My hike with dog commenced on this cool morning—“cool” in both senses of the word—with a stout breeze and near-cloudless skies. Not as many species as yesterday, but an interesting assortment. Many tits, a juvie thrush, and a photographic glimpse of a Pileated Woodpecker.
Tomorrow’s supposed to be a similar day, weather wise.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:23 a.m. EST (8:23 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Tufted Titmouse 2. Black-capped Chickadee 3. American Goldfinch 4. Eastern Wood-pewee 5. White-breasted Nuthatch 6. Blue Jay 7. American Crow 8. Downy Woodpecker 9. Pileated Woodpecker 10. Common Yellowthroat 11. Song Sparrow 12. Cedar Waxwing 13. Turkey Vulture 14. Gray Catbird 15. Eastern Towhee 16. Hermit Thrush
Elsewhere
17. Northern Cardinal (v) 18. Mourning Dove 19. Herring Gull 20. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Was supposed to be rainy this morning, but it was only overcast, to start. Despite the wetness, dog and I encountered more bird species than the past couple-three hikes. Quiet though it was, I saw but a small percentage of ’em; the rest I heard. Noteworthy was the voice of a Great Crested Flycatcher— and the same Pileated Woodpecker I heard yesterday when we arrived.
Later, in a light rain, we came upon a little family of vireos flitting about in the canopy, an adult scrambling to feed a few rather demanding young ’uns. Even got a half-way decent photo, as proof.
Tomorrow’s supposed to be sunny, breezy, and cool.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:06 a.m. EST (8:06 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 3. Gray Catbird 4. Eastern Towhee 5. Mourning Dove* (v) 6. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 7. Blue Jay (v) 8. Song Sparrow 9. American Goldfinch (v) 10. Cedar Waxwing (v) 11. Black-capped Chickadee 12. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 13. American Crow* (v) 14. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 15. Red-eyed Vireo 16. Common Yellowthroat 17. Eastern Bluebird 18. Downy Woodpecker (v) 19. Herring Gull (v)
Elsewhere
20. Northern Cardinal (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
It was nice to have Jack with me again this morning. The weather as we ascended was gray and foggy, but as we hiked, the fog lifted, and the sun emerged. Few species still, and still a nervousness in the air.
Most notably, perhaps: Whereas as soon as we got out of the truck, I heard the call of a Pileated Woodpecker up above us in the oaks somewhere but I never could find it, later, in the woods, we spooked a hawk, which flew off in the canopy, but somehow I spotted it on distant perch. And got its photo.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:46 a.m. EST (8:46 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 2. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 3. Eastern Towhee 4. Gray Catbird 5. Common Yellowthroat 6. Song Sparrow 7. American Goldfinch (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10. American Robin 11. Blue Jay (v) 12. Cedar Waxwing 13. Black-capped Chickadee 14. Broad-winged Hawk 15. American Crow (v) 16. Tufted Titmouse (v)