Hole in the clouds.
Sunlight slipped between the blinds this morning a little earlier than yesterday, amid a cacophony of birds. Just lying in bed I heard: titmouse, cardinal, song sparrow, crow, goldfinch, mourning dove, pileated woodpecker. Cooking breakfast I caught sight of a phoebe perched on the peak of the roof next door, claiming its residential territory.
Northern harrier.
As happened yesterday, clouds blew in as the morning ripened, and when dog and I started up Beech Hill at midday, a stout northwest wind was blowing. Right away I noticed a male northern harrier teetering above the still-bronze blueberry barrens, silhouetted briefly against a scrap of sky blue. About half-way up, I spotted a kestrel perched in the crown of a hardwood tree across the field to the north. Also a turkey vulture soaring overhead. And from the summit, I watched a common raven scouting the east side of the hill. Only later, when I looked at a photo, did I notice another kestrel perched in a tree beyond the raven.
Coming down, the harrier made another appearance, hunting low on the southwest slope. I heard a titmouse, goldfinches, chickadees, and a flicker.
The only other birds I can list from today were voices heard while cycling: common grackle, European starling, house sparrow. The cycling was difficult northbound and easy headed south.
Still, tonight, no woodcocks or spring peepers.
Common raven (and American kestrel).
Today’s List
Tufted titmouse
Northern cardinal
Song sparrow
Eastern phoebe
House finch
Pileated woodpecker
American goldfinch
American crow
Herring gull
American robin
Mourning dove
Black-capped chickadee
Northern harrier
American kestrel
Common raven
Northern flicker
Common grackle
European starling
House sparrow
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American kestrel, American robin, black-capped chickadee, common grackle, common raven, eastern phoebe, European starling, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, northern harrier, pileated woodpecker, song sparrow, tufted titmouse
