This morning was nippy, overcast, calm—and quiet. Not many birds singing. (This, after I was awakened by a bird song I didn’t recognize that’s stuck with me every since.)
Glimpse of Sharp-shinned Hawk.
The most interesting species I saw was a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched low at the edge of a hardwood thicket. It then flew low across the field and—without so much as slowing down—zipped into the trees on the other side. As it did, a pair of phoebes popped up giving calls of alarm.
Otherwise, quiet. Bluebirds were creeping about their bird box. Then, at the summit, a Purple Finch began singing like crazy from the tips of one of the spruces in the summit grove.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Song Sparrow** (v) 2. Northern Cardinal (v) 3. Brown-headed Cowbird 4. Black-capped Chickadee* 5. Pileated Woodpecker** 6. White-breasted Nuthatch 7. Eastern Phoebe 8. Eastern Towhee (v) 9. Chipping Sparrow** 10. Eastern Bluebird 11. Tufted Titmouse (v) 12. Tree Swallow 13. American Goldfinch** (v) 14. American Crow* 15. Purple Finch 16. Sharp-shinned Hawk 17. American Robin (v)
Elsewhere
18. House Finch (v) 19. Herring Gull 20. Blue Jay
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Kind of chilly this morning. Chilly like not yet 40° (F) when dog and I hit the trail. Also breezy. No, windy. A northwesterly wind—so I didn’t expect a lot of bird activity.
And then, in the lee of the eastern slope, I came upon a first-of-year Blue-headed Vireo.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Eastern Towhee (v) 2. Song Sparrow (v) 3. Chipping Sparrow** 4. Tufted Titmouse (v) 5. Eastern Bluebird 6. Northern Flicker (v) 7. Eastern Phoebe 8. Tree Swallow 9. American Crow* 10. American Goldfinch (v) 11. Turkey Vulture* 12. American Robin* (v) 13. Yellow-rumped Warbler 14. Hermit Thrush 15. Blue-headed Vireo† 16. Northern Harrier 17. American Kestrel 18. Common Raven
Elsewhere
19. House Finch (v) 20. Herring Gull
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year bird
A clear, nippy, breezy morning. Wind not favorable to spring migration, but several birds were out singing—towhee, chickadee, cardinal, chippy, phoebe. Bluebirds have grabbed the first bird box, swallows have laid claim to a couple upper ones.
One of the nicest sights was a raven out play-flying in the wind.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
