Dog and I hit the trail as the sun was rising in nearly cloudless skies, illuminating the reds and ochres and yellows of October up here on the 44th parallel. Nippy—40s (F)—but not as much breeze as yesterday, and there were birds about.
In fact, besides the still numerous yellow-rumps, my most notable sightings were a Great Black-backed Gull (flying over), a tight flock of starlings (flying low with a gang of crows), and a solitary kinglet. Meanwhile, back at home, a group of nine Wild Turkeys decided to browse in the big west yard.
I so love autumn that I could live this lovely day all over again.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:06 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay** (v)
2. Yellow-rumped Warbler
3. American Crow
4. White-breasted Nuthatch
5. Black-capped Chickadee**
6. Hairy Woodpecker
7. American Robin*
8. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
9. Purple Finch
10. American Goldfinch (v)
11. Northern Flicker
12. White-throated Sparrow
13. European Starling†
14. Song Sparrow
15. Eastern Towhee (v)
16. Red-breasted Nuthatch
17. Savannah Sparrow
18. Herring Gull*
19. Great Black-backed Gull
20. Brown Creeper
21. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
22. Wild Turkey
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American red squirrel, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, eastern towhee, European starling, great black-backed gull, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, northern flicker, purple finch, red-breasted nuthatch, ruby-crowned kinglet, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey, yellow-rumped warblerr
