Fall landscape.
The world held a chill in it all through this day. An overcast hung low early, and then it began to rain. A good time for an easy stretch of desk work (for a change). I saw crows out there, is all.
Leaf.
Come mid-day, the rain let up for a while. But come mid-afternoon—right about break time—it begin to drizzle again. So I put on my raincoat and asked Jack where his leash was, and he showed me, and I took him out to the pickup and drove him here and there. Saw two gull species in town, also pigeons. We finally ended up at Beech Hill. The rain was coming down stronger.
Not a lot of wind, though. Just the steady sighing sound of rain on fall leaves. Some of those leaves sprung loose in the rain, I saw; others lay colorfully on the ground. I heard no little birds at the empty parking lot, but I did spot a crow flying over. I figured that’d be the extent of it, but coming around the upper trail (and into a fairly stout easterly breeze), I heard a sparrow. Then I saw two of them flutter across in front of us. Dog must’ve wondered why we just stood there in the rain for a while as I watched the birds flit around in the low growth. Out there somewhere, I heard the note of a white-throat.
At last we began to walk again, rather briskly down. The blueberry fields below us were the color of a giant cayenne pepper spill. The wet landscape spreading away was dull yellow and orange and light green.
Birch.
We were pretty wet ourselves when we got back to the truck. But soon we were home warm and dry.
Still raining steadily tonight. The wind is gusting some. I do like the damp, musty smell out there. I do like the smell of autumn.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American crow
2. Song sparrow
3. White-throated sparrow (voice)
Elsewhere
4. Herring gull
5. Rock pigeon
6. Ring-billed gull
7. Northern cardinal
Tags: American crow, herring gull, northern cardinal, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, song sparrow, white-throated sparrow
