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Archive for July, 2014
Monday, July 28th, 2014
 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
Rained like crazy this morning—some of the heaviest rain in Maine I can recall. Brief downpours, two of them. Otherwise, drizzly, showery, then foggy. Got up to Beech Hill with dog finally, late.
 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (with wasp).
We visited the sapsucker family again. Two youngsters. The young male gave out a few warning cries, but the female was wrangling a wasp.
Up toward the summit, we encountered a little family of Savannah sparrows, an adult and three of its offspring. Yellowthroats and catbirds were protecting their broods, too.
But the sapsuckers remain the stars of the Beech Hill show.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Eastern Towhee (v)
2. American Goldfinch
3. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
4. Cedar Waxwing (v)
5. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
6. Northern Cardinal (v)
7. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
8. American Robin (v)
9. Song Sparrow**
10. Savannah Sparrow
11. Common Yellowthroat
12. Alder Flycatcher (v)
13. Gray Catbird
14. American Crow (v)
15. Common Raven (v)
Elsewhere
16. Herring Gull
17. House Sparrow
18. Mourning Dove
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, common raven, common yellowthroat, eastern towhee, gray catbird, herring gull, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, yellow-bellied sapsucker Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
Sunday, July 27th, 2014
 American Goldfinch.
Took an earlier hike than usual today, on account of rain was coming. Bunch of other people had the same idea. We had overcast skies with a strong breeze and nervous birds around. I saw three young sapsuckers for the first time today, all inching up the trunks of shadowy trees.
Got a dim photo of a goldfinch. Heard a Black-and-white Warbler’s Type II song. Jays were out and about. I didn’t see many of the species on my list. The birds were secretive but vocal.
Managed to get back home and wash my pickup before the rain began to fall. It soaked us pretty good on into evening.
We’re lucky here, water-wise, unlike Texas and California.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 1 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
2. Tufted Titmouse
3. American Goldfinch**
4. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
5. Cedar Waxwing
6. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
7. Song Sparrow** (v)
8. American Crow*
9. Herring Gull*
10. Eastern Towhee (v)
11. Blue Jay (v)
12. Savannah Sparrow (v)
13. Alder Flycatcher (v)
14. Gray Catbird (v)
15. American Robin (v)
16. Northern Cardinal (v)
17. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
18. Mourning Dove
Elsewhere
19. Osprey
20. House Sparrow
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, eastern towhee, herring gull, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, osprey, ray catbird, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, yellow-bellied sapsucker Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
Saturday, July 26th, 2014
 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (juvie siblings).
Busy, busy Saturday. I like ’em like that. But it meant scrambling up to Beech Hill with dog in mid-afternoon—not the best birding time of day. Especially not on a warm, bright breezy day.
But I could count on the sapsuckers.
Every day for about two weeks, I’ve seen at least one Yellow-bellied Sapsucker near the Beech Hill Road parking lot. I don’t know for sure, but it almost seems like one (or both) of the adults tapped into three or four trunks in a shady, leafy area, then left these places for their youngsters’ dining pleasure. Today there were two younsters, a male and a female. I got their photos in nearly the same place—one as we headed up, one as we were returning.
Otherwise, I heard a loudly singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet for the second straight day. (Same bird, I”m sure.) Oddly, no Savannah Sparrow, no Common Yellowthroat, no American Robin, no crow. The rest of the summertime regulars were out and about, however.
Tonight is cool and lovely.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
2. American Goldfinch**
3. Cedar Waxwing
4. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
5. Eastern Towhee (v)
6. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
7. Yellow Warbler
8. Song Sparrow**
9. Field Sparrow (v)
10. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
11. American Crow
12. Osprey (v)
13. Tufted Titmouse (v)
14. Herring Gull
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, eastern towhee, field sparrow, herring gull, osprey, red-eyed vireo, ruby-crowned kinglet, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, yellow warbler, yellow-bellied sapsucker Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
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Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. Brian Willson |
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