4 October 2023

Posts Tagged ‘gray catbird’

Flitting Things

Sunday, October 1st, 2023
Black-capped Chickadee, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 01 October 2023.
Black-capped Chickadee.

This morning dog and I hiked a calm, cool quiet, early autumn trail. Migration was going on—many yellow-rumps, a kinglet, White-throated Sparrows—but after four sweet days on an island, it felt mostly like being back amid close family.

Best family photo? A close-up of a resident chickadee.

[On our morning hike, I dropped my Garmin device. Didn’t notice till we got back to the truck. So in afternoon, I went back without Jack—and, by golly, someone had found it and left it on a bench at the hut. Added a raven.]

Beech Hill List
Starting at 8:03 a.m. EST (9:03 DST) and again at 1:09 (2:09), I hiked all trails.

1. American Goldfinch (v)
2. White-throated Sparrow
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. Hermit Thrush
5. Yellow-rumped Warbler
6. Hairy Woodpecker
7. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
8. American Crow*
9. Gray Catbird
10. Eastern Towhee (v)
11. Blue Jay** (v)
12. Song Sparrow
13. Eastern Bluebird
14. Tufted Titmouse (v)
15. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
16. Common Raven

Elsewhere

17. Mallard
18. Northern Cardinal (v)
19. Herring Gull
20. House Sparrow (v)

Reptiles

Garter Snake

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

State Bird

Monday, September 25th, 2023
Black-capped Chickadee, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 25 September 2023.
Black-capped Chickadee.

This morning felt fall-like (which I guess makes sense, since it’s autumn): chilly, breezy, a little pungent, with a mostly blue sky above and a few fallen leaves below. Not many bird species today—although the Horned Lark was joined by another one today—and few numbers, just one or two of each.

Except for the Black-capped Chickadee. I saw and/or heard eight of those happy little year-round guys. Summer’s gone, but the chickadees are still out and about.

No wonder it’s Maine’s state bird.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:17 a.m. EST (8:17 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Northern Flicker (v)
3. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
4. Common Raven (v)
5. American Crow* (v)
6. Horned Lark
7. Song Sparrow
8. American Goldfinch (v)
9. Blue Jay**
10. Gray Catbird

Elsewhere

11. Wild Turkey
12. Mallard
13. Herring Gull
14. Northern Cardinal (v)

Mammals

Eastern Gray Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Sharpie

Sunday, September 24th, 2023
Sharp-shinned Hawk (imm.), Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 24 September 2023.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (imm.).

It was a cool and overcast morning, a kind of weather I truly love to hike in. Something about that layer of clouds above makes me feel safe, like a soft, protective ceiling. And Captain Jack, with his thick fur coat, liked the coolness.

Yesterday’s wayward solo lark appeared again. So did at least one raven—and, most surprisingly, a Sharp-shinned Hawk. I heard a jay first, just ahead of us around a leafy corner, then the hawk. It’s bright rapid cries made me stop in my tracks. I peaked around the leafy corner, and danged if the bird didn’t allow me a decent photo.

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:08 a.m. EST (8:08 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Gray Catbird (v)
2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. American Crow* (v)
5. Common Yellowthroat (v)
6. Song Sparrow
7. Blue Jay**
8. Horned Lark
9. Yellow-rumped Warbler
10. Northern Flicker (v)
11. Common Raven
12. American Goldfinch**
13. Eastern Towhee (v)
14. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
15. Sharp-shinned Hawk
16. American Robin (v)
17. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
18. Tufted Titmouse (v)

Elsewhere

19. Mourning Dove
20. Herring Gull
21. Northern Cardinal (v)
22. White-throated Sparrow (v)
23. Eastern Bluebird

Mammals

American Red Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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