Eastern phoebe.
The sun rose. A warm one. Not a lot of breeze. Cardinal singing early. House finch, house sparrow. Redstart across the road. I figured I’d do a little work—but soon got bogged down in a search for something I couldn’t find. That search led to another search. Then another. Ended up spending hours searching, looking for different ways to solve my puzzle. I’d think of a way, then realize I needed something else I coudn’t find. Mama said there’d be days like this.
Beech Nut.
I didn’t even feel like riding my bike—despite the lovely day—and whined about it to myself. So, later than usual, as “punishment,” I made myself ride eighteen miles. Fast. Took me an hour. And did clear my head some. Plus, birds were everywhere. Roadside crows, gulls and pigeons in town, chipping sparrows singing brightly, also robins and cardinals. At Aldermere Farm, a group of turkeys were grazing in the shade near a small herd of belted galloways napping in the late-afternoon sun. Soon after, in Rockport Village, at an intersection I stop to chug water, I spotted a vulture soaring over the harbor. Seconds later, a cormorant flew by.
Gave up on the puzzle, grabbed dog, headed for Beech Hill. On the way we stopped at the grocery store and took Route 17 past Chickawaukie Lake. Kids were splashing out beyond the swim beach, and a solitary black-backed gull sat on a float.
The hill buzzed with deer flies. More than any other day this year. I slapped three or four that lit on my arm and managed to grab another three or four circling my head. Jack nipped and snapped. There were fewer after we descended than when we started up the hill. Meantime, though, the hill proved fruitful, bird-wise. Redstart, grosbeak, waxwing, a couple warblers. Phoebe feeding nestlings at Beech Nut. Woodland birds singing down along the lower wooded trail. Heard the alder flycatcher again.
Wood lily.
No hermit thrush or savannah sparrow singing that I heard. They’re there, just quieter than at other times of year.
And on our return home, a yellow warbler sang brightly from across the road.
Tonight, the waning moon is orange. A few fireflies. A few stars. Cooling off some—but I’ve still got the fans on in here.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo (voice)
2. American redstart (voice)
3. Rose-breasted grosbeak (voice)
4. American goldfinch
5. Eastern towhee
6. Common yellowthroat
7. Veery (voice)
8. American crow
9. Cedar waxwing (voice)
10. American robin (voice)
11. Gray catbird
12. Chestnut-sided warbler (voice)
13. Song sparrow (voice)
14. Eastern phoebe
15. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
16. Field sparrow (voice)
17. Alder flycatcher (voice)
18. Ovenbird (voice)
19. Black-throated green warbler (voice)
20. Eastern wood-pewee (voice)
21. Mourning dove
Elsewhere
22. Northern cardinal
23. House finch
24. House sparrow
25. Tufted titmouse
26. Herring gull
27. Rock pigeon
28. Chipping sparrow
29. Wild turkey
30. Turkey vulture
31. Double-crested cormorant
32. Great black-backed gull
33. Yellow warbler
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, double-crested cormorant, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, field sparrow, gray catbird, great black-backed gull, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, veery, wild turkey, yellow warbler
