What a cool morning. Absolutely coool—both literally and figuratively.
It was about 53° (F) when dog and I arrived at the trailhead, and the sky was cloudless. There was a teeny little breeze. Earth’s average temperature is in the 50s, and it just seemed, well, right.
Few birds to start, but I had a feeling. And the feeling paid off. Among the 26 species encountered this morning were the first Field Sparrows in a while, the first Rose-breasted Grosbeak in even longer, and a good variety of other species.
Every day I say aloud, “I love this day.” Today I didn’t even have to say it (but I did).
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:40 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. American Crow*
3. American Goldfinch (v)
4. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
5. Blue Jay (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Brown Creeper (v)
8. Tufted Titmouse
9. Eastern Wood-pewee
10. Red-eyed Vireo
11. Downy Woodpecker
12. Gray Catbird (v)
13. Eastern Towhee
14. Common Yellowthroat
15. Yellow-rumped Warbler
16. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
17. White-throated Sparrow
18. Cedar Waxwing
19. Eastern Phoebe
20. Song Sparrow
21. Field Sparrow
22. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
23. Northern Cardinal (v)
24. Turkey Vulture*
25. Osprey
26. Hairy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
27. Mourning Dove
28. Herring Gull
29. Rock Pigeon
30. Mallard
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, Cedar waxwing, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, field sparrow, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, mallard, mourning dove, northern cardinal, osprey, red-breasted nuthatch, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, ruby-throated hummingbird, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
