Another balmy, steamy morning hike. Not bad—had plenty of water, encountered plenty of bird species, had a nice chat with an old friend—but we were both a bit tuckered when we got back home, dog and I.
Among notable sightings: a woodcock near the summit, the voice of a raven, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
Took a good bike ride this afternoon during a thunderstorm watch (possible heavy rain, quarter-sized hail, 70mph winds)—but none occurred. It being so dry here still, I was kinda rooting for the t-storms.
Looking forward to another hike tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:27 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 3. American Goldfinch 4. American Crow* 5. Common Raven (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee** 7. Eastern Towhee 8. Hermit Thrush 9. American Redstart (v) 10. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 11. Brown Creeper (v) 12. Wood Thrush (v) 13. American Robin* 14. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v) 15. Ovenbird (v) 16. Gray Catbird 17. Common Yellowthroat 18. Alder Flycatcher (v) 19. Downy Woodpecker 20. American Woodcock 21. Cedar Waxwing 22. Chestnut-sided warbler (v) 23. Yellow Warbler (v) 24. Eastern Bluebird 26. Purple Finch 27. Red-breasted Nuthatch 28. Song Sparrow** 29. House Wren (v) 30. Field Sparrow 31. Chipping Sparrow (v) 32. Blue Jay 33. Tufted Titmouse (v) 34. Yellow-bellied sapsucker 35. Savannah Sparrow
Elsewhere
36. Rock Pigeon 37. Northern Cardinal (v) 38. Eastern Phoebe 39. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Rained overnight, a welcome development. At least an inch, I’d say. The trails were damp and dim to start, and the air nice and humid. Warm, too. Few birds early, but a bunch by the time we finished our hike, dog and me.
Parents and youngsters were out roaming around—among them quite a few chickadees. (The chickadees around here have noticeably different accents than those out west, by the way.) And we spooked a good-sized flock of turkeys.
An all around good July hike this morning. Felt like summer, for sure.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:51 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 3. American Goldfinch (v) 4. Gray Catbird 5. Downy Woodpecker 6. Eastern Towhee 7. Black-capped Chickadee** 8. American Crow* 9. Wood Thrush (v) 10. Ovenbird (v) 11. American Redstart 12. Chestnut-sided Warbler 13. Eastern Wood-pewee 14. Veery (v) 15. American Robin 16. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 17. Wild Turkey 18. Tufted Titmouse (v) 19. Common Yellowthroat** 20. Song Sparrow* 21. Cedar Waxwing 22. Mourning Dove 23. Purple Finch (v) 24. Savannah Sparrow 25. Common Raven (v) 26. Eastern Bluebird 27. Red-winged Blackbird 28. Field Sparrow 29. Yellow Warbler (v) 30. House Wren (v) 31. Herring Gull*
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
During our nearly three years in Utah, dog and I had no really humid days. Fog, sure. Heat, absolutely. But no hikes took us into any sort of sauna.
This morning, here on the coast of Maine, we got that sauna. The temps were in the 70s (F), but the humidity was high, and the heat held true. Good thing I brought a little extra water.
The heat and humidity might’ve put off the wild birds a bit, too—in fact, I didn’t see a single bird until my list had at least a dozen species—but what with all the juvies to raise, various families couldn’t hide completely. Turned out to be a really nice hike, with a stout list. And a photo or two of new beautiful juvies.
Tonight, the humidity has come undone with a good soaking rainfall. Much needed, gotta admit.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:28 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 3. Tufted Titmouse (v) 4. Northern Cardinal** (v) 5. Ovenbird (v) 6. American Goldfinch** 7. Eastern Towhee 8. Chestnut-sided Warbler 9. Wood Thrush (v) 10. Veery (v) 11. Downy Woodpecker (v) 12. Blue Jay (v) 13. American Crow* 14. Brown Creeper (v) 15. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 16. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 17. Northern Flicker 18. Common Yellowthroat 19. Alder Flycatcher 20. Hermit Thrush 21. Gray Catbird 22. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 23. Cedar Waxwing** 24. Field Sparrow 25. Savannah Sparrow (v) 26. Song Sparrow** 27. American Robin 28. Herring Gull* 29. Yellow Warbler 30. House Wren (v) 31. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 32. Eastern Phoebe*
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
