The air was clean and cool and dry, the sky was blue with a few clouds, the breeze was fickle, and the birds were furtive—but present. What a beautiful morning.
Right away a thrush appeared, hopping up the trail. Before long, a couple-three woodpeckers, a crow and a jay, a wood-pewee, nuthatches… At the summit, dog and I met a friend we hadn’t seen in a while, and we had a good, long chat. A swallow showed up—and a very loud military jet (first I recall seeing up there).
And, at the end of our hike, a Blue Jay on a blue sky day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Hermit Thrush 2. Downy Woodpecker (v) 3. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 4. American Crow* (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee** 6. Blue Jay 7. Brown Creeper (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee 9. White-breasted Nuthatch** 10. Red-bellied Woodpecker 11. American Redstart 12. Pileated Woodpecker 13. Eastern Towhee 14. Gray Catbird 15. American Goldfinch (v) 16. Yellow-rumped Warbler (v) 17. Eastern Phoebe 18. Song Sparrow** 19. Osprey 20. Turkey Vulture 21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 22. Tree Swallow
Elsewhere
23. Northern Cardinal (v) 24. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Another coolish, mostly clear early morning for dog and me. Much like yesterday—but with a notably different variety of birds. Fowl, for one thing—a gang of turkeys and a first grouse sighting of the year (although I heard a few booming back in spring).
Most obvious, perhaps, was the high numbers of Cedar Waxwings. I thought I saw a little fly hatch up in the tips of the summit spruce grove, but there also happened to be plenty of ripe berries. These late nesters might well have some youngsters to contend with also—but they were all over the open areas, in small roaming flocks.
A bunch of other young birds out rambling around also, most approaching adulthood (or adult-sized)—like towhees.
Summer’s such a rich, active, entertaining time of year.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:05 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 2. Song Sparrow** 3. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 4. American Goldfinch 5. Ovenbird 6. Wild Turkey 7. Downy Woodpecker (v) 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 10. American Crow* 11. White-breasted Nuthatch 12. Tufted Titmouse 13. Brown Creeper (v) 14. Hairy Woodpecker 15. Black-capped Chickadee** 16. American Robin* 17. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 18. Hermit Thrush (v) 19. Common Yellowthroat 20. Alder Flycatcher (v) 21. Yellow Warbler (v) 22. Northern Flicker (v) 23. Cedar Waxwing 24. Gray Catbird 25. Field Sparrow (v) 26. Eastern Phoebe* 27. Eastern Bluebird 28. Blue Jay (v) 29. Purple Finch 30. Ruffed Grouse 31. Northern Parula (v) 32. Veery
Elsewhere
33. Mourning Dove 34. Herring Gull 35. Osprey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Slept well enough last night that dog and I were a couple hours late to the trailhead. A foggy, drippy, luscious day. Many bird species were quieter than usual, but their numbers were high.
Most notable was a first-of-year Black-billed Cuckoo, whose voice came clearly from the bayberry tangles down the eastern slope.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:05 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird** 2. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 3. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 4. American Goldfinch* 5. Song Sparrow* 6. Black-throated Green Warbler* (v) 7. Common Yellowthroat (v) 8. Hairy Woodpecker 9. Gray Catbird 10. Black-and-white Warbler 11. Veery (v) 12. Eastern Towhee 13. American Redstart (v) 14. Northern Parula (v) 15. Black-capped Chickadee** 16. Nashville Warbler (v) 17. Wood Thrush (v) 18. American Crow* (v) 19. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 20. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 21. Yellow Warbler 22. Blue Jay 23. Field Sparrow (v) 24. American Robin 25. Savannah Sparrow 26. Prairie Warbler (v) 27. Alder Flycatcher (v) 28. Black-billed Cuckoo† (v) 29. Tufted Titmouse (v) 30. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (v) 31. Hermit Thrush (v) 32. Brown Creeper 33. Northern Cardinal** 34. Eastern Phoebe*
Elsewhere
35. Mallard 36. Herring Gull
Mammals
Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
