24 March 2025

Archive for February, 2023

Uncertainty

Saturday, February 25th, 2023
American Robin, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 25 February 2023.
American Robin.

It was 1° (F) when first I checked the thermometer this morning. Clear, though, and the sun was bright when dog and I headed up to the wooded trailhead—when the temperature had hit maybe 8 or 10 degrees. Not a whole lot of wind.

Still didn’t expect my list to have many more than the four species I got yesterday. I was wrong.

Slim pickin’s coming up through the woods, but down by Beech Hill Road, I heard a nuthatch and a goldfinch, then coming back over spied a yellow-rump and a bunch of robins. Nine species total.

Still winter, though, so who knows what’ll come along tomorrow. (I rather like the uncertainty.)

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:48 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
3. Downy Woodpecker (v)
4. American Crow*
5. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch**
7. American Goldfinch (v)
8. Yellow-rumped Warbler
9. American Robin

Elsewhere

10. Northern Cardinal (v)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Rabbit

Friday, February 24th, 2023
Snowshoe Hare, Beech Hill Presereve, Rockport, Maine, 24 February 2023.
Snowshoe Hare.

Saw a Snowshoe Hare this morning. It was the highlight of my early hike with dog, which involved fresh snow, brilliant sun, high winds, blowing snow, low temperatures, and a lovely sky.

Only four bird species today—and no crows on the hill at all—but the bunny made it all worthwhile. (Actually, no, it would’ve been worthwhile without the bunny, thanks to a beautiful sky, lovely swirsly of wind-blown snow, light and shadow, etc.)

(For the first time in a while, I had more bird spp. at home than on the hill.)

More wintery conditions upcoming—low temps, etc.—but Captain Jack and I are ready and rarin’ to go.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:49 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
2. Black-capped Chickadee**
3. Herring Gull*
4. Blue Jay (v)

Elsewhere

5. Northern Cardinal (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
7. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
8. Rock Pigeon
9. American Crow

Mammals

Snowshoe Hare

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Wintry

Thursday, February 23rd, 2023
Herring Gull, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 23 February 2023.
Herring Gull.

The snow was supposed to start overnight and continue much of today. About four inches had fallen buy the time the sun came up, with temperatures in the upper-teens (F) and a pretty stout wind blowing.

But about the time dog and I headed up to the hill, it’d stopped snowing. Still a nice wind, gray skies, fresh snow around—but no precipitation at all.

So we hiked all trails, as usual. Birds were not abundant, but I heard four species (and saw one). Hare tracks all over the place, branches squeaking in the wind. A pair of hikers had been up the main trail before us, but none had hiked the woods.

Supposed to be wintry again tomorrow, but different.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:38 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
2. American Crow (v)
3. Herring Gull
4. American Goldfinch** (v)
5. American Robin (v)

Elsewhere

6. Mallard

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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