Merlin.
Really foggy, then just a sort of misty overcast. Hiked Beech Hill early because I would be giving a Beech Hill–related slideshow at the Coastal Mountains Land Trust annual meeting this evening. One cool thing: my penultimate slide was photo I took a few years ago of a merlin atop one of the spruces at the summit—and today I saw a Merlin atop one of the spruces at the summit. That’s only the second Merlin I’ve seen perched on one of those spruces.
Gray Catbird (juvenile).
Crazy.
Also saw Eastern Bluebirds and heard both nuthatch species. Saw a chickadee and a phoebe perched high in a tree across the road. Dismal conditions for photos, but hey. It’s what I do.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 1:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Goldfinch (v)
2. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
5. Eastern Phoebe
6. Eastern Towhee (v)
7. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
8. Cedar Waxwing
9. Eastern Bluebird
10. Song Sparrow
11. Gray Catbird
12. Merlin
13. Savannah Sparrow
Elsewhere
14. Northern Cardinal (v)
15. American Crow
16. Herring Gull
17. Mourning Dove
18. Ring-billed Gull
v = Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, gray catbird, herring gull, merlin, mourning dove, northern cardinal, red-breasted nuthatch, red-eyed vireo, ring-billed gull, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, white-breasted nuthatch
