Sure enough rained yesterday, and overnight last night, and first thing this morning. Dog and I waited until a bit late, when rain turned to mist and fog, before heading up main trail for the second straight day.
A hike in a cloud—and the birds were lovin’ it. Nearly a dozen more species than yesterday, and a few little pods of warblers moving through the drippy trees of the wooded trail. Speaking of, as we hiked that trail, rain began to fall again. Ah, so great. We hiked for about ten minutes or so in a steady gentle rain (staying drier than we would’ve had we been hiking the open trail).
A jay and a cardinal at the end of it. And in the afternoon, more sweet rain.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:55 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. White-breasted Nuthatch 2. Gray Catbird 3. American Crow 4. Red-eyed Vireo 5. Least Flycatcher 6. Eastern Towhee 7. Downy Woodpecker 8. Black-capped Chickadee 9. American Goldfinch 10. Cedar Waxwing 11. Red-breasted Nuthatch 12. Song Sparrow 13. Purple Finch 14. Savannah Sparrow 15. Common Yellowthroat 16. Yellow Warbler 17. Northern Flicker 18. Mourning Dove 19. Chestnut-sided Warbler 20. Yellow-rumped Warbler 21. Brown Creeper 22. Hermit Thrush 23. Eastern Wood-pewee 24. Northern Cardinal 25. Blue Jay
Elsewhere
26. Carolina Wren
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Here’s a picture of a Red-eyed Vireo. It’s a common species in the spring and summer woodland trails I hike with dog each day. These vireos flit around fairly high in the canopy, where the hardwood leaves provide good cover, and it’s a challenge to get a decent photo.
Today, this one paused and posed.
Otherwise, an interesting hike: heard (then saw, in high flight) a Greater Yellowlegs; heard the first Pileated Woodpecker in a while; saw a bunch of later-summer dragonflies and butterflies. I lovely morning.
Looks like tomorrow morning we’ll be hiking in rain showers. Which is better than fine. (We need rain.)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:32 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay (v) 2. American Goldfinch** 3. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 4. American Crow* (v) 5. Red-eyed Vireo** 6. Ovenbird 7. Eastern Towhee 8. Purple Finch 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Brown Creeper (v) 11. Yellow-rumped Warbler (v) 12. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 13. Alder Flycatcher (v) 14. Gray Catbird** 15. Song Sparrow** 16. Cedar Waxwing 17. Yellow Warbler (v) 18. Savannah Sparrow 19. Common Yellowthroat (v) 20. American Robin (v) 21. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 22. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 23. Tufted Titmouse 24. Greater Yellowlegs 25. Chestnut-sided Warbler
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
This morning’s cool, sunny hike—the yellowish sun of late summer—came with a nice collection of bird species, but a more distracted lister. That’s because of the several conversations I had with fellow Beech Hill hikers.
Bobolink (female/juvie male).
It’s often that way. Jack and I are a friendly pair, and, well, these days trail chats are pretty much our only social life. These chats were good ones— inspiring, involving strangers and old pals, full of interesting coincidences. But I really lose count on such mornings.
I’m pretty sure I nailed things down, though. Most memorable, to me, will be the fact that I got my first halfway decent photo of a Maine hummingbird in a long while. (Haven’t seen many since our return.) Plus, a first-in-years Bobolink.
Rain expected on Wednesday. Tomorrow will be another dry one.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay (v) 2. American Crow* (v) 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Red-eyed Vireo 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. Red-breasted Nuthatch 7. Alder Flycatcher 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v) 10. Ovenbird (v) 11. Tufted Titmouse (v) 12. Brown Creeper (v) 13. Gray Catbird** 14. Eastern Towhee 15. Eastern Phoebe 16. Cedar Waxwing 17. Purple Finch 18. Yellow-rumped Warbler 19. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 20. Field Sparrow (v) 21. Song Sparrow** 22. Yellow Warbler (v) 23. Bobolink 24. Chestnut-sided Warbler 25. Northern Cardinal (v) 26. Least Flycatcher (v) 27. Common Yellowthroat 28. Wilson’s Warbler
Elsewhere
29. Carolina Wren (v) 30. American Robin (v) 31. Herring Gull
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
Reptiles
Eastern Garter Snake
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
