Windswept.
A bright, white day. Vivid blue sky above a newly blank landscape. Warmish, too: up near freezing. When I took Jack out first thing, I noticed deer tracks in the snow coming from up the back hill and leading to the little juniper stand on the north side of my place. Jack’s nose noticed, too. While shoveling (and shoveling) this midday, I saw a chickadee and heard a nuthatch in the trees.
Creepy snow angel.
Once I got the pickup out, we swung by Beech Hill to see if the plows had left enough room to park on the side of the road. En route, I saw a bluebird zip across the road to the base of the hill where I’ve seen them lately. Nice. The plows had left room, so I parked and put on my snowshoes, and we had ourselves a nice hike, dog and me. And we weren’t the only ones—we met four other hikers (two on snowshoes) and saw signs of more.
At the summit, the wind from yesterday’s blizzard had swept clean most of the ground around Beech Nut, leaving only an artful dune on the south side. Back at the truck, while removing my snowshoes, I heard a kinglet and a nuthatch across the road.
Supposed to get rained on tomorrow. That’s liable to get interesting, what with all this snow.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Eastern bluebird
2. Black-capped chickadee* (v)
3. Tufted titmouse (v)
4. American crow* (v)
5. Golden-crowned kinglet (v)
6. White-breasted nuthatch** (v)
Elsewhere
7. Herring gull
8. Rock pigeon
9. Ring-billed gull
10. Rock pigeon
11. European starling
12. American robin
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, European starling, golden-crowned kinglet, herring gull, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch
