Birch.
Overnight, as forecast, it began to rain. Light, steady rain, falling with a gentle, soothing sound. The dark grayness outside lent a calm, internal feel to the morning routine indoors. Coffee, breakfast. Took dog out. Saw a crow. Saw a gull. Heard a cardinal. Got a lot of work done.
Song sparrow.
The rain came down all day. Rather late, I roused myself and Jack, and I drove us around taking care of mid-week errands. Vet, post office, bank, grocery store. Traffic was high—as it tends to be on rainy days—but we got everywhere we needed to on time. Finally, windshield wipers beating a lazy rhythm, we found ourselves, not surprisingly, at Beech Hill.
I was surprised to find another vehicle in the parking lot, pleasantly surprised to see it was a police cruiser. (It doesn’t hurt to have the lot patrolled.) Donned my raincoat, grabbed binocs, camera, and leash. Waved to the officer as we commenced to hike the hill.
Steady, light rain on the way up. Heard chickadees. Heard—then saw—a yellow-rump. And toward the top, a song sparrow jumped out onto the trail in front of us. By the time we reached the summit, the rain had stopped and a thick fog had settled over everything. I had my eye out for hawks but saw none. The bay was hidden. Saw another song sparrow in the clump of roses in the “fairy ring” in front of Beech Nut. Grabbed a couple grainy photos.
Yellow-rumped warbler.
On our return, I spotted another ‘rump. Three species—more than I’d expected. Then, at the parking lot, the chip of a cardinal echoed in the dripping trees.
It began to rain again as we drove away. A half-dozen crows appeared out of nowhere in flight. They flew ahead of the pickup, as if leading us away.
Tonight, it rains still. I hear a solitary tree frog peeping out in the darkness somewhere.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
2. Yellow-rumped warbler
3. Song sparrow
4. Northern cardinal (voice)
5. American crow
Elsewhere
6. Herring gull
Dark slope.
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, herring gull, northern cardinal, song sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
