Woolly bear caterpillar.
Sunshine splashed between the blinds this morning and flooded the yard and lapped against the warming rock walls. There in the weedy bed beneath the front wall, I saw a couple inches of daffodil sprouts poking through. Out back, singing, were a titmouse and chickadees and a cardinal and—if you consider it “singing”—crows. Across the road, the house sparrows. In the blazing sky, gulls flew. The air stirred with a slight, warm-seeming breeze.
Beech Nut.
By mid-afternoon, I couldn’t stand it anymore and so drove over to pick up my bicycle. On the way back, a big wild turkey ran across Route 1 right in front of the pickup, its waddle flapping like a crazy necktie. Got home, told Jack I’d be right back, and rode to town. Only a five-mile circuit, but ah. Nice. It all came back to me.
Not long after my ride, I pulled on my hiking boots, attached Jack’s leash to his collar, and we jumped in the truck. Just as we were about to pull into the Beech Hill parking lot, I saw what looked like a nuthatch flit across the road. From the parking lot (which had three vehicles in it) I heard the hollering of crows. We hit the trail, and right away I spotted my lens cap in the dirty old snow. I’d lost it in the first or second winter blizzard—early January, I think—but I knew I’d find it eventually. Sweet. Daffodils and a lens cap so far.
We soon passed a lady and her dog. We spoke of the impending emergence of ticks. Oh, well.
Then we met two couples coming down. Everyone offered happy greetings—no doubt buoyed by temperatures still hovering in the low-50s (F) late in the day. About half-way up, I spied a woolly bear caterpillar on the trail. Always something unexpected up there.
Nearing the summit.
In the breeze, I heard the voice of a bird. We stopped. It was a robin’s voice. It came from somewhere down the southern slope.
Only a small patch of snow remained in a shady lee out front of Beech Nut. The moon rose hazily above the bay. Sunlight splattered and sprayed all over the hill.
Descending, I heard the fee-bee! of a chickadee. Then the sweet song of a cardinal. Dueling titmice. And the faint beep-beep-beep of a nuthatch. And as we turned out of the parking lot, a sparrow fluttered across the road. I got a pretty good look at it—good enough to call it a song sparrow. Then, nearing home, I saw two mourning doves perched on a powerline above the road.
Tonight I spent a little time listening for woodcocks, but I didn’t hear one. It won’t be long.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. White-breasted nuthatch
2. American crow
3. American robin
4. Black-capped chickadee
5. Blue jay
6. Northern cardinal
7. Tufted titmouse
8. Song sparrow
Elsewhere
9. House finch
10. Herring gull
11. Wild turkey
12. Mourning dove
View from Beech Nut.
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, wild turkey
