Cool again this morning, but breezier and clearer and warming up in a hurry. Birds about—reawakened after yesterday’s soaking rain. A few returning species, a few familiar friends, nothing particularly outlandish.
But the blue of the sky and a few juvenile bluebirds and late summer’s yellowish sun-color… It all added up to a pretty miraculous morning.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:33 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. American Crow* 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Black-capped Chickadee 5. Eastern Towhee 6. Blue Jay 7. Veery (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee** (v) 9. Ovenbird 10. Gray Catbird 11. Common Yellowthroat 12. Northern Flicker 13. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 14. Broad-winged Hawk 15. Song Sparrow 16. Savannah Sparrow 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. American Redstart (v) 19. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 20. Eastern Bluebird 21. Tufted Titmouse 22. Chipping Sparrow 23. Turkey Vulture 24. Herring Gull* 25. Downy Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
26. Carolina Wren 27. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Three years ago today, I was hauling a trailer full of my (and Jack’s) belongings and moving to Salt Lake City. Three months ago, we returned—and glad we did. [Not that I didn’t enjoy the high desert.] Today was a good representation of why: a cool morning hike, clean, fragrant air, many birds to observe, a long view of the bay.
Notable today were three woodpecker species that made their presences known within a few minutes of each other, several bird families (adults and juvies, among them nuthatches, sparrows, waxwings), and crows chasing a hawk.
Loved this morning, and looking forward to the next.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:15 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. American Crow* 3. Song Sparrow** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 6. Ovenbird 7. American Goldfinch 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Hermit Thrush 10. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 11. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 12. Tufted Titmouse (v) 13. Brown Creeper (v) 14. American Robin 15. Hairy Woodpecker 16. Downy Woodpecker (v) 17. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 18. Eastern Towhee 19. Alder Flycatcher (v) 20. Common Yellowthroat 21. Gray Catbird 22. Chestnut-sided Warbler 23. Cedar Waxwing 24. Chipping Sparrow 25. Field Sparrow 26. Savannah Sparrow 27. Blue-headed Vireo 28. Blue Jay (v) 29. House Wren (v) 30. Herring Gull* 31. Broad-winged Hawk 32. Turkey Vulture 33. Yellow Warbler (v) 34. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
Elsewhere
35. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A later hike than the past couple-three days—but what a luscious hike it was. Mostly clear, cool to start, fewer mosquitoes, and a bunch of bird species. Captain Jack had plenty of smells to investigate, peed here and there. Spied a hummingbird.
And took photos of a particularly cooperative Field Sparrow. Handsome little birds these are. Thanks, little guy.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:42 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 3. Northern Cardinal** (v) 4. American Goldfinch 5. American Crow* 6. Ovenbird (v) 7. Veery (v) 8. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 9. Wild Turkey (v) 10. Black-and-white Warbler 11. Eastern Wood-pewee 12. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 13. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 14. Tufted Titmouse (v) 15. Brown Creeper (v) 16. Black-capped Chickadee** 17. Northern Flicker (v) 18. Hermit Thrush (v) 19. Common Yellowthroat 20. Eastern Towhee 21. Alder Flycatcher (c) 22. Song Sparrow 23. Gray Catbird 24. American Robin 25. Yellow Warbler 26. Cedar Waxwing 27. House Wren 28. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 29. Field Sparrow 30. Herring Gull* 31. Eastern Bluebird 32. Blue Jay (v) 33. Eastern Phoebe 34. Chestnut-sided Warbler 35. Osprey (v) 36. Broad-winged Hawk (v)
Elsewhere
37. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
