Eastern Phoebe.
Sixteen degrees this morning—but sunny! And the dawn came earlier, and the wind rose. Windier than yesterday, too. But that don’t make no never mind to me and Jack. After a good long chunk of desk work for me, and a long nap for him, we took the quick drive up to Beech Hill.
Black-capped Chickadee.
The wind was howling up there. I’d guess it was about 34 or 35 degrees, which made for kind of a nippy hike. But bracing, too, and bright, and lovely. Plus, I soon got distracted by a phoebe. At this season—with flies still hanging back, waiting for balmier days—a phoebe will sit on weed stalks amid a blueberry field, diving down to pick up crawling bugs or fluttering up after the occasional fly.
Farther up the hill, more phoebes. Two flitted across the trail in front of us, headed down below. Three more were perched on stalks above us, one of them calling. I got to wondering if these were from a family that nested at Beech Nut last season. Would not surprise me in the least.
Tell you one thing, too: I felt honored to be up there with my dog among a good-sized group of such charming birds.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Eastern Phoebe
3. American Crow* (v)
4. Northern Cardinal** (v)
Elsewhere
5. Blue Jay**
6. American Robin
7. Mourning Dove (v)
8. Herring Gull
9. Mallard
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, eastern phoebe, herring gull, mallard, mourning dove, northern cardinal
