’Tis the season of the Ovenbird. Just now they’re singing teacher–teacher–TEACHER! all through the woodlands around here. I might well have mentioned before that I set my phone’s ringtone to the song of the Ovenbird so I’d never hear it at this time of year. (These days I leave my cell on mute while birding.)
They’ve been around for several days, but today was the first time one posed for a photo, perched about twenty or thirty feet up in the canopy.
Today’s first-of-year bird? Another one word species: Veery. I’ve missed this plain little thrush. Won’t be long before a lot of other species will be arriving—flycatchers, tanagers, and the like.
Also saw a hare and snake. I love these greening days.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:18 a.m. sun time (7:18 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Ovenbird**
2. Song Sparrow**
3. Black-throated Green Warbler** (v)
4. Downy Woodpecker
5. American Goldfinch**
6. Eastern Phoebe*
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Northern Parula (v)
9. Black-and-white Warbler
10. Eastern Towhee
11. Blue-headed Vireo (v)
12. Blue Jay (v)
13. Chestnut-sided Warbler
14. Veery† (v)
15. American Crow*
16. Northern Cardinal
17. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
18. Gray Catbird
19. Herring Gull* (v)
20. Ruffed Grouse (drumming)
21. Purple Finch**
22. American Robin**
23. White-throated Sparrow** (v)
24. Common Yellowthroat (v)
25. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
26. Yellow-rumped Warbler
27. Field Sparrow (v)
28. Chipping Sparrow
29. Eastern Bluebird
30. Turkey Vulture
31. Tree Swallow
32. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
33. Savannah Sparrow
34. Prairie Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
35. Pine Warbler
36. Mallard
37. European Starling
38. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Snowshoe Hare
Reptiles
Common Garter Snake
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common garter snake., common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, Eureopan starling, field sparrow, gray catbird, herring gull, mallard, northern cardinal, northern parula, ovenbird, pine warbler, prairie warbler, purple finch, red-breasted nuthatch, rock pigeon, ruffed grouse, savannah sparrow, snowshoe hare, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
