The sky was blue, the air was warm, the wind was high, the trail was dryer than it’s been in a while—and the overall feeling was one of spring.
And by golly, the birds showed up. A year-so-far record of 28 species, including eagles, a harrier, kestrels, a red-tail, a flushed grouse, three woodpecker species—I could go on and on.
The coming weeks will fly by, and then the months, yet I hope to slow myself down to soak ’em right up. (Also took my bike in for a tuneup.)
P.S. First deer tick today, too.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:27 a.m. real time (7:27 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* 2. Northern Cardinal** (v) 3. Black-capped Chickadee* 4. Brown Creeper (v) 5. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 6. Downy Woodpecker** (v) 7. Tufted Titmouse** 8. Red-winged Blackbird 9. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming) 10. American Goldfinch 11. Ruffed Grouse 12. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 13. American Robin* 14. Eastern Bluebird 15. Herring Gull* 16. Blue Jay (v) 17. Golden-crowned Kinglet 18. Song Sparrow** 19. Common Loon 20. American Kestrel 21. Turkey Vulture 22. Wild Turkey* 23. Eastern Phoebe** (v) 24. Bald Eagle 25. Red-tailed Hawk 26. Northern Harrier 27. Canada Goose 28. Snow Bunting
Elsewhere
29. Mallard
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
’Tis the season for wild bird curiosities. Most notable this morning during my hike with dog this bright, nippy morning was a Snow Bunting hanging around Beech Nut, pecking around in the snow-free grass.
But also there were two grouse, a Mallard in the “vernal” pool, and a first-of-year Fox Sparrow.
The sparrow in particular caught my attention, since I’ve been thinking about the only individuals of that species I’ve ever seen on the hill, maybe eight or two years ago, at about this time of year. Did not see this bird, but its bright, brief song was unmistakable.
Tomorrow is April (Captain Jack’s fifteenth birthday!). It’s supposed to rain much of the day. I wonder what kind of miracles will occur.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7 a.m. sun time (8 stupid DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Robin 2. Tufted Titmouse** 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Downy Woodpecker 5. Golden-crowned Kinglet 6. Blue Jay** 7. Mallard 8. Ruffed Grouse 9. Northern Cardinal (v) 10. Eastern Bluebird 11. American Crow* 12. Herring Gull* 13. Song Sparrow** 14. Yellow-rumped Warbler 15. American Goldfinch** 16. Snow Bunting 17. Fox Sparrow (v)† 18. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
13. Wild Turkey 14. House Sparrow (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
This morning felt like the morning of a winter day. For the first time, perhaps, it just felt like plain ol’ winter. Far below freezing, sun turning to haze and clouds, still—still and calm and quiet.
It was a beautiful morning.
And there were birds—plenty more than yesterday. Most notable were probably the pair of ravens that made their presence known by croaking (well, one of them did), which allowed me to look up and see them flying fast, close in tandem up beyond the hardwood branches.
What more can I say? A beautiful, beautiful morning.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:42 a.m., I hiked all trails.
