American Kestrel.

On a blue-sky day, in a bracing wind,
with a good dog close beside,
I watched a kestrel hover over the blueberries.

The little falcon is an expert at
staying still in moving air.
For many seconds it will hang motionless,
positioned perfectly in the moving air
for scanning the barren below,
then some sudden twist in the wind
will cause its wings
to begin to flutter again.
And yet with all that fluttering,
its head never will never move.

The kestrel caught no vole today.
And the fox that visited this morning
caught no squirrel,
but snacked instead on a crust of bread.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., I hiked all trails.

1. American Goldfinch* (v)
2. Hermit Thrush*
3. Broad-winged Hawk
4. Turkey Vulture*
5. Northern Cardinal** (v)
6. Black-capped Chickadee**
7. Yellow-rumped Warbler
8. Eastern Towhee (v)
9. American Crow*
10. White-breasted Nuthatch* (v)
11. Song Sparrow** (v)
12. Herring Gull*
13. American Kestrel
14. Downy Woodpecker* (v)
15. Tufted Titmouse (v)

Elsewhere

16. Blue Jay (v)
17. Mourning Dove
18. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
19. House Finch (v)
20. Rock Pigeon
21. Osprey (v)

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere