A morning much like yesterday’s, only a mite cooler and not quite as much wind. Nor quite as many bird species—but close!
First-of-year bird: Carolina Wren singing down by the wooded trailhead. Other encounters of note: five woodpecker species, mating bluebirds, an active Tree Swallow, a grouse that might’ve had chicks, an Osprey with a fish, a white-tail bounding through the woods.
The landscape has dried up a lot lately—alarmingly so. No deer ticks, true, but not as much water as there should be. However, rain is in the forecast for the days ahead.
As are many more first-of-year species.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:27 a.m. real time (7:27 DST), I hiked all trails.
Another warm, albeit less windy, mostly blue-sky morning. Birds were active, singing, calling, drumming, flitting around. Many Palm Warblers, a pair of kestrels at the summit, and first-of-year Field Sparrow and Tree Swallows.
Each day lately I’ve been trying to imagine what species will appear next. So far, I’ve predicted a few. What now? White-throat? Chippie? Broad-wing?
Can hardly wait until another lovely morning tomorrow to find out.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:34 a.m. real time (7:34 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Song Sparrow** 2. Eastern Phoebe* 3. Common Raven 4. Tufted Titmouse** (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee* 6. American Robin 7. Brown Creeper 8. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming) 9. Palm Warbler 10. Downy Woodpecker 11. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 12. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 13. Northern Cardinal** (v) 14. American Goldfinch (v) 15. American Crow* 16. Eastern Bluebird 17. Yellow-rumped Warbler 18. Field Sparrow† 19. Mourning Dove 20. Tree Swallow† 21. Brown-headed Cowbird 22. Herring Gull* 23. Red-breasted Nuthatch** (v) 24. Red-winged Blackbird 25. American Kestrel 26. Common Loon (v) 27. Turkey Vulture
Elsewhere
28. Mallard 29. House Finch (v) 30. House Sparrow (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
The early morning air was warm, the sky was mostly overcast, there was a bit of breeze. There would be birds—but rather subdued birds, secretive birds, returning or nesting or foraging. And there were a bunch.
Most notable were three Palm Warblers—first-of-year birds—that I happened to hear, then see. Only one posed for a half-way decent photo.
Toward the end of my hike with dog, a raven flew over, moving fast avoiding a dive-bombing crow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:26 a.m. real time (7:26 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Song Sparrow* 2. American Robin* 3. Eastern Phoebe** 4. Northern Cardinal** (v) 5. American Goldfinch (v) 6. Tufted Titmouse (v) 7. Blue Jay** 8. Black-capped Chickadee** 9. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 10. Red-winged Blackbird (v) 11. Brown Creeper 12. Eastern Bluebird 13. American Crow* 14. Palm Warbler† 15. Downy Woodpecker** (v) 16. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 17. Herring Gull* (v) 18. Yellow-rumped Warbler 19. Northern Flicker** 20. Brown-headed Cowbird 21. Hairy Woodpecker 22. American Kestrel 23. Common Raven
Elsewhere
24. House Sparrow
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
