Ah, what a lovely cool, clear, breezy morning. As we headed up through the woods, dog and I, we encountered more birds than in the past few days—and a few notable species not encountered in a good while. A Philadelphia Vireo, for instance, and the call of a Canada Warbler, and a juvie chippy poking about in the canopy.
The largest mouthful of caterpillars, however, belonged to a clucking Hermit Thrush which agreeably posed for a photo.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:09 a.m. EST (8:09 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay (v) 2. Tufted Titmouse (v) 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Red-eyed Vireo 5. White-breasted Nuthatch 6. Eastern Wood-pewee 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Black-and-white Warbler 9. Chipping Sparrow 10. Philadelphia Vireo† 11. Hermit Thrush 12. Ovenbird 13. Eastern Towhee (v) 14. American Crow* 15. Canada Warbler† 16. Gray Catbird** (v) 17. Common Yellowthroat** (v) 18. Song Sparrow 19. Turkey Vulture 20. Herring Gull* 21. American Redstart 22. Cedar Waxwing
Elsewhere
23. Mourning Dove 24. Northern Cardinal (v) 25. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Yesterday’s forecast called for showers. This morning’s called for an overcast. Reality proved a combination of each—foggy, misty, drippy. My hike with dog started out very quiet, but over time a few bird voices piped up, and then I caught sight of flittings in the understory, and eventually I heard the loud calls of two woodpecker species.
A highlight was a near approach by a white-tail, who must’ve sensed our presence a few yards away, so turned, galloped invisibly through the drippy tangles, giving out a couple of husky calls of alarm.
Photography turned out a challenging pursuit, so you’ll have to settle for a random pic of a juvenile delinquent towhee.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:09 a.m. EST (8:09 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Eastern Towhee 2. Song Sparrow 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Gray Catbird 5. Common Yellowthroat (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 8. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 9. Tufted Titmouse 10. Black-throated Green Warbler 11. Eastern Wood-pewee 12. Blue Jay (v) 13. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 14. Downy Woodpecker (v) 15. American Crow* 16. Yellow Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
17. Mourning Dove 18. Herring Gull
Mammals
White-tailed Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A cool overcast this morning, with a slight breeze and moisture in the trees. Very quiet in the woods, a bit less so in the open fields. Most notable was an Olive-sided Flycatcher perched high atop a summit spruce and a hummingbird buzzing around my head along the leafy trail below.
Birds are moving around these days, with the time of fall migration approaching. Witness a bluebird and three robins in the woods.
Precipitation expected for tomorrow. I wonder what the day will bring.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:09 a.m. EST (8:09 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Tufted Titmouse (v) 2. American Goldfinch* 3. American Crow* 4. Eastern Wood-pewee** (v) 5. Gray Catbird* 6. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 7. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (humming) 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Yellow Warbler 10. Song Sparrow 11. Olive-sided Flycatcher† 12. Cedar Waxwing 13. Common Yellowthroat (v) 14. American Robin 15. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 16. Ovenbird 17. Eastern Bluebird 18. Eastern Phoebe (v)
Elsewhere
19. Herring Gull 20. Osprey (v) 21. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
