Overcast and chilly when dog and I headed up to the preserve. Ordinarily I’d take us to the main trail, where the open air would brighten things photographically—but I spied a scrap or two of blue, so decided on the wooded trailhead. It was the right decision. Not only did the sun emerge, but the morning got warm and humid in a hurry.
And a bunch of birds showed up.
Corvids, nuthatches, thrushes, finches, warblers, woodpeckers, sparrows. Many, many yellow-rumps (about 90, I figured) and a good-sized flock of robins. Surprised a woodcock (no photo, dangit). But the highlight was likely a solitary Blackpoll Warbler—first of year on the hill for me.
No photo of the blackpoll, but here’s a Hermit Thrush.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:25 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow
2. Yellow-rumped Warbler
3. American Goldfinch (v)
4. Blue Jay (v)
5. Brown Creeper
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Eastern Bluebird (v)
8. Blackpoll Warbler
9. Purple Finch
10. Tufted Titmouse (v)
11. Northern Flicker (v)
12. American Robin
13. Eastern Towhee (v)
14. Hermit Thrush
15. American Woodcock
16. White-throated Sparrow
17. Gray Catbird
18. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
19. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
20. Savannah Sparrow
21. Osprey
22. Song Sparrow (v)
23. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
24. Downy Woodpecker (v)
25. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
Elsewhere
26. Carolina Wren (v)
27. Herring Gull
28. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, American woodcock, black-capped chickadee, blackpoll, blue jay, brown creeper, Carolina wren, downy woodpecker, eastern bluebird, eastern chipmunk, eastern gray squirrel, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, northern flicdker, osprey, purple finch, red-breasted nuthatch, rock pigeon, ruby-crowned kinglet, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, warbler, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-bellied sapsucker, yellow-rumped warbler
