Osprey (with fish).
Moving through thick fog I feel as
if I’m in some massive chamber
with soft walls and a low ceiling.
It feels comforting to be here
in the embrace of the earth.
Song Sparrow.
Sound is transformed in this vapor.
Bird song seems both near and distant,
coming from such odd directions,
wafted in a wind that rises
up and over the summit.
I hear the croak of a raven
and the note of a hermit thrush.
I see three species of sparrow
Singing to the spirit of fog.
A Common Yellowthroat, too.
I hear the cry of an osprey,
down around the wooded trailhead,
and there sits the bird, fish in claw,
on the limb of a hardwood tree—
a fish hawk incongruous.
Savannah Sparrow.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Eastern Phoebe*
2. Song Sparrow**
3. Black-and-white Warbler**
4. Eastern Towhee
5. Mourning Dove* (v)
6. American Crow*
7. American Goldfinch**
8. Herring Gull*
9. Black-capped Chickadee*
10. Downy Woodpecker* (v)
11. Wild Turkey (v)
12. Yellow-rumped Warbler
13. Common Yellowthroat
14. Tree Swallow
15. Field Sparrow (v)
16. American Robin*
17. Northern Harrier
18. Savannah Sparrow
19. Tufted Titmouse (v)
20. Northern Cardinal** (v)
21. Chipping Sparrow**
22. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
23. Purple Finch
24. Northern Flicker (v)
25. Common Raven (v)
26. Brown-headed Cowbird
27. Blue Jay** (v)
28. Hermit Thrush* (v)
29. Ovenbird (v)
30. Osprey
Elsewhere
31. European Starling
32. Red-tailed Hawk
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, common raven, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, field sparrow, hermit thrush, herring gull, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, northern harrier, osprey, ovenbird, pileated woodpecker, purple finch, red-tailed hawk, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, wild turkey, yellow-rumped warbler
