Spring 61: Mt. Auburn

Saturday, May 21, 2011
8:30am-11:00am, Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA
cloudy to clear, warm, beautiful

After months of winter anticipation, I finally made it to Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge - a legendary birding "hotspot" in the Boston area.

Almost every birder I've ever talked to has encouraged me to go to Mt. Auburn for the spring migration, but my obsession with sunrise has made this destination daunting (it's about a one hour bike ride from where I live.. 5:00AM minus one hour begins to look ridiculous!)

Good thing I never attempted a sunrise here, as I learned that the place doesn't even open until 7 or 8am!

I finally got here today thanks to a birdwalk being led by Broad Meadow Audubon Sanctuary birder Alex Dunn. He had a large group of birders, but was gracious enough to let me tag along.

And what an amazing place! Truly lived up to its reputation, with all kinds of lovely nooks and crannies; ponds and dells; owl-inhabited trees and lookout towers; from which to observe and enjoy plant and animal life.

Bunnies. Folks with binoculars. Incredible trees and foliage. And a ton of birds!

Some highlights include:
- The first glimpses of sun and blue sky in over a week!
- My first Great Horned Owls ! One on a branch and one snuggled in a nest.
- An awesome catbird, who completely fooled me with this catchy call (I was sure I'd discovered an exciting new bird!):


- A new thrush, the Wood Thrush, is my bird of the day. He has as gorgeous and haunting a song as his relative the Hermit Thrush, though in a lower register and with extra trills and ornaments at the end of each phrase. Incredible!