30 May 2023

Posts Tagged ‘American woodcock’

Cuckoo

Thursday, May 25th, 2023
Black-billed Cuckoo, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 25 May 2023.
Black-billed Cuckoo (first of year).

A bright, chilly morning with a breeze. Upper 40s (F) to start, so I wore my birding hoodie—a smooth move. Wild birds, however, seemed relatively undaunted by the fact that the breeze was northeasterly, and dog and I had a nice hike.

That said, I had relatively few photo opportunities for much of our nature walk, which was a tad frustrating. Then, during our return, a long dark bird flitted across the hedgy trail ahead of us. It turned out to be my first Black-billed Cuckoo of the year. And the cuckoo stayed at its perch long enough for me to sneak up and get a few close photos of this handsome bird’s upper half.

Also noteworthy: a flushed woodcock, a vocal Least Flycatcher, and—at home—a fox carrying a deceased gray squirrel across the lawn.

Ah, spring!

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:11 p.m. sun time (7:11 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
2. Ovenbird**
3. Chestnut-sided Warbler
4. American Redstart**
5. Eastern Phoebe**
6. Blue Jay (v)
7. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
8. Hermit Thrush (v)
9. American Goldfinch
10. Gray Catbird**
11. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
12. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
13. Eastern Towhee
14. Common Yellowthroat (v)
15. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
16. American Woodcock
17. Veery
18. Song Sparrow**
19. American Crow*
20. Yellow Warbler (v)
21. Field Sparrow
22. Least Flycatcher (v)
23. American Robin
24. Alder Flycatcher (v)
25. Scarlet Tanager (v)
26. Chipping Sparrow
27. Purple Finch (v)
28. Eastern Bluebird
29. Herring Gull*
30. Tufted Titmouse (v)
31. Brown-headed Cowbird
32. Northern Parula (v)
33. Red-winged Blackbird (v)
34. Black-billed Cuckoo†
35. Broad-winged Hawk (v)
36. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)
37. Wood Thrush (v)

Elsewhere

38. Pine Warbler (v)
39. European Starling

Mammals

Eastern Gray Squirrel (live one)
Red Fox

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Amphibians

Sunday, May 21st, 2023
Green Frog, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 21 May 2023.
Green Frog.
Eastern Newt eft, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 21 May 2023.
Eastern Newt eft.

About two inches of rain fell overnight, but sure enough—as forecast—it’d stopped by the time dog and I were ready to hike this morning. Temps in the 50s (F) to start, and foggy on the hill, but it was warmer (and clearer) by the time of our return.

In between times, I managed a list of 44 birds (including a first-of-year Warbling Vireo), but most noteworthy were a pair of trail amphibians.

On the main trail, near the summit, sat a Green Frog. Just sat there on the gravel, letting me take photos. Finally I got close enough that it decided to hop off into the wet grass. And down in the middle of the lower wooded trail, I happened to spy a tiny bright orange newt eft.

It’s been pretty dry, so I expect the fresh douse of water drew the amphibians out. Then again, what do I know.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:`16 p.m. sun time (7:16 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
2. Ovenbird** (v)
3. Wood Thrush (v)
4. Eastern Phoebe*
5. Veery (v)
6. Black-throated Green Warbler** (v)
7. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
8. Black-capped Chickadee**
9. Northern Cardinal** (v)
10. Gray Catbird**
11. Eastern Towhee**
12. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
13. Blue Jay (v)
14. Common Yellowthroat
15. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (v)
16. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
17. American Woodcock
18. Field Sparrow
19. Yellow Warbler
20. Common Loon (v)
21. Chipping Sparrow
22. Song Sparrow**
23. American Robin**
24. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
25. Eastern Bluebird
26. Sharp-shinned Hawk
27. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
28. Hermit Thrush (v)
29. Red-winged Blackbird
30. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming)
31. Alder Flycatcher (v)
32. Brown-headed Cowbird
33. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
34. Scarlet Tanager (v)
35. American Redstart (v)
36. American Crow*
37. Mourning Dove** (v)
38. Wild Turkey
39. Downy Woodpecker
40. American Goldfinch (v)
41. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
42. Warbling Vireo
43. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
44. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)
45. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)

Elsewhere

46. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
47. Mallard

Amphibians

Green Frog
Eastern Newt (eft)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Phoebe

Wednesday, April 5th, 2023
Eastern Phoebe (first of year), Rockport, Maine, 05 April 2023.
Eastern Phoebe (first of year).

This morning’s sky was overcast, and the air had wind and a chill. Becuase of those conditions, I didn’t expect many birds, but I was pleasantly wrong.

Most notable would be a pair of eagles flying over early on and the first chipmunk in a while and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drumming down in the woods and a flushed woodcock. And then, back home, a first-of-year phoebe perched on a twig by the house, flicking its tail.

I had the distinct feeling today that spring migration is all wound up and ready to go. Looking forward to my hike with dog in the morning (after tonight’s rain).

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:51 a.m. real time (7:51 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. American Crow*
2. Song Sparrow* (v)
3. Tufted Titmouse (v)
4. Black-capped Chickadee*
5. Bald Eagle
6. American Goldfinch (v)
7. Herring Gull*
8. American Kestrel
9. Dark-eyed Junco* (v)
10. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker† (v)
11. American Woodcock
12. Pine Siskin (v)
13. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
14. Downy Woodpecker* (v)
15. Northern Cardinal** (v)

Elsewhere

16. Wild Turkey
17. Mourning Dove
18. Eastern Phoebe†

Mammals

Eastern Chipmunk

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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