8 February 2025

Archive for April, 2018

The Coming Warbler Invasion

Monday, April 30th, 2018
Palm Warbler, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 30 April 2018.

Palm Warbler.

Had a lovely hike this morning. Took the wooded trail for the first time since last year—and will be taking it throughout the month of May. That’s because of the variety of migrating birds drawn to the trail edges.

I’ll also hike the open trail, of course—hawks and ravens and overflying species—but I’m psyched about the coming warbler invasion.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Eastern Phoebe
2. Tufted Titmouse**
3. American Goldfinch (v)
4. American Robin (v)
5. Blue Jay (v)
6. Hermit Thrush
7. Herring Gull*
8. Northern Cardinal
9. Eastern Towhee
10. Black-capped Chickadee*
11. American Crow*
12. Turkey Vulture*
13. Yellow-rumped Warbler
14. Common Raven
15. Song Sparrow**
16. Northern Flicker** (v)
17. Golden-crowned Kinglet (v)
18. Downy Woodpecker
19. Savannah Sparrow
20. Tree Swallow
21. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
22. Brown-headed Cowbird (v)
23. Eastern Bluebird (v)
24. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
25. Palm Warbler†
26. White-breasted Nuthatch
27. Hairy Woodpecker

Elsewhere

28. Chipping Sparrow
29. House Finch
30. Rock Pigeon

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

 

Foggy Streak

Sunday, April 29th, 2018
Tree Swallows, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 29 April 2018.

Tree Swallows.

Way fewer humans this morning, and way more birds. Singers, mostly—although I saw a bunch. Sparrows, finches, woodpeckers, thrushes. Not bad for a little foggy streak.

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

1. Eastern Towhee
2. Song Sparrow*
3. Tufted Titmouse**
4. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
5. American Goldfinch (v)
6. Chipping Sparrow** (v)
7. Northern Flicker** (v)
8. Hermit Thrush (v)
9. American Robin (v)
10. Tree Swallow
11. Eastern Bluebird
12. Black-capped Chickadee*
13. Brown-headed Cowbird (v)
14. Northern Cardinal** (v)
15. Field Sparrow (v)
16. Herring Gull* (v)
17. American Crow* (v)
18. Purple Finch (v)
19. Savannah Sparrow
20. Eastern Phoebe*
21. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
22. Downy Woodpecker

Elsewhere

23. Mourning Dove

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

 

Birding in Fog

Saturday, April 28th, 2018
Eastern Phoebe, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 28 April 2018.

Eastern Phoebe.

The parking lot was hoppin’ this foggy morning, as crews of volunteers, young and old, spent time doing spring cleaning in and around the preserve. Despite all the human activity, birds were about, singing and flitting and flying. I didn’t get good looks at many—e.g., the harrier veering off in the misty distance—but the song of a Savannah Sparrow somehow sounds better when heard within a cloud.

I truly love birding in fog.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Eastern Towhee
2. American Robin* (v)
3. Blue Jay (v)
4. Black-capped Chickadee* (v)
5. American Goldfinch (v)
6. Song Sparrow**
7. American Crow* (v)
8. Northern Flicker (v)
9. Savannah Sparrow
10. Tufted Titmouse* (v)
11. Northern Harrier
12. Northern Cardinal** (v)
13. Downy Woodpecker (v)
14. Purple Finch (v)
15. Golden-crowned Kinglet (v)

Elsewhere

16. Herring Gull
17. Chipping Sparrow (v)
18. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)

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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