Threesome (Tree Swallows).
The temperature this morning early topped freezing—maybe 36 or 37 degrees (F). After I’d taken care of a couple hours of work, and Jack and I emerged into the sunlight, the temperature was pushing 50. By the time we reached the summit of Beech Hill, I could tell it’d reached 60 degrees, at least. On our return to the truck, I ditched all by a t-shirt up top—and wore sandals the rest of the day.
Red-tailed Hawk.
So it’s no wonder, perhaps, that a bunch of first-of-year migrants showed up today. In order: Eastern Phoebe (several, calling near their usual Beech Hill nesting spots); Palm Warbler (a few, bouncing around the still-brown grass hunting flies and caterpillars); Tree Swallow (several, fighting for the right to use the nest boxes they did last year); Pine Warbler (heard, then seen, in a pine tree out back of my place in afternoon); Osprey (heard crying high in the sky outside).
So many returning birds make my heart lighter and add a little skip to my step. Also the warmth, I suppose.
I love this day.
Palm Warbler.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped Chickadee*
2. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
3. Tufted Titmouse**
4. Song Sparrow**
5. American Robin*
6. Northern Cardinal* (v)
7. Eastern Phoebe†
8. Palm Warbler†
9. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
10. American Crow*
11. American Goldfinch**
12. Northern Flicker (v)
13. Tree Swallow†
14. Turkey Vulture*
15. House Finch** (v)
16. Herring Gull*
17. Bald Eagle
18. Red-tailed Hawk
19. Mourning Dove* (v)
20. Dark-eyed Junco
Elsewhere
21. Blue Jay (v)
22. Pine Warbler†
23. Osprey† (v)
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year species
Eastern Phoebe.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, bald eagle, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, eastern phoebe, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, palm warbler, pileated woodpecker, red-tailed hawk, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch
