Lindsey Nichols

Review of Mount Auburn Cemetery

Rich birding in a beautifully landscaped cemetery ...

Rich birding in a beautifully landscaped cemetery with lots of great old oaks, maples, conifers, and flowering fruit trees. Interesting topographical features include dells, valleys, hills, ponds, and ridges to explore. Plenty of cover for skulking birds as well: rhododendrons and shrubs. Public restrooms at the entrance, along with a drinking fountain. Check out the chalkboard at the front gate for recent bird sightings. Wonder why there isn't a second restroom at the very distant far end of the cemetery... Definitely wear shoes appropriate for walking up and down hills, through wet grass (most paths are paved, some are rougher with stone and woodchips), and over acorns. Spring birding at Mount Auburn draws a crowd, with every birder in town making an attempt at this birding hotspot. If you can, try birding here during off-peak hours, like late morning on a weekday. Or a cloudier, mistier day when fair weather birders stay indoors. Even when there's few migrating birds around, it's a gorgeous greenspace with turkeys, ravens, chipmunks, ground squirrels, secretive coyotes, and sleepy raccoons (if you're stealthy).

Note: no dogs, bicycles, jogging, or food allowed! If you prefer to bird while walking your dog, or picnic while looking at the graves of historical figures, try Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain. It's like the laidback version of Mount Auburn Cemetery. And there's famous people buried there, too. (Lookin' at you, Anne Sexton, e.e. cummings, and Lucy Stone.)