Rained early, but it moved on, so dog and I hit the trailhead by about mid-morning. Drippy about 60° (F), with plenty of mosquitoes (which, interestingly, have seemed most successful in biting me on the neck).
More birds than I imagined—including a first-of-year Barred Owl letting go with a brief but unmistakable hoot from down on the southern wood edge. Also a raven. A sapsucker down in the trees. And in perhaps the funnest moment, the discovery of a couple of blue flag irises—first of year.
Should be clearing up tomorrow, election day. Will hike early then ride my bicycle up to the town office to vote.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:39 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird 2. Red-eyed Vireo 3. Eastern Phoebe 4. Black-throated Green Warbler 5. Common Yellowthroat 6. Veery 7. American Goldfinch 8. American Redstart 9. Gray Catbird 10. Chestnut-sided Warbler 11. Alder Flycatcher 12. Tufted Titmouse 13. Eastern Towhee 14. Yellow Warbler 15. Song Sparrow 16. American Crow 17. Prairie Warbler 18. Purple Finch 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Tree Swallow 21. Common Raven 22. American Robin 23. House Wren 24. Blue Jay 25. Field Sparrow 26. Barred Owl† 27. Pileated Woodpecker 28. Black-capped Chickadee 29. Hermit Thrush 30. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (v)
Elsewhere
31. Northern Parula (v) 32. European Starling 33. Herring Gull
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
This morning dawned cool but warmed up quickly. Dog and I proceeded up the trail amid clouds of mosquitos and the voices of many birds.
Notable were Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-billed Cuckoo, a Common Loon in flight, a first-of-year Brown Thrasher, and a pair of vocal (first-of-year) Red-shouldered Hawks having some kind of relationship high in the sky.
I got quite a few photos, too—but I’ve decided to post the last one of our hike: a Hermit Thrush, posing near the trailhead.
Supposed to be showery tomorrow. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:47 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird** 2. Red-eyed Vireo** 3. Common Yellowthroat 4. Eastern Phoebe* 5. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 6. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 7. Tufted Titmouse (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. American Goldfinch** 10. Cedar Waxwing 11. Veery 12. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 13. American Redstart** 14. Hairy Woodpecker 15. Northern Cardinal** (v) 16. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 17. Eastern Towhee 18. Gray Catbird 19. Alder Flycatcher 20. Black-billed Cuckoo (v) 21. Scarlet Tanager (v) 22. Common Loon (v) 23. Song Sparrow** 24. Prairie Warbler (v) 25. Yellow Warbler 26. American Robin* 27. Tree Swallow 28. American Crow* 29. Chipping Sparrow** (v) 30. Blue-headed Vireo (v) 31. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 32. House Wren 33. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 34. Brown Thrasher† 35. Broad-winged Hawk 36. Red-shouldered Hawk† 37. Savannah Sparrow (v) 38. Hermit Thrush
Elsewhere
39. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Such a lovely morning. Mosquitos, sure. Ticks. Brown-tailed Moth caterpillars. But also a green, green woodland, and a fresh, fragrant breeze, and distant views of the bay islands, and birds—birds galore.
Had thirty-five species this morning (a couple more than I’d counted at the time), but only two other (friendly) humans and one (curious) dog.
Later—under warm, partly cloud skies—I took a good long bike ride, did a couple errands (but mostly just did it for the ride). Felt real good, man. I sooo missed cycling the past three years.
Now to see what tomorrow brings.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird** (v) 2. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 3. Common Yellowthroat 4. Song Sparrow** 5. Eastern Phoebe* 6. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 7. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 8. American Redstart** (v) 9. Veery (v) 10. Northern Cardinal (v) 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Chestnut-sided Warbler 13. Alder Flycatcher 14. American Goldfinch** 15. Northern Flicker (v) 16. Yellow Warbler 17. Gray Catbird 18. Tree Swallow 19. Prairie Warbler (v) 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. American Robin* 22. American Crow* 23. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 24. Tufted Titmouse (v) 25. House Wren 26. Chipping Sparrow** 27. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 28. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 29. Eastern Bluebird* (v) 30. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 31. Broad-winged Hawk 32. Blue Jay 33. Field Sparrow (v) 34. Hermit Thrush (v) 35. Brown Creeper
Elsewhere
36. Herring Gull 37. Purple Finch 38. Osprey (v)
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
