Brown creeper.
Clouds and drizzle and chill today—quite a switch from recent weather—but it’s still winter, after all. However, the excitement builds. On my first excursion outside with dog, I heard a familiar burst of trills and chimes that nearly didn’t even register. A song sparrow singing across the road. First-of-year birds will start to appear in the days to come—a few at first, but the trickle of new arrivals will turn into a flood come May. My favorite birding month, when the woods will resound with the bright songs of returning warblers. It’ll be a mad, luscious rush. I can hardly wait. Meantime, though, I’m content to putter about during the lengthening days and hike Beech Hill in afternoon.
Beech Nut.
This afternoon, I didn’t expect much, considering the clouds and drizzle and chill. Temperatures didn’t rise very far above freezing, and there was a bit of a breeze, and we met no other dogs or humans as we ascended the muddy trail.
But we did encounter birds. First, the voice of a crow. Then a little pack of chickadees. Then, just as we turned up the first rise, a second harrier in as many days floated low above the red-yellow hillside, slowly angling away over the trees. Jack and I stopped about half-way up, and I heard more crows and a singing cardinal. At the summit, I saw a few crows and gulls flying off toward the lowery bay.
Returning, I stepped off the trail to retrieve a large paper fast-food cup someone had heaved away down the slope. McDonald’s, naturally. The abundance of carelessness that persists among us never fails to astound me.
Back in the parking lot, cup in hand, I heard a faint peep! close by. A brown creeper was poking about low in the trunks of the trees behind the kiosk. The light was low, but the creeper froze (I imagine to consider the large creatures that had appeared not twenty feet away), and I managed a photo or two.
Birch.
Woodcocks a few days ago. A singing song sparrow this morning. Soon other new calls will my excite my careful ears. But a little while ago, it began to snow.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American crow
2. Black-capped chickadee
3. Northern harrier
4. Northern cardinal (voice)
5. Herring gull
6. Brown creeper
Elsewhere
7. House finch
8. Song sparrow*
*First-of-year bird
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, herring gull, house finch, northern cardinal, northern harrier, song sparrow
