
A wonderfully overcast day. I love sunny days, of course, and snowy winter days, and days of every other kind of skies—but every so often comes a special overcast that seems to me protective, like a blanket. This was one of those.
What’s more, lots of birds—including a couple of firsts-of-year: Red-eyed Vireo and Great Crested Flycatcher. (Also a two firsts elsewhere.) And plenty of other resident species have yet to arrive, which makes for the certainty of near-future excitement.
Also had the honor of holding a Red-bellied Snake, for a moment, gently. The snake was another first of year.
The trails were dry this morning for the first time in a while, but a few overnight rain showers are forecast, then sun tomorrow. Already imagining what sort of day it’ll be.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:18 a.m. sun time (7:18 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Ovenbird**
2. Black-throated Green Warbler** (v)
3. American Goldfinch** (v)
4. Black-and-white Warbler** (v)
5. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
6. Scarlet Tanager
7. Gray Catbird**
8. Blue Jay** (v)
9. Eastern Towhee**
10. Wood Thrush (v)
11. Black-capped Chickadee**
12. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)
13. Red-eyed Vireo†
14. Eastern Phoebe (v)
15. Veery (v)
16. Nashville Warbler (v)
17. American Crow*
18. Field Sparrow (v)
19. Northern Parula (v)
20. Chipping Sparrow
21. Song Sparrow*
22. Common Yellowthroat**
23. Eastern Bluebird
24. Yellow Warbler** (v)
25. White-breasted Nuthatch**
26. Hairy Woodpecker
27. Mourning Dove* (v)
28. American Robin*
29. Brown-headed Cowbird
30. Hermit Thrush (v)
31. Northern Cardinal** (v)
32. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
33. Black-throated Blue Warbler (v)
34. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
35. Great Crested Flycatcher† (v)
36. Wild Turkey (v)
37. Dark-eyed Junco
Elsewhere
38. Herring Gull
39. House Sparrow
40. House Finch
41. Laughing Gull†
42. Ruby-throated Hummingbird†
43. European Starling
44. Osprey
45. Canada Goose
Reptiles
Red-bellied 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 blue warbler, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, brown-headed cowbird, Canada goose, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, dark-eyed junco, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, field sparrow, gray catbird, great crested flycatcher, hairy woodpecker, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, laughing gull, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern parula, osprey, ovenbird, Red-bellied Snake, red-breasted nuthatch, red-eyed vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak, ruby-throated hummingbird, scarlet tanager, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, wild turkey, wood thrush, yellow warbler