Had a thundershower overnight—one bolt of lightning struck a couple-three hundred yards away, startling my nearly deaf dog—and a steady light rain was in the forecast for today. But the light rain held off, which left Captain Jack and me with a chilly (upper-40s° F), breezy, deep blue-and-green sort of Beech Hill hike.
That’s right, Jack got back on the hill this morning, having descended a couple portable steps out of the truck instead of leaping too far down for his 15-year-old limbs. He was obviously happy to be there.
Wasn’t expecting many birds but got a nice number of species. Also photos—my favorite being a Veery that posed nicely down along the wooded trail.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:31 a.m. sun time (7:31 DST), I hiked all trails—and then some.
1. Eastern Phoebe 2. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 3. American Redstart (v) 4. Ovenbird** (v) 5. Northern Cardinal 6. Tufted Titmouse (v) 7. Chestnut-sided Warbler (v) 8. Song Sparrow 9. American Crow 10. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 11. Northern Parula (v) 12. American Robin 13. Herring Gull* 14. Eastern Towhee 15. Field Sparrow 16. Turkey Vulture 17. Alder Flycatcher (v) 18. Hairy Woodpecker 19. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 20. Veery 21. Gray Catbird** (v) 22. Common Yellowthroat (v) 23. Chipping Sparrow 24. Mourning Dove 25. Yellow Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
26. Mallard 27. Wild Turkey
Mammals
White-tailed Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Two hikes again today—early one with Jack at the Wellness Trail, later one alone at Beech Hill Preserve. Both good, interesting, satisfying.
Things were pretty dry this morning, which makes this evening’s rain (including mini-thundershower) especially welcome. A good number of birds both places, along with assorted mammals (chipmunk, squirrel, deer). Noteworthy were two singing Scarlet Tanagers, but I got no glimpse of either.
This coming week is supposed to be a wet one. Will be an interesting—and no doubt fascinating—change of pace.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:44 a.m. sun time (10:45 DST), I hiked all trails—and then some.
Circumstances had me hiking Beech Hill twice this morning: once, briefly, early, and another hike of all trails in late morning. (Between I had a hike with Jack-my-dog and our human and doggie friends on the Community Wellness Trail.) Birds were out during both hikes—fewer in the late-morning heat (it got to 80° (F) today), but that’s also when the most interesting sighting occurred.
I’d heard the wild cheeping in the same location on a couple of earlier hikes but could never track down the source. Today I did: a juvenile Hairy Woodpecker. That little bird (or, possibly, multiple youngsters taking turns sticking their heads out of the nest cavity) made a lot of noise. Saw an adult (male) offer a quick bite only once, no doubt because of my presence.
Otherwise just a lovely (warm) day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:45 a.m. sun time (7:45 DST), and resuming at 9:14 (10:14), I hiked all trails—and then some.
