A bright, chilly morning with a breeze. Upper 40s (F) to start, so I wore my birding hoodie—a smooth move. Wild birds, however, seemed relatively undaunted by the fact that the breeze was northeasterly, and dog and I had a nice hike.
That said, I had relatively few photo opportunities for much of our nature walk, which was a tad frustrating. Then, during our return, a long dark bird flitted across the hedgy trail ahead of us. It turned out to be my first Black-billed Cuckoo of the year. And the cuckoo stayed at its perch long enough for me to sneak up and get a few close photos of this handsome bird’s upper half.
Also noteworthy: a flushed woodcock, a vocal Least Flycatcher, and—at home—a fox carrying a deceased gray squirrel across the lawn.
Ah, spring!
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:11 p.m. sun time (7:11 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Ovenbird** 3. Chestnut-sided Warbler 4. American Redstart** 5. Eastern Phoebe** 6. Blue Jay (v) 7. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 8. Hermit Thrush (v) 9. American Goldfinch 10. Gray Catbird** 11. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 12. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 13. Eastern Towhee 14. Common Yellowthroat (v) 15. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 16. American Woodcock 17. Veery 18. Song Sparrow** 19. American Crow* 20. Yellow Warbler (v) 21. Field Sparrow 22. Least Flycatcher (v) 23. American Robin 24. Alder Flycatcher (v) 25. Scarlet Tanager (v) 26. Chipping Sparrow 27. Purple Finch (v) 28. Eastern Bluebird 29. Herring Gull* 30. Tufted Titmouse (v) 31. Brown-headed Cowbird 32. Northern Parula (v) 33. Red-winged Blackbird (v) 34. Black-billed Cuckoo† 35. Broad-winged Hawk (v) 36. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 37. Wood Thrush (v)
Elsewhere
38. Pine Warbler (v) 39. European Starling
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel (live one) Red Fox
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Blue sky, cool temps, and a nice breeze greeted dog and me as we started up the wooded trail. Plenty of birds were there to greet us, too.
It didn’t seem at first that I’d have much of a list, but the higher we got, the more birds I saw or heard. And then—as has happened in recent days—we hiked a ways down the Erickson Fields trail down toward Beech Hill Road and added a bunch more species.
Notable today was a first-of-year Canada Warbler. I didn’t get a look at it, but the Merlin app insisted that’s what made the quick little jumble of a warble I was hearing across the road—and after we got home I matched my GoPro recording with the Cornell Labs’. (Wish I’d got a peek.)
Similar weather expected tomorrow. Will I encounter another first of year?
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:31 p.m. sun time (7:31 DST), I hiked all trails.
I had an early appointment this morning, so for the first time in—I think—years, dog and I took our hike in afternoon. The light was bright, the air was cool, the winds were high, the birds were sparser than at earlier hours. However, it was as fun as ever.
A couple dozen species total, with the most notable bird being a Hermit Thrush that popped up on a little snag just in front of us and posed for photos. Also two hawks and a vulture. Several warblers.
The early excursion involved a drive to Portland, so on the way I got some unusual (for me) birds while zipping past.
Tomorrow will be early, as usual. Maybe a first-of-year species or two?
Beech Hill List Beginning at 12:10 p.m. sun time (1:10 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Ovenbird (v) 2. Black-throated Green Warbler** (v) 3. Song Sparrow (v) 4. American Goldfinch (v) 5. Black-and-white Warbler** (v) 6. Brown Creeper (v) 7. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Northern Cardinal (v) 10. Chestnut-sided Warbler 11. Hermit Thrush 12. American Crow* 13. Blue Jay (v) 14. Black-throated Blue Warbler (v) 15. Field Sparrow (v) 16. Yellow Warbler (v) 17. Turkey Vulture 18. Red-tailed Hawk 19. Broad-winged Hawk 20. Chipping Sparrow 21. Herring Gull* 22. Eastern Phoebe** 23. Tufted Titmouse (v) 24. Purple Finch (v)
Elsewhere
25. Mallard 26. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 27. European Starling 28. Double-crested Cormorant 29. Osprey 30. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
