April light.
Brilliant sun this morning—but still nippy, with a breeze. Clouds moved over in early afternoon but cleared up again, then clouded up again. But going back to morning, I heard a familiar sound in the southern blue: the cries of an April osprey. They arrive in April. They arrive screaming—over and over, from on high. They circle. They’re looking for a mate, or a nest site. Or maybe they’re simply rejoicing at the cool bright April air above a tidal Maine cove. Like, maybe, Clam Cove, barely more than a stone’s throw from me.
Osprey.
Lots of birds on the hill this afternoon. Also some bay views that typify this season.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American robin** (v)
2. Blue jay
3. Song sparrow** (v)
4. Eastern phoebe**
5. Black-capped chickadee** (v)
6. American crow* (v)
7. American kestrel
8. Herring gull*
9. Northern cardinal** (v)
Elsewhere
10. Tufted titmouse (v)
11. House finch
12. European starling (v)
13. House sparrow (v)
14. Osprey†
15. Rock pigeon
16. Mourning dove
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
Tags: American crow, American kestrel, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, eastern phoebe, European starling, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, osprey, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse
