Purple Finch, female (or junvenile male).

A cool, breezy, nervous-seeming August day. Birds were flitting about, moving through the thick foliage, foraging crazily, all to aware of the changing of the seasons, that in a month will come the autumn equinox.

I thrill to the feeling of days like this.

Summer field.

Worked at my desk all morning and into afternoon, then rode my bike (despite a right-knee strain of some kind, which—as I had an inkling might happen—seemed to benefit from the exercise), then hiked Beech Hill with Jack. Right off the bat, I spied a couple of antic-yet-silent wood warblers and a Red-eyed Vireo, all moving quickly through the trees. Got a distinct foreshadowing of September.

The fields were rich and tangled and yellow-green against a clouded blue sky. The sparrows were leading us up the trail. In the distance heard the croak of a raven, the caw of a crow.

Cool and breezy this day. Chilly tonight. I have to say I kind of love this weather.

Addendum: Forgot to mention that yesterday I encountered a deer on Rockville Street, standing stock still.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Black-throated Green Warbler
3. American Redstart
4. Red-eyed Vireo
5. Eastern Towhee
6. Song Sparrow
7. Cedar Waxwing**
8. Common Yellowthroat (v)
9. American Goldfinch** (v)
10. Gray Catbird
11. Purple Finch
12. Common Raven (v)
13. American Crow* (v)
14. Mourning Dove (v)

Elsewhere

15. Herring Gull
16. Rock Pigeon
17. House Sparrow
18. Great Blue Heron

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere