13 March 2026

Archive for February, 2018

Busy Birds

Sunday, February 25th, 2018
Black-capped Chickadee, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 25 February 2018.

Black-capped Chickadee.

Nippy and overcast this morning. The little birds must’ve predicted the forecast afternoon snow, because they were busy in the trees—flitting all over the place. Chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers, at least one Brown Creeper.

Grouse under my truck, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 25 February 2018.

Grouse under my truck.

Didn’t see Ruff the grouse at first, and felt kind of relieved to think he was safely off in the trees somewhere—but they I noticed him pecking around under my pickup.

It did in fact snow a little this afternoon.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 10 a.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Black-capped chickadee*
2. American Crow*
3. Brown Creeper
4. White-breasted Nuthatch
5. Hairy Woodpecker
6. American Robin
7. American Goldfinch
8. Tufted Titmouse (v)
9. Ruffed Grouse
10. Downy Woodpecker

Elsewhere

11. Mourning Dove
12. Herring Gull

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere

Loosening

Sunday, February 25th, 2018
Eastern Bluebird, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 24 February 2018.

Eastern Bluebird.

Northern Harrier, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 24 February 2018.

Northern Harrier.

Sub-freezing this morning, but things loosened up before long. Mud on the trail, bluebirds in the trees. A Northern Harrier floating overhead—first since the Christmas Count. The Ruffed Grouse again.

The lengthening photoperiod combined with the thawy feel of things has my insides purring. I’m sure there’ll be more snow soon, though.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Black-capped Chickadee** (v)
2. American Crow*
3. Eastern Bluebird
4. American Goldfinch
5. Tufted Titmouse (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
7. Northern Harrier
8. Ruffed Grouse
9. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
10. Northern Cardinal** (v)

Elsewhere

11. Mourning Dove
12. Herring Gull

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

Ruffed Grouse, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 24 February 2018.

Ruffed Grouse.

Raven and Grouse

Friday, February 23rd, 2018
Common Raven, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 23 February 2018.

Common Raven.

Twenties (F) and clear early today, and we encountered quite a few birds on the hill, Jack and I. Among them, a vocal raven, a pair of bluebirds, a dark-eyed junco I heard but did not see, and our old friend “Ruff,” the grouse.

Ruffed Grouse, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 23 February 2018.

Ruffed Grouse.

Come to find out that Ruff is likely simply hyper-territorial, and that he’s challenging dog and me to get out of his patch—not trying to make friends, after all.

(Whew.)

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
2. American Crow*
3. American Goldfinch (v)
4. Common Raven
5. Northern Cardinal* (v)
6. Eastern Bluebird
7. American Robin (v)
8. Black-capped Chickadee** (v)
9. Ruffed Grouse
10. Dark-eyed Junco (v)
11. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)

Elsewhere

12. Herring Gull
13. Mourning Dove
14. Rock Pigeon
15. Mallard

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

 

 
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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