Another clear and warm and muggy morn with interesting bird activity. Heard many youngsters of various species begging for meals; heard the call of a Red-bellied Woodpecker; saw both Turkey Vulture and Wild Turkey.
Most notable: a group of three or four fledgling Purple Finches giving their parent finch(es) reason for some frantic hunting-and-feeding activity.
Tomorrow morning’s supposed to be foggy. We shall see!
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:29 a.m. EST (8:29 DST), I hiked all trails.
A warm and sunny morning for a change, leading to a warmer late morning and midday. During my daily hike with dog, it seemed everywhere I looked I saw birds with bills full of insects. Hungry fledglings all over the place.
Plenty of birds were singing, also, voicing their territorial claims. A particular Black-and-white Warbler stopped singing and posed for a photo.
Warm again tomorrow, so they say. I expect similar bird behavior on the hill.
(In late afternoon, I hiked with a friend up Ragged Mountain and heard the hoots of a Barred Owl.)
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:01 a.m. EST (7:01 DST), I hiked all trails.
On the eighth straight day of morning fog, I spied a baby Chestnut-sided Warbler. The little fledgling warbler also spied me. It had no tail to speak of, but it could flutter away on its brand new feathered wings. A highlight of my hike today with dog.
Fog turned to drizzle later, then a more soaking sort of rain. We have no drought here this year, seems like. (More rain in the forecast.) In fact, I ate my first ripe wild blueberries.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:48 a.m. EST (7:48 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 2. Red-eyed Vireo** 3. American Goldfinch 4. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. Veery (v) 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. American Redstart 9. Song Sparrow 10. Mourning Dove 11. American Crow* 12. American Robin 13. Field Sparrow 14. Gray Catbird** 15. Eastern Towhee** 16. Common Yellowthroat (v) 17. Eastern Bluebird 18. Ovenbird (v) 19. Yellow Warbler 20. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 21. Cedar Waxwing 22. Northern Parula (v) 23. Blue Jay (v) 24. Alder Flycatcher (v) 25. Eastern Phoebe 26. Tufted Titmouse 27. Hermit Thrush (v) 28. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 29. Wood Thrush (v) 30. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 31. Downy Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
32. Mallard 33. Wild Turkey 34. Pine Warbler (v)
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
