Broad-winged hawk.
You awaken to another beautiful day on the 44th parallel. You go through your routines—breakfast, work, lunch, more work, errands—and finally end up at Beech Hill. It’s quiet up there again (as you expect), and you figure it’ll be a day much like yesterday.
And then you get a surprise or two.
Yellow-rumped warbler.
Not a lot to see or hear unless you pay close attention. Close attention is what got me a good look at a red-eyed vireo, for instance, and a listen to a couple subtle notes from the resident flicker. Chickadees were about, and catbirds. Several wood-pewees, even, audible from various points on the hill. Then we got to the fields, where I heard the chips of an unidentified warbler and the peep! of what sounded like an alder flycatcher. As we was creeping up for what I’d hoped was a peek at those birds, a hawk flew over.
The hawk was circling low above us. A broad-winged hawk. It circled directly above us three, four times, checking us out—so close, in fact, that it was hard for me to focus my camera. We stood there for at least three minutes, I’d say, as I struggled to get a decent photo. Hadn’t seen a broad-winged for a while.
At the summit, we met a visiting couple with whom I had a nice conversation. I was pleased to be able to ID a bird they’d heard just by their description of its voice and habitat (hermit thrush). As we chatted, I heard a song sparrow and some goldfinches in overflight. Then, as we started quietly back down, I heard a dry chip near a tangle of thicket, and we stopped. A warbler flitted right up into a bush and began plucking at its small berries. It was a young yellow-rumped warbler. Haven’t seen one of those up there in a good while—possibly even since mid-spring. (I’ll see a lot more come fall, though.)
Eastern chipmunk.
Returning, Jack alerted me to a couple of flocks of secretive turkeys. And finally, I heard the alarm notes of a robin. Hello, Mr. Robin. Been a while.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:30 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Black-capped chickadee*
2. American crow* (v)
3. Gray catbird
4. Red-eyed vireo
5. Northern flicker (v)
6. American goldfinch*
7. Eastern wood-pewee (v)
8. Broad-winged hawk
9. Song sparrow (v)
10. Yellow-rumped warbler
11. Wild turkey
12. American robin (v)
Elsewhere
13. Herring gull
14. Mourning dove
15. Black-throated green warbler
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, broad-winged hawk, eastern wood-pewee, gray catbird, herring gull, mourning dove, northern flicker, red-eyed vireo, song sparrow, wild turkey, yellow-rumped warbler
