A warm, humid morning, this one. Dog and I headed up the trail at the usual time, unsure (at least I was) of what birds we’d encounter under such suddenly interesting conditions.
Quite a few, turns out—including a couple of surprises.
E.g., an Eastern Kingbird showed up out of nowhere and commenced to chasing other birds around. Another example: I happened to spy a juvie Brown-headed Cowbird. Possibly (judging by the nearness of a pair of them) raised by Yellow Warblers.
But this morning’s most photogenic bird? A Chestnut-sided Warbler.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:32 a.m. EST (7:32 DST), I hiked all trails.
On the eighth straight day of morning fog, I spied a baby Chestnut-sided Warbler. The little fledgling warbler also spied me. It had no tail to speak of, but it could flutter away on its brand new feathered wings. A highlight of my hike today with dog.
Fog turned to drizzle later, then a more soaking sort of rain. We have no drought here this year, seems like. (More rain in the forecast.) In fact, I ate my first ripe wild blueberries.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:48 a.m. EST (7:48 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 2. Red-eyed Vireo** 3. American Goldfinch 4. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. Veery (v) 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. American Redstart 9. Song Sparrow 10. Mourning Dove 11. American Crow* 12. American Robin 13. Field Sparrow 14. Gray Catbird** 15. Eastern Towhee** 16. Common Yellowthroat (v) 17. Eastern Bluebird 18. Ovenbird (v) 19. Yellow Warbler 20. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 21. Cedar Waxwing 22. Northern Parula (v) 23. Blue Jay (v) 24. Alder Flycatcher (v) 25. Eastern Phoebe 26. Tufted Titmouse 27. Hermit Thrush (v) 28. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 29. Wood Thrush (v) 30. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 31. Downy Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
32. Mallard 33. Wild Turkey 34. Pine Warbler (v)
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
The sun rose unimpeded this very early morning—the earliest it’ll rise for a year, in fact, considering this is the summer solstice. Seemed like the first sunny day in a while, and the birds seemed to like it, too.
An even forty species this morning. Most notable might be the call of a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Or the Northern Parula that’s been calling down by Beech Hill Road. Or the pair of Broad-winged Hawks that flew over, calling. And in afternoon, I rode nearly 20 miles on my bicycle—yes, listening to the birds along the way.
I wonder—as I usually do—what tomorrow morning will bring?
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:47 a.m. EST (7:47 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Ovenbird 3. Brown Creeper 4. Song Sparrow 5. Eastern Wood-pewee 6. Chestnut-sided Warbler 7. Veery 8. American Goldfinch 9. American Crow 10. Eastern Towhee 11. Tufted Titmouse 12. Blue Jay 13. Gray Catbird 14. Black-and-white Warbler 15. Rose-breasted Grosbeak 16. Scarlet Tanager 17. Osprey 18. Hermit Thrush 19. Wood Thrush 20. Red-bellied Woodpecker 21. American Robin 22. Cedar Waxwing 23. Pileated Woodpecker 24. Common Yellowthroat 25. Alder Flycatcher 26. Yellow Warbler 27. Savannah Sparrow 28. Field Sparrow 29. Eastern Bluebird 30. Chipping Sparrow 31. Northern Parula 32. Black-capped Chickadee 33. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 34. Downy Woodpecker 35. American Redstart 36. Turkey Vulture 37. Eastern Phoebe 38. Black-throated Green Warbler 39. Broad-winged Hawk 40. Northern Cardinal
