17 February 2025

A Bluebird Day

Thursday, November 24th, 2022
Eastern Bluebird, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 24 November 2022.
Eastern Bluebird.

Low-20s (F) this morning, but calm as a lazy summer day. And cloudless: not a single cloud in the sky that I could see—not even out over the bay. And quiet, so quiet. Other than a Downy Woodpecker tapping on a tree near the trailhead, the first few birds I didn’t see, I heard. And then came the bunch of chattering chickadees.

They sounded a little upset, the chickadees, and I saw some flitting through the tree trunks, so I trained my binocs in that direction, and I saw it. A Barred Owl, clearly visible in the morning sunlight. Excitedly, I raised my camera—and the owl had left its perch.

Dangit!

But oh, well. I’m used to dipping on photos. Sure, an owl pic is a rare pic (for me, at least), but I felt sure I’d get others this calm day. And I did, on my return with dog up and over the hill, when I good-sized flock of bluebirds appeared.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:34 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Tufted Titmouse (v)
2. Downy Woodpecker
3. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
4. Black-capped Chickadee**
5. Brown Creeper (v)
6. Purple Finch (v)
7. Barred Owl
8. American Crow*
9. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
10. Yellow-rumped Warbler
11. Northern Flicker
12. Blue Jay (v)
13. Northern Harrier
14. Eastern Bluebird
15. Hairy Woodpecker

Elsewhere

16. Northern Cardinal (v)

Mammals

American Red Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

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Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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