Thicker fog, cooler temps, drippier understory—that about describes the meteorological conditions as dog and I headed up the main Beech Hill trail. Honestly, so foggy I didn’t think I’d get close to any decent bird photos. If in fact we I caught sight of any birds.
Right away I caught sight of several species moving around in the dim, drippy trees. And eventually I managed several pretty decent pics.
Supposed to be rainy tomorrow. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:58 a.m. EST (8:58 DST), I hiked all trails.
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
Another foggy morning. How many is that in a row for dog and me? Five? Seven? Eight? And each morning’s atmosphere seems thicker than the last.
However, I’ve managed, somehow, to keep a decent species list all those days. And get a few bird photos. Most noteworthy today was the sound, in the foggy woodland, of a Pine Warbler. Also a pair of nuthatch species for a change. And the Northern Parula’s still hanging around down by the road.
So unhappy about the spread of beech leaf disease on Beech Hill, meanwhile. This blight came on suddenly and things don’t look good. But Nature’s always changing things, so who knows.
More fog tomorrow? Who knows?
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:15 a.m. EST (8:15 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Ovenbird** 2. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 3. Veery** 4. Chestnut-sided Warbler (v) 5. Eastern Towhee 6. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 7. Pine Warbler (v) 8. Hermit Thrush (v) 9. American Crow* (v) 10. American Goldfinch 11. Alder Flycatcher (v) 12. Gray Catbird* 13. Common Yellowthroat 14. Yellow Warbler (v) 15. Song Sparrow 16. Cedar Waxwing 17. Savannah Sparrow (v) 18. Field Sparrow (v) 19. Purple Finch (v) 20. American Redstart 21. White-breasted Nuthatch** 22. Chipping Sparrow 23. Northern Parula (v) 24. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 25. Red-breasted Nuthatch 26. Blue Jay (v) 27. Eastern Bluebird 28. Eastern Phoebe* 29. Tufted Titmouse (v) 30. American Robin 31. Black-capped Chickadee 32. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 33. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
34. Mallard 35. Osprey (v) 36. European Starling
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
