American crow.
It’s hard to fathom the weather we’ve had lately. Today started foggy—an ocean fog, with a nip to it—but the sun burned most of it away, leaving in its wake a warmth, a calm. It felt like a vacation out there.
Birch.
Jack and I hiked Beech Hill in early afternoon. Of course, so did many other people and dogs. In fact, the Coastal Mountains Land Trust was holding its last Beech Nut open house of the year. Perfect day for it. From the summit you could see fog still cloaking the shores of the southern peninsulas, and the afternoon sun lit the remnant red of the low growth on the surrounding hillsides.
At first, I found little evidence of bird life up there—beyond assorted birds flitting about the sides of Beech Hill Road—but before long I began to hear them call, see them flit, watch them fly over. Siskins flew over. Also bluebirds. Crows, jays, and a flicker in the distance. And I heard a couple other (migrating) species I couldn’t identify.
But I could identify the juncos fluttering about the trees along the road when we got back to the pickup. I like those little joyful birds.
Tonight is calm and warm. Looks like the storm will dive in to the south of us. Thinking about my girl in NYC.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 1:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee**
2. American crow*
3. Yellow-rumped warbler
4. Pine siskin (v)
5. American robin*
6. Savannah sparrow
7. Eastern bluebird
8. Blue jay* (v)
9. Northern flicker (v)
10. Dark-eyed junco
Elsewhere
11. House sparrow
12. Herring gull
13. Rock pigeon
14. European starling (v)
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
