We hit the trailhead bit later than yesterday, dog and I, but what a lovely Fifth of July morning: about room temperature, a bit breezy, with a goodly number of bird species.
It’s tourist season, with schooner cruises out on the bay, a big ol’ honest-to-gosh cruise ship headed into Rockland Harbor, and a slow stream of out-of-state visitors hiking this fairly famous hill. The beginnings of tourist season corresponds more or less with fledgling season.
Spotted (or heard) thirty-three species. Notably no chickadees, but they’ll be back.
Supposed to rain overnight. Might be a damp hike in the morning.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:28 a.m., I hiked most trails.
`1. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 2. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 3. Ovenbird** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Northern Cardinal (v) 6. Black-and-white Warbler 7. American Goldfinch** 8. Wood Thrush (v) 9. American Crow* 10. Veery (v) 11. American Redstart (v) 12. Brown Creeper (v) 13. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 14. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 15. Blue Jay (v) 16. American Robin* 17. Northern Flicker (v) 18. Eastern Phoebe* 19. Chestnut-sided Warbler* 20. Gray Catbird* 21. Common Yellowthroat (v) 22. Mourning Dove 23. Cedar Waxwing (v) 24. Field Sparrow (v) 25. Downy Woodpecker (v) 26. Song Sparrow (v) 27. Purple Finch** (v) 28. Savannah Sparrow (v) 29. Eastern Towhee * 30. Turkey Vulture * 31. Hermit Thrush (tree) 32. Yellow Warbler (v) 33. Prairie Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
34. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Slept in a bit this morning, so dog and I didn’t hit the trail until a little later than usual. Was in the mid-60s (F), rather dry (still a mess of mosquitos), but quite good bird activity.
Red Crossbill (male).
Notable were a fledgling waxwing begging for food, a good number of Savannah Sparrows (my favorite sparrow), and a male Red Crossbill perched atop the same spruce as the female I saw the other day. The only two crossbills I’ve ever seen at Beech Hill in thousands of hikes up there.
I must comment on an observation: it’s a little bit droughty here. Not as dry as out West, of course, but the stream we cross hasn’t been running for weeks. Which is unusual. Supposed to get a little rain a couple days this coming week. Will be welcome.
More anon!
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:20 a.m., I hiked most trails.
A mild, mostly overcast morning on the hill leading up to a warm, sunny day. A goodly number of bird species, gangs of visiting tourists.
Fledgling time continues. Today’s posers: a mama finch feeding a fledgling. Also had nuthatches, sparrows—and heard the syncopated drumming of a sapsucker.
Tomorrow should be another good ’un.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:06 a.m., I hiked most trails.
`1. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming) 2. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 3. Ovenbird (v) 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Veery (v) 6. American Goldfinch** 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 9. Common Yellowthroat** 10. Black-and-white Warbler 11. Gray Catbird 12. American Crow* (v) 13. Eastern Towhee 14. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 15. Red-breasted Nuthatch 16. Northern Flicker (v) 17. Yellow Warbler 18. Alder Flycatcher 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. American Robin* 21. Field Sparrow 22. Purple Finch 23. Mourning Dove 24. Eastern Phoebe 25. Mourning Dove 26. Savannah Sparrow (v) 27. Herring Gull* 28. Chipping Sparrow (v) 29. Hermit Thrush (v) 30. Tufted Titmouse (v) 31. Blue Jay 32. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
Elsewhere
33. Northern Cardinal (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
