Common Yellowthroat (male).
One common bird that nests around here shows up in spring kind of like a ornery country neighbor. You wouldn’t even know it was here right away if it didn’t begin to holler at the top of its lungs. Then after a while it gets territorial and starts to shout and cuss if you get too near the home it’s built by all by itself out of natural materials. Every now and then it takes off suddenly in wild flight, straight up, shouting gibberish as if drunk on moonshine, then flutters back to earth and grows sullen and silent again.
Then after a while the little guy warms to you a little, come near as if wishing to gossip. Flutters up to a twig or stalk right out in the open and sings a country tune that goes Witchety-witchety-witchety!
I’m speaking, of course, about my familiar neighbor, the Common Yellowthroat.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Red-eyed Vireo
2. American Redstart
3. Downy Woodpecker
4. Chestnut-sided Warbler
5. American Goldfinch
6. Eastern Towhee
7. Eastern Bluebird
8. Cedar Waxwing
9. Gray Catbird
10. Black-capped Chickadee
11. Song Sparrow
12. Common Yellowthroat
13. Yellow Warbler
14. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
15. Field Sparrow
16. Savannah Sparrow
17. Northern Flicker
18. American Crow
19. Alder Flycatcher
20. Tree Swallow
21. Common Loon
22. Black-throated Green Warbler
23. Purple Finch
24. Ovenbird
25. Tufted Titmouse
26. Mourning Dove
27. Blue Jay
28. Chipping Sparrow
29. Black-and-white Warbler
30. American Robin
Elsewhere
31. Herring Gull
32. Northern Cardinal
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
