Black-throated Green Warbler (singing with its mouth full).
This morning dawned sunny and pleasantly cool, mid- to upper-50s (F). The forecasters suggested it’d get warmer, which gave me the idea of hiking over the hill and down the trail to the Erickson Fields Preserve. So that’s what dog and I did.
Was a long hike—both time-wise and miles-wise—but well worth it. The Erickson Fields trail traverses quite a different habitat from Beech Hill’s hardwoods and barrens (old-growth spruce/pine and grasslands), which support a notably different array of wild birds. Had multiple Black-throated Blue Warblers, saw a bunch of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, even heard the very high-pitched song of a Blackburnian Warbler. And at the far end was a grassy field with Barn Swallows zipping around.
I’m astonished that I waited so long to take that lovely hike. We’ll be doing it again real soon, dog and I.
Beech Hill/Erickson Fields List Starting at 6:09 a.m. EST (7:09 DST), I hiked all trails at both preserves.
A bright chilly morning. Started slow, but soon enough warmed enough to set free some black flies, and the birds appeared slowly and steadily. My one first-of-year species I didn’t notice until I looked at photos (a Wilson’s Warbler vs a Yellow Warbler)—but lots of variety.
Blue Jays were conspicuous, others inconspicuous. A few quiet birds snuck onto the list (e.g., kingbirds, waxwings, Blackburnian warbler), a few noisy ones returned (e.g., Great Crested Flycatcher). No cuckoos today.
In a surprise twist, I took a dramatic tumble off a boardwalk, but no damage done to my person or optics, and Jack was amused.
All in all, another day of fun.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Ovenbird 3. Blue Jay 4. Chestnut-sided Warbler 5. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 6. Veery 7. Hairy Woodpecker 8. Common Yellowthroat 9. Gray Catbird** 10. Wood Thrush (v) 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Yellow Warbler (v) 13. American Redstart 14. American Goldfinch** 15. Tufted Titmouse (v) 16. Scarlet Tanager 17. American Crow* 18. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 19. Downy Woodpecker (v) 20. Song Sparrow** 21. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 22. Purple Finch (v) 23. Tree Swallow 24. Alder Flycatcher 25. Eastern Kingbird 26. Cedar Waxwing 27. Field Sparrow (v) 28. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 29. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 30. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 31. Hermit Thrush (v) 32. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 33. Least Flycatcher (v) 34. Northern Flicker (v) 35. Mourning Dove (v) 36. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 37. Northern Parula (v) 38. Wilson’s Warbler† 39. Blackburnian Warbler
Elsewhere
40. House Finch (v) 41. Herring Gull 42. Bald Eagle
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year bird
Thick fog this morning, but it burned off by the time we got to the trailhead. And it turned out to be the best birding day of spring so far. Dozens of species, good looks, nice variety—but I forgot to turn on my GoPro.
Good hike though: first-of-year Maggie warb, decent photos. Fun and fruitful anyway.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
