16 February 2025

Posts Tagged ‘common loon’

Quick Hike

Friday, May 26th, 2023
Black-and-white Warbler (female), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 26 May 2023.
Black-and-white Warbler (female).

Again a chillier morning than the one before, but bright again, with less wind. My ol’ dog didn’t want to get out of the truck at first for some reason, but I finally coaxed him out and he had his usual fine time.

We didn’t end up hiking all trails today, but—as you might expect in late-May—those we did were hopping with birds. No firsts-of-year, but spied a few nice warblers and an osprey circling above the canopy. Enjoyed time again with our friend hikers, human and canine.

Tomorrow’s supposed to get into the 70s. Looking forward to finding out what’s up there.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:45 a.m. sun time (7:45 DST), I hiked most trails.

1. Red-eyed Vireo**
2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
3. Tufted Titmouse (v)
4. Ovenbird**
5. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
6. American Redstart** (v)
7. Eastern Phoebe*
8. Blue Jay (v)
9. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
10. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
11. Brown Creeper (v)
12. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming)
13. American Goldfinch
14. Hermit Thrush (v)
15. Black-capped Chickadee**
16. Black-and-white Warbler
17. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)
18. Eastern Towhee
19. Magnolia Warbler
20. Osprey
21. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
22. Gray Catbird (v)
23. Veery
24. Common Yellowthroat** (v)
25. Song Sparrow (v)
26. Field Sparrow (v)
27. American Crow (v)
28. Northern Flicker (v)
29. Least Flycatcher (v)
30. Chipping Sparrow
31. American Robin (v)
32. Common Loon (v)
33. Wood Thrush (v)
34. Northern Cardinal** (v)

Elsewhere

35. Pine Warbler
35. Mourning Dove

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Amphibians

Sunday, May 21st, 2023
Green Frog, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 21 May 2023.
Green Frog.
Eastern Newt eft, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 21 May 2023.
Eastern Newt eft.

About two inches of rain fell overnight, but sure enough—as forecast—it’d stopped by the time dog and I were ready to hike this morning. Temps in the 50s (F) to start, and foggy on the hill, but it was warmer (and clearer) by the time of our return.

In between times, I managed a list of 44 birds (including a first-of-year Warbling Vireo), but most noteworthy were a pair of trail amphibians.

On the main trail, near the summit, sat a Green Frog. Just sat there on the gravel, letting me take photos. Finally I got close enough that it decided to hop off into the wet grass. And down in the middle of the lower wooded trail, I happened to spy a tiny bright orange newt eft.

It’s been pretty dry, so I expect the fresh douse of water drew the amphibians out. Then again, what do I know.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:16 a.m. sun time (7:16 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
2. Ovenbird** (v)
3. Wood Thrush (v)
4. Eastern Phoebe*
5. Veery (v)
6. Black-throated Green Warbler** (v)
7. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
8. Black-capped Chickadee**
9. Northern Cardinal** (v)
10. Gray Catbird**
11. Eastern Towhee**
12. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
13. Blue Jay (v)
14. Common Yellowthroat
15. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (v)
16. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
17. American Woodcock
18. Field Sparrow
19. Yellow Warbler
20. Common Loon (v)
21. Chipping Sparrow
22. Song Sparrow**
23. American Robin**
24. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
25. Eastern Bluebird
26. Sharp-shinned Hawk
27. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
28. Hermit Thrush (v)
29. Red-winged Blackbird
30. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming)
31. Alder Flycatcher (v)
32. Brown-headed Cowbird
33. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
34. Scarlet Tanager (v)
35. American Redstart (v)
36. American Crow*
37. Mourning Dove** (v)
38. Wild Turkey
39. Downy Woodpecker
40. American Goldfinch (v)
41. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
42. Warbling Vireo
43. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
44. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)
45. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)

Elsewhere

46. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
47. Mallard

Amphibians

Green Frog
Eastern Newt (eft)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Warblers

Monday, May 8th, 2023
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 08 May 2023.
Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Cooler than yesterday, with a bit of a disadvantageous (northerly, westerly) breeze, but still the birds arrived. More species on my list today than on any other day this year.

Notable were first-of-year Blackburnian Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. Also had a random kinglet, a kestrel dining on a snake, and only a single crow. But the warblers were stars on this sunny spring day.

Eight warbler species showed up this morning (including the firsts-of-year above), each singing its distinctive spring song. Just lovely.

I do hope they turn up again tomorrow, when I lead my first Beech Hill bird walk in a while.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:13 a.m. real time (7:13 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. American Robin (v)
2. Eastern Phoebe*
3. Black-throated Green Warbler**
4. Black-and-white Warbler**
5. Blue Jay** (v)
6. Eastern Towhee
7. Ovenbird
8. American Goldfinch**
9. Downy Woodpecker (v)
10. Chestnut-sided Warbler
11. Purple Finch
12. Black-capped Chickadee**
13. Red-winged Blackbird (v)
14. Northern Cardinal* (v)
15. Yellow-rumped Warbler
16. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
17. White-throated Sparrow**
18. Northern Parula (v)
19. Blue-headed Vireo
20. Common Loon (v)
21. Ruffed Grouse (drumming)
22. Gray Catbird (v)
23. Northern Flicker (v)
24. Chipping Sparrow**
25. Tree Swallow
26. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
27. Field Sparrow (v)
28. Song Sparrow**
29. American Kestrel
30. Savannah Sparrow
31. Herring Gull* (v)
32. Blackburnian Warbler†
33. Turkey Vulture
34. Eastern Bluebird
35. Common Yellowthroat† (v)
36. American Crow*
37. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
38. Tufted Titmouse (v)

Elsewhere

37. Wild Turkey
38. Mallard

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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