Song Sparrow.
Coming up through a young mixed hardwood forest
at this particular time of year
I find my mind most focused on
My sense of hearing.
In early morning, in such a place,
on a calm day,
even the most distant spring birds seem near.
Say you keep a daily list of birds.
That list will comprise more species
that you’ve heard than seen.
Black-capped Chickadee.
The distant calls of new warblers,
the bouncing song of a Field Sparrow,
the “chewink” of a nearby towhee,
the interminable notes of a flicker, and
the Ovenbird’s “Teacher, teacher, teacher!”
echoing in the trees.
Yet my eyes are busy, busy.
Sometimes they even catch sight of something
astonishing—
like a solo raven flying low above a field,
holding a bright egg in its bill.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Mourning Dove* (v)
2. Eastern Phoebe*
3. American Goldfinch* (v)
4. Eastern Towhee
5. Blue-headed Vireo** (v)
6. Black-capped Chickadee*
7. Tufted Titmouse**
8. American Crow*
9. Song Sparrow**
10. Yellow-rumped Warbler
11. Wild Turkey (v)
12. Black-and-White Warbler
13. Ovenbird (v)
14. Common Yellowthroat†
15. Northern Cardinal** (v)
16. Field Sparrow (v)
17. Herring Gull*
18. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
19. American Robin* (v)
20. Northern Flicker (v)
21. Winter Wren†
22. Common Raven
23. Chipping Sparrow** (v)
24. House Finch**
25. Savannah Sparrow (v)
26. Pine Warbler (v)
27. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
28. Brown Creeper
Elsewhere
29. Downy Woodpecker
30. 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-headed vireo, brown creeper, chipping sparrow, common raven, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, field sparrow, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, ovenbird, pileated woodpecker, pine warbler, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, wild turkey, winter wren, yellow-rumped warbler
