Evidence of last night’s light snowfall remained when first I looked out the windows. The shady back deck was covered in white, and also the shoulders of Route 1. But a bright sun soon took care of all that. And the day warmed quickly above freezing.
I managed to tear myself away in early afternoon and clip Jack’s leash on, and the two of us piled into the pickup. One vehicle in the Beech Hill parking lot again, although no birds conspicuously called. The track had gone about half-muddy by the time we began our hike. We met two couples walking down. A lovely day, in fact—sunny, mild, just a very slight breeze.
Ascending, I did hear crows calling from a couple points down the southern slope—but that was it, bird-wise. The bay, when it became visible, seemed clean and smooth except for a few rough spots near shore. Oceangoing clouds marched along in the distance, as they tend to do at this time of year. Elephant clouds, I call them.
Coming around Beech Nut, I stopped to admire the restored back-side of the hut. I couldn’t remember ever taking a picture of the back-side, so I did.
The daytime moon looked down on us from the eastern sky as we came back down, as if inspecting the naked hill. Finally, back at the parking lot, I heard the voice of a solitary creeper.
Tonight, the sky is clear as a bell. Orion and Sirius have risen early.
Saw a downy woodpecker in the trees out back this morning. Heard house sparrows across the road. Driving up Powerhouse Hill, I happened to look out over Clam Cove just as a long string of ducks flapped crazily past away offshore—eiders, I feel sure.
Tomorrow is the Christmas Bird Count. I expect to see more eiders.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American crow (voice)
2. Brown creeper (voice)
Elsewhere
3. House sparrow
4. Downy woodpecker
5. Herring gull
6. Common eider
Tags: American crow, brown creeper, common eider, downy woodpecker, herring gull