Black-throated Blue Warbler.
It happened on our way back up and over the hill after reaching the Beech Hill Road parking lot. Overcast and cool, with a scattering of drizzle, the morning had by then become dry and slightly breezy—seemingly a southeasterly breeze. And little birds began arriving on that breeze.
Blue-headed Vireo.
Warblers and vireos, mostly. I had twelve warbler species on my list today—including first-of-year Magnolia Warbler and Prairie Warbler. I spent quite a while trying to track down the prairie, which had kept low in the thick, unmowed greenery of the lower field. Got a few glimpses, but no great photo. Was lovely to hear it’s fluty, rising song.
Bunches of Blue-headed Vireos. Several Black-throated Blue Warblers. Not great light, alas, so no outstanding photos—but enough to give an image of this birdy morning.
The woods, too, had a lot of birds in ’em, including Pine Warbler, Black-throated Green Warblers, and plenty of Ovenbirds. Still no redstarts or Yellow Warblers this year.
Also had a FOY Great Crested Flycatcher, though. And learned about the crazy-loud alarm notes a Wood Thrush employs—and, by contrast, heard for the first time (or made the association) a Hermit Thrush’s high, thin, waxwing-like whistle of (I assume) alarm. Or perhaps dismay. Or even excitement. What do I know, really, when it comes right down to it.
Well, I know I loved this morning—and this time of year.
Reawakening.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Robin
2. Ovenbird
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Black-throated Green Warbler
5. Northern Parula
6. Blue-headed Vireo
7. Eastern Towhee
8. Black-and-white Warbler
9. Nashville Warbler
10. Veery (v)
11. Tufted Titmouse**
12. Common Yellowthroat
13. Black-throated Blue Warbler
14. Hairy Woodpecker
15. Blue Jay
16. Gray Catbird
17. Chestnut-sided Warbler
18. Osprey (v)
19. American Goldfinch
20. American Crow*
21. Mourning Dove*
22. Song Sparrow
23. White-throated Sparrow (v)
24. Savannah Sparrow
25. Northern Cardinal** (v)
26. Field Sparrow
27. Common Raven
28. Brown-headed Cowbird
29. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
30. Northern Flicker
31. Chipping Sparrow (v)
32. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
33. Palm Warbler
34. Magnolia Warbler
35. Prairie Warbler
36. Wood Thrush (v)
37. Herring Gull*
38. Mallard
39. Pine Warbler
40. Great Crested Flycatcher (v)
41. Hermit Thrush
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
