Savannah sparrow.
The morning was a sunny, warm one. True to my first-day-of-the-month superstition, I awoke and said, still groggy with sleep… “daggit daggit”? Figured that couldn’t be good.
Song sparrow.
But this day, at least, proved fruitful. A few clouds moved over and away. A little breeze picked up, and what seemed like would prove a scorcher turned out to be a lovely, mild one. Many birds calling about the place—finch, two species of sparrow, cardinal, titmouse, at least three species of warbler, catbird, crow. By mid-afternoon, I’d managed to accomplish some things, so I took a bike break. My usual fourteen-mile route took me past many singing redstarts and chipping sparrows. An astounding number, actually.
I’d been slightly concerned about a passing thundershower, as they’d been forecast, and I did see a few massive blue clouds in the distance, but they skirted us. After my ride—and a quick pre-holiday-weekend trip to the grocery store (when I did feel a few raindrop spatters)—Jack and I took our Beech Hill hike. The sun had reemerged by then.
A warm trail. Thick greenery. A few moths fluttering here and there. Mosquitos. Didn’t see a bird for a while, although I heard the familiar voices. The call of a mourning dove was the first semi-unusual one—and, oddly, I didn’t hear a veery until we’d nearly reached the summit.
Cedar waxwing.
A dramatic sky greeted us when we arrived at Beech Nut. So did the resident savannah sparrow, which chipped at us from the stone wall, as is his habit. Other savannahs were singing, and I spotted a gull in the distance between me and the green inland hills. We met a young couple who had come up the open trail and said they thought they’d like to get married there this weekend. I thought it a fine idea. I also—as we talked—heard in the southern distance the calls of a blue jay and (for a change!) a red-bellied woodpecker.
Heard a pair of field sparrows singing down the open trail. Got hollered at by a yellow warbler at the little wood near Beech Hill Road. Then a chestnut-sided warbler showed up, and the pair of them had a little skirmish. I’m sorry I didn’t have video going at the time.
Coming back up, another surprise: the loud song of a white-throated sparrow. And, soon after, the croak of a raven. Everyone was holding forth on this sunny afternoon.
A few more species down in the woods. And on our return home, both young and adult phoebes making a racket out back.
Savannah sparrow.
Maybe “daggit daggit” was close enough.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m, I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo (voice)
2. Chestnut-sided warbler
3. American goldfinch
4. American redstart
5. American crow (voice)
6. Gray catbird
7. Common yellowthroat (voice)
8. Eastern towhee
9. Mourning dove (voice)
10. Song sparrow
11. Yellow warbler
12. Veery (voice)
13. Cedar waxwing
14. Savannah sparrow
15. Eastern phoebe
16. Ovenbird (voice)
17. Herring gull
18. Blue jay (voice)
19. Red-bellied woodpecker (voice)
20. Field sparrow (voice)
21. Chipping sparrow (voice)
22. American robin
23. White-throated sparrow (voice)
24. Common raven (voice)
25. Eastern wood-pewee (voice)
26. Hermit thrush (voice)
27. Black-throated green warbler (voice)
Elsewhere
28. House finch
29. Northern cardinal
30. Tufted titmouse
31. Hairy woodpecker
32. Rock pigeon
Summer landscape.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common raven, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, field sparrow, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, ovenbird, red-bellied woodpecker, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-throated sparrow, yellow warbler
