7 November 2026

Archive for August, 2014

Geese grazing

Sunday, August 10th, 2014
Canada Geese, Aldermere Farm, Rockport, Maine, 10 August 2014.

Canada Geese at Aldermere Farm.

Desk work this morning—but what a beautiful day. So I set off on a long bicycle ride, took care of an errand or two, hit a couple stores, even dropped by Beech Hill for a look-see. Didn’t encounter any sapsuckers, but I did count nine species from the parking lot.

Early this morning, alerted by a group of noisy crows, I spotted a huge young low-flying Bald Eagle. In town, I got a look at the usual town birds. At Aldermere Farm, I watched geese and cows graze and heard the call of a Pileated Woodpecker.

This cool night, a large full moon is rising.

Beech Hill List
At about 4:15 p.m., I stopped by the Beech Hill Road parking lot.

1. Eastern Towhee (v)
2. Cedar Waxwing** (v)
3. Eastern Phoebe
4. American Goldfinch** (v)
5. Northern Cardinal** (v)
6. American Crow*
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
9. Gray Catbird

Elsewhere

10. Herring Gull
11. House Sparrow (v)
12. Bald Eagle
13. Rock Pigeon
14. American Robin
15. Canada Goose
16. Pileated Woodpecker (v)

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

Back to the hill

Saturday, August 9th, 2014
Song Sparrow, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 09 August 2014.

Song Sparrow.

I was puttering along at my desk on this glorious day, when I got a nice surprise: my friend Kristen showed up unannounced and got me out and about. We attended a little craft show, then hit the grocery store (having gone a week without a vehicle, I really needed groceries), then grabbed Jack and headed up to Beech Hill.

Penobscot Bay, from Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 09 August 2014.

Penobscot Bay.

I suppose it’s no surprise how much I missed that place, considering I’d been up there nearly every day for years. And what a day to go: sun-soaked, about 80 degrees (F), calm. We visited with Jackie and Brendan at the blueberry building, then moseyed on up and down. My dog Jack sure enjoyed himself. And I got a few half-way decent photos for a change.

Plus, I listed eighteen bird species.

Sapsucker still hanging around the trees near the parking lot. A hummingbird blew by there, too. Also a pair of warblers—redstart, black-and-white—and a solitary Field Sparrow on the grassy hill. Blueberries still ripe on the vine. Blue skies above, with great white clouds. Sails in the bay.

I felt fortunate and grateful today.

Beech Hill List

1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
2. Eastern Towhee
3. Tufted Titmouse
4. Song Sparrow
5. American Goldfinch
6. Cedar Waxwing (v)
7. Gray Catbird
8. Common Yellowthroat
9. American Crow* (v)
10. Field Sparrow
11. Blue Jay (v)
12. Downy Woodpecker (v)
13. American Robin
14. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
15. House Finch
16. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
17. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
18. American Redstart
19. Black-and-white Warbler

Elsewhere

20. Herring Gull
21. House Sparrow (v)

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

Bat

Friday, August 8th, 2014
Jack in the rain, near Clam Cove, Rockport, Maine, 08 August 2014.

Jack in the rain.

Sun and busy-ness early, thunder and downpours late. Then things grew calm as evening came, and I watched a bat flutter around outside for a while—first one I’ve seen in three years.

Today’s List

1. American Crow
2. Herring Gull

 
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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