Another lovely morning hike—a fair morning this day, with cool temps and fragrant air. A good selection of birds, including a couple warblers, a couple woodpeckers, a couple nuthatches, and a hawk.
I only got a glimpse of the hawk through a window in the summit spruces, and the first thing I noticed was its sideburns, and I thought I might have one of only a few peregrines I’ve ever seen on the hill. Only later, after I took a close look at the photos (and then checked in with a bird ID expert pal) did I realize it was not a falcon at all. Turned out to be a Broad-winged Hawk—the commonest hawk in Beech Hill Preserve.
Still I neat sighting though. (So that’s why it was so quiet up there for a change!)
(Earlier, at home, I heard the Carolina Wren again. Love that sound.)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:21 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 2. Blue Jay (v) 3. Red-eyed Vireo 4. American Crow* (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. American Goldfinch** (v) 7. Hairy Woodpecker 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. White-breasted Nuthatch 10. Red-breasted Nuthatch 11. Tufted Titmouse** 12. Eastern Towhee 13. Gray Catbird 14. Cedar Waxwing 15. Chestnut-sided Warbler 16. American Redstart 17. Common Yellowthroat (v) 18. Broad-winged Hawk 19. Song Sparrow 20. American Robin 21. Herring Gull* 22. Eastern Phoebe 23. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 24. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
A bit of a late start this overcast morning, thinking it might get bright enough for photos eventually. Dim it was, and pretty quiet up the wooded trails, but things got interesting at the summit again.
House Finch was new. Another oriole (which I didn’t frankly notice until I saw the photo many hours later). Bluebirds. Big birds—osprey, gull, vulture. But most exciting was probably the big ol’ fly hatch in the summit spruce grove, which had waxwings (and bluebirds) going nuts. Also a nice chat with some friends.
I’d repeat this hike. It was a good ’un.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:53 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. American Crow* 2. American Goldfinch** 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. Eastern Towhee 5. Hermit Thrush (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. Tufted Titmouse (v) 9. Blue Jay (v) 10. Northern Cardinal** (v) 11. Gray Catbird 12. Common Yellowthroat 13. Alder Flycatcher (v) 14. Song Sparrow 15. Baltimore Oriole 16. House Wren (v) 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. Eastern Wood-pewee 19. Downy Woodpecker (v) 20. House Finch 21. American Robin 22. Eastern Bluebird 23. Field Sparrow (v) 24. Herring Gull* 25. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 26. Yellow Warbler (v) 27. Tree Swallow 28. Osprey 29. Turkey Vulture 30. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
31. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
After the thundershowers of yesterday, things cooled off overnight. This morning was nearly cloudless when dog and I headed up the trail, and the air was a lot cooler than the past few. Plus, at the summit, a nice southwesterly breeze ruffed our hair. (Well, Jack’s, as I don’t have a lot left these days.)
