A later hike with dog this morning. Foggier than yesterday. But surprisingly birdy, nonetheless.
Highlights were a couple of hummingbird sightings (first-of-year birds), as well as the hoots from the bottomlands of a Barred Owl (also first of year, I guess you could say).
Still several species that haven’t showed up yet. Anticipation.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:16 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Eastern Phoebe* 2. Ovenbird** 3. Black-throated Green Warbler** 4. American Goldfinch (v) 5. Tufted Titmouse (v) 6. Black-and-white Warbler 7. American Robin 8. Gray Catbird 9. Blue Jay 10. Chestnut-sided Warbler 11. Black-capped Chickadee 12. American Crow* 14. Eastern Towhee 15. Ruby-throated Hummingbird† 16. Common Yellowthroat 17. White-throated Sparrow 18. Hermit Thrush (v) 19. Yellow Warbler (v) 20. Song Sparrow** 21. Tree Swallow 22. Field Sparrow (v) 23. Nashville Warbler (v) 24. Yellow-rumped Warbler 25. Northern Parula 26. Barred Owl (v) 27. Blue-headed Vireo (v) 28. Wild Turkey 29. Hairy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
30. Mallard 31. European Starling 32. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Every spring for the past many years, I’ve seen kestrels pass through Beech Hill Preserve. They’ve tended to arrive in mid-April—hovering above the barrens, perching on little snags—and are gone by the first of May.
I’ve seen them dive and bring up prey. Even spied one once in the bare loan oak tree dining on a snake. But never have I seen evidence of a nesting pair on the hill.
Until this year. Every day for the past couple weeks (or more) they dependably appear, scanning the barrens from the roofs of the bluebird boxes, driving the swallows crazy. I wonder how this will change the order of things.
Already this spring has seen no evidence of nesting Savannah Sparrows (a first since I’ve been coming)—will there be no annual phoebe nest in the eaves of Beech Nut this year?
It’ll be interesting to see how things go.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Robin 2. Ovenbird 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Common Yellowthroat 5. Herring Gull 6. American Goldfinch 7. Eastern Towhee 8. Tufted Titmouse 9. Nashville Warbler 10. Black-and-white Warbler 11. Mourning Dove 12. Common Raven 13. Downy Woodpecker 14. Gray Catbird 15. Northern Parula 16. American Crow 17. Song Sparrow 18. Black-throated Green Warbler 19. American Kestrel 20. Tree Swallow 21. Blue Jay 22. Eastern Phoebe 23. Purple Finch 24. Veery
Elsewhere
25. Barred Owl 26. House Finch 27. Common Grackle 28. Northern Cardinal
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Cool but not too windy. Partly overcast, hazy sun. Got to the hill a bit late, at 8, but still had a heck of a bird list. Notable were a number of first-of-year species—including a surprise pair of (silent) male Scarlet Tanagers.
Also a nice surprise was a Swamp Sparrow. First booming grouse. First Alder Flycatcher. And got a sweet photo of a singing Ovenbird.
Looking forward to tomorrow.
Ovenbird.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked all trails.