Three years ago today, I was hauling a trailer full of my (and Jack’s) belongings and moving to Salt Lake City. Three months ago, we returned—and glad we did. [Not that I didn’t enjoy the high desert.] Today was a good representation of why: a cool morning hike, clean, fragrant air, many birds to observe, a long view of the bay.
Notable today were three woodpecker species that made their presences known within a few minutes of each other, several bird families (adults and juvies, among them nuthatches, sparrows, waxwings), and crows chasing a hawk.
Loved this morning, and looking forward to the next.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:15 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. American Crow* 3. Song Sparrow** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 6. Ovenbird 7. American Goldfinch 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Hermit Thrush 10. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 11. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 12. Tufted Titmouse (v) 13. Brown Creeper (v) 14. American Robin 15. Hairy Woodpecker 16. Downy Woodpecker (v) 17. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 18. Eastern Towhee 19. Alder Flycatcher (v) 20. Common Yellowthroat 21. Gray Catbird 22. Chestnut-sided Warbler 23. Cedar Waxwing 24. Chipping Sparrow 25. Field Sparrow 26. Savannah Sparrow 27. Blue-headed Vireo 28. Blue Jay (v) 29. House Wren (v) 30. Herring Gull* 31. Broad-winged Hawk 32. Turkey Vulture 33. Yellow Warbler (v) 34. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
Elsewhere
35. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Overcast to start this morning, but clearing pretty quickly. Yesterday’s soaking rains—welcome though they were—left few traces other than a couple little washouts and a good swarm of mosquitoes. (Trails still pretty dry.)
Not so many birds today, either—although a couple juvies were fun (bluebird, sapsucker)—but cool and breezy and lovely.
(The most memorable moment: spying—then devouring—my first-of-year wild blackberry. Yum!)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:26 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. American Crow* 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Gray Catbird 6. Tufted Titmouse (v) 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. Hermit Thrush 9. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 10. American Robin 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Black-capped Chickadee 13. Alder Flycatcher (v) 14. Field Sparrow 15. Common Yellowthroat 16. Song Sparrow 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. Yellow Warbler (v) 19. Savannah Sparrow 20. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 21. Blue Jay (v) 22. Eastern Bluebird 23. House Wren (v) 24. Northern Flicker
Elsewhere
25. Mourning Dove 26. Northern Cardinal 27. Chipping Sparrow
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
An early hike after some heavy, soaking rain last evening. Wetness in the understory, a tiny bit of mud, clear skies, good birds—an auspicious time of it for dog and me.
Many, many towhees today. Adults and juveniles (the size of adults)
One noteworthy incident: While I angled to photograph a robin across a field, a hummingbird sped by within a foot of me at about 80 miles an hour—directly in front of me. I heard the hum, the hummer vanished, and a latter check of my GoPro footage caught the bird as it zipped by.
Another soaking of rain this late afternoon. Downpour, sun, downpour, sun. It’s how we do it on the coast of Maine.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:07 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Blue Jay (v) 3. American Crow* 4. American Goldfinch** 5. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 6. Northern Cardinal* (v) 7. Cedar Waxwing 8. Black-capped Chickadee** 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Hairy Woodpecker 11. White-breasted Nuthatch 12. Tufted Titmouse 13. Brown Creeper 14. Hermit Thrush 15. Black-and-white Warbler 16. Eastern Towhee 17. Song Sparrow** 18. Alder Flycatcher 19. Common Yellowthroat** 20. Yellow Warbler 21. Gray Catbird 22. House Wren (v) 23. Purple Finch (v) 24. Savannah Sparrow 25. American Robin 26. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 27. Field Sparrow 28. Rose-breasted Grosbeak 29. Eastern Phoebe 30. Northern Flicker
Elsewhere
30. Mourning Dove 31. Osprey (v) 32. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
