backyard birds

June 21, 2026

Sara Kate Wilkinson

Sara Kate Wilkinson

— 1 min read
Share
June 21, 2026
Bird of the Day: rock pigeon, exquisitely captured on an iPhone 11. Boston strong.

Where: Boston Common

When: 8:45 am

Bird Species: rock pigeon, house sparrow, ring-billed gull, European starling

Things I Thought About:

  • I didn't pack my camera because it is heavy and takes up space in a backpack, and since I was only going to be here over night I wasn't sure how much bird time I'd have.
  • I mean, yes, I am on the Boston Common, one of the most famous outdoor spots in the country, but I am here to cheer on two of the almost 10,000 runners in a 10K this morning. If I take my eyes off the finish line for a moment, I'll miss them, so the birds will have to watch themselves today.
  • These are not real birds, but they are extremely famous birds, and I think people would enjoy seeing them today.
The famous Make Way for Ducklings statues, kitted out for this week’s Scotland World Cup appearances.
  • I was with a six-year-old friend this morning and pigeons ate Fritos out of his hand. It was a treat to see how delighted he was, although it was also extremely gross to think about too much.

BOTD: rock pigeon. One of dozens and dozens and dozens on the common today. Sorry no good pictures of birds on this, the longest day of the year. My apps sent me home from BWI in some insane way; by the time I got out of the car I was too hot and cranky for a walk.

Plus side, I spent a lot of time with people I treasure this weekend. It was great. I should do it more often.

Read more