Song sparrow.
Seems yesterday I discounted the mosquito-swarming season a bit early, because they were sure swarming today. Ticks were active, too. (About half-way up the Beech Hill trail, I felt one crawling up the back of my neck—how’d it get all the way up there?) Also tiger swallowtail butterflies, and American ladies. Plus, many crazy flies in the air, and neon-green beetles along the trail. I heard my first cicada of the year yesterday. (Seemed eaerly.) And soon caterpillar silk will cross my path, and deer flies will pester me and Jack.
But without all those bugs up there, the bird life wouldn’t be nearly so interesting. Since we got to the hill late today, the numbers were down, but I still heard several resident warblers, saw a few resident sparrows, spied a tree swallow, heard lots of vireos. Thrushes were relatively silent—only heard one robin and one hermit thrush, and our hike was veery-free.
Earlier, though, during a brisk bike ride, I added several other species to today’s list—chipping sparrow, red-winged blackbird (red-wings have picked out the same wet field along busy Route 1 for the past two-three years), the usual rock pigeons in town.
And this cool evening, out back, a hermit thrush that’s been singing up the hill for the past few evenings was at it again.
(Nice to have a string of sunny days for a change.)
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Red-eyed vireo (v)
2. Chestnut-sided warbler
3. Ovenbird* (v)
4. American goldfinch* (v)
5. American crow* (v)
6. Black-and-white warbler (v)
7. Eastern towhee
8. American redstart* (v)
9. White-throated sparrow
10. Tree swallow
11. Yellow warbler* (v)
12. Song sparrow*
13. Common yellowthroat
14. Gray catbird* (v)
15. American robin* (v)
16. Savannah sparrow (v)
17. Black-capped chickadee
18. Hermit thrush* (v)
19. Eastern wood-pewee (v)
20. Cedar waxwing (v)
Elsewhere
21. Herring gull
22. Mallard
23. Red-winged blackbird (v)
24. Rock pigeon
25. House sparrow
26. Chipping sparrow (v)
27. House finch (v)
28. Tufted titmouse (v)
v = voice only
*Also elsewhere
