4 October 2023

Posts Tagged ‘downy woodpecker’

Hark, a Lark

Saturday, September 23rd, 2023
Horned Lark (immature male), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 23 September 2023.
Horned Lark (immature male)

This first day of autumn brought a morning much like yesterday’s: sunny, cool, and fragrant. It also brought a surprising bird species: a Horned Lark. They’re not rare on the hill, but they typically come in small flocks. I rarely see just one, as I did today. An immature male, the bird was poking around the edges of the main trail—and at one point got very near to dog and me as we stood still, and I took photos.

Another oddball was a Nashville Warbler (haven’t seen any since spring, and few then), adult and juvie Hermit Thrush, and a bunch of the usual suspects.

All in all, a fun one.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:24 a.m. EST (8:24 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Brown Creeper (v)
2. Black-capped Chickadee**
3. Blue Jay (v)
4. Downy Woodpecker (v)
5. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch**
7. Tufted Titmouse (v)
8. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
9. White-throated Sparrow (v)
10. Nashville Warbler
11. Hermit Thrush
12. Gray Catbird
13. Purple Finch (v)
14. Eastern Towhee (v)
15. American Goldfinch (v)
16. Horned Lark
17. Song Sparrow
18. Yellow-rumped Warbler
19. Eastern Bluebird
20. American Crow* (v)

Elsewhere

21. Northern Cardinal
22. Herring Gull
23. Belted Kingfisher (v)
24. Canada Goose (v)

Mammals

Eastern Chipmunk (v)

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

†First-of-year

Wee Migrant

Friday, September 22nd, 2023
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 22 September 2023.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Subtle evidence of fall migration is upon is. For several days I’ve heard and/or seen Yellow-rumped Warblers; yesterday I heard a White-throated Sparrow note; today at least a dozen yellow-rumps flitted above me—and I spied a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet.

In summer, yellow-rumps and kinglets tend to hang out in coniferous forests, so I typically only see them during migration. The last white-throat I saw or heard was in spring (they’re very good at hiding out in summer). Of course there’ve also been hawks moving through, and vultures.

Perhaps most telling: Tomorrow is the first day of fall.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:40 a.m. EST (8:40 DST), I hiked the wooded trails.

1. Northern Flicker (v)
2. Northern Cardinal** (v)
3. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
4. Hairy Woodpecker
5. Tufted Titmouse (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
7. Blue Jay (v)
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Eastern Towhee (v)
10. Gray Catbird (v)
11. Yellow-rumped Warbler
12. Song Sparrow
13. American Crow* (v)
14. Downy Woodpecker
15. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Elsewhere

16. Herring Gull

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

†First-of-year

Vireo

Monday, September 18th, 2023
Blue Headed Vireo, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 18 September 2023.
Blue Headed Vireo.

Overcast, breezy, and chilly this morning when dog and I started up the open trail. Birds were about—more than in recent days—and clearly many looked to be migrants.

Notable was the dearth of species in the wooded trails until we happened upon a little gathering of vocal chickadees. Sure enough, in the leafy canopy above them, flitted nice selection of species—vireos, titmice, nuthatches. Heard flicker and Pileated Woodpecker. A blue-headed vireo even posed for a photo.

Rain tonight, clearing tomorrow. Soon the fun begins.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:34 a.m. EST (8:34 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Pileated Woodpecker* (v)
2. Eastern Towhee (v)
3. Eastern Wood-pewee
4. American Goldfinch
5. Downy Woodpecker (v)
6. Blue Jay** (v)
7. American Robin (v)
8. American Crow*
9. Cedar Waxwing
10. Northern Flicker**
11. Gray Catbird (v)
12. Common Yellowthroat (v)
13. Black-capped Chickadee**
14. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
15. Tufted Titmouse
16. Chestnut-sided Warbler
17. Hermit Thrush
18. Blue-headed Vireo
19. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
20. Song Sparrow

Elsewhere

21. Carolina Wren (v)
22. Mourning Dove
23. Herring Gull
24. European Starling
25. Belted Kingfisher

(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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