Archive for June, 2019
Thursday, June 27th, 2019
Savannah Sparrow. Today I realized what my favorite bird’s song is—current favorite anyway. The song of the Savannah Sparrow.
Sure, I have other favorites—the thrushes’ songs, of course, and the song of the Black-throated Blue Warbler (my favorite wood-warbler)—but something about the Savannah’s subtle-yet-loud, unassuming-yet-beautiful, far-carrying, wee-yet-unbridled song just thrills me like no other. Simple as that.
Maybe it’s because I haven’t heard it as often as usual this year. (So infrequently did I hear it that I feared no Savannahs were nesting in my patch for the first time ever I can remember.) But this morning’s song in the fog—with the little hiccup at the end—lifted my spirits in beautiful ways.
Yep, it’s my favorite.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Song Sparrow**
Elsewhere
26. Eastern Phoebe
v = Voice only
Tags: alder flycatcher , American crow , American goldfinch , American redstart , American robin , black-billed cuckoo , black-capped chickadee , black-throated green warbler , blue jay , chestnut-sided warbler , chipping sparrow , common yellowthroat , eastern phoebe , eastern towhee , field sparrow , gray catbird , herring gull , Nashville warbler , northern cardinal , ovenbird , purple finch , red-eyed vireo , rose-breasted grosbeak , savannah sparrow , song sparrow , tree swallow , tufted titmouse , veery , yellow warbler Lists , Observations , Photo | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 26th, 2019
American Redstart. Rained overnight and into this morning. Waited until 9 to hit the hill. Plenty foggy once we got there, dog and I.
The hike was good nevertheless. Quite a few species listed (mostly just heard)—including an American Redstart brightly singing in a cloud of fog.
Heard a Savannah Sparrow, too. Kind of made my day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
Tags: American crow , American goldfinch , American redstart , black-throated green warbler , chestnut-sied warbler , chipping sparrow , common raven , common yellowthroat , eastern phoebe , field sparrow , gray catbird , herring gull , lder flycatcher , mourning dove , Nashville warbler , ovenbird , rock pigeon , savannah sparrow , song sparrow , tree swallow , tree swallow cedar waxwing eastern phoebe , veery , yellow warbler Lists , Observations , Photo | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 25th, 2019
First-day phoebe fledgling. Early to the hill again, and again an embarrassment of species. Noteworthy was a Yellow-throated Vireo I heard calling just down from the summit. Also noteworthy were various fledglings—including a couple first-day Eastern Phoebe babies at the hut.
Male eastern bluebird. Bluebirds abounded. Plenty of other species also. We’ve already got probably twice as many migratory birds as arrived here just a few weeks ago. And many more still will fly south come fall.
Rain tonight. A little tomorrow. Flooding is a rare challenge—but better too much rain than not enough.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail—and then some.
1. Ovenbird** (v)
Elsewhere
36. House Finch
v = Voice only
Tags: alder flycatcher , American crow , American goldfinch , black-and-white warbler , black-capped chickadee , black-throated blue warbler , black-throated green warbler , Cedar waxwing , chestnut-sided warbler , chipping sparrow , common loon , common yellowthroat , eastern bluebird , eastern phoebe , eastern towhee , eastern wood-pewee , field sparrow , gray catbird , great crested flycatcher , hermit thrush , herring gull , house finch , mourning dove , Nashville warbler , northern cardinal , northern flicker , ovenbird , purple finch , re-winged blackbird , red-eyed vireo , rose-breasted grosbeak , song sparrow , tree swallow , tufted titmouse , veery , white-breasted nuthatch , yellow warbler , yellow-throated vireo Lists , Observations , Photo | No Comments »
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson
