Red-tailed hawk.
When I first stepped outside this morning, I could hardly believe how mild it was. Sun, temps in the 40s (F), calm as could be. Right away, I thought I might take a December bike ride—or maybe a longer hike with Jack at Beech Hill. After editing for a couple hours, I got to thinking about the sections of trail I’d missed lately and I opted for the latter.
Pine grosbeak.
We parked at the wooded trailhead for a change. I guess it’d been about six weeks since we’d been in those woods. The trees were bare, the views a lot longer than last time. Quiet trails. No sight or sound of birds. Until, that is, about half-way up, when I heard the very subtle call of a flicker—just a couple notes, really. I didn’t see that bird, but I did spot a flicker at the edge of the first field, perched in a distant tree. Also heard a chickadee and crows.
Coming around the corner and a view of the summit, I heard the voices of a flock of birds behind us. Turned around just as several pine grosbeaks lit in a tree at the corner we’d just passed. Snapped a few lousy photos before they flew.
Things were hopping at the summit. I’d forgotten about plans for an appreciation event at Beech Nut. Jack and I walked in and visited a while with a bunch of good folks (and a couple good dogs) before continuing over and down the open trail. A little wind had risen and a few clouds had moved over and it was kind of chilly up there. Stopped to peer off at Chickawaukie Lake, where I spotted the little raft of coots. And then, about half-way down, I heard the tiny notes of bluebirds, and there they were, a little flock of ’em, bouncing away above the southern slope.
White-breasted nuthatch.
The trees around the Beech Hill Road parking lot—which, by the way, was packed with cars—were brimming with birds. Well, OK, maybe not brimming. But I saw two nuthatches, a couple chickadees, and a brown creeper, and I heard a titmouse and a jay.
Back up the hill I saw another flock of grosbeaks (possibly, I suppose, the same one) and then, coming around the corner, a small sound made me stop. The chip of a yellow-rumped warbler. I thought my ears might be deceiving me, but then I saw the source of the sound at the tip of a small tree, made a quick decision, and raised my binoculars instead of my camera. Sure enough, a yellow-rump. It flew before I could swap binocs for camera. A few moments later, a flicker bounded away.
Down the lower wooded trail, we surprised a small gang of turkeys, which slipped swiftly away like ghosts or something.
On the way home, we had to take a detour around an operation to haul a semi out of a ditch. This proved fortuitous as, turning up Porter Street, I happened to catch sight of a big bird perched in a tree overhanging the road. It was a red-tailed hawk, looked like as we passed. I turned around, pulled over, and grabbed a few photos.
Tonight is a chilly night, but not a freezing one. Today was a surprisingly birdy day.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 1:45 p.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Northern flicker
2. Black-capped chickadee
3. American crow* (v)
4. Pine grosbeak
5. American coot
6. Eastern bluebird
7. White-breasted nuthatch
8. Tufted titmouse (v)
9. Brown creeper
10. Blue jay (v)
11. Yellow-rumped warbler
12. Wild turkey
Elsewhere
13. Herring gull
14. Red-tailed hawk
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
