This morning was nippy, overcast, calm—and quiet. Not many birds singing. (This, after I was awakened by a bird song I didn’t recognize that’s stuck with me every since.)
The most interesting species I saw was a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched low at the edge of a hardwood thicket. It then flew low across the field and—without so much as slowing down—zipped into the trees on the other side. As it did, a pair of phoebes popped up giving calls of alarm.
Otherwise, quiet. Bluebirds were creeping about their bird box. Then, at the summit, a Purple Finch began singing like crazy from the tips of one of the spruces in the summit grove.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Song Sparrow** (v)
2. Northern Cardinal (v)
3. Brown-headed Cowbird
4. Black-capped Chickadee*
5. Pileated Woodpecker**
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Eastern Phoebe
8. Eastern Towhee (v)
9. Chipping Sparrow**
10. Eastern Bluebird
11. Tufted Titmouse (v)
12. Tree Swallow
13. American Goldfinch** (v)
14. American Crow*
15. Purple Finch
16. Sharp-shinned Hawk
17. American Robin (v)
Elsewhere
18. House Finch (v)
19. Herring Gull
20. Blue Jay
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, herring gull, house finch, northern cardinal, pileated woodpecker, purple finch, sharp-shinned hawk, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch
