Dawn this morning came little later than yesterday, and much brighter. Nearly cloudless, with angular sun spreading through the now-mostly-ochre wooded Beech Hill trails. Didn’t know what to expect, bird-wise.
And had a couple nice surprises. Most exciting: a pair of Fox Sparrows that appeared just about where I’d last seen some several years ago (but in spring). Recognized ’em right away.
Also had a bunch of thrushes—robins and bluebirds—a random gull, and three woodpecker species.
It was a quick hike (had an early appointment) but a very satisfying one.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:02 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Purple Finch (v) 2. American Robin 3. American Crow* 4. American Goldfinch (v) 5. Brown Creeper (v) 6. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 7. Yellow-rumped Warbler 8. Tufted Titmouse 9. Herring Gull* 10. Fox Sparrow† 11. Downy Woodpecker 12. Eastern Bluebird 13. White-throated Sparrow (v) 14. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 15. Blue Jay** (v) 16. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
17. Northern Cardinal 18. House Sparrow (v) 19. Ring-billed Gull
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
Song Sparrow.
Drizzly morning, little breeze, sparrows everywhere.
Mostly juncos, but many song sparrows, a white-throat, and a fox. Also several other species—flock of redpolls, fighting male bluebirds, robins galore.
Possible drizzle again tomorrow. Likely more sparrows, too.
1. Northern Cardinal* (v) 2. Dark-eyed Junco* 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. American Robin* 5. American Crow* 6. Eastern Bluebird 7. Downy Woodpecker 8. Common Redpoll 9. Fox Sparrow (v) 10. Song Sparrow* (v) 11. Tufted Titmouse** (v) 12. American Goldfinch (v) 13. White-breasted Nuthatch** 14. Turkey Vulture 15. Herring Gull*
Elsewhere
16. Mourning Dove (v) 17. Rock Pigeon 18. White-throated Sparrow 19. Wild Turkey 20. European Starling
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
The sparrow influx continues. This drizzly morning—which followed a wild, wind-whipped, rainy night—brought five sparrow species (along with nine others). Most exciting was the Fox Sparrow that greeted us both on ascent and descent. It’s been a few years since I’ve encountered one of those up there.
Savannah Sparrow.
A chilly, misty morning, but well worth the hike with dog.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Robin*
2. Song Sparrow
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. Yellow-rumped Warbler
5. American Crow*
6. Common Raven
7. Northern Flicker
8. Fox Sparrow
9. Savannah Sparrow
10. Eastern Bluebird
11. White-throated Sparrow
12. American Goldfinch
13. Dark-eyed Junco*
14. Tufted Titmouse
Elsewhere
15. House Finch
16. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
17. Downy Woodpecker (v)
18. Mourning Dove
19. European Starling
20. Herring Gull
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
