Ovenbird.
I could tell you about stalking the wild Ovenbird
this early morning at Beech Hill Preserve.
I could brag about getting a decent photo
for a change.
I might mention the Rose-breasted Grosbeak,
the first of its species I’ve seen this spring,
that despite singing so near me
eluded my eye entirely,
because my ears could not hone in.
I could gush in the memory of
two other first of year birds—
Yellow Warbler and American Redstart—
or just the general thrill of my hikes
at exactly this season.
I could tell the tale of the neighbor’s dog
that slipped out and was barking off in the woods
somewhere.
Swainson’s Thrush.
But the thing that’s stuck with me
on this day
is that eighteen-mile bicycle ride:
the uphill straining,
the downhill speed,
the riding with no hands, Ma,
the magical endorphins,
the warm afternoon,
and the wind—the fragrant spring wind
in my ears.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-throated Green Warbler
2. Ovenbird
3. Common Yellowthroat
4. Blue Jay* (v)
5. American Goldfinch*
6. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
7. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
8. Blue-headed Vireo** (v)
9. Eastern Towhee
10. Northern Cardinal**
11. American Crow*
12. Black-and-white Warbler*
13. Black-capped Chickadee**
14. Gray Catbird
15. Hermit Thrush
16. Rose-breasted Grosbeak† (v)
17. Northern Parula*
18. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
19. White-throated Sparrow (v)
20. Yellow-rumped Warbler*
21. Field Sparrow (v)
22. Tree Swallow
23. Song Sparrow**
24. Savannah Sparrow
25. Yellow Warbler†
26. Chipping Sparrow**
27. Downy Woodpecker*
28. House Finch (v)
29. American Robin*
30. Swainson’s Thrush
31. White-breasted Nuthatch* (v)
32. Common Raven (v)
33. American Redstart† (v)
Elsewhere
34. Herring Gull
35. European Starling
36. Turkey Vulture
37. Rock Pigeon
38. Eastern Phoebe
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year species
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common raven, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, field sparrow, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, northern cardinal, northern parula, ovenbird, red-breasted nuthatch, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, Swainson's thrush, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow warbler, yellow-rumped warbler
