White-throated sparrow.
I think of May as the month when the warblers return. Some come early in the month, some come later—as do the red-eyed vireos and scarlet tanagers—but generally they’re all back by the end of May. And, sure enough, a couple arrived just as the month began.
Broad-winged hawk.
As Jack and I walked out early this morning en route to Beech Hill, the first bird I heard singing out back was a black-and-white warbler. First of year. And one of the first birds I heard singing as we stood in the sugarbush was a black-throated green. The early b-and-w was the only individual of that species on the day, but I did hear a second black-throated green on the hill (unless the first had traveled quite a ways in a short period of time). And now I’m eager to find out what tomorrow might bring.
Meanwhile, though, I had a couple photographic frustrations: stood for about ten minutes trying to find where a very near broad-winged hawk was perched down near the Beech Hill Road parking lot, but only managed a vague and distant photo; had a yellow-rump tee up very, very near me but didn’t see it until it was too late to fire off a shot; had a tree swallow fly so near me that I heard the sound of its wingbeats, but couldn’t manage a photo of that swift-moving bird (as usual), either.
On the other hand, that was kind of a peak moment this morning—hearing the sound of a swallows wings. And I also happened to spot (and get a blah photo of possibly my first-ever vesper sparrow on the hill. And it was just generally a lovely morning.
Vesper sparrow.
So, yeah. May is here.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Hairy woodpecker
2. Black-capped chickadee*
3. Northern flicker
4. Hermit thrush
5. Blue-headed vireo
6. Black-throated green warbler† (v)
7. Eastern phoebe**
8. Blue jay (v)
9. American goldfinch
10. American crow*
11. Eastern towhee
12. Mallard
13. Herring gull*
14. American robin*
15. Northern cardinal**
16. Yellow-rumped warbler
17. Song sparrow**
18. Savannah sparrow
19. House finch**
20. Tree swallow
21. Field sparrow
22. Vesper sparrow†
23. Brown-headed cowbird*
24. Tufted titmouse** (v)
25. White-breasted nuthatch (v)
26. Broad-winged hawk
27. Mourning dove* (v)
28. Red-winged blackbird
29. White-throated sparrow
30. Golden-crowned kinglet (v)
Elsewhere
31. Black-and-white warbler† (v)
32. Red-tailed hawk
33. European starling
34. Chipping sparrow (v)
35. Rock pigeon
36. Osprey
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
