Song sparrow.
Slept a little late waiting for the promised sunshine, but none appeared by the time Jack and I hit the trailhead at just about 8 a.m. Still, you could see blue sky, and the air seemed brighter than yesterday—if not much (if any) warmer. The aging green of the forest canopy swayed and whispered in a chilly morning breeze.
Right away I heard the note of a white-throated sparrow. Then a goldfinch flew over. Then the came the first chatterings of chickadees.
Red-eyed vireo.
It was around the curve in the trail near the big glacial boulder. We stopped, and I scanned the moving poplar crowns. Three or four chickadees in near constant movement, leaping to a twig and at once flipping upside-down beneath it, clinging and exploring the bark. And among them a couple duller birds. Warblers. I grabbed a couple quick photos of the first one, a faded magnolia. The second seemed different, and I trained my binocular on it: a parula. I tried for some photos but failed.
The usual catbirds mewing, towhees flitting, yellowthroats lurking mouse-like in the underbrush.
The sun did emerge as we got about half-way up the hill, and along an open section of the upper wooded trail where I’d recently seen silent warblers, we stopped despite no sign of chickadees. As soon as we did, a white-throat sounded the alarm from some thick growth behind us—and sure enough I spotted both a young chestnut-sided warbler and an adult red-eyed vireo darting about the leafy branches above us.
Magnolia warbler.
Generally not much commotion this morning. The wheep! of a couple towhees, perhaps a single yellowthroat’s popup song. The only reason I could count a crow today, in fact, is because I happened to see one flying over as we emerged alongside the first open field. Some jays in the distance. But otherwise, whispers—subtle chips and mews and, well, silence. Silence except for the sound of the wind in the foliage. Cloud shadows moved along the September slopes below.
A single, silent savannah sparrow. Some jays in the distance.
As we entered the lower wooded trail on our return trip, Jack and I, a gang of chickadees appeared and of course I scanned the dim understory. Another vireo—and a black-throated blue warbler. The same place I saw one a couple-three days ago. I might add, a silent black-throated blue.
Whispers in the woodland. Filtered sunlight illuminated acorns and mushrooms on the forest floor. The world seems to have gone a bit edge, a bit nervous in anticipation of fall.
Forest floor.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. White-throated sparrow
2. American goldfinch
3. Black-capped chickadee
4. American robin (voice)
5. Gray catbird (voice)
6. Magnolia warbler
7. Northern parula
8. Hairy woodpecker (voice)
9. Red-eyed vireo
10. Chestnut-sided warbler
11. Eastern towhee
12. Song sparrow
13. American crow
14. Common yellowthroat
15. Cedar waxwing
16. Savannah sparrow
17. Blue jay (voice)
18. Black-throated blue warbler
19. White-breasted nuthatch (voice)
Elsewhere
20. Herring gull
21. Rock pigeon
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-throated blue warbler, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, magnolia warbler, northern parula, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow
