Song sparrow.
An overcast morning. A wave of rain moves through. A dash of sun appears then disappears.
Birdsong from all directions—song sparrows, crows, cardinal and house finch, titmouse and starling—and damp, greening grass. Crocus and daffodil and tulip.
Beech Nut.
This afternoon, soon after a rain shower, Jack and I started up Beech Hill at the same time as another hiker. The sky was huge with textured clouds. I could see scattered gray curtains of rain below a few windows of blue. Song sparrows were staking out their territory up there. I saw random overflights of mallard, vulture, gull.
Tonight peepers are singing lustily from up the damp hill where sets the moon.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee**
2. White-breasted nuthatch (v)
3. American robin** (v)
4. Song sparrow**
5. American crow*
6. Mallard
7. Herring gull*
8. Turkey vulture
9. Eastern phoebe (v)
10. Northern cardinal** (v)
11. Tufted titmouse** (v)
Elsewhere
12. House finch
13. Mourning dove
14. European starling
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, eastern phoebe, European starling, herring gull, house finch, mallard, mourning dove, northern cardinal, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch
