View of the bay.

Something of a respite today. Light snow in the morning—no more than an inch or so—and then warming to maybe 40 degrees (F). Don’t know that for sure, but it sure felt like it. Snow stopped. A splash or two of sun was all, then a blue overcast. I drove with two dogs to do errands, and the we three all ended up at Beech Hill.

Australian cattle dogs.

Birds right away. Chickadee, brown creeper. Caught sight of both in the trees around the parking lot. Coming up along the road, I heard the voice of a goldfinch. Then up and over the slushy hill, serenaded the whole way by the cries of flickers. On our return, we stopped. Quiet. Then the faint beeps of a nuthatch. And back near the parking lot, the voice of a hairy woodpecker.

Six birds today in about a half-hour on an open coastal hill. Not bad for January.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Black-capped chickadee
2. Brown creeper
3. American goldfinch (voice)
4. Northern flicker
5. White-breasted nuthatch (voice)
6. Hairy woodpecker (voice)

Elsewhere

7. American crow
8. House sparrow
9. Herring gull
10. Mallard
11. European starling