Eastern Phoebe.
I didn’t go out cycling today and felt guilty about it all afternoon. Because the weather was mild, if not exactly sunny, and the wind wasn’t too bad. My body just felt a need to rest up after four days and about seventy-five miles. Instead, I did desk work until mid-afternoon, when dog and I hit the hill. Hard.
Ocellate “Maple Eyespot” Gall.
Well, not that hard. We kind of lollygagged up the open trail, Jack sniffing posts and grass clumps, me counting birds. I had sixteen today, mostly just the usual suspects but with a nice look at a screaming Broad-winged Hawk.
Another cool diversion was my first-ever look (that I recall) at Ocellate “Maple Eyespot” Gall—a colorful phenomenon resulting from the chemicals emitted by tiny midge larvae that attach to male leaves—and also the appearance of several flashy Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies.
The fields were green, the sky a hazy blue. Then, on our way home, I spotted a dashing male Sharp-shinned Hawk, dressed in formal attire and perched on a utility line. I stopped the pickup, hit the emergency flashers, and squeezed out of my passenger door to turn and grab a photo. The bird saw me do that, though, and flew.
Come to think of it, despite the clouds and haze, this was a colorful day.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Ovenbird** (v)
2. Blue Jay (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
4. American Redstart** (v)
5. American Crow*
6. Yellow Warbler**
7. American Goldfinch (v)
8. Song Sparrow**
9. House Finch
10. Chipping Sparrow**
11. Alder Flycatcher (v)
12. Eastern Towhee (v)
13. Common Yellowthroat** (v)
14. Eastern Phoebe
15. Broad-winged Hawk
16. Cedar Waxwing
17. Chestnut-sided Warbler (v)
18. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
19. House Sparrow
20. Gray Catbird (v)
21. Herring Gull
22. Northern Cardinal
23. European Starling
24. Sharp-shinned Hawk
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Eastern Black Swallowtail.
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, broad-winged hawk, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, northern cardinal, ovenbird, sharp-shinned hawk, song sparrow, yellow warbler
