Landscape.

Damp and overcast at first, but sunny later. Doing errands, I encountered assorted migrating birds moving through—kestrel, turkey vulture, robin—before Jack and I made our way to the wooded Beech Hill trail. Now that it’s bird-hunting season, I suppose we should wear blaze orange, but we didn’t today.

More yellow-rumps around, although fewer than yesterday. Chickadees, of course. Heard a flicker and a catbird. Saw a couple crows fly over. At the summit, I had a nice chat with some Beech Hill acquaintances while dog got some extra pats and scratches. Really lovely up there.

Descending, I heard the long musical cackle of a pileated woodpecker—its voice went on and on even as the bird appeared from behind us and flew over us and into the trees below, veering around trunks and snags. Also heard a white-throated sparrow and a hairy woodpecker. But I have to say the vociferous pileated kind of made my day.

October is perhaps the loveliest month where I live.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:45 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.

1. Yellow-rumped warbler
2. Black-capped chickadee
3. Northern flicker (v)
4. Gray catbird (v)
5. American crow*
6. Pileated woodpecker
7. White-throated sparrow (v)
8. Hairy woodpecker (v)

Elsewhere

9. Herring gull
10. American kestrel
11. American robin
12. Turkey vulture
13. House sparrow

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere