I prepared for light rain to fall throughout my hike with dog this morning, but it was not to be. Overcast, cool, incredibly calm, and a bit humid—but no precipitation until just a faint misting as we headed back to the truck.
Many of the usual suspects showed up, as expected. Waxwings continue to flutter through clouds of treetop flies. But he big news? It didn’t rain.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:53 a.m. EST (7:53 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Eastern Towhee 2. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Blue Jay** (v) 5. Downy Woodpecker (v) 6. Cedar Waxwing 7. Yellow Warbler 8. Common Yellowthroat 9. Song Sparrow 10. Field Sparrow (v) 11. Gray Catbird* 12. American Robin 13. American Crow* 14. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 15. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 16. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 17. Tufted Titmouse (v) 18. Purple Finch 19. Northern Cardinal
Elsewhere
20. Wild Turkey 21. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Sunny and cool to start this morning, with a bit of haze in the air. Very slight breeze. The birds were still pretty quiet—except, notably, for a raven loudly testing its various calls unseen in a tree on a rise.
Never saw the raven, but I got to see waxwings in a fly hatch again, and got a nice pic of a juvie bluebird.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:54 a.m. EST (7:54 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. American Crow* 3. American Goldfinch 4. Black-capped Chickadee 5. Chestnut-sided Warbler 6. Common Raven (v) 7. Eastern Towhee 8. Gray Catbird 9. Broad-winged Hawk (v) 10. Eastern Wood-pewee 11. American Robin* 12. Common Yellowthroat 13. Cedar Waxwing 14. Eastern Bluebird 15. White-breasted Nuthatch 16. Field Sparrow (v) 17. Barn Swallow 18. Song Sparrow** 19. Eastern Phoebe 20. Hermit Thrush
Elsewhere
21. Northern Cardinal (v) 22. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Another warm and humid one, but with a bit more breeze. A mostly clear sky early, with fine light for photos. The birds were cooperative enough that I managed a few decent shots—including a fair pic of a juvenile Veery.
Notable was a one hummingbird near the summit—and a quick tramp down the Erickson Fields trail, which had cooler temps and more shade.
It’s raining as I write this, which should lessen the humidity tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:56 a.m. EST (7:56 DST), I hiked all trails, and then some.
