Another clear, cool morning with lovely views—both shady woodland and open hilltop. Not quite as many bird species as in recent days, but a couple nice big ones.
Hermit Thrush fledgling.
“Big birds” is a category I use while counting species in my head during our daily hikes, dog and me. Big birds tend to come in batches—larger species that I mostly see in flight. Like ravens, gulls, hawks, and such. Today’s were a Bald Eagle and an Osprey.
A few sweet small birds showed up, too, on this lovely September morning. Perhaps sweetest was a little fledgling Hermit Thrush.
With migration impending, I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:44 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-breasted Nuthatch 2. American Crow* (v) 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Eastern Towhee 5. Gray Catbird** 6. American Redstart 7. American Robin (v) 8. Purple Finch (v) 9. Common Yellowthroat 10. Eastern Phoebe 11. Blue Jay (v) 12. Song Sparrow 13. American Goldfinch 14. Bald Eagle† 15. Osprey 16. Northern Cardinal** (v) 17. Hermit Thrush 18. Downy Woodpecker 19. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
20. Mourning Dove 21. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
In the 50s (F) when dog and I headed up the trail this morning. Quiet in the shadows, but activity up in the sunlit edges. A good, cool, sun-soaked hike, with flitting warblers, juvie bluebirds, and a glimpse of a (first-of-year) Swainson’s Thrush.
Truly, you can feel it. The coming pull of fall. The diminishing daylight, the dewy, bittersweet aroma in the air, the prime directive of migration among wild birds.
Stirrings.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:44 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. American Crow* 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Eastern Towhee 5. Gray Catbird 6. American Goldfinch** 7. Common Yellowthroat 8. Cedar Waxwing 9. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 10. Song Sparrow** 11. Swainson’s Thrush† 12. Northern Flicker (v) 13. Red-breasted Nuthatch 14. American Redstart 15. Yellow-rumped Warbler 16. Black-throated Green Warbler 17. Eastern Bluebird 18. Purple Finch 19. Chipping Sparrow 20. Northern Cardinal** (v) 21. Eastern Phoebe 22. Hermit Thrush
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
The air was clean and cool and dry, the sky was blue with a few clouds, the breeze was fickle, and the birds were furtive—but present. What a beautiful morning.
Right away a thrush appeared, hopping up the trail. Before long, a couple-three woodpeckers, a crow and a jay, a wood-pewee, nuthatches… At the summit, dog and I met a friend we hadn’t seen in a while, and we had a good, long chat. A swallow showed up—and a very loud military jet (first I recall seeing up there).
And, at the end of our hike, a Blue Jay on a blue sky day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Hermit Thrush 2. Downy Woodpecker (v) 3. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 4. American Crow* (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee** 6. Blue Jay 7. Brown Creeper (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee 9. White-breasted Nuthatch** 10. Red-bellied Woodpecker 11. American Redstart 12. Pileated Woodpecker 13. Eastern Towhee 14. Gray Catbird 15. American Goldfinch (v) 16. Yellow-rumped Warbler (v) 17. Eastern Phoebe 18. Song Sparrow** 19. Osprey 20. Turkey Vulture 21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 22. Tree Swallow
Elsewhere
23. Northern Cardinal (v) 24. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
