White-breasted nuthatch.
Man, what a day. If you count Columbus Day as a holiday, this had to be the nicest three-day weekend of the year, weather-wise. Sun, light breeze, warm temperatures—plus, almost inconceivably, such brilliant fall color. Before I even climbed out of bed, I heard the tut-tut! of a robin. Then crows, chickadees, titmice. Worked this morning, rode my bike in warm early afternoon, then had occasion this afternoon to drive down through Cushing, where the colorful foliage seems even more advanced than here at Clam Cove.
Field.
Returning north on Old County Road, I saw two or three long, loose skeins of Canada geese, south-bound. Great, moving vees of geese.What a dramatic, moving sight they are at this time of year.
Jack and I headed for Beech Hill, then. Quite a few cars in the lot, quite a few birds in the periphery. Chickadees, nuthatches, more white-throats, and yell0w-rumped warblers. Coming up along the road, I heard—then saw—a hairy woodpecker flitting between hardwoods going barer of leaves by the day. More rumps, many rumps. They’re migrating still in waves.
Highlighting the view from the summit was the full moon, rising in the hazy blue of the eastern sky above the bay. Crows cawed and chased down the eastern slope. For the second straight day I thought I heard a flicker, but I couldn’t be sure.
So warm, so lovely. Back at the parking lot, I heard brown creepers and the chip note of a song sparrow. Took a swing by the grocery store, where herring and ring-billed gulls were hanging out. Took another drive down the peninsulas, then, where the clear sky at gloaming held dark, moody colors that are impossible to describe.
The bay.
Tonight—the moon. Jupiter. Stars. And milder than October should be.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
2. White-breasted nuthatch
3. White-throated sparrow (voice)
4. Yellow-rumped warbler
5. Hairy woodpecker
6. American crow
7. Brown creeper (voice)
8. Song sparrow (voice)
Elsewhere
9. American robin
10. Tufted titmouse
11. Pileated woodpecker
12. Herring gull
13. European starling
14. Canada goose
15. Double-crested cormorant
16. Ring-billed gull
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, Canada goose, double-crested cormorant, European starling, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, pileated woodpecker, ring-billed gull, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
