Hermit thrush.
We had a cool, overcast day, most of it. It being Saturday, I figured we had time to hike all the Beech Hill trails for a change, Jack and I. At the wooded trail head, many yellow-rumped warblers were flitting quietly in the newly colorful hardwood canopy—very many of them, a few of them chipping softly. In fact, yellow-rumps were ever-present all up and down the hill, all trails. It’s just that time of year.
Yellow-rumped warbler.
Lots of people up there, too, and quite a few dogs, ranging in size from a tiny chihuahua (Amy) to a couple of (unrelated) great danes (Yankee and the lovely Pepper). Had a few chats, saw (or heard) the usual fall species, including three sparrows (song, Savannah, and white-crowned)—four, if you count towhee.
Also, FYI, quite a few fast-crawling little deer ticks: picked about a half-dozen or more of Jack, and found two or three on me.
As we returned up and over the hill, the sun emerged from behind a blanket of clouds, and its made everything glow. Coming through the woods again, I caught sight of a bird zipping silently off the trail in front of us. We stopped. I scanned. I found it—a hermit thrush, which posed there for photos against a patch of early autumn foliage.
Tonight is cool, and stars are out.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Yellow-rumped warbler*
2. Black-capped chickadee*
3. American crow*
4. Blue jay** (v)
5. Northern flicker
6. American goldfinch (v)
7. Golden-crowned kinglet (v)
8. Eastern towhee
9. American robin (v)
10. Gray catbird (v)
11. Savannah sparrow
12. Song sparrow
13. White-crowned sparrow
14. Hermit thrush
15. Eastern phoebe
Elsewhere
16. Herring gull
17. Mourning dove
18. Double-crested cormorant
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Southern slope.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, double-crested cormorant, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, golden-crowned kinglet, gray catbird, herring gull, mourning dove, northern flicker, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
