Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Turtle Hatchling



9/16/07 - This Painted Turtle Hatchling was rescued by passersby on the road adjacent to Bullough's Pond. It is about the size of a Quarter. During August & September, Painted & Snapping Turtle eggs hatch, and the hatchlings make their way to wetlands to overwinter. Many are killed by predators or cars. Last year I found a squashed Snapping Turtle hatchling in the road near Bullough's Pond. As I wrote in June, adult turtle road mortality is a significant conservation issue in Massachusetts.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

92 Birds

On April 28, I reported siting my 50th bird species in Newton during 2007. With the observation of a Black-crowned Night Heron on August 2, I am up to 92 bird species for the year. Some highlights include a Common Loon at Crystal Lake and an Orchard Oriole at Bullough's pond. Fall is a great time to observe migrant songbirds, sparrows, and waterfowl in Newton, at sites such as Crystal Lake, Charles River, Nahanton Park, Hammond Woods.

Newton Species List 2007
Species
american crow
american goldfinch
american redstart
american robin
american woodcock
barn swallow
belted kingfisher
black and white warbler
black duck
blackburnian warbler
black-capped chickadee
black-crowned night heron
blackpoll warbler
black-throated blue warbler
black-throated green warbler
blue jay
blue-gray gnatcatcher
brown creeper
brown-headed cowbird
bufflehead
canada goose
canada warbler
carolina wren
cedar waxwing
chimney swift
chipping sparrow
common flicker
common grackle
common loon
common merganser
common nighthawk
common yellowthroat
cooper's hawk
double-crested cormorant
downy woodpecker
eastern bluebird
eastern kingbird
eastern pewee
eastern pheobe
european starling
golden-crowned kinglet
gray catbird
great blue heron
great-crested flycatcher
green heron
herring gull
hooded merganser
house finch
house sparrow
house wren
killdeer
least flycatcher
magnolia warbler
mallard
mourning dove
mute swan
northern cardinal
northern flicker
northern junco
northern mockingbird
northern oriole
northern parula
northern rough-winged swallow
orchard oriole
ovenbird
palm warbler
pine warbler
red-bellied woodpecker
red-eyed vireo
red-tailed hawk
red-winged blackbird
ring-billed gull
ring-necked duck
rock dove
rose-breasted grosbeak
rough-winged swallow
ruddy duck
rufous-sided towhee
savannah sparrow
scarlet tanager
song sparrow
tree swallow
tufted titmouse
turkey vulture
warbling vireo
white-breasted nuthatch
white-throated sparrow
wild turkey
wood duck
wood thrush
yellow warbler
yellow-rumped warbler