The weather hasn’t been friendly for spring migration—winds from the north and northwest, rain and chill unconducive to flies and insects, etc. But today the sun emerged for the first time in a good while, and a few birds managed to begin moving through our hiking patch, dog and me.
Notable on this sunny morn was a first-of-year Ovenbird (ID’d only after I’d listened to my GoPro footage) and first-blooming Trout Lilies.
The winds won’t be overly friendly for the next few (several?) days, but it won’t be long before a rush of new migrants arrive. I’ll be leading a bird walk at Beech Hill in a few days, and my hope is things will be hoppin’ by then. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:28 a.m. real time (7:28 DST), I hiked all trails.
Another gray, chilly, wet, muddy hike with dog. More species than yesterday (although no first-of-year birds), and more greening things and other signs of impending spring. For instance, Trout Lily buds are just waiting for a glimpse of sunshine to quickly blossom.
I wonder what the trigger is? Likely a combination of time of year, weather conditions, and chance. Whatever the case, this trigger is about to get pulled—I can just tell.
Tomorrow should be drier, with a little flash of sun.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:41 a.m. real time (7:41 DST), I hiked all trails.
This morning was much like yesterday morning—wet, muddy, starting to go green—but the day itself, unlike yesterday, was overcast throughout. On my hike with dog, we enjoyed a bit more wind, temps in the 40s (F), and, frankly, more bird species than I expected (albeit far fewer than yesterday).
No firsts-of-year, but the Brown Thrasher of the other day showed up again. Otherwise, mostly the usual suspects. A happy hike, though—even the slog down the lower wooded trail (which was essentially a stream).
Another morning like this is forecast for tomorrow, but thereafter it looks like we might get a streak of warmer, brighter days.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:09 a.m. real time (8:09 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Savannah Sparrow (v) 2. Purple Finch (v) 3. American Robin** 4. Chipping Sparrow 5. Blue Jay 6. American Crow* 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Tufted Titmouse (v) 10. Downy Woodpecker (v) 11. Brown Thrasher 12. Brown-headed Cowbird (v) 13. American Goldfinch 14. Field Sparrow (v) 15. Song Sparrow** 16. Northern Cardinal 17. Herring Gull* 18. Eastern Bluebird 19. Eastern Phoebe (v) 20. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
Elsewhere
21. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
