17 February 2025

Caterpillars

Thursday, August 31st, 2017
Philadelphia Vireo, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 31 August 2017.

Philadelphia Vireo.

Caterpillars at Beech Hill this morning—caterpillars everwhere. I watched one climb a strand of silk, watched another just hang there. And I saw several getting their brains bashed out by warblers and vireos.

Caterpillar on a strand, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 31 August 2017.

Caterpillar on a strand.

Among the vireos, a Philadelphia stood out: only the second I’ve seen up there (I’m pretty sure). I also saw a solitary Cliff Swallow being herded through the air by an angry hummingbird.

And I saw butterflies, several species. Nice to know some caterpillars survive through metamorphosis.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Tufted Titmouse (v)
2. Blue Jay (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Song Sparrow
5. Gray Catbird
6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
7. Red-eyed Vireo**
8. American Goldfinch**
9. Northern Flicker (v)
10. American Crow* (v)
11. Yellow Warbler (v)
12. Cliff Swallow
13. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
14. Cedar Waxwing
15. Eastern Phoebe
16. Yellow-rumped Warbler
17. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
18. Ovenbird
19. Philadelphia Vireo
20. Black-and-white Warbler
21. Common Yellowthroat
22. White-throated Sparrow
23. Northern Cardinal
24. Great Crested Flycatcher (v)
25. Broad-winged Hawk

Elsewhere

26. Mourning Dove
27. Herring Gull
28. Osprey

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

 

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Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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