30 May 2023

Posts Tagged ‘barn swallow’

Swallows on a Cloudy Morn

Thursday, August 11th, 2022

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

Warm & Muggy

Sunday, August 7th, 2022
Black-and-white Warbler, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 07 August 2022.
Black-and-white Warbler (fem).

This morning was a warm one. About room temperature when dog and I started up the trail, but muggy. And by the time we returned a couple hours or so later, it felt like at least 80-something.

Quite a number of bird species nonetheless, including many juvies. Oddly, only one waxwing—perhaps in part because yesterday’s early t-shower seems to have ended the fly hatch.

Had thirty species total. And a good time was had by all.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:22 a.m., I hiked most trails.

1. Red-eyed Vireo
2. Song Sparrow
3. American Crow
4. American Goldfinch
5. Northern Cardinal
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Downy Woodpecker
8. Eastern Wood-pewee
9. Brown Creeper
10. White-breasted Nuthatch
11. Tufted Titmouse
12. Black-and-white Warbler
13. Black-throated Green Warbler
14. Blue Jay
15. Hermit Thrush
16. Red-bellied Woodpecker
17. American Robin
18. Hairy Woodpecker
19. Northern Flicker
20. Eastern Towhee
21. Alder Flycatcher
22. Gray Catbird
23. Yellow Warbler
24. Field Sparrow
25. Mourning Dove
26. Barn Swallow
27. Turkey Vulture
28. House Finch
29. Cedar Waxwing
30. Chestnut-sided Warbler

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

†First-of-year

Thrasher

Saturday, August 6th, 2022
Brown Thrasher, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 06 August 2022.
Brown Thrasher.

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

 
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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