A sunny windy late afternoon at Beech Hill today. Only saw two other humans up there, but I listed twenty-three bird species. Five of those were sparrows: Song Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Eastern Towhee.
I like sparrows. They’re not the gaudiest of birds (well, excepting perhaps the towhees among them), but they actually interact with you a little—if you walk slowly and pay them a little respect. Today, they were working to draw me and my dog away from their nest locations. They’re really good at that, too. I have only half an inkling of where one particular Savannah Sparrow’s nest is.
No ravens today. No woodcocks. But the birds are active and vocal, the air is warming, the sun felt good on my face.
Only a few days left before summer.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Veery (v)
2. American Redstart**
3. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)
4. Eastern Towhee
5. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
6. Chestnut-sided Warbler** (v)
7. Purple Finch (v)
8. Yellow Warbler**
9. Chipping Sparrow** (v)
10. Ovenbird (v)
11. Common Yellowthroat**
12. Song Sparrow**
13. Gray Catbird**
14. Tree Swallow
15. Savannah Sparrow
16. White-throated Sparrow (v)
17. Alder Flycatcher (v)
18. American Crow*
19. American Goldfinch
20. Eastern Phoebe
21. Cedar Waxwing
22. American Robin**
23. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
24. Herring Gull
25. Osprey (v)
26. European Starling
27. Wild Turkey
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-throated green warbler, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, gray catbird, herring gull, osprey, ovenbird, purple finch, red-eyed vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, veery, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey, yellow warbler


