Birds and Nature Journaling

From Jane Lothian:
The annual BBC Birds and Nature Journaling walk took place Saturday Aug. 1, a warm but clear morning, at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Birds and watchers (3 plus leaders) were few, but enthusiasm was high; it was one participant's first bird walk and first visit to Mount Auburn.

Pam Perry and I led the group to our favorite shady spot for sketching, answering questions and pointing out species heard and seen on the way. We offered no instruction, considering ourselves novice artists, but did distribute bibliographies of some nature drawing guides we've found useful.



As usual, Auburn Lake produced many subjects for our eager pencils -- water lilies, Mallards, and a curious Mourning Dove who walked quite close to us. A Belted Kingfisher rattled by and vanished into a tree. Then a collective sigh went up as a Great Blue Heron dropped gracefully into the far edge of the lake.



The time passed quickly. Photographer John Harrison stopped by and asked the group's permission to photograph us; he later sent the photos that appear with this account. Those who were willing shared their work with each other, and we regretfully packed up. One last surprise was in store -- a Black Cherry on the way out hosted dozens of American Robins.

1 Mourning Dove
1 Blue Jay
1 Gray Catbird
1 Cardinal
1 Great Blue Heron
1 Belted Kingfisher
2 Eastern Phoebes
1 Osprey
50 American Robins
5 Mallard Ducks
3 Red-winged Blackbirds

Hope you'll join us next year!

Great Meadows 8/16

From Jonathan Center:

Seven birders joined the Brookline Bird Club trip to Great Meadows NWR. Below is our record of what was observed. Thanks go to Alan Bragg who helped me compile this report and all participants who joined the walk on this very warm morning. We birded the refuge from 7:00a.m. to 10:30a.m.

 
Location:     Great Meadows NWR--Concord Unit
Observation date:     8/16/09
Notes:     BBC walk led by Jonathan Center.
Walked across dike stopping at mid point benches, water control 
structure, mud flat at southwestern corner of lower impoundment and 
river landing. Walked south to water control structure, turned around
and walked north around lower impoundment returning to parking lot on 
Edge Trail.
Eastern Tailed Blue and Gray Hairstreak on North section of river dike.
Number of species:     33

Canada Goose     15
Wood Duck     7
Mallard     17
Hooded Merganser     1
Pied-billed Grebe     2     One was at extreme end of upper impoundment against the cattails
Double-crested Cormorant     2
Great Blue Heron     10
Great Egret     1
Little Blue Heron     1     Distant view from mid dike. Confirmed immature LBHE from Edge Trail.
Osprey     2
Killdeer     3
Spotted Sandpiper     1
Solitary Sandpiper     1
Lesser Yellowlegs     3
Least Sandpiper     60     juvs
Pectoral Sandpiper     1
Mourning Dove     2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     2
Belted Kingfisher     1
Downy Woodpecker     2
Eastern Wood-Pewee     1
Blue Jay     1
Tree Swallow     10
Black-capped Chickadee     2
Marsh Wren     3
Gray Catbird     2
Cedar Waxwing     1
Common Yellowthroat     1
Song Sparrow     6
Red-winged Blackbird     5
Common Grackle     2
Baltimore Oriole     1
American Goldfinch     8