25 July 2025

Posts Tagged ‘gray catbird’

State Bird

Monday, September 25th, 2023
Black-capped Chickadee, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 25 September 2023.
Black-capped Chickadee.

This morning felt fall-like (which I guess makes sense, since it’s autumn): chilly, breezy, a little pungent, with a mostly blue sky above and a few fallen leaves below. Not many bird species today—although the Horned Lark was joined by another one today—and few numbers, just one or two of each.

Except for the Black-capped Chickadee. I saw and/or heard eight of those happy little year-round guys. Summer’s gone, but the chickadees are still out and about.

No wonder it’s Maine’s state bird.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:17 a.m. EST (8:17 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Northern Flicker (v)
3. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
4. Common Raven (v)
5. American Crow* (v)
6. Horned Lark
7. Song Sparrow
8. American Goldfinch (v)
9. Blue Jay**
10. Gray Catbird

Elsewhere

11. Wild Turkey
12. Mallard
13. Herring Gull
14. Northern Cardinal (v)

Mammals

Eastern Gray Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Sharpie

Sunday, September 24th, 2023
Sharp-shinned Hawk (imm.), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 24 September 2023.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (imm.).

It was a cool and overcast morning, a kind of weather I truly love to hike in. Something about that layer of clouds above makes me feel safe, like a soft, protective ceiling. And Captain Jack, with his thick fur coat, liked the coolness.

Yesterday’s wayward solo lark appeared again. So did at least one raven—and, most surprisingly, a Sharp-shinned Hawk. I heard a jay first, just ahead of us around a leafy corner, then the hawk. It’s bright rapid cries made me stop in my tracks. I peaked around the leafy corner, and danged if the bird didn’t allow me a decent photo.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:08 a.m. EST (8:08 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Gray Catbird (v)
2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. American Crow* (v)
5. Common Yellowthroat (v)
6. Song Sparrow
7. Blue Jay**
8. Horned Lark
9. Yellow-rumped Warbler
10. Northern Flicker (v)
11. Common Raven
12. American Goldfinch**
13. Eastern Towhee (v)
14. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
15. Sharp-shinned Hawk
16. American Robin (v)
17. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
18. Tufted Titmouse (v)

Elsewhere

19. Mourning Dove
20. Herring Gull
21. Northern Cardinal (v)
22. White-throated Sparrow (v)
23. Eastern Bluebird

Mammals

American Red Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Hark, a Lark

Saturday, September 23rd, 2023
Horned Lark (immature male), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 23 September 2023.
Horned Lark (immature male)

This first day of autumn brought a morning much like yesterday’s: sunny, cool, and fragrant. It also brought a surprising bird species: a Horned Lark. They’re not rare on the hill, but they typically come in small flocks. I rarely see just one, as I did today. An immature male, the bird was poking around the edges of the main trail—and at one point got very near to dog and me as we stood still, and I took photos.

Another oddball was a Nashville Warbler (haven’t seen any since spring, and few then), adult and juvie Hermit Thrush, and a bunch of the usual suspects.

All in all, a fun one.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:24 a.m. EST (8:24 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Brown Creeper (v)
2. Black-capped Chickadee**
3. Blue Jay (v)
4. Downy Woodpecker (v)
5. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch**
7. Tufted Titmouse (v)
8. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
9. White-throated Sparrow (v)
10. Nashville Warbler
11. Hermit Thrush
12. Gray Catbird
13. Purple Finch (v)
14. Eastern Towhee (v)
15. American Goldfinch (v)
16. Horned Lark
17. Song Sparrow
18. Yellow-rumped Warbler
19. Eastern Bluebird
20. American Crow* (v)

Elsewhere

21. Northern Cardinal
22. Herring Gull
23. Belted Kingfisher (v)
24. Canada Goose (v)

Mammals

Eastern Chipmunk (v)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



3IP Logo
©1997–2025 by 3IP