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Archive for March, 2011
Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
 Oak. Rain in the forecast. This morning I could feel it coming from somewhere in the lowering sky. But not for a little while yet. The titmouse is love-struck, obsessed with the reproductive urge. I hear it every morning. And crows.
 Birch. About midday, the rain began to fall. Lightly, then more heavily, then drizzly again. Chickadees out back.
And in town, herring gulls. But the rain had picked up again, requiring a steady windshield wiper setting. I managed to get about seventy-something envelopes in the mail, then did some grocery shopping, then headed with dog to Beech Hill.
I fully expected to get drenched and for my pickup to soak up that ripe wet-dog smell—but, miraculously, the rain let up a bit just as we commenced. We were the only ones up there (naturally). The trail was only slightly challenging. In fact, toward the top, we even managed a rapid, urgent pace. So much snow gone. Just a remnant stretch on the first rise of the trail, really. And that had stayed thick enough to hold our footing without much slippage.
Coming down, I heard something. Paused. A raven. I’ve noticed that ravens tend to become vocal in the fog—and it was foggy—whereas on clear days they seem to stay mostly silent. (That is, until deep spring, when they begin to utter all kinds of crazy sounds.) No other birds up there, though, that I could see or hear.
Returning, I spotted a little group of robins flying low across the road.
 Gone-by spruce. Tonight, in the wake of the rain, the sky has gone to haze. The waxing moon hangs up there in a comely, circular glow. I thought I might hear woodcocks, but none yet.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail (in the rain).
1. Common raven (voice)
Elsewhere
2. Tufted titmouse
3. American crow
4. Black-capped chickadee
5. House finch
6. Herring gull
7. American robin
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, common raven, herring gull, house finch, tufted titmouse
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Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
 Beech Hill. Dawn came bright and early—earlier than yesterday, as we near the vernal equinox. I found myself having to scramble first thing, so Jack and I ventured out right away into a brilliant morning full of birdsong. Titmouse, chickadee, house finch, crow, dove. At the datacenter in Rockland, I heard a cardinal singing, and (unexpectedly) a song sparrow. In town were herring gulls, ring-bills, pigeons, starlings, and a blue jay. Not long after, headed to a dental appointment, I didn’t even bother with my hooded sweatshirt.
 Shadows on the trail. Later, I had a phone message reporting my bicycle is ready to ride. Alas, over-busyness prevented me from retrieving it today.
But nothing prevents dog and me from our daily hike up Beech Hill. Granted, we didn’t get there until 5:30—but that would’ve been 4:30 just a few days ago. Plus, there’s that thing about the lengthening photoperiod.
A mourning dove on the road barely moved as we pulled in. No cars in the parking lot. Hardly a cloud in the sky. The snow-ridge on the lower trail shows signs of imminent failure. On the upper trail, the going was swift. I was glad to have brought my sweatshirt on this trip, though, as I felt the still-icy wind sluice through my clothes. Pulled my hands up into the sleeves, even—but what a wondrous hike.
The waxing moon rose over the spruces at the summit. The panoramic view of the bay made me stand up just a little straighter. Then I spotted a solitary crow flying off down the snow-free southeastern slope.
 Moon beyond the spruces. With the wind at our backs, we hiked back down. About half-way, we came upon my friend Sarah and her two dogs. Jack only growled a little at the eager youngster.
Tonight the sky seemed strafed with stars. I wondered if the moon will achieve fullness on the first day of spring—but then I looked it up, and it appears that’ll happen the day before.
Suddenly, in the quiet of everything, I heard the honks of geese from somewhere in the moonlit sky.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Mourning dove
2. American crow
Elsewhere
3. Tufted titmouse
4. Black-capped chickadee
5. House finch
6. Herring gull
7. Northern cardinal
8. Song sparrow
9. Rock pigeon
10. Blue jay
11. Ring-billed gull
12. European starling
13. Canada goose
 Sun.
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, Canada goose, European starling, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse
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Monday, March 14th, 2011
 Beech Nut. A bright morning. Much nippier than yesterday—in the 20s (F) when first I checked. Crows flapped about, and the dauntless titmouse sang. Across the road, I noticed three house finches flitting in and out from under the green awnings of the Claddagh Motel.
 Beech Hill. By the time Jack and I got up and out, the day had warmed some. I took my bike for a tune-up and was pleased to hear it could be ready to pick up in only a day or two. Gulls flying over—herrings and ring-bills—and rock pigeons in town. While driving through Rockport Village, I spotted a mourning dove flying swiftly overhead.
I’m still not quite used to daylight savings time, so even though we got to the hill rather late, clock-wise, it didn’t seem very close to evening.
A couple vehicles in the parking lot. A slippery trail. In fact, the lower trail consisted mostly of just a narrow bridge of hard-packed snow, with mud on either side. Dog and I worked hard to stay on the snowy part. I heard a mourning dove calling from near Beech Hill Road.
We encountered little snow on the upper trail, and the sky spready blue and hazy over the hill. The heavy boulder-moving machinery remains—for how long I do not know. We met no one coming up and no one coming down. Not sure where the owners of the two vehicles got to. Maybe they’d continued on down into the wooded trails.
 Red squirrel. Ruddy-colored fields lay bare on either side of the trail, a sign of late-winter days. Underfoot was either slick ice, grainy snow, or sloppy mud. I found myself starting to think about ticks—although I didn’t check very carefully afterward.
Back home, I heard the cooing of a mourning dove coming from somewhere nearby. Saw an old nest I hadn’t noticed before lodged about half-way up a small maple out back. Heard the finches chatting with each other well into evening on the other side of the house.
And then rose a waxing moon.
Tonight, a minute ago, I heard the voices of geese from out in the wide flats of Clam Cove.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Mourning dove (voice)
Elsewhere
2. American crow
3. Tufted titmouse
4. House finch
5. Herring gull
6. Ring-billed gull
7. Rock pigeon
8. Mallard
9. Canada goose
 Sun.
Tags: American crow, herring gull, house finch, mallard, mourning dove, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, tufted titmouse
Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
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| 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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