Another cool, sunny September morning. Easier my old dog than the recent hot, muggy morns, and all in all a very nice hike. As for birds, quite a few—including three sparrow species: Eastern Towhee, Song Sparrow, and Savannah Sparrow.
The latter is my favorite sparrow, thanks to its clean, natty plumage, subtle yellow eyebrow, and sweet, sibilant, insect-like song. Alas, I only heard a couple singing on the hill this past spring, and I’m afraid only one nest resulted in fledglings (whereas in years past, there’d be at least three successful nesting pairs). So it was a nice surprise to catch sight of this one.
As summer grows long in the tooth, and signs of impending migration persist, perhaps it was just passing through.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:20 a.m. EST (8:20 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 2. Blue Jay (v) 3. Black-capped Chickadee** 4. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 5. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 6. White-breasted Nuthatch 7. Brown Creeper (v) 8. American Crow* (v) 9. Eastern Towhee 10. Gray Catbird 11. American Goldfinch** 12. Common Yellowthroat 13. Savannah Sparrow 14. Song Sparrow 15. Northern Flicker (v) 16. Eastern Bluebird 17. Herring Gull* 18. Alder Flycatcher (v) 19. Turkey Vulture 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
22. Chipping Sparrow
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Coolish again to start this day, but the flood of sun warmed things up soon enough. Not so many species as yesterday, but interesting encounters. Including, for the third straight day, another hawk flyby.
Raptors seem to take to the sky when they get that instinctual urge to move. That’s why there are so many hawk watches out there during migration—head to a high place and start counting. Today’s was an immature Broad-winged Hawk (along with another individual whose age I couldn’t gauge). They nest in these parts but migrate down to South America in fall.
Supposed to rain all day tomorrow. I wonder if dog and I will encounter a hawk in the rain.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:33 a.m. EST (8:33 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee 2. American Goldfinch** 3. Gray Catbird** 4. Eastern Wood-pewee 5. Eastern Towhee 6. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 7. Black-and-white Warbler 8. Brown Creeper 9. Blue Jay (v) 10. White-breasted Nuthatch** 11. American Crow* 12. American Redstart 13. Chipping Sparrow 14. Common Yellowthroat (v) 15. Cedar Waxwing 16. Song Sparrow 17. Broad-winged Hawk 18. Barn Swallow
Elsewhere
19. Mourning Dove 20. Herring Gull 21. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Ah, what a lovely cool, clear, breezy morning. As we headed up through the woods, dog and I, we encountered more birds than in the past few days—and a few notable species not encountered in a good while. A Philadelphia Vireo, for instance, and the call of a Canada Warbler, and a juvie chippy poking about in the canopy.
The largest mouthful of caterpillars, however, belonged to a clucking Hermit Thrush which agreeably posed for a photo.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:09 a.m. EST (8:09 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay (v) 2. Tufted Titmouse (v) 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Red-eyed Vireo 5. White-breasted Nuthatch 6. Eastern Wood-pewee 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Black-and-white Warbler 9. Chipping Sparrow 10. Philadelphia Vireo† 11. Hermit Thrush 12. Ovenbird 13. Eastern Towhee (v) 14. American Crow* 15. Canada Warbler† 16. Gray Catbird** (v) 17. Common Yellowthroat** (v) 18. Song Sparrow 19. Turkey Vulture 20. Herring Gull* 21. American Redstart 22. Cedar Waxwing
Elsewhere
23. Mourning Dove 24. Northern Cardinal (v) 25. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
