Cool and bright again this morning—but not quite so cool. In fact, the day warmed up pretty good by the time dog and I reached the summit. A noteworthy day, though, with a few nice sightings. Most noteworthy, perhaps was a whitetail doe and fawn that appeared in a little clearing far below us.
Bird-wise, also at the summit, I spotted my first yellow-rump since spring. and I spotted my first Nashville Warbler in months, down in the woodlands.
Sitting here this evening, I find myself wondering what tomorrow’s hike will bring.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:04 a.m. EST (8:04 DST), I hiked all trails.
Was supposed to be rainy this morning, but it was only overcast, to start. Despite the wetness, dog and I encountered more bird species than the past couple-three hikes. Quiet though it was, I saw but a small percentage of ’em; the rest I heard. Noteworthy was the voice of a Great Crested Flycatcher— and the same Pileated Woodpecker I heard yesterday when we arrived.
Later, in a light rain, we came upon a little family of vireos flitting about in the canopy, an adult scrambling to feed a few rather demanding young ’uns. Even got a half-way decent photo, as proof.
Tomorrow’s supposed to be sunny, breezy, and cool.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:06 a.m. EST (8:06 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 3. Gray Catbird 4. Eastern Towhee 5. Mourning Dove* (v) 6. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 7. Blue Jay (v) 8. Song Sparrow 9. American Goldfinch (v) 10. Cedar Waxwing (v) 11. Black-capped Chickadee 12. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 13. American Crow* (v) 14. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 15. Red-eyed Vireo 16. Common Yellowthroat 17. Eastern Bluebird 18. Downy Woodpecker (v) 19. Herring Gull (v)
Elsewhere
20. Northern Cardinal (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A partly cloud morning with plenty of blue sky. And against the blue sky when dog and I reached the summit, fluttered the usual gang of waxwings that hang out there because of the August fly hatch. (Or hatches, I should say—as I believe more than one species swarms up there.) Waxwings are beautiful birds; some are adults, some are juvies; I encounter them quite rarely at other times of year. But they’ve been in my eyes and on my mind these days.
Otherwise, mostly the usual suspects—although not many species today. Tomorrow will be different. Every day is different, its own miracle. That’s what makes life a wonder, to me.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:11 a.m. EST (8:11 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Goldfinch** (v) 2. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 3. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 4. Blue Jay (v) 5. American Crow* (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Tufted Titmouse (v) 8. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 9. Gray Catbird** 10. Cedar Waxwing 11. Song Sparrow 12. Common Yellowthroat 13. Eastern Towhee (v)
Elsewhere
14. Carolina Wren (v) 15. Mallard 16. Mourning Dove 17. Herring Gull 18. House Sparrow (v) 19. Ring-billed Gull (v) 20. Osprey 21. Rock Pigeon 22. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
