.  Otherwise, you might end up with some extra protein from all the flying insects!  Even so, it was definitely the best part of the day!

I saw the following birds:

American Robin

Black-Capped Chickadee

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (call only)

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Phoebe

Red-Winged Blackbird

Song Sparrow

Tree Swallow

Tufted Titmouse

On the way down Chestnut Hill Street, I had to stop and snap a photo of a Barn Swallow that was perched on the telephone wire!  First sighting this year.

Barn Swallow

I picked up the 2nd tick of the year here, but at least it didn't bite me.