Well, wasn’t this morning’s a fun birding excursion. Dog and I hit the trail kind of early—same time as yesterday, pretty much—but things seemed awfully quiet to start. Then, as we approached the edge between woodlands and open fields, all heaven broke loose.
Heard (and saw) Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Flushed a couple of turkeys. Then at the little summit spruce grove, where a fly hatch was going on, a couple unexpected species showed up. Most notably, a little group of orioles (first of year). But also a solitary Least Flycatcher, which must’ve been having a field day up there.
Also, at one point, I heard a Killdeer fly overhead. Random.
Random, but really cool.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:14 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. American Goldfinch** 2. American Crow* 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 6. Mourning Dove* (v) 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. Black-capped Chickadee** 9. Hermit Thrush (v) 10. Blue Jay (v) 11. Tufted Titmouse 12 White-breasted Nuthatch** 13. Red-bellied Woodpecker 14. Northern Flicker (v) 15. Wild Turkey 16. Eastern Towhee 17. Alder Flycatcher 18. Common Yellowthroat 19. Gray Catbird 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. Song Sparrow 22. Yellow Warbler (v) 23. American Robin 24. Rose-breasted Grosbeak 25. Baltimore Oriole† 26. Field Sparrow (v) 27. Eastern Phoebe 28. Least Flycatcher 29. Black-and-white Warbler 30. Eastern Bluebird 31. Savanna Sparrow (v) 32. Downy Woodpecker 33. Killdeer (v) 24. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 35. Northern Cardinal (v) 36. Hairy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
37. Herring Gull 38. Chipping Sparrow (v)
Mammals
White-tailed Deer (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A cool, sunny morning. We got to the hill fairly early, dog and I, but by the time our hike was done, the parking lot was full of cars. Got a glimpse of a pair of Black-Billed Cuckoos (!) and saw a pair—at least a pair—of orioles. Also enjoyed a few interesting conversations.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
This foggy, dewy morning brought out the parents of fledglings. Moist food—caterpillars, flies, blueberries—delivered to the youngsters. (In some instances, eaten by the youngsters themselves.) Waxwings catching flies, a Chestnut-sided Warbler grabbing a fat caterpillar, and an Eastern Towhee with a beakful of blueberries.
Like Jack and me, birds do love blueberries.
Random note: I got a glimpse of my first-of-year Baltimore Oriole, a species that doesn’t nest on the preserve (near as I can figure) but—like Barn Swallows—often stops by in summer when the fledglings begin to move around.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
