The day dawned mostly cloudy, or rather foggy below and hazy above, with a little bit of sunlight filtering through. Chilly, but with the promise of warming. Dog and I slept a little late—convenient for the coming switch to Standard Time—so arrived a bit late to the hill, main trail.
Within a hundred yards, I had a dozen species on my list. Birds everywhere during that first roadside stretch—including a pair of kinglet species. The golden-crowned actually posed for a pic.
Happened to rendezvous with a couple of our friends, and we proceeded up the slope with company and good conversation—and bluebirds, and a White-crowned Sparrow. Eventually headed down the wooded trail alone, just the two of us, as we’re accustomed to doing. Got a Hairy Woodpecker and a titmouse down there.
If I were living in the movie Groundhog Day, I wouldn’t mind reliving this morning a time or two. And tomorrow comes sweet, sweet rain.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:20 a.m., I hiked all trails.
Another clear cool morning, with a slight breeze. Really beautiful fall woods and fields and sky. Also quite a few birds on the hill.
A couple of thrush species, a couple of corvids, a couple of finches, a couple of woodpeckers, a couple of nuthatches, four sparrows. A gull. Many, many yellow-rumps (again). Other native year-round species—and a kestrel at the end.
Cloudy tomorrow, some rain next week. A rich and varied place this is.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:09 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v) 2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 3. Blue Jay 4. Yellow-rumped Warbler 5. Brown Creeper 6. Eastern Bluebird (v) 7. Purple Finch (v) 8. American Crow 9. Black-capped Chickadee 10. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 11. American Robin (v) 12. American Goldfinch (v) 13. Northern Flicker (v) 14. White-throated Sparrow 15. Eastern Towhee (v) 16. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 17. Savannah Sparrow 18. Song Sparrow 19. Mourning Dove 20. Herring Gull 21. American Kestrel
Mammals
American Red Squirrel Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Dog and I hit the trail as the sun was rising in nearly cloudless skies, illuminating the reds and ochres and yellows of October up here on the 44th parallel. Nippy—40s (F)—but not as much breeze as yesterday, and there were birds about.
In fact, besides the still numerous yellow-rumps, my most notable sightings were a Great Black-backed Gull (flying over), a tight flock of starlings (flying low with a gang of crows), and a solitary kinglet. Meanwhile, back at home, a group of nine Wild Turkeys decided to browse in the big west yard.
I so love autumn that I could live this lovely day all over again.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:06 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay** (v) 2. Yellow-rumped Warbler 3. American Crow 4. White-breasted Nuthatch 5. Black-capped Chickadee** 6. Hairy Woodpecker 7. American Robin* 8. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 9. Purple Finch 10. American Goldfinch (v) 11. Northern Flicker 12. White-throated Sparrow 13. European Starling† 14. Song Sparrow 15. Eastern Towhee (v) 16. Red-breasted Nuthatch 17. Savannah Sparrow 18. Herring Gull* 19. Great Black-backed Gull 20. Brown Creeper 21. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
22. Wild Turkey
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
