They’re moving around, the birds of Beech Hill. So are the birds elsewhere on the 44th parallel, but Jack and I are mostly familiar with the Beech Hill species. Well, I am—Jack’s mostly familiar with only the turkeys.
Truly a gorgeous day, today was. I spent the morning at my desk, rode my bicycle in afternoon. Didn’t notice a lot of birds on my ride, for some reason. Preoccupied, I guess. Partly by the little bump in summer traffic this week: our notorious Lobster Festival opens tomorrow. But I arrived back safely, and within a few minutes, dog and I were in the woods, heading up our favorite hill.
Where red-eyed vireos were hopping about high in the canopy. Where goldfinches and waxwings were flying here and there above us (the waxwings in larger flocks again). Where I heard a little gang of chickadees chipping and calling—one was even delivering his spring fee-bee! Flitting catbirds, angry little yellowthroats scolding from the shrubbery. Not a lot to see, though.
Until I heard the warning peeps of an alder flycatcher in the last wooded stretch before the fields. We stopped. Waited. A small brown bird popped up—a white-throated sparrow. While trying for a photo, I realized the flycatcher’s notes sounded very near. Took a minute, but I finally spotted the bird on a bare twig directly above us. It didn’t stay there long.
Nothing much at the summit, either. So we hiked down the open trail a bit until—as I’d hoped—I got a listen to a song sparrow.
Returning, I spotted another white-throat. Heard a single hermit thrush. Heard the alarm calls of a robin.
No ovenbirds today, though. They must’ve been out wandering in the trees.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Red-eyed vireo (v)
2. Black-capped chickadee (v)
3. American goldfinch*
4. Cedar waxwing
5. American crow*
6. Eastern towhee (v)
7. Gray catbird
8. Alder flycatcher
9. White-throated sparrow
10. Common yellowthroat
11. Song sparrow (v)
12. American robin (v)
13. Hermit thrush (v)
14. Chestnut-sided warbler (v)
Elsewhere
15. Herring gull
16. Mourning dove
17. Chipping sparrow (v)
18. Northern cardinal (v)
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, mourning dove, northern cardinal, red-eyed vireo, song sparrow, white-throated sparrow