Another clear sky with a breeze from a favorable direction, but I didn’t expect early fall migration would grace me with so many species during my morning hike with dog. Thirty.
Notable additions to the usual suspects were a pair of hawks (sharpie and broad-winged), White-throated Sparrow (rarely seen since spring), Ruby-crowned Kinglet—and at the end of our hike we spooked an American Woodcock.
A week from today, dog and I will be Monhegan bound for an even more exciting glimpse of fall migration in action.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* 2. Hermit Thrush 3. Blue Jay** 4. Black-capped Chickadee* 5. Red-breasted Nuthatch** 6. Gray Catbird 7. Common Yellowthroat 8. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 9. American Redstart 10. Black-and-white Warbler 11. Red-eyed Vireo 12. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 13. Northern Flicker 14. American Robin* 15. White-breasted Nuthatch 16. American Goldfinch 17. Eastern Towhee 18. Yellow-rumped Warbler 19. White-throated Sparrow 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. Song Sparrow 22. Savannah Sparrow 23. Eastern Bluebird 24. Sharp-shinned Hawk 25. Chipping Sparrow 26. Broad-winged Hawk 27. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 28. Tufted Titmouse (v) 29. Brown Creeper (v) 30. American Woodcock
Elsewhere
31. Carolina Wren (v) 32. Northern Cardinal (v)
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
I was prepared for a little rain this morning, but the early weather radar showed that most precipitation was sliding off toward the north. One approaching shower could possibly graze us—but I didn’t mind.
Turns out the shower did graze us, but not for about a half hour. Meantime, the birds were shy, the woods were dark, and the air was cool. Pretty lovely, actually. When the shower did come, it turned into one of the most luscious hikes I can remember. Protected by the thick canopy, yet present for the soothing sound of the rain… Hard to describe. Just wonderful.
And after the rain let up, birds emerged—oriole, woodcock, raven, first restart in a good while.
Was looking forward to sweet rain all week, as forecast, but it seems the forecast has changed. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:37 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Hermit Thrush 3. American Crow* (v) 4. Gray Catbird** 5. Eastern Towhee 6. Eastern Wood-pewee 7. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 8. Brown Creeper (v) 9. White-breasted Nuthatch 10. American Robin* 11. Cedar Waxwing 12. American Goldfinch (v) 13. Baltimore Oriole 14. Song Sparrow** 15. Northern Flicker (v) 16. House Finch 17. Mourning Dove* 18. Common Yellowthroat 19. Common Raven (v) 20. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 21. American Woodcock 22. Chestnut-sided Warbler 23. American Redstart 24. Black-throated Green Warbler 25. Tufted Titmouse (v) 26. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
27. Northern Cardinal
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Yet another clear, warm, dry morning—one during which I had to wonder where all these mosquitoes came from? Not much breeze in the woodlands, and not too many bird species. Until the upper, open acreage, that is.
Noteworthy: spooked a woodcock, two ravens still hanging out in the inland blueberry patch—and a relatively cooperative Brown Creeper down by the parking lot.
There’ll be a blueberry pick tomorrow. Thinking I might blow off my preregistration and just let other folks play (while Jack and I hike, as usual).
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:27 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. Northern Cardinal** 3. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 4. American Goldfinch** 5. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 6. American Crow* 7. Hermit Thrush 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. Blue Jay (v) 10. Ovenbird (v) 11. American Robin 12. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 13. Northern Flicker 14. Eastern Towhee 15. Gray Catbird 16. Common Yellowthroat** 17. Chestnut-sided Warbler (v) 18. Cedar Waxwing 19. Alder Flycatcher (v) 20. Song Sparrow* 21. Yellow Warbler 22. Field Sparrow 23. House Wren (v) 24. Purple Finch 25. Common Raven 26. Red-breasted Nuthatch 27. Savannah Sparrow 28. Downy Woodpecker 29. Eastern Phoebe 30. American Woodcock 31. Veery (v) 32. Tufted Titmouse 33. Brown Creeper
Elsewhere
34. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
