Got off to a bit of a late start this morning, but considering on the way to the pickup I heard a black-and-white warbler’s song coming from the oak grove up back of my place, my hopes were high. Then again, I’m not sure about hopes, high or otherwise. It is what it is (and it’s usually amazing).
Warm and steamy. Sun streaming down. A blue jay first thing, chickadees roaming. As I’ve lately mentioned—at this late-summer time of year, at least—it pays to listen for chickadees, because for whatever reason they seem often to be surrounded by other silent little birds, warblers and vireos and sparrows. Today was no exception: starting up the last little wooded stretch before the summit, I heard a group of maybe a half-dozen chickadees, paused to check them out, and right away saw a couple of black-and-white warblers, a couple of red-eyed vireos, a white-throated sparrow, and (of course) several chickadees. The vireo got so close it was a challenge to get any kind of photo. The (female) black-and-white hung around agreeably, but the shady woodland wasn’t exactly conducive to excellent photography.
At the summit, a pair (or more) of yell0w-rumps chased amon the spruces. They’ve been dependable lately. And I saw three young (no doubt) yellowthroats all clustered together in the low branches of a tree.
A single hummingbird flying away. Waxwings all over the hill. (Also dragonflies—everywhere.) One or two savannah sparrows. A flicker on the open trail. A pileated woodpecker calling on our return down the wooded slope. And also the note of a veery.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Blue jay (voice)
2. Black-capped chickadee
3. Red-eyed vireo
4. Black-billed cuckoo (voice)
5. Common yellowthroat
6. Gray catbird
7. Eastern towhee (voice)
8. American goldfinch
9. Song sparrow
10. Black-and-white warbler
11. White-throated sparrow (voice)
12. Downy woodpecker
13. Cedar waxwing
14. Yellow-rumped warbler
15. Ruby-throated hummingbird
16. Savannah sparrow
17. Northern flicker
18. American crow (voice)
19. Pileated woodpecker (voice)
20. Veery (voice)
Elsewhere
21. House sparrow
22. Herring gull
23. European starling
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-and-white warbler, black-billed cuckoo, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern towhee, European starling, gray catbird, herring gull, house sparrow, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, red-eyed vireo, ruby-throated hummingbird, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, veery, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler