Cedar Waxwing courtship ritual (passing berry back and forth).
Still a bit dry this morning, but breezy enough to be cool (and less conducive to mosquitos!). Harder to hear the voices of birds, though.
Still, a goodly number of species—quite a few with fledglings.
Notable were many (seven or eight) vultures, and about two dozen crows in some kind of wild rumble between families over the barrens. Which, by the way, are just about brimming with blueberries and Wood lilies.
Tonight, it rained just a tad. We’ve got ourselves a slight drought going on, seems like. Already eager to see what tomorrow might bring.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:32 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Black-throated Green Warbler* 2. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 3. Ovenbird (v) 4. American Crow* 5. Wood Thrush (v) 6. Chestnut-sided Warbler 7. American Goldfinch** 8. Black-capped Chickadee** 9. Common Yellowthroat 10. Veery (v) 11. Brown Creeper (v) 12. Blue Jay (v) 13. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 14. Alder Flycatcher (v) 15. Turkey Vulture* 16. Cedar Waxwing 17. Osprey* 18. Herring Gull* 19. Field Sparrow (v) 20. Song Sparrow** 21. Eastern Towhee (v) 22. Savannah Sparrow (v) 23. Gray Catbird 24. Yellow Warbler (v) 25. House Wren (v) 26. American Robin 27. Eastern Phoebe
Elsewhere
28. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
This morning’s cool-then-bright hike up to the summit of Beech Hill and back was full of baby birds. Warblers, sparrows, creepers—even a little family of jays. Got to listen to their plaintive cries, watch the parent(s) feed them, witness their anticipation at getting fed, even observe their behavior at learning how to feed themselves.
That’s about all I have to say. Just a love, lovely hike today.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-throated Green Warbler* 2. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 3. Tufted Titmouse 4. Ovenbird** 5. American Crow* 6. American Goldfinch** 7. Common Yellowthroat** 8. Northern Cardinal** (v) 9. Hermit Thrush (v) 10. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 11. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 12. Eastern Towhee 13. Gray Catbird 14. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 15. Veery 16. Eastern Phoebe* 17. Downy Woodpecker (v) 18. Alder Flycatcher (v) 19. Song Sparrow** 20. Field Sparrow (v) 21. Cedar Waxwing 22. American Robin 23. Herring Gull* 24. Savannah Sparrow 25. Chipping Sparrow 26. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 27. Yellow Warbler (v) 28. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 29. Blue-headed Vireo (v) 30. Hairy Woodpecker (drumming) 31. Northern Flicker (v) 32. Blue Jay 33. Brown Creeper
Elsewhere
34. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Savannah Sparrows again. I love them. I love their look (spiffy, kempt) and their behavior (secretive or conspicuous, depending) and their voice (so, so fine). This cool, breezy, cloudless morning on the hill, dog and I encountered the same bird at the same spot in most of the past several days. It perched, chipping its sharp chip-note, warning us and/or its young ’uns away. (In the background of my photo, a blur of orange-red as evidence of a Wood Lily).
Also, today, many other species. Wouldn’t mind a repeat of such a day tomorrow.
[Note: forgot to mention the monarch butterfly I spied flitting about the milkweed at the summit yesterday.]
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:22 a.m., I hiked most trails.
