I do love an overcast day. I love a sunny day, too, of course—but a cool overcast like this morning’s makes for a luscious change-of-pace. Just the feeling of a protective roof over your head, preventing you from astral projection into the endlessness of space. Or something like that.
Anyway, dog and I had a real nice hike, with some pretty cool birds, to boot. Most notably, we flushed two American Woodcocks, and the cry of a Blue Jay alerted me to a Broad-winged Hawk flyby. Even got a teeny little glimpse of a singing male Scarlet Tanager way up in the leafy green canopy.
Was supposed to be raining during our usual hike time, but no—and apparently won’t be tomorrow either. But the forecast calls for another sweetly cloudy morn.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m. sun time (8:30 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Eastern Phoebe 3. Song Sparrow** 4. American Redstart** (v) 5. Ovenbird** 6. Black-and-white Warbler 7. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 8. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 9. Black-throated Green Warbler** (v) 10. Blue Jay 11. Eastern Towhee** 12. Veery (v) 13. Scarlet Tanager 14. Broad-winged Hawk 15. Gray Catbird** 16. American Woodcock 17. Common Yellowthroat (v) 18. Alder Flycatcher (v) 19. Tufted Titmouse (v) 20. Turkey Vulture 21. Field Sparrow 22. Yellow Warbler (v) 23. Eastern Bluebird 24. American Crow* 25. American Goldfinch** (v) 26. Northern Cardinal* (v) 27. Black-capped Chickadee 28. Hermit Thrush (v)
Elsewhere
29. Mallard 30. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Went to bed last night thinking dog and I would have to hike in sprinkles for the second straight day, but no. A simple, misty overcast greeted us when we arrived at the trailhead—a couple hours earlier than yesterday. And nearly twice as many bird species showed up.
Notable was a singing Veery (seen), two singing Scarlet Tanagers (unseen), a random flicker (unseen), and confirmation that the juvie Hairy Woodpeckers have left their nest hole.
Truly a lovely overcast, this one. Tomorrow’s supposed be showery.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m. sun time (8:30 DST), I hiked all trails.
Was supposed to rain today, and it did. Waited a couple three hours until a little letup occurred, then dog and I hit the main trail. As expected, we got a little wet.
Also as expected, I ended up with few birds on my list. This rainy stretch comes from a sort of spring mini–nor’easter swirling out over the bay, and the wind was whipping through the trees. Many species were quiet—didn’t hear a single Red-eyed Vireo!—and I decided not to hike far into the woods.
But it felt good to get out there in the nippy (mid-40s (F)), moist, breezy air. I like a change of pace—even if the change is gonna last a while….
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:43 a.m. sun time (10:43 DST), I hiked the main trail, plus.
