Northern shrike.
Nippy, icy, slippery out. Worked like a sumbitch early on, then hiked with Jack in mid-afternoon. Crunchy, slippery slope. Chickadees on the down side. Coming up, I spotted a small solitary songbird on the tip of the little bare oak tree. I knew what it was: a northern shrike. Snapped a few long-distance photos of it, which was a good thing, because it flew as dog and I got near.
Tracks.
A good little bit of snow blowing through during our hike. Second in a two-day fall snow. Not much, but enough to sting the eyes. Heard the cries of a couple of flickers off in the fringes. No yellow-rumps, though.
In the old shallow slushy snow from yesterday—now frozen over—we encountered the tracks of mice or voles, dogs (that came before), and deer.
(Forgot to mention yesterday the tracks of what looked to me to be a fox. The fox had preceded us up partway up the trail—and not very long before.)
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee**
2. Northern shrike
3. Northern flicker (v)
Elsewhere
4. American crow
5. White-breasted nuthatch (v)
6. House sparrow (v)
7. Herring gull
v = Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere
