In October of each year, crows hold a convention on the barrens of Beech Hill Preserve. It’s been a few years since I’ve witnessed this phenomenon—but this nippy, breezy morning I saw the beginnings of the annual event: vocal crows, flapping about, singly and in threes and in groups of a dozen or more, perching noisily together in the crowns of trees. When things really get rolling, scores—perhaps a hundred—of the birds will converge on this place. I can hardly wait.
Otherwise, a good showing among the usual fall species: thrushes and sparrows and finches and woodpeckers and such. Signs of the peak of the season.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
2. Yellow-rumped Warbler
3. American Crow**
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. Hermit Thrush
6. American Goldfinch (v)
7. Eastern Bluebird (v)
8. White-throated Sparrow
9. Blue Jay
10. Savannah Sparrow
11. Eastern Towhee (v)
12. Gray Catbird
13. Song Sparrow (v)
14. Purple Finch (v)
15. Brown Creeper (v)
16. Hairy Woodpecker
17. American Robin
18. Northern Flicker
19. Common Raven (v)
20. Eastern Phoebe
21. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
22. Northern Cardinal (v)
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: 0Eastern Phoebe, 6American Goldfinch, 6Hairy Woodpecker, 7American Robin, 8Northern Flicker, 9Common Raven, American crow, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, eastern bluebird, eastern gray squirrel, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, northern cardinal, purple finch, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
