8 February 2025

Archive for March, 2018

Goldfinches

Saturday, March 31st, 2018
American Goldfinch, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 31 March 2018.

American Goldfinch.

Chillier than yesterday this morning. Warmed up later—but when Jack and I hit the hill, there was ice in the puddles from yesterday’s thaw. Titmice and chickadees and cardinals singing, goldfinches undulating through blue skies.

Crown on a rock, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 31 March 2018.

Crown on a rock.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Tufted Titmouse (v)
2. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
3. American Goldfinch
4. Dark-eyed Junco*
5. American Crow*
6. Herring Gull*
7. American Robin*
8. Northern Cardinal**
9. Eastern Bluebird

Elsewhere

10. Mourning Dove
11. Mallard

 v – Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

 

Spring in Fog

Friday, March 30th, 2018
Eastern Bluebird, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 30 March 2018.

Eastern Bluebird

Drizzle, then mist, then fog. Temperatures in the 40s (F) early—50s in afternoon. Fog on the hill when Jack and I arrived, fog when we departed. In the intervening hour, we encountered a bunch of little birds.

Dark-eyed Junco, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 30 March 2018.

Dark-eyed Junco.

Bluebird and junco stood out.

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

1. Tufted Titmouse**
2. Dark-eyed Junco
3. White-breasted Nuthatch
4. Downy Woodpecker (v)
5. Mourning Dove* (v)
6. Black-capped Chickadee**
7. Eastern Bluebird
8. American Crow* (v)
9. American Robin*
10. American Goldfinch (v)
11. Herring Gull* (v)
12. Northern Cardinal (v)

Elsewhere

13. Rock Pigeon
14. Canada Goose

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

 

Nuthatches in Action

Thursday, March 29th, 2018
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 29 March 2018.

Red-breasted Nuthatch.

This morning at the hill I witnessed a wild display of nuthatches. First, a pair of incoming red-breasteds: One hammered and drilled into a birch trunk while the other called incessantly nearby. Second, a group of white-breasteds chasing each other around in a territorial/mating display. Eventually the larger latter began chasing the smaller former, just on general principles.

Song Sparrow, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 29 March 2018.

Song Sparrow.

Later, I listened to a Purple Finch mimic phoebe, robin, and other random species. (The phoebe was quite good.)

Also spotted a first-of-year Song Sparrow. Cool.

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

1. Red-breasted Nuthatch
2. Dark-eyed Junco
3. American Crow*
4. American Goldfinch
5. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
6. Tufted Titmouse (v)
7. White-breasted Nuthatch
8. American Robin*
9. Northern Cardinal**
10. Downy Woodpecker (v)
11. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
12. Blue Jay (v)
13. Herring Gull*
14. Eastern Bluebird
15. Canada Goose
16. Snow Bunting
17. Song Sparrow†
18. Purple Finch

Elsewhere

19. Ring-billed Gull
20. Mallard

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



3IP Logo
©1997–2025 by 3IP