American Robin.

Awoke to sunlight and about six fresh inches of snow. When I took Jack out first thing, I noticed some wing marks on the fresh snow of my parking lot. Crow? Owl? Not sure what that was about. Made breakfast, ate breakfast, stepped out to shovel snow.

Snow angel.

Had everything shoveled by about 10 a.m. By early afternoon, clouds had moved in. By mid-afternoon, I’d ticked off the last item on my work list, so I grabbed Jack, and we headed to the grocery store, where he waited in the truck while I spent a bunch of money. And then we hit Beech Hill.

Only a party of snowshoers had beat a trail up there, I noticed. Small birds around the parking lot, along with a robin or two eating old apples across the road. Spotted a flicker in a treetop across a field. Scanned for snowy owls but found none.

The hike was a little slow going since I hadn’t bothered with snowshoes my own self (kinda wish I had)—but it was great exercise, and there wasn’t much wind, and it wasn’t really all that cold.

On our return, I had an email report of a snowy owl at Beech Hill. Seems we just missed it—the folks who made the snowshoe tracks had spotted it—which gave me a little jolt of dismay. But we’ll head up there again tomorrow and see what we shall see.

Tonight it’s snowing again. What a crazy winter.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3 p.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Tufted Titmouse (v)
3. American Robin
4. Northern Flicker

Elsewhere

5. American Crow
6. Herring Gull
7. Rock Pigeon

v = Voice only