Still weird to be seeing Maine birds again. Not bad weird—good weird. Still feel a little lost in an in-between space, like a sort of Twilight Zone, half high desert, half Penobscot Bay coastal hills.
Another bunch today, with a first-of-year Gray Catbird. (Did not see it—just heard its voice.) Just the air (the taste of it), the temperature (tinged with moisture), the old familiar sounds of the place… Both dog and I are truly still in “diggin’ it” mode.
We run into more humans here than in the Mule Deer trails east of Salt Lake City—Beech Hill is way more accessible, after all—but it doesn’t matter at all. Falling back into my role as “trail steward” (cautioning people against letting their dogs off leash, etc.). Enjoying a long watery view.
Funnest moment of the day was the female Pileated Woodpecker that showed up out of the blue, half-posing for demure photos.
(I love this day.)
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:38 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Northern Flicker (v)
2. American Goldfinch
3. Blue Jay (v)
4. Eastern Towhee
5. Black-and-white Warbler
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. White-breasted Nuthatch
8. American Crow*
9. Hermit Thrush (v)
10. Tufted Titmouse
11. Herring Gull*
12. White-throated Sparrow (v)
13. Gray Catbird† (v)
14. Tree Swallow
15. Eastern Bluebird
16. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
17. Song Sparrow
18. Savannah Sparrow (v)
19. Chipping Sparrow**
20. Downy Woodpecker (v)
21. Pileated Woodpecker
22. American Robin
23. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
24. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
25. Wild Turkey
Elsewhere
31. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, chipping sparrow, downy woodpecker, eastern bluebird, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, mourning dove, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, ruby-crowned kinglet, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey
