A morning much like yesterday’s after some overnight rain. A wetter landscape, with thicker fog and fewer bird species—but not that much thicker, and not all that fewer. In fact, we enjoyed it a lot, dog and me.
Had casual chats with several humans (and shared sniffs with a few dogs). Spied a quiet mama turkey (with likely tiny chicks around). Saw the thrasher again, and heard blackbirds. But the only decent photo I got was a portrait of a Cedar Waxwing (showing the reason it got its name). I rather liked the photo.
Supposed to be partly cloudy tomorrow morning, with possible thunderstorms about midday. Expect dramatic clouds.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:10 a.m. sun time (8:10 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Common Yellowthroat (v) 2. Red-eyed Vireo** 3. Ovenbird (v) 4. Chestnut-sided Warbler 5. Black-and-white Warbler** 6. Northern Cardinal** (v) 7. Song Sparrow* 8. Alder Flycatcher (v) 9. American Goldfinch 10. Eastern Towhee 11. Mourning Dove* 12. Field Sparrow (v) 13. Eastern Phoebe* 14. Rose-breasted Grosbeak 15. American Crow* 16. Yellow Warbler (v) 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. Eastern Bluebird 19. Gray Catbird** 20. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 21. Blue Jay (v) 22. Prairie Warbler (v) 23. American Robin* 24. American Redstart** 25. Hermit Thrush (v) 26. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 27. Tufted Titmouse (v) 28. Veery (v) 29. Scarlet Tanager (v) 30. Black-capped Chickadee** 31. Wild Turkey 32. Red-winged Blackbird (v) 33. Brown Thrasher
Elsewhere
34. Mallard 35. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Third straight amazing skies in a row this morning with Captain Jack. Less sun, more shadow—rain in the offing—which might have to do with lighter bird numbers. But two new firsts-of-years showed up on the hill: a pair of Chimney Swifts and a pair of Barn Swallows. Also heard a cuckoo, which was fun.
Plus, I had chats with several fellow hikers—including a few out-of-staters, as the season has arrived.
We got a little wet on our return hike, but it was a light rain, which just added to the fun.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:55 a.m. sun time (8:55 DST), I hiked all trails.
We had a lovely hike on the hill this morning, dog and I—many birds, big skies, just a very wonderful experience. But the highlight of this day happened at evening. About 8:30 this evening, in fact, at a friend’s house near Clam Cove, less than a mile from me. Off in the woods I heard the voice of a Chuck Will’s Widow.
Decades ago, I used to hear Eastern Whip-poor-wills here on the coast at night—multiples even. But for the past twenty years or more, the only goatsucker I’ve encountered has been (very rarely) a Common Nighthawk in flight. Chuck Will’s Widows aren’t even supposed to range this far north along the coast.
Made for an exciting day for me.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:45 a.m. sun time (7:45 DST), I hiked all trails.
