A gray overcast greeted dog and me as we started up the main trail this morning, with chilly, windy, misty air. After a while the sky turned partly sunny—still, the wooded trails were streams from the big rains, and I slipped in the mud at one point. (No damage done.)
In such adverse conditions (possibly also an inconvenient wind direction), few birds species made themselves known. But we always seem to find delights. Like the scattering of Hermit Thrushes we startled in the woods.
They’re the commonest thrush on the hill these days, but they only sing that ephemeral song in spring‚ and they’ll be moving south pretty soon anyway.
Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:32 a.m. EST (8:32 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Wild Turkey
2. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
3. Blue Jay** (v)
4. Yellow-rumped Warbler
5. Eastern Towhee (v)
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Song Sparrow
8. American Crow*
9. Hermit Thrush
10. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
11. Herring Gull
Mammals
Meadow Vole
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, eastern towhee, hairy woodpecker, hermit thrush, herring gull, meadow vole, northern flicker, song sparrow, wild turkey, yellow-rumped warbler
