13 November 2024

Archive for the ‘Poem’ Category

Flycatchers

Friday, September 1st, 2023
Alder Flycatcher (juvie), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 01 September 2023.
Alder Flycatcher (juvie).

A cool, cloudless morning greeted dog and me as we headed up the wooded trail. By “cool,” I mean mid- to upper-50s (F). But once we hit the open fields, the sun warmed us up a bit—and, considering his thick coat, Jack didn’t much mind the little chill.

Birds were about, and moving. Notable, today, were the three flycatchers that showed up. In the woods, a wood-pewee perched on a snag and sang, occasionally making a quick flight to catch a fly. Nearing the summit, I caught sight of a young Alder Flycatcher (a species that prefers open areas)—and, nearby, a Least Flycatcher.

Between those three species and the waxwings that perched high in the summit spruce grove and dined on a fly hatch, the population of flies dipped quite a bit today.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:20 a.m. EST (8:20 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. White-breasted Nuthatch**
2. Black-capped Chickadee
3. Blue Jay (v)
4. Downy Woodpecker (v)
5. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
6. American Goldfinch
7. Eastern Wood-pewee
8. Tufted Titmouse (v)
9. Black-and-white Warbler
10. Gray Catbird**
11. Eastern Towhee
12. Cedar Waxwing
13. Alder Flycatcher
14. Song Sparrow
15. American Crow* (v)
16. Veery (v)
17. Common Yellowthroat
18. American Robin
19. Turkey Vulture
20. Northern Flicker (v)
21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
22. Least Flycatcher

Elsewhere

23. Herring Gull
24. Belted Kingfisher

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

†First-of-year

Silent Hike

Saturday, December 25th, 2021
Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 25 December 2021.
Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay.

Christmas Day, icy trail, gusty winds, nearly a gale. Birds deciding to up and lay low. Still the dog and I do go.

Did catch sight of a scrub-jay. Did catch sight of a jay.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 9:16 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. House Finch (v)
2. Black-billed Magpie**
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
5. Dark-eyed Junco (v)

(v) Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere

Overcast Morn

Tuesday, February 9th, 2021
Juniper Titmouse, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 09 February 2021.
Juniper Titmouse.

Rain showers were in the forecast for this warmish morning, so dog and I didn’t waste any time in getting up the switchback. The overcast persisted, but no precipitation fell in our vicinity. Still, I didn’t expect to end up with many wild critters on my list.

I was wrong: plenty of bird species popped up (many willing to pose), and a Rock Squirrel made its first appearance in a while.

Notable were a softly singing Townsend’s Solitaire, a Juniper Titmouse, and a female Cassin’s Finch awaiting our return to the trailhead.

Would that tomorrow’s might be this fun.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:38 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. American Robin*
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. House Finch**
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Rock Pigeon*
7. Dark-eyed Junco**
8. Juniper Titmouse
9. Black-billed Magpie*
10. Townsend’s Solitaire
11. Northern Flicker**
12. Mourning Dove
13. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
14. Cassin’s Finch

Elsewhere

15. House Sparrow
16. Eurasian Collared-dove (v)
17. European Starling

Mammals

Rock Squirrel

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

 
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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