Jack on the trail.
Pretty foggy this morning, but after a while, the wind picked up and blew the fog away. Heard jays out there. Crows. Heard no woodpeckers chattering for a change—or maybe their chattering got drowned out by the blustery gusts in the trees.
Beech Nut.
Spent most of the day squinting at a computer screen and therefore required a bike ride toward the end of it. Cycling south proved more challenging than cycling north, which was a tip-off as to the wind direction. More jays, more crows, cardinal and catbird in Rockport Village, gulls overhead—and out in the flats of Clam Cove. In town I scanned for pigeons but didn’t see any.
Returning south, as I approached an intersection, a pickup pulled up to the stop sign and turned right without so much as slowing down. Because you’ve trained yourself to pay attention, you notice things when out cycling—danger spots, traffic patterns, motorists’ tendencies. And one thing I’ve noticed is that virtually no one comes to a complete stop where they’re supposed to before making a right turn. Usually people slow down some. Not this guy. Not with no cops around. Sneaky.
Back to the office, wrapped up work, grabbed Jack, and headed for Beech Hill.
An empty parking lot. Jays in the trees. As we rounded the first little wooded curve, a couple birds fluttered across the trail into a patch of tangled undergrowth. Got a look at one of them: towhees, acting furtive.
Ascending the open slope, I heard crows calling from the periphery. A big blustery wind was raking the hillside grasses, so if there were waxwings or goldfinches calling, I couldn’t hear ’em. Did spot a song sparrow flitting along the trail-edge, but that was about it—unless you count the tidy pile of dog turds we encountered about half-way up. While collecting them (I always carry three poop bags), I imagined the dog-owner casting about to see if anyone noticed. Sneaky.
Birch.
We walked over into the blackberry tangles, where I harvested about a dozen plump ones. Then back up and over into a hazy, ruddy-colored evening lit by an orange sun in the western sky. Then we met a pair of women walking a pair of dogs—off-leash. Being a trail steward, and all, I felt compelled to advise them of the leash rule. One had a leash and took it out, the other said she’d left hers at home. I pointed out that the land trust has leashes hanging down at the kiosk. “I know,” she said.
Sneaky.
Tonight, the moon is high and just past full. A minute ago, I watched a ribbed patch of clouds blow across the its face as crickets chirped, and a frog, and a songbird up the hill awakened by a dream or the light of the moon. The trees are dancing and swaying and whispering in the breath of a blustery wind.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Blue jay (voice)
2. Eastern towhee
3. American crow
4. Song sparrow
5. Cedar waxwing
Elsewhere
6. Herring gull
7. Mourning dove
8. Northern cardinal
9. Gray catbird
Tags: American crow, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, eastern towhee, herring gull, mourning dove, northern cardinal, song sparrow
