Eastern Towhee (female).
The birds of Beech Hill were shy today. Hell, all the birds were shy. At my place early, I heard a young bird calling for food, stood until I spotted the thing, and it was a juvenile Red-eyed Vireo. And the same thing happend on the hill.
Song sparrows were diving into thick bushes. Catbirds were flitting out of sight. Yellow-rumped warblers were still active in the spruce grove at the summit—I could hear their incessant chip notes—but I caught only brief glimpses of them. Waxwings were zipping around overhead, as usual.
It was a cool and nervous day. I liked it a lot.
Addendum: I did not see a monarch today for the first time in a few. (Yesterday I saw one at Beech Hill fluttering in the distance, and the day before I saw a dead one while cycling the shoulder of Route 1.)
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Cedar Waxwing
2. Blue Jay**
3. Song Sparrow
4. Red-eyed Vireo*
5. American Crow* (v)
6. American Goldfinch (v)
7. Gray Catbird
8. Yell0w-rumped Warbler
9. Black-capped Chickadee** (v)
10. Eastern Towhee
Elsewhere
11. Herring Gull
12. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
13. Northern Cardinal (v)
14. House Sparrow
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, eastern towhee, gray catbird, herring gull, house sparrow, northern cardinal, red-eyed vireo, song sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
