7 November 2026

Autumn waning

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Sunset, from Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 14 December 2011.

Sunset.

Rose early. Sun and chill. Crows out there, and chickadees, and gulls. In late morning, while working at my desk, I heard the unmistakable fluty chatter of a pileated woodpecker. Dashed up for my camera, but the bird had flown. No matter. Still the highlight of my birding day.

Nobody but Jack and I at Beech Hill this late afternoon. No birds, even—aside from the little cluster of coots I could see through binocs down in Chickawaukie Lake, not far from where they floated yesterday, munching on good weed. Chilly enough up there for my fingers to go tingly, within gloves. But what a nice, clear, vivid, sunset sky.

Geese out there again tonight.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. American coot

Elsewhere

2. American crow
3. Black-capped chickadee
4. Herring gull
5. Pileated woodpecker
6. Canada goose

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Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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