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Posts Tagged ‘American coot’
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
 Jack on the trail. Bright morning. Crows on the fringes. House sparrows across the road. But I’d barely finished my first cup of coffee before the day got crazy busy. Email to answer, unexpected phone calls, font orders to fill. Since the mild weather beckoned and I had an afternoon auto-service appointment, I figured I’d better think about getting a bike ride in. And an early hike with dog.
 Beech Nut. So I took a fast ride at midday, down to Rockland and up to Rockport and back. Errands accomplished. Pulse rate high. In Rockland were gulls and pigeons. Crows along the roads. At one point on Route 1, road crews were at work, and traffic was getting funneled into one lane, so I took my place for a minute in a line of cars. While waiting there, I heard the voices of dueling golden-crowned kinglets from the tops of two spruce trees.
Got back, changed quickly, grabbed Jack’s leash, and before he knew it we were hurrying up Beech Hill. Crows there, too, and chickadees—but not much else right away. I did however meet a couple fellow hikers and exchanged some friendly words. And I heard a jay. And saw a huge raft of coots floating out in Chickawaukie Lake below.
Got to the auto shop ten minutes late. At last, I could stop and relax. For two hours I relaxed. Out the front windows of the place, I watched starlings fluttering around between perches on utility lines.
Wrote a bunch of words tonight, then took a breather out on the deck. Still. Unseasonably warm. A near-full moon above. Then I heard something—a faint, high whistling, growling louder. The sound came from the wings of a woodcock, I’m sure of it, like a semi-spring flight song.
 Birch. Wrote some more, stepped out one last time. Still. Warm. Quiet. Moon. And then a faint rustling, spattering sound from up the hill. At first I thought there might’ve been a deer or other critter creeping about up there, but then I realized what I was hearing: hardwoods dropping their leaves. Leaves from the near maple, falling to the deck; far oak leaves clattering softly down through the branches. It’s a sound I’ve never heard—at least not quite like that—and it gave me an unexpected thrill.
Later still, just a minute ago, the sky had gone overcast, obscuring the moon. After three spectacular November days in a row this week so far, I suppose it’s all right to get a little rain.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 1:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American crow
2. Black-capped chickadee
3. Blue jay
4. American coot
Elsewhere
5. House sparrow
6. Herring gull
7. Rock pigeon
8. Golden-crowned kinglet
9. European starling
10. American woodcock
Tags: American coot, American crow, American woodcock, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, European starling, golden-crowned kinglet, herring gull, house sparrow, rock pigeon
Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
Monday, November 7th, 2011
 Eastern bluebird. The sun rose, the air warmed, and after a busy ol’ morning at my desk, I decided I should grab opportunities when presented and set out on a fast bike ride. A bit of a south wind made the going slower in that direction, but heading north, I flew. Not many birds, en route—crow, gull, starling, jay—but the wind sure felt good in my ears.
 Rock. Meantime, it looks like dog and I will be hiking Beech Hill before quitting time for a while. We got there rather late in the day today, but the sun still hung high, and the moon was rising out over the bay. Still relatively mild, and not too breezy. Heard chickadees at the parking lot, but that was all. (One.) I couldn’t imagine ending up with many birds on today’s list, but I’ve learned a thing or two about expectations.
Coming up the hill, I heard a flicker. (Two.) Then I happened to see three birds flutter up into one of the trailside birches, lit by the afternoon sun. I saw they had ruddy breasts and thought at first they were robins—but they seemed to small. Jack and I crept closer as I snapped off a series of photos. But before we got very near, a hiking couple coming down the trail toward us spooked the birds, and they flew. However, they flew directly over us, and I saw that they were small, and I heard their faint chirps, which sounded kind of familiar. Not until I got home and processed the photos—one had what looked like a moth in its beak—did I confirm that they were bluebirds. (Three.)
Scanned the lake for coots, and there they were. (Four.)
Then I found a rock someone had balanced on another rock. And heard crows. (Five.)
 Brown creeper. No more species until we reached the parking lot again, where I heard more chickadees. And also a nuthatch. (Six.) And titmice. (Seven.) A hairy woodpecker. (Eight.) Suddenly I heard a brown creeper’s voice, and one of the little brown birds flitted onto a tree trunk right in front of me. (Nine.) When shortly after I saw movement in some low leaves, I took it for the woodpecker—but it turned out to be a blue jay. (Ten.)
I didn’t expect that many, that’s for sure.
Tonight’s moon has crept (or slipped) closer to Jupiter than last night’s. Following them again comes Orion. And again, bright Sirius, my favorite star, flashing red and green.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee
2. Northern flicker (voice)
3. Eastern bluebird
4. American coot
5. American crow
6. White-breasted nuthatch (voice)
7. Tufted titmouse (voice)
8. Hairy woodpecker (voice)
9. Brown creeper
10. Blue jay
Elsewhere
11. Herring gull
12. European starling
 The hill.
Tags: American coot, American crow, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, eastern bluebird, European starling, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, northern flicker, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch
Posted in Lists, Observations, Photo | No Comments »
Saturday, November 5th, 2011
 Beech Nut. I awoke to a sun-spattered morning. Chilly temperature, light wind. I had little on my mind except writing, college football, and a hike up Beech Hill. I got some writing done. The game went well. And come late afternoon, Jack was ready to get out of the house.
 Black-capped chickadee. A few vehicles greeted us at the parking lot. A little blaze-orange-clad family (and dog) greeted us at the trailhead. I’d forgotten to change out of my sandals, but that’s all right—they’re rugged sandals, and I had wool socks on.
Watched a few chickadees flit about in the trees as we started up the trail. Heard a nuthatch up there with them somewhere. When I realized we were being followed by the walker of two small dogs, we started swiftly up the trail so as not to cause a commotion. And a good, brisk hike it was. A cloudless blue sky, a waxing moon overhanging the bay, and hardly any breeze at all by that time. Took a look out at the lake. Confirmed coots.
That was about all we saw, but that’s all right. Then as we were pulling out of the parking lot, we met a vehicle pulling in. It belonged to our friend Liz, so we backed up. Seems she had an hour to kill, and a quick hike seemed in order, so I figured, what the hell and headed up again.
Good thing we did, too. Right away, I added two birds to my list: a hairy woodpecker and a blue jay calling from the trees. And at the summit, we heard a flicker down the eastern slope, and I caught the faint call of a goldfinch flying by. Better still, as we rounded Beech Nut, Liz asked, “What’s that?” I followed her gaze and beheld a lovely male harrier soaring low between us and the setting sun. Alas, it being between us and the setting sun, photos were next to impossible—but still a nice surprise.
 Sailboat. Finally, back at the parking lot again, Liz spotted a little bird hitching up the trunk of a tree. A brown creeper. So thanks, Liz, for tripling my Beech Hill bird list today.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee
2. White-breasted nuthatch
3. American coot
4. Hairy woodpecker
5. Blue jay
6. Northern flicker
7. American goldfinch
8. Northern harrier
9. Brown creeper
Elsewhere
10. American crow
11. Herring gull
12. European starling
13. Ring-billed gull
14. Great black-backed gull
 The open trail.
Tags: American coot, American crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, European starling, great black-backed gull, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, northern flicker, northern harrier, ring-billed gull, white-breasted nuthatch
Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
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| Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson |
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