In the wee hours this morning, dog and I were awakened by a lightning strike about a block away. Crack! (So near, there was no rumble following.) And then it began to rain. I checked the weather radar, and a solitary thundershower was basically centered directly above us—the only precipitation in the state.
By daylight, much of the rain had evaporated in the warm air, turning it muggy. And during our hike, the birds were quieter than on recent mornings. But, as always, we were both amused and inspired.
Most notable: a solitary brown thrasher popped up between the woods and open fields. A first-of-year bird.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:40 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. American Crow* (v) 3. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 4. American Goldfinch** 5. Hermit Thrush 6. Black-capped Chickadee** 7.White-breasted Nuthatch** (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee 9. Tufted Titmouse (v) 10. Northern Flicker 11. Downy Woodpeckers 12. Eastern Towhee 13. Alder Flycatcher 14. Gray Catbird 15. Song Sparrow* 16. Common Yellowthroat 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. Yellow Warbler (v) 19. Barn Swallow 20. American Robin* 21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 22. House Wren (v) 23. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 24. Least Flycatcher (v) 25. Brown Thrasher† 26. Northern Cardinal* (v)
Elsewhere
27. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Warmish this morning—upper 60s (F)—but overcast and muggy, with thunder on the fringes. Prepared for a shower without expecting one. Quiet to start, but eventually the bird action picked up.
So did the human action: had some fun conversations with various folks and—as usual—rambled too much. (I blame my mostly solo routine.) But the most fun, for me, was the discovery of a seriously thick fly hatch atop the summit spruces, attended by the usual waxwings.
Expecting at least a little fun tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:31 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. American Crow* 2. American Goldfinch** 3. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 4. Hermit Thrush 5. Blue Jay (v) 6. Eastern Wood-pewee 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Tufted Titmouse (v) 9. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 10. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 11. Brown Creeper (v) 12. Eastern Towhee 13. Alder Flycatcher 14. Song Sparrow* 15. Chestnut-sided Warbler 16. Common Yellowthroat 17. Yellow Warbler (v) 18. Cedar Waxwing 19. Mourning Dove* 20. Gray Catbird 21. Eastern Phoebe 22. Field Sparrow (v) 23. American Robin 24. Chipping Sparrow* 25. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 26. Purple Finch 27. Least Flycatcher
Elsewhere
28. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Well, wasn’t this morning’s a fun birding excursion. Dog and I hit the trail kind of early—same time as yesterday, pretty much—but things seemed awfully quiet to start. Then, as we approached the edge between woodlands and open fields, all heaven broke loose.
Heard (and saw) Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Flushed a couple of turkeys. Then at the little summit spruce grove, where a fly hatch was going on, a couple unexpected species showed up. Most notably, a little group of orioles (first of year). But also a solitary Least Flycatcher, which must’ve been having a field day up there.
Also, at one point, I heard a Killdeer fly overhead. Random.
Random, but really cool.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:14 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. American Goldfinch** 2. American Crow* 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 6. Mourning Dove* (v) 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. Black-capped Chickadee** 9. Hermit Thrush (v) 10. Blue Jay (v) 11. Tufted Titmouse 12 White-breasted Nuthatch** 13. Red-bellied Woodpecker 14. Northern Flicker (v) 15. Wild Turkey 16. Eastern Towhee 17. Alder Flycatcher 18. Common Yellowthroat 19. Gray Catbird 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. Song Sparrow 22. Yellow Warbler (v) 23. American Robin 24. Rose-breasted Grosbeak 25. Baltimore Oriole† 26. Field Sparrow (v) 27. Eastern Phoebe 28. Least Flycatcher 29. Black-and-white Warbler 30. Eastern Bluebird 31. Savanna Sparrow (v) 32. Downy Woodpecker 33. Killdeer (v) 24. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 35. Northern Cardinal (v) 36. Hairy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
37. Herring Gull 38. Chipping Sparrow (v)
Mammals
White-tailed Deer (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
