Dog and I hiked up through such a cool and breezy and luscious wood this morning. Also rather quiet. Birds don’t sing or call so much when they’ve got youngsters to raise (as I’ve certainly mentioned before), and the numbers were low this day—but what I heard and saw in the nearly silent trees (as usual) moved me.
Birds occupied the open summit and airy barrens also—but they were drowned out by the sound of machines. Noise, I should say. It’s a pet peeve, I must say—the horrible metallic whines and groans and growls and clanks and screeches of humanity. A plane flying low above, an annoyingly loud tractor across the valley.
If we humans are so smart and creative, how come we can’t engineer machines that make no noise—or at least very, very little? Too often I find myself yearning for quietude.
Some days aren’t so bad, though. Maybe tomorrow will be like that (it’s supposed to rain).
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:05 a.m. EST (8:05 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 2. Black-capped Chickadee 3. Tufted Titmouse 4. Downy Woodpecker 5. Northern Cardinal 6. American Goldfinch 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. White-breasted Nuthatch 9. Veery 10. Gray Catbird 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Alder Flycatcher 13. Mourning Dove 14. Cedar Waxwing 15. Song Sparrow 16. Common Yellowthroat 17. Barn Swallow 18. American Robin 19. Common Raven 20. Blue Jay
When dog and I started up the wooded trail this morning, the temperature was in the 50s (F). Mostly sunny, and I knew this summer day would warm, but the coolness invigorated us both, I think. Also a few birds.
Before long, for instance, standing in one place, I added five woodpecker species to my early list. Near the top of the woods, I heard the loud, croaking calls of two ravens (first in weeks). At the end of our hike, I spied the first redstart in a while—and, for good measure, heard the unmistakable cry of an Osprey.
In other news, before our hike I heard a Carolina Wren in the woods at the edge of the yard, and afterward, I helped reintroduce a lost juvie robin to its parent(s). An all-around good day.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:05 a.m. EST (8:05 DST), I hiked all trails.
First I looked at the thermometer this morning, the temp was in the 50s (F). But soon enough, the nice cool hike to start for dog and me became rather warm. The breeze helped—as did the ol’ birding distraction. Still plenty of juvies (among them a towhee that posed), but my total species count was pretty low.
Still had a few exciting moments—a calling Red-shouldered Hawk, juvie towhees and Chestnut-sided Warblers.
This afternoon some rain fell, and I heard a rumble of thunder. Looking forward to seeing how tomorrow shapes up.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:22 a.m. EST (8:22 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Blue Jay 3. American Goldfinch 4. Black-throated Green Warbler 5. Chestnut-sided Warbler 6. Veery 7. Downy Woodpecker 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Black-capped Chickadee 11. Tufted Titmouse 12. American Crow 13. Cedar Waxwing 14. Alder Flycatcher 15. Song Sparrow 16. Red-shouldered Hawk 17. Common Yellowthroat 18. Gray Catbird 19. Hermit Thrush 20. Turkey Vulture 21. Tree Swallow 22. Hairy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
23. Herring Gull 24. Eastern Phoebe
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
