10 December 2024

Parula

October 13th, 2023
Northern Parula, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 13 October 2023.
Northern Parula.

This morning’s hike was a c-c-cold one to start: mid-40s (F). her But the sky was mostly blue, and over time, the sun warmed things up, as it does. Not a huge number of bird species—but some really interesting ones. Heard the cry of a red-tail, for instance (and saw two flying in a southerly direction). Saw a pair of larks. Listened to another kinglet’s rollicking song.

Most fun, though, was discovering a Northern Parula amid a little flock of yellow-rumps along the wooded trail. One even stopped moving long enough for a photographic glimpse.

[Note on Bird Report: This might well be my last post for a while—possibly the last post. These daily missives take a while to create, and I’m finding I have a lot I want to do with my time these days. But never fear: I do intend still to hike around a lot with binoculars and camera, so there will be bird photos out there. But mostly likely they’ll be on Instagram: @brrrder.]

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:46 a.m. EST (8:46 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Blue Jay**
2. Yellow-rumped Warbler
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. Northern Parula
5. White-throated Sparrow (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
7. Hermit Thrush
8. American Crow*
9. Horned Lark
10. Red-tailed Hawk
11. Savannah Sparrow
12. Song Sparrow
13. Northern Flicker (v)
14. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
15. Eastern Towhee *(v)

Elsewhere

16. Herring Gull

Mammals

Eastern Chipmunk

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Pileated

October 12th, 2023
Pileated Woodpecker (female), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 12 October 2023.
Pileated Woodpecker (female).

A similar start to yesterday’s hike—rather late up the main trail, overcast, damp, nippy, calm—but with a little sun brightening things up after a while. The sun also warmed things up. And birds were active.

Notable were a pair of larks, a loon in overflight, the croaks of a raven—and a rare glimpse of a Pileated Woodpecker.

Pileateds themselves aren’t rare in the woods, but they’re good at making themselves scarce. Often you’ll hear their loud, distinctive call, and sometimes you can track one by its especially loud hammering. But I do love to get a peek at these lovely birds. Today’s female posed for a photo.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 8:04 a.m. EST (9:04 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Song Sparrow (v)
2. Blue Jay
3. Yellow-rumped Warbler**
4. American Crow*
5. American Goldfinch
6. Common Yellowthroat (v)
7. Hairy Woodpecker
8. Northern Flicker
9. Common Loon
10. Horned Lark
11. Tufted Titmouse (v)
12. Eastern Towhee (v)
13. Black-capped Chickadee
14. Hermit Thrush
15. Brown Creeper (v)
16. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
17. White-breasted Nuthatch
18. Common Raven (v)
19. Pileated Woodpecker

Elsewhere

20. Herring Gull
21. Northern Cardinal

Mammals

Eastern Gray Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Ovenbird

October 11th, 2023
Ovenbird
Ovenbird.

Rained overnight, and the morning trails were watery when Captain Jack and I hit the hill. Chilly enough for a sweatshirt, but calm, with air that had the fragrance of fall.

Plenty of birds—I suppose thanks to a change in wind direction—including a minor fallout of yellow-rumps, a very vocal kinglet, and some vocal woodpecker species. Most notable would be an Ovenbird that was hanging out with a Hermit Thrush. (They do look a little alike, I guess.)

To top things off, in afternoon, another dog (Oscar) and I walked the Rockland Breakwater—which will explain a few species listed below.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 8:01 a.m. EST (9:01 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Northern Flicker (v)
2. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
3. Blue Jay (v)
4. Yellow-rumped Warbler
5. Song Sparrow
6. Black-capped Chickadee**
7. American Crow*
8. American Robin
9. Eastern Towhee (v)
10. Purple Finch (v)
11. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
12. Gray Catbird** (v)
13. Red-bellied Woodpecker
14. Tufted Titmouse (v)
15. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
16. Hermit Thrush
17. Ovenbird
18. Downy Woodpecker (v)

Elsewhere

19. Mallard
20. Northern Cardinal
21. Herring Gull
22. Bald Eagle
23. Double-crested Cormorant

Mammals

Eastern Gray Squirrel
Harbor Seal

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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