The morning rain wasn’t supposed to arrive for a couple hours after dog and I would reach main Beech Hill trailhead, so I was happy to be hiking in a mostly overcast day—a day with quite a few birds despite the semi-gloom. Temps were nice (60° F or so), wind was light, the air was fragrant, a little blue in the eastern sky.
Ended up with thirty-one species—including, at the very end, the voice of a loon sailing off toward Chickawaukie Lake.
Afterward, we ate some lunch, then I rode my bicycle up to the Town Office to vote (a long-time tradition). And after that, I made a dump run.
All in all, a mighty fruitful day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:38 a.m. sun time (7:38 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Veery 3. Northern Cardinal (v) 4. Song Sparrow* 5. American Crow* 6. Chestnut-sided Warbler 7. Ovenbird 8. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 9. Mourning Dove** (v) 10. American Redstart (v) 11. Eastern Towhee 12. American Goldfinch 13. Cedar Waxwing 14. Gray Catbird** 15. Common Yellowthroat 16. Field Sparrow (v) 17. Alder Flycatcher (v) 18. Yellow Warbler 19. Eastern Bluebird 20. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 21. Eastern Phoebe 22. Savannah Sparrow (v) 23. Prairie Warbler (v) 24. Hermit Thrush (v) 25. Eastern Wood-pewee 26. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 27. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 28. Blue Jay (v) 29. Tufted Titmouse (v) 30. Common Loon (v)
Elsewhere
31. Wild Turkey 32. Chipping Sparrow 33. Pine Warbler (v) 34. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Up the trail early with dog on the mostly overcast morning of a day that would later find me down in a different town under a warm and sunny sky. Still many bird species on the hill, including an invisible Great Crested Flycatcher.
A lovely hike it was, then in afternoon I asked Jack to guard the house and headed with my expert gardener friend down to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens for the first time. It was a very cool trip to a very cool place, with very cool botanicals and very cool birds of another feather—a soaring eagle among them.
I’d live this lovely June day over again if I could.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:38 a.m. sun time (7:38 DST), I hiked all trails.
A sunny, warm morning hike with dog, birding friends, and interesting birds. Most fun, perhaps, was the appearance of a curious, chipping fledgling cardinal. Also another random Blue-headed Vireo. Another random Barn Swallow (solo this time).
On this warm afternoon I rode 14 miles on my bicycle, where I added a few other species and enjoyed the endorphins and the feeling of the wind in my ears.
We’ll do it again tomorrow, dog and me.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:57 a.m. sun time (7:57 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Brown Creeper (v) 2. Ovenbird 3. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 4. Eastern Wood-pewee* 5. Black-and-white Warbler 6. Blue Jay (v) 7. Tufted Titmouse (v) 8. Song Sparrow** 9. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 10. Northern Cardinal** 11. Veery (v) 12. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 13. Black-capped Chickadee 14. American Goldfinch 15. Black-throated Blue Warbler (v) 16. Eastern Towhee 17. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 18. Hermit Thrush (v) 19. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 20. Gray Catbird** 21. Common Yellowthroat (v) 22. Field Sparrow (v) 23. Alder Flycatcher (v) 24. Yellow Warbler (v) 25. American Redstart (v) 26. Eastern Bluebird 27. Barn Swallow 28. Eastern Phoebe (v) 29. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 30. Broad-winged Hawk 31. Turkey Vulture 32. American Robin 33. Red-winged Blackbird (v) 34. Chipping Sparrow (v) 35. Blue-headed Vireo (v) 36. American Crow* 37. Cedar Waxwing
Elsewhere
38. Mallard 39. Mourning Dove 40. Herring Gull 41. House Finch 42. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
