Snowshoe Hare.
A gray, chilly, breezy morning. I didn’t expect to manage a long bird list—but when I heard the hoots of a Barred Owl while ascending Beech Hill, I figured Nature had other thoughts. She did.
Loper.
Quite a few species, turned out, flitting animatedly in the branches and undergrowth. A couple of red squirrels. And, surprisingly, A Snowshoe Hare.
I’d been focusing on a chickadee when I felt Jack’s leash grow taught. I suspected he’d caught a strong whiff of something and was hoping to get a closer sniff. But his insistent tug soon got my attention, and up the trail behind us, I saw the hare loping down our way. Quite the surprise.
The hare stopped at the edge of the trail about thirty feet away. Jack, motionless at the end of his tether, didn’t make a sound. I frantically worked to get a decent photo. Got a couple half-way decent ones.
It took fifteen seconds or so for the hare to bound away into the bushes. It’s seasonal coat stood out against the brown landscape.
Tomorrow, though, it’ll be safely camouflaged again.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Crow*
2. American Goldfinch (v)
3. Barred Owl (v)
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. Tufted Titmouse (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Dark-eyed Junco
8. Downy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
9. Canada Goose (v)
10. Herring Gull
11. Rock Pigeon
12. Mallard
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, barred owl, black-capped chickadee, Canada goose, dark-eyed junco, downy woodpecker, herring gull, mallard, rock pigeon, snowshoe hare, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch
