6 April 2026

Numbers

December 12th, 2022
Downy Woodpecker (male), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 12 December 2022.
Downy Woodpecker (male).

Higher species numbers today, despite temps about 20° (F) and a nice little breeze. Perhaps it was the warmth of the morning sun that did it, of the fact that it was more a breeze than a wind.

Notable was a Cooper’s Hawk at the summit, first flickle in a while, a bluebird, a titmouse. Most photogenic was a little downy we encountered nearing the summit, dog and I. The moon was high in the blue, blue sky, and the view out over the bay was delicious.

I could do this day again and likely be at least as pleased.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:58 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. American Crow**
2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. American Goldfinch (v)
5. Downy Woodpecker
6. Cooper’s Hawk
7. Eastern Bluebird (v)
8. Red-breasted Nuthatch
9. Tufted Titmouse
10. Yellow-rumped Warbler (v)
11. Northern Flicker (v)

Elsewhere

12. Northern Cardinal (v)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Even Wintrier

December 11th, 2022
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Beech Hill Preserve, 11 December 2022.
Yellow-rumped Warbler.

This morning’s temp was 15° (F)—actually dipped to 14.7° according my indoor-outdoor thermometer—but the winds weren’t as strong as yesterday’s, so the wintry feel would’ve been about the same, had it not been mostly overcast. Still, the scenery was lovely, a few birds showed up and posed, and I even had a nice chat about birds, one of whom said, when we met, “We were just talking about you!”

(Weird how I seem to be known as some sort of Birdman wherever I go.)

In fact, thinking back, en route to the trailhead this morning, I spied a lovely Red-tailed Hawk taking flight from a utility pole (I assume) above the road we traveled, dog and me. Maybe someday I’ll grab a photo of one.

A week from today is the Christmas Count!

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:17 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. American Goldfinch (v)
2. American Crow**
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Yellow-rumped Warbler
5. Blue Jay (v)

Elsewhere

6. Red-tailed Hawk

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Wintry

December 10th, 2022
Black-capped Chickadee on a cold, breezy morn, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 10 December 2022.
Black-capped Chickadee on a cold, breezy morn.

It had to happen eventually. I’d been lamenting how warm recent days have been for December, when just a decade or two ago, we’d’ve been liable to have a half-foot of snow on the ground by now. Welp, this morning’s temperature was barely above 20° (F), and there was a pretty good, gusty wind. So I bundled up pretty good—and didn’t expect a bunch of bird action.

Sure enough, there wasn’t much bird action, but a chickadee posed. Also a yellow-rump. And I heard raven and chickadee and crow. [Also saw crows.] The sky was lovely, the liquid trails were mostly (but not all) ice. No ticks to bother us, that’s for sure. Importantly, today was the last day of deer season, so dog and I won’t have to wear blaze orange for a while.

Got no idea what tomorrow might bring (which is kinda fun).

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:09 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Common Raven (v)
3. American Crow*
4. Yellow-rumped Warbler
5. American Goldfinch (v)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
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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