I prepared for light rain to fall throughout my hike with dog this morning, but it was not to be. Overcast, cool, incredibly calm, and a bit humid—but no precipitation until just a faint misting as we headed back to the truck.
Many of the usual suspects showed up, as expected. Waxwings continue to flutter through clouds of treetop flies. But he big news? It didn’t rain.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:53 a.m. EST (7:53 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Eastern Towhee 2. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Blue Jay** (v) 5. Downy Woodpecker (v) 6. Cedar Waxwing 7. Yellow Warbler 8. Common Yellowthroat 9. Song Sparrow 10. Field Sparrow (v) 11. Gray Catbird* 12. American Robin 13. American Crow* 14. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 15. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 16. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 17. Tufted Titmouse (v) 18. Purple Finch 19. Northern Cardinal
Elsewhere
20. Wild Turkey 21. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Quiet again this morning—as things are this time of year—but I managed to spot several shy little birds in the thick August greenery. Most notable were those I spied along the wooded trails: warblers, bluebirds, a pewee. The weather was fairly perfect, with blue sky and a light wind and a moderate temperature.
The photo I picked is of a towhee that led dog and me down the trail from the summit, no doubt to lure us away from her offspring.
Rain forecast for tomorrow. I wonder what the day will bring.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:53 a.m. EST (7:53 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 2. Blue Jay (v) 3. Common Yellowthroat 4. American Goldfinch** 5. Eastern Wood-pewee** (v) 6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 7. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 8. Tufted Titmouse (v) 9. Eastern Bluebird 10. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 11. American Crow* 12. Cedar Waxwing 13. Gray Catbird 14. Eastern Towhee 15. Song Sparrow 16. Yellow Warbler (v) 17. Chestnut-sided Warbler 18. American Redstart
Elsewhere
19. Herring Gull 20. Osprey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Today was a changes-in-the-weather sort of day. After yesterday’s sun, a thunderstorm blew through overnight, and this day began cool and foggy. Twas another quiet morning—aside from the rain-like sound when a breeze would blow through the thick, wet, leafy canopy, causing rain-like drops to fall. Eventually a few birds would sing or chatter or call. Only avian seventeen species on today’s list, but we did surprise a whitetail near the trail, which was fun for all but the deer.
In afternoon the sun emerged and things got steamy fast. I took a friend’s dog for a good long walk and we both drank lots of water afterward. Tomorrow’s supposed to be a bright one.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:54 a.m. EST (7:54 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Eastern Phoebe* 2. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 3. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 4. American Goldfinch 5. Song Sparrow 6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 7. Common Yellowthroat 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. Cedar Waxwing 10. Yellow Warbler (v) 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 13. Blue Jay (v) 14. Gray Catbird** 15. Tufted Titmouse (v) 16. American Crow* 17. Herring Gull*
Elsewhere
18. Mourning Dove 19. Osprey 20. Rock Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel White-tailed Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
