Every spring for the past many years, I’ve seen kestrels pass through Beech Hill Preserve. They’ve tended to arrive in mid-April—hovering above the barrens, perching on little snags—and are gone by the first of May.
I’ve seen them dive and bring up prey. Even spied one once in the bare loan oak tree dining on a snake. But never have I seen evidence of a nesting pair on the hill.
Until this year. Every day for the past couple weeks (or more) they dependably appear, scanning the barrens from the roofs of the bluebird boxes, driving the swallows crazy. I wonder how this will change the order of things.
Already this spring has seen no evidence of nesting Savannah Sparrows (a first since I’ve been coming)—will there be no annual phoebe nest in the eaves of Beech Nut this year?
It’ll be interesting to see how things go.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Robin
2. Ovenbird
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Common Yellowthroat
5. Herring Gull
6. American Goldfinch
7. Eastern Towhee
8. Tufted Titmouse
9. Nashville Warbler
10. Black-and-white Warbler
11. Mourning Dove
12. Common Raven
13. Downy Woodpecker
14. Gray Catbird
15. Northern Parula
16. American Crow
17. Song Sparrow
18. Black-throated Green Warbler
19. American Kestrel
20. Tree Swallow
21. Blue Jay
22. Eastern Phoebe
23. Purple Finch
24. Veery
Elsewhere
25. Barred Owl
26. House Finch
27. Common Grackle
28. Northern Cardinal
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American kestrel, American robin, barred owl, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warblerr, blue jay, common grackle, common raven, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, gray catbird, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern parula, ovenbird, purple finch, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, veery
