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Archive for May, 2011
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
 Ovenbird. It’s been the rainiest spring I can remember here on the 44th parallel, 69th line. Woke up early, peeked out the blinds, saw wetness everywhere, and so rolled over and went back to sleep. Got up eventually, had breakfast, took dog out for a pee (house finch, crow, gull), then got to work.
 Yellow-rumped warbler. It was late in the day before we ventured out, Jack and I. Took a spin through town and saw a mourning dove fly over. Saw a pair of starlings fly over. Saw rock pigeons fly over. In the rain.
Got to Beech Hill at exactly 5 p.m. A crow was waiting for us at the entrance to the Rockville Street parking lot—at least there’d be one bird to count today. But I also heard ovenbirds calling above the sound of the rain and wind. Because it was also windy. A pretty stout north-ish wind, in fact. The rain fell lightly but steadily.
Took a little while before I heard another bird call—the note of a towhee. Then, about half-way up, I heard the tseet! of a white-throat near the trail. Then another. Little green leaves are busting out all over the place. The green and gray looked kind of nice together.
Wetness everywhere.
In fact, the rain had seemed to pick up some. I couldn’t hear much of anything above the spattering sound it made on last fall’s leaves and the rush of the wind. Did hear the chip of a yellow-rump. Then the call of a yellowthroat. Rounding one turn, I finally saw a little bird fly up into a low perch, and we stopped. It was an ovenbird, orange crest raised, not far ahead of us. Pretty hard to get a decent photo in such conditions.
 Sprig. At the fields below the summit, I heard the voice of a song sparrow. A couple ‘rumps were flitting about up there, too. And then I caught the wind-blown song of a catbird.
And that was just about it. Oh, I thought I heard gulls at one point, but amid all the ambient sound, I couldn’t be sure. Also thought I heard a Nashville warbler, but it could’ve been a yellow-rump’s song. Kind of thought I heard a robin—not positive. Was that a thrush? I couldn’t say. Fact is, I must’ve cocked my head a half-dozen times in an attempt to confirm another species, but I failed on most counts altogether.
As we reached the summit, the rain had grown more steady. Add to that the dearth of birds and surprisingly thick swarms of black flies, and you could fairly describe today’s hike as rather miserable.
But returning along the upper fields, we did stumble into a good-sized flock of flitting ‘rumps. Maybe a dozen or a score of them, dashing from tree to tree. We stopped in the rain three or four times as I worked to grab a photo or two. (Hard to do in the rain, with black flies landing on your eyelids, and light so dim most shots were just a blur.)
 Yellow-rumped warbler. Spotted a couple yellowthroats for a mere instant. Nothing much else before we entered the lower wooded trail—and nothing at all down there. Except rain. Rain drenched my camera and dripped off the brim of my hat. Jack was soaked. We must’ve navigated the trail in record time.
Back toward the parking lot, I did see a phoebe, at least. And while toweling Jack down, I heard the cyclic song of a black-and-white warbler.
And that was that. Even tonight, light rain continues—along with a not-so-light north wind. And somewhere above it all I’ve still got a chorus of spring peepers.
It’s been the rainiest spring I can remember. And yet central Texas (where I grew up) hasn’t had a good soaking shower for many months.
Funny how things work out sometimes.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. American crow
2. Ovenbird
3. Eastern towhee (voice)
4. White-throated sparrow
5. Yellow-rumped warbler
6. Common yellowthroat
7. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
8. Song sparrow (voice)
9. Gray catbird (voice)
10. Eastern phoebe
11. Black-and-white warbler (voice)
Elsewhere
12. House finch
13. Herring gull
14. Mourning dove
15. European starling
16. Rock pigeon
Tags: American crow, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, gray catbird, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, ovenbird, rock pigeon, song sparrow, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
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Monday, May 9th, 2011
 American red squirrel. Awake early. It looked bright enough and seemed dry. Dog and I headed out—and into a stout, strong northwest wind.
 Black-throated green warbler. It was blowing like crazy at the Rockville Street parking lot. Still I heard four bird calls right off the bat: black-throated green, ovenbird, chickadee, and wild turkey. Before we’d gone many paces: phoebe, nuthatch, blue-headed vireo, towhee. But those were near birds. I couldn’t hear much at a distance, what with all the rushing, rocking trees.
But I managed to make out the songs (and/or sights) of a number of the usual species as we ascended. Plenty of warblers, but no grosbeak today. Heard a little flock of white-throats scratching in the trailside leaves.
At the upper fields, a lone kestrel perched atop its customary tree. A pair of tree swallows made it twenty species by the time we reached the summit. They seemed to bound joyfully through the billowing air.
Not a little warbler wave, regardless. Many black-throated greens, it seemed, along with more chestnut-sideds than yesterday and plenty of black-and-whites. Coming down the open trail, I saw a turkey vulture soaring low and a lone gull winging by. I couldn’t hear much except the wind in my ears—until we got near the base of the hill, when I barely made out the song of a field sparrow and the cries of a flicker.
 American robin. A pair of robins like the little blueberry patch nearest the road, apparently. More white-throats scratching about down there, and I watched a singing cowbird light on the tip-top of one of the roadside spruces.
Titmouse, chippy, mourning dove, goldfinch.
On our return, I heard the song of a Nashville warbler. And descending toward the woods again, I saw a crow sitting on the next tree over from the kestrel.
And that was it. Otherwise: a house sparrow back at the house, a few starlings and pigeons in town.
In evening, rain began to spatter down. And tonight, the wind still howls—but not loud enough to muffle the chorus of peepers in the wet spot up the hill.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-throated green warbler
2. Ovenbird (voice)
3. Black-capped chickadee
4. Wild turkey (voice)
5. Eastern phoebe
6. White-breasted nuthatch (voice)
7. Blue-headed vireo (voice)
8. Eastern towhee
9. Chestnut-sided warbler
10. Black-and-white warbler
11. Yellow-rumped warbler
12. Gray catbird
13. Blue jay (voice)
14. White-throated sparrow
15. Hairy woodpecker (voice)
16. Northern cardinal (voice)
17. Common yell0wthroat
18. Song sparrow
19. American kestrel
20. Tree swallow
21. Savannah sparrow (voice)
22. Turkey vulture
23. Herring gull
24. Field sparrow (voice)
25. Northern flicker (voice)
26. American robin
27. Tufted titmouse (voice)
28. Chipping sparrow (voice)
29. Brown-headed cowbird
30. Mourning dove (voice)
31. American goldfinch
32. Nashville warbler (voice)
33. American crow
Elsewhere
35. House sparrow
36. European starling
37. Rock pigeon
 Black-and-white warbler.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American kestrel, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, brown-headed cowbird, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, field sparrow, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, house sparrow, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern flicker, ovenbird, rock pigeon, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey, yellow-rumped warbler
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Sunday, May 8th, 2011
 Black-throated green warbler. I’d expected rain. That’s what the forecasts called for, anyway. But when I awoke early and peeked out between the blinds, the world was gray but dry. So I rolled out of bed, and dog and I headed straight for Beech Hill. (Noticed the dependable mourning dove on the utility line on our way up there.)
 Chestnut-sided warbler. The first bird I heard as we emerged from the pickup was a herring gull crying from over toward the little cow farm up Rockville Street. Then, in quick succession, an ovenbird—and two more ovenbirds, all hollering to each other—a black-throated green warbler, a tufted titmouse. And then the thin squee! of a broad-winged hawk coming from across the road where I’d seen one a few days ago. I wonder if they’ve got a nest in there.
Coming up the trail I heard the usual birds—including the recently arrived rose-breasted grosbeak—as well as a pair of overflying grackles. Also, among the many warblers, a northern parula. First parula I’ve seen there this spring.
(As I was waiting to get a look at the parula in the little poplar grove, Jack and I both heard a sudden sound, looked off, and saw a snowshoe hare bounding by from right to left. It looked to have its warm-weather coat already.)
As I was focusing my binoculars on a little group of yell0w-rumps, I saw a tiny plain-looking bird among them, took a closer look, and recognized it as a ruby-crowned kinglet. It wasn’t singing—unlike the yell0w-rumps, chestnut-sideds, black-and-whites, yell0wthroats, and another black-throated green. (Still waiting for redstart, black-throated blue, magnolia, and whatever other warblers might arrive.)
Also heard crows, a cardinal, jays, a couple woodpeckers, a turkey gobbling from off somewhere. At the foggy upper field, I heard song sparrows, towhees, more yell0w-rumps, savannah sparrows, and tree swallows. At the little corner by the fence, I noticed little birds flitting about everywhere, so we stopped. A big wave of warblers. Most seemed to be ‘rumps, but among them were black-throated greens, black-and-whites, and yellows. We stayed there quite a while—and I wished it were sunnier for the sake of photos.
 American kestrel. Finally, as we continued up toward the last rise, I spotted a solitary raven fly over. A big black bird with wedge-shaped tail.
As we climbed the last stretch to the summit, I caught sight of the resident phoebes, which I realized made twenty-nine birds on my list. Well, naturally, I had hopes for an even thirty, so we slowed a bit. Suddenly I thought I saw a good-sized, narrow-winged bird swoop off Beech Nut’s far roof-edge off into the fog. It looked like a kestrel, but I couldn’t be sure. Damn. But then I heard the voice of a field sparrow. An even thirty.
As we rounded Beech Nut, sure enough, a kestrel rose from the grass and sailed away. Perhaps with all the fog, the bird was hunting from a low perch. I watched it fly up to the crown of a small tree, where it stayed for a moment. I saw a second kestrel on the branches of a tree farther down the western slope. The pair of them then flew away to the southwest.
I saw the kestrels again as we descended the open trail, one of them actually perched on one of the little trail-side posts. Several other birds showed up, as well—goldfinch, Nashville warbler, chipping sparrow, mourning dove—and I met my birding pal Ed coming up. As we chatted, I heard the voice of a brown-headed cowbird. Thirty-eight species at that point.
 Yellow-rumped warbler. Down at the parking lot, I was watching a pair of hairy woodpeckers, when a turkey vulture flew over. Back at the summit, a purple finch was calling from the little spruce grove. (That makes, I think, three days I’ve heard one up there.) Back over and along the eastern hillside, the wave of warblers was still going strong. I could’ve stood there for an hour. It got my thinking: most of the best photos I’ve taken happened when I’d stopped at a place attractive to roving birds, and simply waited for them to appear. Often, they’re surprise birds. I.e., I’ve often been focused on photographing one species and ended up with a nice photo of another.
By now I had thirty-nine birds and was hoping for forty—and about half-way down through the lower wooded trail, I heard the call of a pileated woodpecker. Nice. I also heard a turkey gobble down among the big oaks, and as we rounded the curve and looked down the long trail, there it was, way at the bottom. A tom. It must’ve seen us, too, because it hurried away and was gone.
Coming along above the vernal pool, I looked for mallards but saw none. However, a silent brown bird flitted up into a low perch. We froze. It was a veery. Forty-one species on an overcast early morning.
 Veery. Soon after we returned home, the sun came out—and it turned into a sunny, gorgeous day. I had half a mind to take a second hike up the hill, but I didn’t. In fact, I took a nap in afternoon. Later, I watched the nuthatches “sweep” the limb above their nesting cavity out over the deck. And in twilight, I heard the flight song of a woodcock.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Herring gull
2. Ovenbird (voice)
3. Black-throated green warbler
4. Tufted titmouse (voice)
5. Broad-winged hawk (voice)
6. Gray catbird
7. Eastern towhee
8. Hairy woodpecker
9. Rose-breasted grosbeak (voice)
10. Black-and-white warbler
11. Common grackle (voice)
12. Yellow-rumped warbler
13. Northern parula
14. Chestnut-sided warbler
15. American crow
16. Northern cardinal (voice)
17. Common yellowthroat
18. Ruby-crowned kinglet
19. Blue jay
20. White-throated sparrow
21. Black-capped chickadee
22. Song sparrow (voice)
23. Northern flicker
24. Wild turkey
25. American robin
26. Savannah sparrow
27. Yellow warbler
28. Tree swallow
29. Common raven
30. Eastern phoebe
31. American kestrel
32. Field sparrow (voice)
33. American goldfinch (voice)
34. Nashville warbler (voice)
35. Mourning dove (voice)
36. Chipping sparrow (voice)
37. Turkey vulture
38. Brown-headed cowbird (voice)
39. Purple finch (voice)
40. Pileated woodpecker (voice)
41. Veery
Elsewhere
42. House finch
43. Rock pigeon
44. White-breasted nuthatch
45. American woodcock
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American kestrel, American robin, American woodcock, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, broad-winged hawk, brown-headed cowbird, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common grackle, common raven, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, field sparrow, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern flicker, northern parula, ovenbird, pileated woodpecker, purple finch, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, ruby-crowned kinglet, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey, yellow warbler, yellow-rumped warbler
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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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