It rained for a while this morning, but the rain moved through in a relative hurry, leaving dog’s and my hiking hill cloaked in fog. A few birds made themselves known early—very few—but the excitement waited until we were following the muddy wooded trails.
As often happens, it started with the voices of chickadees, voices I pay attention to, considering they typically have travel with an entourage. And that was the case this morning. And among the species in the chickadees’ little posse flitted a single Wilson’s Warbler—the first Wilson’s I’ve seen since our return from Salt Lake City nearly a year and a half ago.
This was the second straight day with evidence of the start of fall migration.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:14 a.m. EST (8:14 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Northern Flicker (v) 2. Gray Catbird 3. Song Sparrow 4. Common Yellowthroat 5. American Goldfinch 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. White-breasted Nuthatch 8. Eastern Bluebird 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Hairy Woodpecker 11. Red-eyed Vireo 12. American Redstart 13. Wilson’s Warbler 14. Eastern Towhee 15. Cedar Waxwing 16. Rose-breasted Grosbeak 17. Blue Jay
Elsewhere
18. Carolina Wren 19. American Crow 20. Herring Gull 21. Rock Pigeon 22. Mallard
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
This morning’s forecast rain arrived with a vengeance. Well, not a vengeance, exactly, but it postponed my hike with dog for a couple hours. Had no idea what to expect in the wake of the all that soaking rain—and yet there were birds.
Notable was the flyby of a croaking raven. Also a little flurry of species down in the woods again. Best photo was an immature male yellowthroat.
Beech Hill List Starting at 8:55 a.m. EST (9:55 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee** 2. Tufted Titmouse (v) 3. Blue Jay (v) 4. Northern Flicker 5. Red-eyed Vireo 6. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 7. Black-and-white Warbler 8. Chestnut-sided Warbler 9. American Crow* (v) 10. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 11. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 12. Eastern Towhee 13. Hermit Thrush 14. Gray Catbird** 15. Song Sparrow 16. American Goldfinch 17. Downy Woodpecker (v) 18. Common Raven 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Common Yellowthroat
Elsewhere
21. Herring Gull 22. Mourning Dove 23. Ring-billed Gull (v) 24. Osprey 25. House Sparrow (v)
Mammals
American Red Squirrel (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
I didn’t expect to awaken to a foggy morning today, but there it was. The fog made for a cooler ascent for dog and me, however, and when it lifted—before too awful long—things warmed up pretty quickly. But every day is its own miracle, and the bird life will always surprise.
Notable, today, might be the fact that I had four woodpeckers on my list—a fourth of my final species count. Migratory birds are still gearing up for takeoff, clearly. It’ll be happening soon enough.
Can hardly wait.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:22 a.m. EST (8:22 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Gray Catbird** 2. American Crow* (v) 3. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 4. Song Sparrow 5. Downy Woodpecker (v) 6. Northern Flicker 7. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 8. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 9. American Goldfinch (v) 10. Cedar Waxwing 11. Yellow-rumped Warbler 12. Common Yellowthroat (v) 13. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 14. Black-capped Chickadee 15. Blue Jay (v) 16. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
Elsewhere
17. Herring Gull 18. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
