Song sparrow.
Another crazy warm day. On first taking Jack out, I heard the voices of house finches and house sparrows coming from across the road, and a song sparrow’s song. Also the notes of a titmouse and the caws of a crow. The air seemed summer-steamy already.
Jack and Sarah.
Sarah is here. We talked all morning and beyond—catching up, planning action, theorizing, wondering things aloud. It was great. Come afternoon, Jack appreciated her company while I went cycling for about an hour. Eighteen miles in little wind. Gulls along the shore in Rockland, brown creepers in the trees up in Camden.
In the warmth of afternoon, then, all three of us walked up the Beech Hill trail. Plenty of fellow hikers again, though not quite as many as yesterday. Also plenty of birds in the trees around the parking lot—chickadees, creepers, a white-throated sparrow—along with a couple of red squirrels. Sarah thought she spotted a robin, but we couldn’t confirm. Coming up the trail were more yellow-rumps flitting through the pale blue sky. Also crows and jays.
We watched more yellow butterflies bounce around in the grass. We looked out at sails in the hazy bay. On our return, we heard the cries of a flicker. And back near the parking lot, a song sparrow hopped out onto a bare branch to check us out.
Brown creeper.
Tonight, the moon is fuller, Jupiter is bright, and the air is just about the perfect temperature.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee
2. Brown creeper
3. Yellow-rumped warbler
4. White-throated sparrow
5. American crow (voice)
6. Blue jay
7. Northern flicker (voice)
8. Song sparrow
Elsewhere
9. House finch
10. House sparrow
11. Tufted titmouse
12. Herring gull
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, northern flicker, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
