Kite.
The roads were damp, I noticed when I looked out the window first thing this morning. Not unexpected, considering the forecast of rain and/or snow. Checked the temperature: upper-30s (F). It occurred to me we’re in that crazy period when daffodils are bustin’ out like crazy—many, many of them in the little southern bed here this year—and chances are we might get an inch or two of snow.
Eastern phoebe.
We didn’t get any snow to speak of, but the air felt sort of wintry and wet. On the other hand, early on I heard the calls of a wild array of birds. Crow and song sparrow and robin and house finch, as usual, but also chipping sparrow and killdeer and brown-headed cowbird (again). Cardinal, dove.
It being Saturday, dog and I headed for Beech Hill early (after some errands). As soon as we hit the trail, sleet began to fall from the neutral gray sky. I heard a few chickadees and somewhere a song sparrow, but no other birds made themselves known. I figured we wouldn’t see a damn thing in weather like this. Not that it was bad or particularly uncomfortable weather, just that I couldn’t imagine any self-respecting birds being out in it. Of course, that was just my expectations talking.
Osprey with fish.
Still, the only birds I saw on the way up the hill were a pair of phoebes calling in the brush over by the old well. Didn’t even see the resident song sparrows. Sleet fell intermittently, vaguely obscuring the view of the islands.
As we rounded the final curve, we noticed a father and his little boy flying a kite at the summit. Oddly, it was a good kite day—a fine offshore breeze, not too strong, and really it wasn’t overly cold—and they were clearly enjoying themselves. Vicariously, I enjoyed myself also, remembering certain old kite-flying days. But before we reached them, I noticed a big bird soaring over from the north. Right away I saw that it was an osprey (finally!) carrying a fish. The old carrying-a-fish display. It didn’t cry as I’m used to them doing right about this time of April, but I love the fish-carrying thing. It soared over rather mistily, obscured by slight sleet and snow.
Kestrel and redtail.
On the way down, I heard a white-thoated sparrow sing. That was nice. Not much else happening, though.
That is, until we began driving home, when I noticed a kestrel in the branches of a roadside tree. I pulled over to take a photo, but as soon as I focused, the little falcon flew—damn it—and then I saw the reason it flew. A large buteo had circled into view, and the kestrel took offense. It rose, calling killy-killy-killy and began to charge the red-tail. I hopped out of the truck and took as many photos as I could, but focusing was a problem. Didn’t get anything overly dramatic, but it was a fun moment.
In town, curiously, I saw all three common local gulls: herring, ring-billed, great black-backed. Also rock pigeons. Then the sun actually peeked out a few times, and I took advantage of the break in the weather to mow the law. (Crazy that it needs it so early.) And after that, dog and I headed for the breakwater.
We saw a grackle en route. The only species that showed up on the breakwater itself: common eider, double-crested cormorant, herring gull, purple sandpiper. That was all we saw. Then again, with such an ominous gray, wispy sky full of what I like to call elephant clouds (a line of gray clouds that marches along the southern horizon) and hints of storms to come, who could blame the birds for hiding out for a while.
Purple sandpipers.
Regardless, it felt like a good, full day. And you won’t hear me complaining.
Today’s List
American crow
Song sparrow
Chipping sparrow
American robin
Killdeer
Brown-headed cowbird
House finch
Downy woodpecker
Northern cardinal
Mourning dove
Herring gull
Eastern phoebe
Osprey
Black-capped chickadee
White-throated sparrow
American kestrel
Red-tailed hawk
Ring-billed gull
Rock pigeon
Great black-backed gull
Common grackle
Common eider
Double-crested cormorant
Purple sandpiper
Rockland Harbor.
Tags: American crow, American kestrel, American robin, black-capped chickadee, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, common eider, common grackle, double-crested cormorant, downy woodpecker, great black-backed gull, herring gull, house finch, killdeer, mourning dove, northern cardinal, osprey, purple sandpiper, red-tailed hawk, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, song sparrow, white-throated sparrow
