Sunset.
A busy ol’ day, with weather much like yesterday’s, albeit with perhaps a few more veils of clouds. An active desk day, an active errand day, and brisk late hike with dog.
We did meet a couple other Beech Hill hikers despite the late hour. Most notable, bird-wise, was the small raft of coots floating in Chickawaukie Lake when we drove by—floating in the same spot they occupied until ice-over last year. When I hadn’t seen or heard a single bird on the way up the trail, I wondered if I’d be able to spot the coots from the hill and thus have at least one bird on today’s list. Then I heard a couple jays calling from the trees down the slope.
Nothing at the summit except a painterly sunset sky. On our way back down, I stopped and scanned the lake through my binoculars. Sure enough, coots. Bird No. 2.
And chickadees at the parking lot made three.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Blue jay
2. American coot
3. Black-capped chickadee**
Elsewhere
4. American crow
5. Herring gull
6. Rock pigeon
v = Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere
