I love the little Alder Flycatcher. These are shy birds, but the nest along he field edges of the preserve, and I’ve grown accustomed to their various subtle vocalizations (beyond their typical “free beer!” song).
Descending today, I heard the familiar Pip! alert sound of theirs coming from some greenery very near the trail. Of course Jack and I stopped so I could take a peek. The bird must’ve had fledglings nearby—otherwise I’d never have gotten close enough for this photo with a sprig of fireweed.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 3. American Goldfinch (v) 4. American Crow* (v) 5. Chipping Sparrow* (v) 6. Tufted Titmouse (v) 7. Eastern Towhee 8. Common Yellowthroat 9. Gray Catbird** 10. Cedar Waxwing 11. Song Sparrow** 12. Field Sparrow (v) 13. Yellow Warbler (v) 14. Chestnut-sided Warbler (v) 15. Eastern Phoebe* 16. Eastern Bluebird 17. Osprey 18. American Robin 19. Savannah Sparrow 20. Alder Flycatcher
Elsewhere
21. Wild Turkey 22. Northern Cardinal (v) 23. Rock Pigeon 24. Mourning Dove
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
This morning was a morning of catbirds and bluebirds. Catbirds mewing everywhere under the cool early overcast. And bluebirds fluttering around the summit in high numbers.
The bluebirds upstaged the catbirds, in fact, as gangs of five or six—adults and youngsters—fluttered and called together, practicing high flight and (perhaps) plucking flies from mid-air.
One adult male even stopped to pose against the blue bay.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Robin 2. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 3. American Crow* 4. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 5. Tufted Titmouse (v) 6. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 7. Gray Catbird** 8. Song Sparrow** 9. Northern Cardinal** (v) 10. Chipping Sparrow* 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Herring Gull* 13. Common Yellowthroat 14. Yellow Warbler (v) 15. Mourning Dove* 16. American Goldfinch** 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. Eastern Phoebe* 19. Eastern Bluebird
Elsewhere
20. Rock Pigeon 21. Great Black-backed Gull
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
I love Savannah Sparrows. I’m not sure what it is. Well, I love their wonderful sibilant, insect-like, understated song, with a little hiccup at the end. And yet it carries a mile. Arguable my favorite birdsong.
The past few days I’ve heard the familiar, sharp, faint chip of a Savannah, then spied down the bird, perched near the tip of a low bush (as is their habit). For whatever reason, this species did not nest in early spring at Beech Hill this year, as usual. I missed ’em like crazy. Nice to see at least one second nest has (apparently) prove fruitful.
Otherwise, a luscious, dry, cool breezy July morning. Not many places have such exceptionally sweet summer’s as we do here at the 44th parallel.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.