December 2021

December 3  This morning, in the little cove of Jamaica Pond along Perkins Street, I was delighted to see dozens of hooded mergansers, mostly just floating, some paddling one way or the other.  The white patch on the males' heads gleaming in the sun as they moved this way and that. Counting them, there were about 70, more than I'd ever seen before.  I left smiling.

December 4 Coming back from my morning walk with Maddie, a red-tailed hawk flew in and landed on a tree a little in front of me.  And then a minute later, a smaller hawk with a banded tail, maybe a Cooper's or sharp-shinned, landed on the next tree over.  It took off by the time I walked up and took the photo of the red-tail.

Running an errand after breakfast, I drove by the pond and looked for the mergansers in the same spot, but they'd all moved on.

December 5 And the hoodies are back! One group of about 40 or so diving, sometimes coming up with a small fish in their bills. A ring-billed gull in their midst, hoping to snatch their catch from them.  Another group of about 15 hoodies off to the side, preening.
 

Walking along by Leverett Pond, I spotted a small nest of dried grasses on the ground, flattened, but still recognizable as a nest, with little bits of downy fluff still embedded in it.

At the baseball field, a red-tailed hawk was perched up on one of the light stands, on the nest I'd seen a hawk taking sticks to in the spring. It never nested there; I wondered if it was the same hawk.

December 6 Hoodies still at the pond, diving for fish, swimming back and forth.  I noticed that when the males dive, they scrunch down their white "hood" patch on their heads.  You can see some of the males in the photo have smushed white patches (like the one in the bottom right hand corner).  And at Leverett Pond 4 ring-necked ducks.

December 9  Even more hoodies at the pond - I counted to 80 and there were probably at least 20 more, so something like 100 of them.  A beautiful morning - the sun gleaming off the light snowfall we had last night.  

At Ward's Pond, a Carolina wren flitting about in a bush by the water. And walking by the woods just before Leverett Pond, I heard a woodpecker. At first, looking into the woods, I couldn't find it. But then I realized it was practically right in front of me, pecking at a tree trunk next to the path.  Then I saw another woodpecker swoop in and land on a trunk a little ways into the woods: a red-bellied woodpecker, not far from where I saw a pair nesting in the spring. (Note the absence of a red belly.... one of those unhelpful bird names.)

December 11  Walking Maddie early, while it was still dark, I saw a wake in the still water: a muskrat swimming along, close to the edge of the pond.  Fun to see it as I haven't seen them as often this year as last.  A little later on, driving past the pond, I parked to check for the hoodies: still there, but fewer today. 

Raining in the morning, but mild and supposed to clear by about 10 so I head off to Plum Island to look for snowy owls.  Misty when I got there.  There were the beautiful, elegant pintail ducks and green-winged teal in one of the ponds. But no snowy owls around in their usual spots on the dunes next to the beach.  As I drove along, the rain started pouring down and at one point there was thunder; it had warmed up to 61F.  At home, Maddie in the closet, hiding from the storm.

December 12 Counted 95 hooded mergansers at the pond this morning.

December 13 The hoodies still at the pond, in the same cove by Perkins Street where they've been every time I've seen them. Today, at first they were mostly just hanging out, some doing a little preening. One female was practically on her back, showing her white belly, working away at some itch, going in tight little circles in the water.  After a few minutes some of them started diving for fish. Meanwhile, several males were practising displaying, lifting their breasts out of the water, expanding the white patches on their heads, rapidly opening and closing their bills, making a chittering noise.

At Ward's Pond, a little downy woodpecker pecking away at the bark at the base of a tree.

December 17 The plants are getting confused by one of the mildest falls I can remember.  Yesterday, I saw green shoots coming up in a neighbor's front garden. And today, flowers in another garden.

December 18   The hoodies are still, delightfully, at the pond. But the weather has turned colder - a rainy/sleety/snowy mix most of the day today.

December 20 Beautiful silver full moon over Jamaica pond this morning.  

Still colder and, for the first time this winter, there is a ice starting to form on Ward's Pond.

December 21.  For the solstice, I went to the circle singing in the park in Roslindale Square organized by my friend Karen.  I went a little early to help set out lanterns around the park.  As we worked, a woman showed up with a wolf-like dog on a long rope leash.  When I said to her - you're dog looks like a wolf, she said that it was a wolf. Yikes!  It was beautiful, with its thick grey fur with black and white highlights, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to keep a wolf as a pet.

December 23.  A rare Steller's sea eagle showed up at the Taunton River, about an hour south of Boston, three days ago.  It was way, way, way off course from its usual home along the Pacific coast of Asia, ranging from the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia to North Korea. It is spectacular: the largest eagle in the world, about 3 feet long, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet, weighing up to 20 pounds, about a third heavier than a bald eagle.  There are thought to be only about 5000 left in the world.  One had been seen in early November around Wolfville, Nova Scotia; presumably the same one.  So today, off I went to Dighton Rock, the little point on the Taunton River where the river widens into the beginning of its estuary, where it had last been seen.

 

When I arrive, there are a couple of dozen other birders, scopes set up, hoping to spot the sea eagle.  An 

immature bald eagle is circling over the river close to the point, and soon a second, and then a third arrive.  Wonderful to see them with their huge wingspan.  But no sea eagle.  And the other birders reported that it hadn't been seen since the first spotting 3 days ago.   So I decided to move on and head to the coast, about another half hour away.  

I pass through Westport, along the gorgeous estuary of the Westport River and on to Horseneck Beach. At an inlet just before the beach I see a group of buffleheads diving, then popping up and bobbing about in the water.  At the beach itself, I spot a red-throated loon close to the shore, a horned grebe, in its winter plumage, looking like it's wearing a yarmulke, and a pair of surf scoters.  Opposite the beach, the view over the salt marsh is lovely.

I head back towards Boston, stopping again on the way back for another chance at the Steller's sea eagle, but no luck. Even so, a wonderful day out birding.

December 24.  The tiniest little snowfall, leaving about a millimeter on the ground, but even that small amount enough to produce a Christmas-y feel to the day. After breakfast, I walked my usual route around Ward's Pond and along to Leverett Pond, enjoying the brightness the snow gives even on a dull day.

In the stream that runs out of Ward's Pond, bright green leaves in the water, contrasting with the winter greys and browns of the trees and fallen leaves.

 And near there, someone has once again decorated a little evergreen tree with a few holiday balls.

At the baseball field between Ward's Pond and Leverett Pond a red-tailed hawk was perched high in a tree along the side of the field.  As I was walked, it took off, flying over the field allowing me to get a good look at it.   

Unusually, there was hardly anyone about - the path at Leverett Pond was deserted except for me.

 

On the way back to the parking lot, a red-bellied woodpecker landed on a tree near the footpath, about ten feet up, so I got a good look at it, too.

Driving home, stopped at a red light, a red-tailed hawk flew onto a branch of a tree across the roadway, making me wish for a longer, instead of shorter, red light.

December 25  Walking Maddie at the pond early this morning saw a single bufflehead diving near a group of Canada geese.  Then a little further along, 2 pairs of hooded mergansers.  And then a muskrat swimming along the edge of the pond, just a few feet from the stone embankment.    Weather disgusting, freezing rain.

December 26 Warmer this morning, the melting ice on Ward's Pond a dappled grey.

December 29 Yet more hoodies at Jamaica Pond this morning: I counted 160!   Two great blue herons, standing on either side of the little island, 1 bufflehead, 2 ruddy ducks and a couple of coots.  And two friends have reported snowy owls on the Cape and at Plum Island. But I still haven't see one this season.

December 31 Early this morning, still dark out, saw the muskrat swimming by the stone embankment near the boathouse, then diving with a splash, almost like a beaver slapping its tail.  Later on, walking with a friend, saw the hoodies, out in full force again, as well as a few ring-necked ducks.

Happy New Year! Looking forward to sharing more nature notes in 2022!