Nice little surprise at Beech Hill today. Just as dog and I arrived, a little gang of chickadees was moving up through the trees along the road, and the chickadees—as they often do—had attracted a diverse collection of other little nervous birds. A couple of warbler species, a vireo, a nuthatch, sparrow, titmouse. I thought I saw a gnatcatcher, even, but now I don’t think so. (It would’e been my first there.)
Warm and sunny, with not a lot of wind. Plenty of Saturday hikers. A private party (winners of a drawing benefiting Coastal Mountains Land Trust) was due to start at 5 p.m., so Jack and I came a little early.
Nothing could match that initial thrill today—well, other than how gorgeous a day it was. Sails dotted the blue of Penobscot Bay.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Cedar Waxwing**
3. Chestnut-sided Warbler
4. Tufted Titmouse
5. Red-eyed Vireo
6. Song Sparrow
7. Black-and-white Warbler
8. White-breasted Nuthatch
9. American Goldfinch
10. Gray Catbird (v)
11. Eastern Towhee (v)
12. Common Raven
Elsewhere
13. American Crow
14. Yellow Warbler (v)
15. Herring Gull
16. Rock Pigeon
17. Green Heron
18. Mourning Dove
v = Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, common raven, eastern towhee, gray catbird, green heron, herring gull, mourning dove, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouser, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow warbler