4 November 2024

A Fun One

Wednesday, January 18th, 2023
Snow Bunting (non-breeding female), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 18 January 2023.
Snow Bunting (non-breeding female).

Not so chilly, not so breezy, and extremely beautiful skies this morning when dog and I hit the trail—early than in recent days. Seemed like it might prove interest, and it did.

First, when listening to chickadees in the woods to the right, I thought I saw some motion to the left of the trail, but when I looked around, saw nothing. A moment later I spied a Snowshoe Hare bounding away. That rabbit was within twelve feet of me, I bet, and I didn’t see it at all.

Next, toward the summit: bluebirds. Then a high flock of some kind of songbird whose voices I didn’t recognize right away—which (when I looked at my quick, blurry photos) turned out to be Evening Grosbeaks. Then, at the summit proper, more bluebirds and a pair of Snow Buntings. And hanging with both, a solitary Yellow-rumped Warbler. Fun!

A raven in flight over the open fields. The voice of a single robin, and a single woodpecker.

I’d do this day over again, if I could—but even better would be another fun one tomorrow.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:02 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Tufted Titmouse (v)
3. American Crow*
4. Eastern Bluebird
5. Evening Grosbeak
6. Snow Bunting
7. Yellow-rumped Warbler
8. American Goldfinch (v)
9. Common Raven
10. American Robin (v)
11. Downy Woodpecker (v)

Elsewhere

12. White-breasted Nuthatch

Mammals

Snowshoe Hare

(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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