Common Yellowthroat.
Up early, cool day heavy overcast early. Did not hear a lot of birds first thing—but after a little while, there they all were. Several nesting species have not yet arrived at Beech hill—flycatchers, Yellow Warbler, hummingbird, tanager, Red-eyed Vireo—but nearly all those that have did show up on my list today.
Veery.
But perhaps most interesting this morning were some instances that convinced me I’m getting to know Beech Hill pretty well.
For instance, early in my hike with dog, I heard the drumming of a grouse ahead of us—quite nearby. Then came the song of a Chestnut-sided Warbler, and we started around a curve where I thought I might get a good look. But in the back of my mind, I thought, “That partridge is gonna flush,” and I kind of looked in the direction of its booming, and the grouse flushed, and I got to see it fly fast, right to left, in full view for three or four seconds.
As we walked in the upper woods, I noticed a thrush walking the trail about thirty feet ahead of us. The native (non-robin) thrushes all look similar at first glance, but I knew it was a Veery. Just knew.
Then, later, on the other side of the hill, I looked up in the fog to see a large black bird flying over—and I knew right away it was a raven, not a crow. Subtle clues, I guess: solitary bird, quiet, flying kind of low, coming from a particular direction. When it then began to soar, I wasn’t surprised. And after it disappeared over the trees, the voices of crows confirmed it.
Love, in a way, is familiarity.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Common Yellowthroat
3. Ovenbird**
4. Mourning Dove*
5. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
6. Eastern Towhee
7. Blue-headed Vireo (v)
8. Hermit Thrush
9. Herring Gull* (v)
10. Chestnut-sided Warbler
11. Ruffed Grouse
12. Veery
13. Black-and-white Warbler**
14. Black-throated Green Warbler
15. Northern Cardinal**
16. Blue Jay (v)
17. American Goldfinch**
18. Gray Catbird
19. White-throated Sparrow (v)
20. American Crow*
21. Northern Flicker
22. Song Sparrow**
23. Wild Turkey
24. Eastern Phoebe
25. Savannah Sparrow
26. Tufted Titmouse (v)
27. Palm Warbler
28. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
29. American Robin*
30. Nashville Warbler
31. Chipping Sparrow (v)
32. Common Raven
33. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
34. Northern Parula
35. Winter Wren (v)
36. Mallard
Elsewhere
37. House Finch (v)
38. Common Grackle
39. European Starling
40. Sharp-shinned Hawk
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common grackle, common raven, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mallard, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern flicker, northern parula, ovenbird, palm warbler, pileated woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, ruffed grouse, savannah sparrow, sharp-shinned hawk, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, wild turkeyu, winter wren
