A day much like yesterday, but mostly cloudy and maybe a bit breezier. About the same number of bird species, a nice feeling of being out and about on the surface of our planet, and a generally fun time for dog and me.
No outlandish surprises, true—but I liked getting a good look at my favorite sparrow on my favorite coastal hill.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:08 a.m., I hiked most trails.
Stayed up late last night, slept late-ish this morning. Captain Jack and I didn’t make it to the hill until about 8 o’clock sun time. Sunny and cool and breezy, didn’t think I’d list so many birds at the late hour—but turned out I matched yesterday’s total number of species.
No firsts-of-year, no lifers. Mostly the usual suspects (along with a calling Black-billed Cuckoo, a species I hope to catch sight of one day). Some posed, although my captures tended toward the plain.
Still, what a lovely morning, and what a magical place we get to hang out in every day, dog and me.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:01 a.m., I hiked most trails.
Another morning much like yesterday’s—although we hiked earlier, and the temperature was slightly higher, and the fog was quite a bit thicker. (Not as drippy, though.) And my list has the most bird species of any after my return to Maine.
The only first-of-year species was a Winter Wren I heard down along the wooded trail (where I used to hear a few).
But for some reason, this one involved focus on two vireo species: red-eyed and blue-headed. They both sang a lot, both posed for (dim, grainy-ish) photos. And I realized—even thinking back to a couple species in Utah—how much I dig vireos.
Might be a few thundershowers tonight, and then a sunnier day tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:49 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 2. Chestnut-sided Warbler 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. Ovenbird 5. Northern Parula** 6. Common Yellowthroat 7. Gray Catbird** 8. Northern Flicker (v) 9. Song Sparrow 10. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 11. Eastern Wood-pewee 12. Veery 13. Tufted Titmouse** (v) 14. Northern Cardinal** (v) 15. American Crow* (v) 16. Hairy Woodpecker 17. Black-and-white Warbler 18. Wood Thrush (v) 19. American Redstart* (v) 20. Eastern Bluebird 21. Blue-headed Vireo 22. Winter Wren† (v) 23. Alder Flycatcher (v) 24. Yellow Warbler 25. Eastern Towhee 26. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 27. American Goldfinch** (v) 28. Prairie Warbler (v) 29. Field Sparrow 30. Black-capped Chickadee* 31. Chipping Sparrow** 32. Common Raven (v) 33. American Robin 34. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 35. Eastern Phoebe* 36. Blue Jay (v) 37. Common Loon 38 Nashville Warbler (v) 39. Tree Swallow 40. Ruffed Grouse (booming)
