I thought I saw an owl this morning. I feel pretty sure I did see an owl, in fact. A Barred Owl is my guess. But all I really saw was a hawk-sized brown bird float silently down between the (similarly brown) tree trunks along the trail I was hiking with Jack-my-dog. “Hawk!” was my first thought. But the broad-wings are gone—and at this season, what other hawk would decide to hang out among the trunks of a forested hillside?
Without a sure ID, of course, I couldn’t add the bird to my list today. Nor could I add two species with very different unfamiliar calls. I could add the woodcock we flushed, though. And a Pileated Woodpecker.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:10 a.m., I hiked all trails (and then some).
1. American Goldfinch** 2. Black-capped Chickadee 3. Blue Jay 4. American Crow* 5. Pileated Woodpecker 6. Pine Siskin (v) 7. American Woodcock 8. Song Sparrow 9. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 10. American Robin 11. Northern Flicker (v) 12. Purple Finch (v) 13. Eastern Bluebird (v)
Elsewhere
14. Northern Cardinal (v) 15. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Overcast and chilly when dog and I headed up to the preserve. Ordinarily I’d take us to the main trail, where the open air would brighten things photographically—but I spied a scrap or two of blue, so decided on the wooded trailhead. It was the right decision. Not only did the sun emerge, but the morning got warm and humid in a hurry.
And a bunch of birds showed up.
Corvids, nuthatches, thrushes, finches, warblers, woodpeckers, sparrows. Many, many yellow-rumps (about 90, I figured) and a good-sized flock of robins. Surprised a woodcock (no photo, dangit). But the highlight was likely a solitary Blackpoll Warbler—first of year on the hill for me.
No photo of the blackpoll, but here’s a Hermit Thrush.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:25 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow 2. Yellow-rumped Warbler 3. American Goldfinch (v) 4. Blue Jay (v) 5. Brown Creeper 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Eastern Bluebird (v) 8. Blackpoll Warbler 9. Purple Finch 10. Tufted Titmouse (v) 11. Northern Flicker (v) 12. American Robin 13. Eastern Towhee (v) 14. Hermit Thrush 15. American Woodcock 16. White-throated Sparrow 17. Gray Catbird 18. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 19. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 20. Savannah Sparrow 21. Osprey 22. Song Sparrow (v) 23. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 24. Downy Woodpecker (v) 25. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
Elsewhere
26. Carolina Wren (v) 27. Herring Gull 28. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Another clear, breezy morning with a nice assortment of nervous birds. Among the several species up at the summit spruce grove, I spied a Blue-headed Vireo. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen one, months since I’ve heard them singing. This one must’ve been on its way south.
As, by the way, was a nice-sized flock of migrating Monarchs—most I’ve seen so far.
No hawks today, but dog and I did spook another woodcock.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:36 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Common Yellowthroat (v) 2. American Crow* 3. Blue Jay 4. Northern Flicker 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. American Goldfinch** (v) 7. American Robin 8. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 9. Cedar Waxwing 10. Yellow-rumped Warbler 11. American Woodcock 12. Eastern Towhee (v) 13. Gray Catbird (v) 14. Purple Finch (v) 15. Red-breasted Nuthatch 16. Blue-headed Vireo 17. Song Sparrow 18. Hermit Thrush 19. Osprey 20. Downy Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
21. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel American Red Squirrel Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
