Savannah sparrow.
It all depends. Depends on the time of day, the time of year. Depends on the weather. As there are in all of life, there are variables in birding.
Today was a rainy one. A couple thundershowers blew through. We had a nice downpour. Dog and I didn’t bother with an early hike; instead, we worked and napped, respectively, until late in the afternoon, when there came a lull in the rain. It was misting and foggy when we started up the wooded Beech Hill trail.
Young oak.
Not much to report. A lot of drippy trees. No vireos at all that I could hear or see—likely, I figured, because of the weather or late hour—and only a few ovenbirds singing off in the trees. I heard the alarm notes of a robin (and actually saw that bird). I heard the alarm notes of a chestnut-sided warbler (did not see that one). I heard the alarm notes of a yellowthroat (spotted it). Heard a crow above the pattering, drippy echoes in the understory. A towhee called. Just one. Finally, toward the summit, I heard a yellowthroat’s call.
Beech Nut was socked in. I did also hear a singing song sparrow and spotted a silent savannah. And off down the southern slope, I heard the faint calls of a vireo. (Finally.)
Coming back down along the lower wooded trail, I heard the alarm notes of a hermit thrush.
No veery, though. Apparently the vociferousness of veeries varies.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:15 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Ovenbird
2. American robin
3. Chestnut-sided warbler
4. Black-capped chickadee
5. American crow
6. Eastern towhee
7. Common yellowthroat
8. Yellow warbler
9. Song sparrow
10. Savannah sparrow
11. Red-eyed vireo
12. Hermit thrush
Elsewhere
13. House finch
14. Herring gull
15. Mallard
16. Northern cardinal
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, eastern towhee, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mallard, northern cardinal, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, yellow warbler
