Early to the hill again, and again an embarrassment of species. Noteworthy was a Yellow-throated Vireo I heard calling just down from the summit. Also noteworthy were various fledglings—including a couple first-day Eastern Phoebe babies at the hut.
Male eastern bluebird.
Bluebirds abounded. Plenty of other species also. We’ve already got probably twice as many migratory birds as arrived here just a few weeks ago. And many more still will fly south come fall.
Rain tonight. A little tomorrow. Flooding is a rare challenge—but better too much rain than not enough.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail—and then some.
Led a bird walk this morning. It was a pretty fun time. Lots and lots of warblers (and other species) right near the trailhead first thing. Fewer birds higher up—and a stout northwest wind at the summit.
But also a loon at the summit. Kestrel. Broad-winged hawk. A coffee and pastries and a fireplace fire and classical guitar music in the hut.
Dog and I would surely enjoy day like this every day of the year.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Robin* (v) 2. Black-throated Green Warbler 3. Ovenbird** 4. Northern Parula 5. Great Crested Flycatcher 6. Common Yellowthroat** 7. Black-capped Chickadee* (v) 8. White-breasted Nuthatch 9. Black-and-white Warbler 10. American Redstart 11. Blue Jay** (v) 12. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 13. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 14. White-throated Sparrow 15. Northern Cardinal (v) 16. Wood Thrush (v) 17. Blue-headed Vireo 18. Eastern Towhee 19. American Goldfinch 20. Tufted Titmouse (v) 21. American Crow 22. Field Sparrow (v) 23. Song Sparrow 24. Tree Swallow 25. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 26. Herring Gull* 27. American Kestrel 28. Common Loon 29. Broad-winged Hawk (v) 30. Hermit Thrush (v) 31. Veery 32. Black-throated Blue Warbler 33. Eastern Phoebe 34. Northern Flicker (v)
Seen/heard by others
35. Swainson’s Thrush 36. Blackburnian Warbler 37. Common Raven
Elsewhere
38. House Finch (v) 39. Chipping Sparrow
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Clear and cool and breezy this morning—a fairly stout northwest breeze. Coming up the hill early, I didn’t expect to have many birds on my list. I was wrong.
Not only the usual suspects, but two first-of-year species (Palm Warbler and Hermit Thrush—first quay! note, then song), along with an extremely vocal raven. (I learned, in fact, that a raven can utter a series of distinctive clicks.)
And at home, a White-throated Sparrow singing a crazy, uplifting, non-standard white-throat song.
(Also a Barred Owl calling out my back window in the wee hours. Nearly forgot about that one!)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Northern Cardinal* (v) 2. American Goldfinch (v) 3. Tufted Titmouse** (v) 4. Song Sparrow* 5. Eastern Phoebe** 6. American Crow* 7. Common Loon (v) 8. American Kestrel 9. Northern Flicker 10. American Robin* 11. Eastern Bluebird 12. Herring Gull* 13. Common Raven 14. Yellow-rumped Warbler 15. Palm Warbler† 16. Hermit Thrush† 17. Turkey Vulture 18. Black-capped Chickadee* (v)
Bird Report is an intermittent record of what's outside my window in Rockport, Maine, USA (44°08'N latitude, 69°06'W longitude), and vicinity. —Brian Willson
