Field notes

Boston right now

What the sky and dated field records support in Boston today. Parks to walk are further down. A claim that cannot be sourced is left off.

6:13pm: sunset today
11½ hrs: of daylight
waning crescent: moon tonight

from the live sky over Boston

One thing to notice and revisit

On 2026-10-06, an observer reported “Adults” as present for Bombus spp.. If you encounter and identify this species, note what you see and return to the same plant.

Reference: Look again for Bombus spp.. Date: 2026-10-06. Dated observer report, 4.1 km from the city reference point. This is not a verified observation at your location or a forecast. Dataset: USA-NPN dataset 3; site 51620, observation 57861017. Individual 313870.

Your observation and next visit

Add what you noticed yourself, including where you looked. These notes stay in this browser on this device. They are separate from the published record and are not verified by Rewyld.

Observation

On your next visit, look again and add a new dated note. Clearing browser data removes these notes.

Supporting references, dates and terms

Look again for Bombus spp.

On 2026-10-06, an observer reported “Adults” as present for Bombus spp.. If you encounter and identify this species, note what you see and return to the same plant.

Dated observer report, 4.1 km from the city reference point. This is not a verified observation at your location or a forecast. Dataset: USA-NPN dataset 3; site 51620, observation 57861017. Individual 313870.

Date: 2026-10-06

Observational data distributed by the USA National Phenology Network and its data contributors. USA National Phenology Network. 2026. Plant and Animal Phenology Data. Status and Intensity. 2026-10-02 to 2026-10-08. Accessed 2026-10-08. https://doi.org/10.5066/F78S4N1V

Look again for Pieris rapae

On 2026-10-06, an observer reported “Adults” as present for Pieris rapae. If you encounter and identify this species, note what you see and return to the same plant.

Date: 2026-10-06

Ulmus americana

Boston's tree inventory lists this tree about 187 metres from the city reference point. If you find and identify it, use the same tree for a return visit.

Publisher record boston-bprd:790. Survey date, position accuracy, public access and continued presence are unverified. This is a limited inventory sample, with further records omitted.

Date: 2026-10-08

City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department, BPRD Trees. Publisher inventory subset; coordinates and continued presence not independently verified.

Picea pungens 'Glauca'

Boston's tree inventory lists this tree about 204 metres from the city reference point. If you find and identify it, use the same tree for a return visit.

Publisher record boston-bprd:95. Survey date, position accuracy, public access and continued presence are unverified. This is a limited inventory sample, with further records omitted.

Date: 2026-10-08

City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department, BPRD Trees. Publisher inventory subset; coordinates and continued presence not independently verified.

Past record: Parthenocissus tricuspidata

A published occurrence record is dated 2023-10-14. It can help you explore the area's recorded biodiversity.

Historical sample for month 10, 2021–2025, within 25 km. This does not establish current presence or whether you can find the species. Sampling is incomplete for product purposes.

Date: 2023-10-14

GBIF occurrence 5109761312; dataset 7a3679ef-5582-4aaa-81f0-8c2545cafc81. CC-BY-4.0.

Past record: Euonymus alatus

A published occurrence record is dated 2023-10-01. It can help you explore the area's recorded biodiversity.

Historical sample for month 10, 2021–2025, within 25 km. This does not establish current presence or whether you can find the species. Sampling is incomplete for product purposes.

Date: 2023-10-01

GBIF occurrence 5109744294; dataset 7a3679ef-5582-4aaa-81f0-8c2545cafc81. CC-BY-4.0.

For a waterline comparison, you can select Boston Harbor station. This does not identify the city reference point as coastal or establish safe access.

Where to walk in Boston

Boston Public Garden

Open water to settle beside while the day slows down.

~23 acres
Water on site

Charlestown Navy Yard

A quiet edge of water to sit near and watch the light move.

~30 acres
Water on site

Norman B. Leventhal Park

Water on site, and water is where the stillness tends to land.

~2 acres
Water on site

East Boston Memorial Park

Find the water, find a bench, and let your attention go still.

~23 acres
Water on site

Commonwealth Ave Mall

Still water to walk along and breathe to the pace of.

~15 acres
Water on site

Bremen Street Park

Close water you can reach before the light goes soft.

~16 acres
Water on site

Lechmere Canal Park

Room to walk by the water until the road drops away behind you.

~4 acres
Water on site

The Common at CX

A wide green with water in it to sit beside for five minutes.

~4 acres
Water on site

A five-minute walk, if you want one

1
Before you start walking, stand still for three slow breaths. Let the hurry you carried here settle. There is no distance to cover.
2
Begin to walk, slower than usual. Feel each foot meet the ground. When your attention drifts, and it will, bring it back to the next step.
3
For the last minute, lift your eyes. Take in one thing you had not noticed: the light, a tree, the air on your face. Carry the pace, not just the moment, back with you.

A voiced version lives on the free guided walk, or open Rewyld for a walk composed from the sky over Boston.

Questions

Where can I go outside in Boston?

The parks and gardens on this page are starting points. A tree-lined street or the small park near you counts too.

What does right now mean on this page?

The numbers at the top come from today's sky over Boston. Notes below that come from dated field records with sources. If a claim cannot be backed, it is not shown.