Two crows.
I check the weather radar and see
a lull in the rain.
So I take down the dog’s leash, and
the dog grows excited
as he does every time—every
joyful
adventurous time—
and we set out for our hike.
Wild Turkey.
He walks behind me sometimes,
leads me others,
waits patiently and checks the scents
at the bases of tree trunks.
He pays attention to the slightest sounds.
Mist comes, and fog, and dog and I don’t care
because the weather never matters.
What does matter is the moving,
and the breathing,
And the distraction of any twitch or utterance
of any living thing.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9:15 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. House Finch (v)
2. American Crow*
3. American Goldfinch* (v)
4. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
5. Blue Jay** (v)
6. Black-capped Chickadee*
7. Herring Gull* (v)
8. Eastern Towhee
9. Song Sparrow**
10. Northern Cardinal* (v)
11. Wild Turkey
12. Yellow-rumped Warbler
13. American Robin** (v)
14. Blue-headed Vireo (v)
15. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
16. Pine Warbler (v)
17. Mallard
18. Hermit Thrush
19. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
20. Chipping Sparrow (v)
21. Rock Pigeon
22. European Starling
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, chipping sparrow, eastern towhee, European starling, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mallard, northern cardinal, northern flicker, pine warbler, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, wild turkey, yellow-rumped warbler
