I have a feeling I’ve begun a post this way more than once before, but what a difference a day makes. Maybe the chilly air—upper-40s (F) first thing—or a favorable overnight wind direction, but what a bright and birdy morning greeted dog and me as we headed up the wooded trail.
Two kinglet species, four woodpecker species, ever-present yellow-rumps, another Swainson’s Thrush, a random junco.
But the highlight of this hike was our chance encounter—on the upper wooded trail—with a trio of Red-eyed Vireos. They were plucking berries in the yellowish vegetation just feet from the trail, and in the morning light I was convinced they were Philadelphia Vireos, a species I hadn’t seen in years. But an expert bird ID friend saw my photo caption and set me straight.
Ever educational, this birding thing.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:54 a.m., I hiked all trails.
Rained overnight, and this morning when the sun rose, the woods were damp and drippy. Awful quiet, but birds were lurking and skulking and flitting—mostly just out of sight. A few revealed themselves, though: flickers, robins, a lone Swainson’s Thrush; calling raven and jays and goldfinches; a flushed grouse.
Even quieter on our way back down the lower wooded trail, until just a few hundred yards from the trailhead, when chickadees piped up, and a glance into the damp foliage exposed a wave of little birds—warblers, creepers, a wood-pewee.
I’m a big fan of this time of year—a time you might call summer’s last gasp.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Common Raven (v) 2. Blue Jay** 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Northern Flicker 5. Yellow-rumped Warbler 6. Gray Catbird 7. Eastern Towhee 8. Swainson’s Thrush 9. American Robin* 10. Red-eyed Vireo 11. American Goldfinch** 12. Ruffed Grouse 13. American Crow* 14. Common Yellowthroat 15. Cedar Waxwing 16. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 17. Song Sparrow 18. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v) 19. Savannah Sparrow 20. White-throated Sparrow 21. Downy Woodpecker (v) 22. Brown Creeper 23. Black-and-white Warbler 24. Chestnut-sided Warbler 25. Black-throated Green Warbler 26. Eastern Wood-pewee
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Another clear, breezy morning with a nice assortment of nervous birds. Among the several species up at the summit spruce grove, I spied a Blue-headed Vireo. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen one, months since I’ve heard them singing. This one must’ve been on its way south.
As, by the way, was a nice-sized flock of migrating Monarchs—most I’ve seen so far.
No hawks today, but dog and I did spook another woodcock.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:36 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Common Yellowthroat (v) 2. American Crow* 3. Blue Jay 4. Northern Flicker 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. American Goldfinch** (v) 7. American Robin 8. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 9. Cedar Waxwing 10. Yellow-rumped Warbler 11. American Woodcock 12. Eastern Towhee (v) 13. Gray Catbird (v) 14. Purple Finch (v) 15. Red-breasted Nuthatch 16. Blue-headed Vireo 17. Song Sparrow 18. Hermit Thrush 19. Osprey 20. Downy Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
21. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel American Red Squirrel Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
