Wore my winter coat this morning, ’cause the temperature was about 19° (F) and the winds were high. Fingers and lips got a bit number on the way up the hill—although Captain Jack seemed perfect comfortable—but on the way back down, with the wind at our backs, the air felt almost balmy.
Few birds again, but the buntings were still hanging out behind the hut. Also encountered a whole shoot-load of chickadees, quite a few yellow-rumps, etc.
Most notable? A pair of Turkey Vultures. (Did not expect that—especially not on such a chilly morn.) And back home, a bunch of plain ol’ turkeys. And coots at Chickawaukie Lake, and a vee of geese flying over Route 1.
The temperature’s supposed to rise a few degrees by morning.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:22 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Purple Finch (v)
2. Black-capped Chickadee**
3. Yellow-rumped Warbler
4. Snow Bunting
5. American Goldfinch (v)
6. American Crow*
7. Turkey Vulture
8. Downy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
9. American Coot
10. Double-crested Cormorant
11. Herring Gull
12. Canada Goose
13. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American coot, American crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, Canada goose, double-crested cormorant, downy woodpecker, herring gull, purple finch, snow bunting, turkey vulture, wild turkey, yellow-rumped warbler
