Eastern Towhee.
At this time of year, I can’t help but rise early. I dream about rising early, and then I wake up early. I know it’s kind of crazy, but hey—high spring migration.
Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Forty bird species today at Beech Hill. Most notable would be the first-0f-year birds, Black-throated Green Warbler and Red-Breasted Nuthatch, as well a large wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers at the summit. We stood still for several minutes, and some of the birds perched on twigs so near us that I couldn’t even focus on them. (Of course that was at full zoom, where I keep my camera usually.) Saw another Least Flycatcher (maybe) and heard plenty of Black-and-white Warblers and Ovenbirds. Also the first Veery since my first-of-year one (a couple weeks ago).
Ran into a couple other people up there, despite the early hour, and chatted with each for a while. Sunny, breezy, lovely morning.
On the way back down through the wooded bottomland, I got a little video of an Ovenbird exhibiting the branch-walking behavior I’ve seen many times: in a state of alarm, one of the birds will approach, emitting the sharp, piercing chip note—and begin to walk (not hop) along a bare branch, usually away from you. Not sure if this is an attempt to draw you away, or what, but it was cool (again) to see.
Then, in afternoon, I rode by bicycle around for the first time in too long. It looks like—now that it’s half-over—spring has finally arrived.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Ovenbird**
3. Blue-headed Vireo
4. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
5. American Robin*
6. Eastern Towhee
7. Black-and-white Warbler**
8. Black-throated Green Warbler†
9. Eastern Phoebe
10. American Goldfinch
11. Northern Flicker (v)
12. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
13. Northern Cardinal** (v)
14. Mourning Dove* (v)
15. Hermit Thrush
16. Herring Gull* (v)
17. Veery (v)
18. Red-winged Blackbird (v)
19. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
20. White-throated Sparrow**
21. Yellow-rumped Warbler
22. Gray Catbird
24. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming)
25. House Finch**
26. Song Sparrow**
27. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
28. Common Yellowthroat (v)
29. Chipping Sparrow**
30. White-breasted Nuthatch*
31. Brown-headed Cowbird (v)
32. Field Sparrow (v)
33. Savannah Sparrow
34. Canada Goose
35. Tree Swallow
36. Blue Jay (v)
37. Red-Breasted Nuthatch† (v)
38. Mallard* (v)
39. Empid (Least Flycatcher?)
40. Osprey**
Elsewhere
41. Rock Pigeon
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
† First-of-year bird
Black-and-white Warbler.
Tags: American goldfinch, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, brown-headed cowbird, Canada goose, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, field sparrow, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, least flycatcher, mallard, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, osprey, ovenbird, pileated woodpecker, red-breasted nuthatch, red-winged blackbird, rock pigeon, ruby-crowned kinglet, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-bellied sapsucker, yellow-rumped warbler
