Juvenile veery.
A nest is such a fleeting thing—built with care when leaves are new and tender, perfect for its purpose while it lasts. Then in a few fortnights, it’s left alone. Abandoned. Left empty, lost to rain and sweet decay.
Juvenile robin.
A lot of Beech Hill nests are open to the elements these days, that’s for sure. Judging, at least, from all the fledglings.
Jack and I got up there late (after another busy ol’ day—but which included, glad to say, a fast bike ride) and didn’t encounter many birds to start with, but a hundred yards are so into the woods, we stopped so I could listen. Heard a redstart for a change, far from any nesting site that I know of. Heard a catbird off in the trees (after hearing none yesterday). And veeries (also absent during our hike a day previous) were all over the place. Singing, calling, wailing in alarm. At one point about half way up, I heard the faint but clear complaints of warbler chicks. And there they were, in the low branches of a trailside tree, flitting after a parent. As I attempted (not very successfully) to photograph the young chestnut-sideds, a solitary brown bird zoomed up and perched not far away: a fledgling veery.
Coming up toward the summit, just entering the last stand of trees, I heard a jumble of surprising bird calls—black-and-white warbler, flicker, house finch—and then we surprised a little brood of grouse. The youngsters were about the size of woodcocks, and the hen flared her tail and hurried away low the ground, as they do, emitting that anxious, mewling, diversionary call.
Juvenile chestnut-sided warbler.
Not a minute later, I heard more fledglings in the trees—and the alarm peeps of a phoebe. Perhaps the Beech Nut birds? Possible, I suppose. They were only about a hundred yards away.
A Savannah sparrow called still from the grassy roof of the hut. A song sparrow nearby. Waxwings zipping about. More house finches. And returning, a frantic flurry of young robins moved through, testing their newfound expertise at flight.
Dueling hermit thrushes in the shady lower woods. And a solitary eastern wood-pewee.
The birds will stay a while. Their nests, having served their purpose, will melt away.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo (v)
2. Chestnut-sided warbler
3. Ovenbird (v)
4. American robin*
5. Gray catbird* (v)
6. American redstart (v)
7. Common yellowthroat*
8. Eastern towhee
9. Veery
10. Hermit thrush (v)
11. Cedar waxwing*
12. Song sparrow*
13. Black-and-white warbler (v)
14. Black-capped chickadee* (v)
15. House finch*
16. Northern flicker (v)
17. Ruffed grouse
18. Eastern phoebe
19. Savannah sparrow (v)
20. American goldfinch*
21. Rose-breasted grosbeak (v)
22. Eastern wood-pewee (v)
Elsewhere
23. American crow
24. Northern cardinal (v)
25. Herring gull
26. Rock pigeon
27. Mourning dove
28. Chipping sparrow (v)
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
House finch.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, ruffed grouse, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, veery
