It’s nearing the end of May, and the spring greenery has by now burst forth all over the place. This can make birding a little frustrating—more places for the little winged critters to hide—but even so, I somehow ended up with four dozen species on my list this morning. Including three firsts-of-year.
The FOY species: Least Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-pewee, Alder Flycatcher—all favorites (especially the pewee, thanks to its amazing song). At least partly responsible for the nice count: a light southerly wind for a change.
Taking photos can be a challenge what with all the leaves and such, but I rather dig a challenge and expect to get pics of these three at some point.
We’re gonna get an overnight rain which will pass about the time dog and I embark on our Sunday morning hike. Can use the water, though, as it’s been dry. (Then again the dryness might be the reason I haven’t found more deer ticks yet this year.) Bring it on, Nature. I’m looking forward to it.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:21 a.m. sun time (7:21 DST), I hiked all trails.
’Tis the season of the Ovenbird. This perky little terrestrial-nesting warbler—with his stylish orange mohawk—nests in a dutch-oven-style nest of leaves on the sun-dappled forest floor and declares its existence from a tree limb twenty or thirty feet above: Teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher, teacher!
They also chase each other with great speed, zipping between trunks, a frantic sort of demonstration of their territorial imperative. But mostly, these mid-May days, their voices echo loudly in the woodlands.
Otherwise notable this lovely (if nippy) morning: a first-of-hill Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Such a fun time of year.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:18 a.m. sun time (7:18 DST), I hiked all trails.
Another lovely spring day, but cooler, and with a lot of sunshine. Thought I’d have lot fewer species on my list this morning than I ended up with—a nice mix. First-of-year bird (which I didn’t confirm until I downloaded a blurry photo of it): Magnolia Warbler.
The few showers forecast for last night left no trace (if in fact they fell). The trails were drier than they’ve been for many weeks, seemed like. Territorial Ovenbirds were chasing each other though the woods. And had another random junco.
Now we wait for flycatchers, wood-pewee, and several other late nesters. Fun time of year.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:20 a.m. sun time (7:20 DST), I hiked all trails.
