Black-capped Chickadee.

Did a lot of work today. Worked all overcast morning and into cloudy afternoon. By late afternoon, the sky began to show blue patches, and the air temp climbed up into the low-forties (F), and Jack, my dog, gave me that look, and so we took a quick hike.

Northern Harrier.

Quite a few birds up there but, oddly, no other humans or dogs. None, that is, until we got back down to the parking lot, when two humans and two dogs appeared. I happened to know one of the humans, in fact. But it was kind of nice, up until that point, to have the hill to ourselves.

Another gray ghost up there—do male harriers arrive earlier than females?—and a solitary phoebe. Lots and lots of Song Sparrows in the fringes. A singing goldfinch. A glimpse of a Pileated Woodpecker.

And a chickadee perched on last year’s old sapsucker tap.

Yet another perfectly copacetic day.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.

1. Song Sparrow*
2. American Crow*
3. Pileated Woodpecker
4. American Goldfinch (v)
5. Black-capped Chickadee*
6. Northern Harrier
7. Northern Cardinal** (v)
8. American Robin*
9. Mourning Dove (v)
10. Eastern Phoebe
11. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)

Elsewhere

12. House Finch (v)
13. Herring Gull
14. House Sparrow (v)
15. Turkey Vulture

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