Ferns.
A day of motion, a day of errands. Heard house finch, titmouse, and cardinal at home early. Heard house sparrow and (first-of-year) mockingbird in Rockland. Heard song sparrow and blue jay out the open window at the vet. (Both dog and cat are fine.) Heard white-throated sparrows while out cycling—and saw one in a little tree out front of the post office. Saw a pair of Canada geese at a little pond along Route 1.
The early overcast cleared away, and by the time Jack and I hit the hill, the sky was clear as could be.
Wading.
But, man, was the trail muddy. Or not so much muddy, actually, as flowing. Water from the big rain of a couple days ago has somehow funneled into primary underground channels and above-ground pathways—and a few of those pathways were long stretches of the wooded trails. Fewer birds on the hill, oddly, though I did hear the first song sparrow in a while. And towhees.
By the time we got back to the pickup, the two of us were spattered with mud. Like a boy and his dog.
Which is pretty much exactly what we were.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Mourning dove (v)*
2. American crow (v)*
3. Eastern towhee (v)
4. Herring gull
5. Song sparrow (v)*
6. Hairy woodpecker (v)
7. American robin (v)*
Elsewhere
8. Northern cardinal (v)
9. Tufted titmouse (v)
10. House finch (v)
11. House sparrow (v)
12. Northern mockingbird
13. European starling
14. Blue jay (v)
15. Black-capped chickadee (v)
16. Rock pigeon
17. Canada goose
18. White-throated sparrow
19. American goldfinch (v)
20. Mallard
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Flow on the trail.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, Canada goose, eastern towhee, European starling, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mallard, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern mockingbird, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-throated sparrow
