Cool temperatures for the second straight morning. Dry, nearly cloudless sky. Few mosquitos (although one got me good), and lovely later-summer’s yellowish early light. Green and yellow and blue.
Good birds. Three nice chats with fellow humans. A couple nice photos.
Truly, I loved this day (as I will love tomorrow).
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. Black-capped Chickadee 3. Red-breasted Nuthatch 4. American Goldfinch** 5. Cedar Waxwing 6. American Crow* 7. Eastern Towhee** 8. American Redstart (v) 9. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 10. Blue Jay (v) 11. Veery (v) 12. American Robin* 13. Hermit Thrush (v) 14. Chestnut-sided Warbler 15. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 16. Hairy Woodpecker 17. Downy Woodpecker 18. Eastern Phoebe 19. Brown Creeper 20. Tufted Titmouse (v) 21. Gray Catbird** 22. Common Yellowthroat (v) 23. Yellow-rumped Warbler 24. Yellow Warbler (v) 25. Song Sparrow 26. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 27. Alder Flycatcher 28. Least Flycatcher (v) 29. Black-and-white Warbler 30. Northern Cardinal (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Gotta admit, I love ravens. Smart birds, with a language of their own—croaks, and wails and baby-like cries and liquid sounds like water. There’s a nest somewhere near where Jack and I hike each day. Used to be just on the other side of Beech Hill Road, but I think it’s moved east a ways.
Today I heard a raven’s croak early in our hike, but didn’t see the bird (or another member of its family) until later. In flight. Croaking. Communicating with a distant relative.
Otherwise, a lovely hike—mostly sunny, with cool, dry [too dry] air and enough birds to keep my jumping. Including young waxwings learning how to pluck flies from a hatch atop the spruce grove.
Yep, we need rain. Will have some eventually—but maybe not tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Blue Jay 2. American Crow 3. American Goldfinch 4. Red-eyed Vireo 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. Ovenbird 7. White-breasted Nuthatch 8. Brown Creeper 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Northern Parula 11. American Redstart 12. Tufted Titmouse 13. Common Yellowthroat 14. American Robin 15. Eastern Towhee 16. Alder Flycatcher 17. Common Raven 18. Red-breasted Nuthatch 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Gray Catbird 21. Yellow Warbler 22. House Finch 23. Song Sparrow 24. Herring Gull 25. Turkey Vulture 26. Eastern Phoebe 27. Northern Cardinal
Elsewhere
28. Osprey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Overcast and cool (low-60s (F)) this morning, with just a whisper of a breeze. Quiet on the trail first thing, but occasional calls came through. They’re moving around, the migratory species. They’re readying for the long fall journey.
Notably, more orioles today, and a minor fly hatch atop the summit spruce grove. But most notably was the circling collection of about a dozen barn swallows, a few families catching flies.
And the last bird on my list? A loon calling from not that far above the trees as we neared the end of our hike, dog and me.
(Today I booked dog and me a ferry and room for a Monhegan birding trip next month. It’s been more than three years. Excited.)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 2. American Crow* 3. American Goldfinch 4. Black-capped Chickadee 5. Tufted Titmouse (v) 6. Blue Jay (v) 7. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 8. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 9. American Robin 10. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 11. Ovenbird 12. Eastern Wood-pewee 13. Brown Creeper (v) 14. Eastern Phoebe* 15. Eastern Towhee 16. Alder Flycatcher 17. Gray Catbird** 18. Northern Flicker 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Yellow Warbler (v) 21. White-throated Sparrow (v) 22. Baltimore Oriole 23. Barn Swallow 24. Song Sparrow 25. Field Sparrow 26. Least Flycatcher (v) 27. Common Yellowthroat (v) 28. Chestnut-sided Warbler 29. Common Loon (v)
Elsewhere
30. Mourning Dove 31. Herring Gull 32. Rock Dove
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
