Only occasionally do I see cardinals at Beech Hill, and usually only along the roadsides at either parking lot. Today I encountered three, very near the summit. I couldn’t figure out exactly what they were up to—other than a young one seemed to be calling to an adult, while the adult looked to be hiding out in a bush. (Thinking about it now, it sounds familiar in a human sort of way.) But one of the birds flitted up directly in front of dog and me, then sat there, waiting for me to take it’s photograph.
Thanks, cardinal.
Otherwise, another harrier (this time being harassed by crows), a random towhee (I thought they’d all gone by now), and my first Pileated Woodpecker in a while, down in the woodlands. And a lot of other cool birds.
I feel lucky to be allowed to hike Beech Hill every day with my best friend.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:07 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Goldfinch**
2. Black-capped Chickadee
3. American Crow*
4. White-breasted Nuthatch**
5. Downy Woodpecker (v)
6. Blue Jay** (v)
7. Hairy Woodpecker
8. American Robin
9. Yellow-rumped Warbler
10. Pileated Woodpecker
11. Eastern Bluebird
12. Northern Cardinal**
13. Red-breasted Nuthatch
14. Eastern Towhee
15. Tufted Titmouse*
16. Golden-crowned Kinglet
17. Brown Creeper (v)
18. Purple Finch
19. Northern Harrier
20. Dark-eyed Junco
21. White-throated Sparrow
Elsewhere
22. Mallard
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, dark-eyed junco, downy woodpecker, eastern bluebird, eastern towhee, golden-crowned kinglet, hairy woodpecker, mallard, northern cardinal, northern harrier, pileated woodpecker, purple finch, red-breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
