At the Boston Woman's March

I had a choice today:  to play a round of golf with some good friends, or be a part of history, and join the Woman's March in Boston, following Trump's crowning.  I was encouraged to do something by my sister Barbara, who was today at the Washington march.  I also had some woman friends from Old South Church, Tony Duval and Jean Volpe, who were going in, and I decided to meet them at the Braintree subway and go to the march.
It was quite an experience.  The atmosphere was so buoyant, so supportive of everybody there, that it was a totally inspiring experience.  It was certainly the largest crowd I had ever been in.  The speeches, especially by Marty Walsh and Elisabeth Warren were as pointed as expected.  After being on my feet for 5 hours, my knee swelled up, and I knew that I couldn't do the march part of the event, so I said reluctant goodbyes and made my way (for 40 minutes) out of the crowd to Park Street Station.  What was astounding was the mass of people still arriving.
Here are some pictures of the event.

On the commuter train, a shy person showed me her poster for the march.

I think it quite the best I saw all day.

And on the subway to Park Place.

and on the subway.

The first sign that caught my eye at Park Street.

Tony and Jean's group

A small portion of the crowd

And I really liked this one (Young man about 20)

Listening to Senator Elisabeth Warren

On the back of a 12-year-old girl

We were 4 or 5 hundred yards from the platform, and could just barely see the huge

screen with the speakers.  Here is Senator Warren.

A rapt listener

faces in the crowd

This is a photo from the edge of the Common, looking back toward the crowd, and

surrounded by more and more people arriving.  Since I returned home, I heard that Boston's

gathering was the biggest in the nation after D.C.

It was very rewarding to be part of it. 

Thank you, Barbara, Tony and Jean for encouraging my participation

Friday Morning Birding

For the first time in about six months I joined the group of birders led by David Clapp from the South Shore Audubon.  It stayed dark and gloomy, but it was relatively warm (40) and no wind, so walking about was quite pleasant.  We went to Duxbury Beach in search on Snowy Owls, no success, then went to Daniel Webster Farm, and saw seven Red-Tails and one Harrier.  I went specifically to try out a new combination of 400mm lens with a 1.4 X converter (making a lens of 560mm), and it worked pretty well, but objects were 100 yards away (some 200), so with the dark and distance I didn't succeed in much great photography.  The bird count included 49 species, however, pretty good for a January in N.E,, and included a Razorbill, pretty rare in these waters.

Hairy Woodpecker

Herring Gull

Black-backed Gull

Red-throated Loon

Sanderlings

Surf Scoter

Alex, Marty at S.S.Model Trail Club

The South Shore Model Trail Club only opens its doors to the public three or four times a year.  In one of the huge abandoned bunkers at the old Hingham Naval Shipyard, it is always a work in progress, adding scenes, etc.  But they are capable of  running several dozen trains at once, and Alex is a train enthusiast, so a great visit, along with Marty Hartford, who played clarinet for me for years in the Satuit Band, and whose son works on trains for a living.
Here are a few shots of the installation.

Marty, far right, and Alex next to him.

Alex and Marty

First Birding

On New Years Day, I traditionally drive out to Race Point in Provincetown to see what I can photograph.  For 2017, I waited for Jan. 2, having become a national holiday for a Monday, and unfortunately the day turned really dark fast, precluding much bird photography. .
I stopped at Fort Hill for the sun rise (worth the trip by itself), continued to Race Point, moved to P town harbor, then Wellfleet Audubon Sanctuary.
At any rate, here are the results.

At Fort Hill overlook

At Race Point

The balmiest weather I can remember for this date.

In the harbor at Provincetown.

Young Red-breasted Merganser

Common Eider

Common Loon

Female Common Eider

A rare case of the female being more colorful than the male

The Pilgrim Monument

The Town Hall

At the Audubon Sanctuary in Wellfleet.

A collection of whale bones

The great salt marsh.

Very cheeky song sparrow.

Insisted on being photographed