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
Cool again, but not as breezy and somewhat more humid. [The forecast rain—and a thundershower—came this late afternoon, so tomorrow might be less muggy.] A bunch of interesting bird activity, too—a highlight being the surprise appearance of a juvie Dark-eyed Junco along the wooded trail, hunting assorted insects. It stayed about twenty feet in front of dog and me until, finally, I managed a photo.
Young whitetail buck.
Another highlight—shortly after the junco—came when we surprised a young whitetail buck. He didn’t go far, then froze and checked us out for a bit. Again, a photo.
I’m still astonished not to have found a single deer tick since one tiny one appeared in spring on Jack’s nose. Crazy. (Not that I’m complainin’.)
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:07 a.m. EST (8:07 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Hermit Thrush 3. Blue Jay 4. American Goldfinch 5. Black-throated Green Warbler 6. Hairy Woodpecker 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. Northern Flicker 9. Tufted Titmouse 10. Black-capped Chickadee 11. White-breasted Nuthatch 12. American Crow 13. Ovenbird 14. Dark-eyed Junco 15. Red-bellied Woodpecker 16. Eastern Towhee 17. Alder Flycatcher 18. Gray Catbird 19. American Robin 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. Song Sparrow 22. Common Yellowthroat 23. Purple Finch 24. Mourning Dove 25. Red-shouldered Hawk 26. Turkey Vulture 27. Yellow Warbler 28. Barn Swallow 29. Chestnut-sided Warbler 30. Blue-headed Vireo
Another foggy morning hike, which dog and I began at the main trailhead—opposite side of the hill from the scene of the toppling of the mama maple. Despite the dim light and dewy atmosphere, a bunch of birds made their presence known (mostly by voice). Many were tending to young ones.
Most notable perhaps was the pair of Northern Flickers that appeared in the woods on the opposite sides of the same dead tree.
And rather amazing was the fact that the talented, responsive staff of Coastal Mountains Land Trust had made such quick work of clearing the trail of the remnants of the age-old maple tree.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:09 a.m. EST (8:09 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Eastern Phoebe** 2. Northern Cardinal (v) 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 5. Veery (v) 6. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 7. Ovenbird (v) 8. American Crow* (v) 9. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 10. Northern Parula (v) 11. Song Sparrow 12. Common Yellowthroat 13. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 14. Field Sparrow 15. Yellow Warbler 16. Mourning Dove* 17. American Robin* 18. Gray Catbird** 19. Eastern Towhee** 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. Northern Flicker 22. Blue Jay (v) 23. Hermit Thrush (v) 24. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 25. Brown Creeper (v) 26. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 27. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 28. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 29. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 30. Black-and-white Warbler**
Elsewhere
31. Mallard 32. Herring Gull 33. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk White-tailed Deer American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
