Eastern bluebird.

Another cloudless and unseasonably warm—if breezy—day. By late morning, the dogs were getting antsy, so I grabbed their leashes and we took the quick trip to Beech Hill. The wooded trailhead for a change.

Contemplating the hill.

And a muddy track it was. Last year at this time Jack and I had to slog through snow on that side of the hill, but it felt great to get back into the familiar wooded landscape after a few months away. Crow, robin, and chickadees on the way up. The morning sun warmed us, and the leafless trees kept enough wind away. When we emerged into the upper fields—just now an even colorless sort of tan-brown—we stopped for a minute and just contemplated the place.

At the summit, we met a pair of women on some kind of birthday hike. Found out that one of them has a dog that, like Jack, came to Maine from Tennessee via Lucky Pup Rescue; found out the other was a fellow birder. And within a couple minutes, she’d spotted a little flock of bluebirds skulking in the hollows amid tall grass. A couple other hikers showed up. Above, the sky overspread the world in pure, endless blue. And in the middle of it I noticed a bald eagle circling.

Finally, I gave the signal, and the dogs dragged me down the open trail—where we met other hikers ascending (unsurprisingly, given the glorious weather—then back up. That’s when a couple of bluebirds gave me a decent (backlit) photo opportunity.

Bald eagle.

What a peculiar February this has been.

Beech Hill List

Beginning at 11:15 p.m., I hiked all trails.

1. American crow (voice)
2. American robin
3. Black-capped chickadee
4. Eastern bluebird
5. Bald eagle

Elsewhere

6. Herring gull
7. House sparrow
8. House finch
9. Tufted titmouse
10. American goldfinch
11. Northern cardinal
12. Golden-crowned kinglet