Yet another warm, humid morning—albeit not quite as warm or humid as the past couple of days. Many more species than yesterday, including a few raptors, among them a first harrier since last spring (sign of early migration).
Several species posed for photos, too, but my favorite happened to be a woodpecker who posed for the last photo I took this day.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:15 a.m. EST (8:15 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay (v) 2. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Tufted Titmouse (v) 5. Gray Catbird (v) 6. American Crow* 7. Hermit Thrush 8. Eastern Towhee (v) 9. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 10. Eastern Phoebe 11. Common Yellowthroat 12. Cedar Waxwing 13. Yellow-rumped Warbler 14. American Goldfinch** (v) 15. Northern Harrier 16. Osprey* 17. Sharp-shinned Hawk 18. Song Sparrow 19. Broad-winged Hawk 20. Hairy Woodpecker
Another nippy morning—low-60s (F) to start—that warmed into a lovely late-summer day. On the hill, birds were stirring, including one species I hadn’t encountered since spring: Scarlet Tanager. I heard a high, loud, abrupt call that I didn’t recognize coming from up in the wooded canopy. Turned out to be a female tanager. (Learned another bird call today!)
A damp, overcast morning, with fog on the hill. Most birds on my list today were heard, not seen. The first—just as we began ascending, dog and I—turned out to be a group of turkeys, a pair of adults and many poults, leading us up the trail. Later, we encountered bunch of juvie towhees in the brushy fields, one of which posed for a quick photo.
Those bird empaths among us get a slight feel of urgency at this time of year, when the youngsters need to grow up in a hurry. (And they do.)
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:11 a.m. EST (8:11 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* (v) 2. Wild Turkey* 3. Gray Catbird** (v) 4. American Goldfinch** (v) 5. Song Sparrow 6. Northern Cardinal** (v) 7. Common Yellowthroat 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Cedar Waxwing 10. Yellow Warbler (v) 11. Eastern Phoebe 12. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 13. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 14. Brown Creeper (v) 15. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 16. Pileated Woodpecker (v)