Slept in a bit this morning, so dog and I didn’t hit the trail until a little later than usual. Was in the mid-60s (F), rather dry (still a mess of mosquitos), but quite good bird activity.
Notable were a fledgling waxwing begging for food, a good number of Savannah Sparrows (my favorite sparrow), and a male Red Crossbill perched atop the same spruce as the female I saw the other day. The only two crossbills I’ve ever seen at Beech Hill in thousands of hikes up there.
I must comment on an observation: it’s a little bit droughty here. Not as dry as out West, of course, but the stream we cross hasn’t been running for weeks. Which is unusual. Supposed to get a little rain a couple days this coming week. Will be welcome.
More anon!
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:20 a.m., I hiked most trails.
`1. Song Sparrow
2. Red-eyed Vireo
3. Ovenbird
4. Black-throated Green Warbler
5. Veery
6. Black-and-white Warbler
7. Chestnut-sided Warbler
8. American Goldfinch
9. Common Yellowthroat
10. American Crow
11. Gray Catbird
12. Downy Woodpecker
13. Eastern Towhee
14. Hermit Thrush
15. Alder Flycatcher
16. Northern Flicker
17. Yellow Warbler
18. Mourning Dove
19. Field Sparrow
20. Red-breasted Nuthatch
21. Eastern Bluebird
22. Turkey Vulture
23. Black-capped Chickadee
24. Prairie Warbler
25. Cedar Waxwing
26. Savannah Sparrow
27. Red Crossbill
28. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
29. Purple Finch
30. White-breasted Nuthatch
31. Hairy Woodpecker
32. Eastern Wood-pewee
Elsewhere
33. Eastern Phoebe
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, field sparrow, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, hermit thrush, mourning dove, northern flicker, ovenbird, prairie warbler, purple finch, red crossbill, red-breasted nuthatch, red-eyed vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, turkey vulture, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow warbler
