Sunday 4/12 finally "broke open" as the first real day of spring, after another tough week of weather.
I birded around Westminster/Fitchburg a bit, on Sunday, with highlights being 3 immature Bald Eagles at Round Meadow Pond, 2 Glossy Ibis continuing at Monty Tech High School and 2 Osprey over Saw Mill Pond. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Palm Warblers and Hermit Thrushes have arrived too, but Pine Siskins are still lingering; and few redpolls were present on Friday 4/10.
Tree Swallows are starting to inspect nest boxes, phoebes are wide spread and Great Blue Herons were at their nesting "stations" at a nearby colony. An adult Bald Eagle (the 4th of the day in town) was perched in that middle of the Great Blue colony , but the herons all remained calm.
Many lakes and ponds are carrying a lot of ice, and there is still a good deal of snow in heavily shaded woodlands, but it does appear that spring has arrived.
Here are a few recent photos:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc42aS-cVJY1KPtjLAdsfAEEQJL_9m7BDuunyTPZ6WU-XUQHbGyHlLssZVX5t9RfIHFnX4u1aSIzW_tWA0rm_MmGmj5fcj5WSF09bh1uIP0_p6TFoyHnSAgV_LHRl5stpuqhGJYdZ180uj/s1600/IMG_0036.jpg) |
A female American Kestrel launching from a grave stone near the old Gardner Landfill. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrD2i5ad4fPXVOoduB_HGykZ2p40YPaLdbUYQRmB4xYTl6LbyhKmTs85bh-hasUQMbYGoaD4Wl4-WTJjPaRaH_4rGRTZ9GpMEUpENcXJxodYNBfAqCI5ZKRf4zp5ZsfLGuAroeEmu-2C3/s1600/IMG_0397+A.jpg) |
Bald Eagle in Westminster, which was perched in the middle of a Great Blue Heron Colony. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYlw7Qw26lhkFX0VsMFdIDqEgbqPr3DKT-nG-jZe0OMC1H-0pNsloYance834ldAizLJT8nkehkgLPeuxm9xF7rf6_A2pMxdMjJVRj1EiYJtYj5Sra7yGyzu2S6JLlXucsOjqZoqgzfYV/s1600/IMG_0356+B.jpg) |
Same as above...shot 2 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0fBdA25oe-3OEso_J_DNYh0d18WDuNaR6Q5UNYSV4RBJzF7O7e2rgLE274EsPwxvSjBLqrD2QOsX59dssbNQRqXs1KY4yWcfYFnvBiZC-1164JMPYr6tBaS67yYTwcjMa87cPiobgWxw/s1600/IMG_0373+A.jpg) |
Great Blue Herons, 1 of 15 nests in Westminster the left bird was letting out a squawk |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhQKUWRtqJBuDiT4dO8ps7_rUPJFs-tm2RO4rE55tdbTClMHm3sQsHE6fBR_DQwIrF2JJH3kSaqSC-7rNd06r0P4Hn2vCNrAW7Vdey7Q9134zViT_Vq8iB4fmWwAfap7_kfbwn1quZONF/s1600/IMG_0263.jpg) |
Our 1st yard Purple Finch of 2015 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHqwDMm5oom1RYvliIWNHMkbUN_b8XDulQxt6aLJ9dXR_Ny-gsQHKRGhBz73KWpsQ8tfdAm9_37bLDaumhxFoAMGsbICwlKADHbZXcwQO3IiVJX4HgHjSeaWpEybko4ZraSWRb65g5C-A/s1600/IMG_0152+A.jpg) |
Hermit Thrush along the Otter River in Baldwinville's "Back Bay", on a cold and miserable Wednesday 4/8. |
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