Sunny, warm, a bit windy. Not a lot of birdsong early, but things picked up toward the top of the hill.
Notable were a loon in flight (voice only), bunch of turkey vultures, waxwings, and a Great Crested Flycatcher.
Had a bunch of conversations with other humans who took advantage of the lovely weather to take a morning hike. Enjoyed it a lot—the conversation, this day, my dog.
More tomorrow!
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:57 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Northern Cardinal (v) 2. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 3. Ovenbird** (v) 4. Common Yellowthroat** 5. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 6. American Goldfinch 7. Veery (v) 8. Chestnut-sided Warbler 9. Gray Catbird** 10. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Alder Flycatcher (v) 13. Tufted Titmouse (v) 14. Field Sparrow 15. Yellow Warbler (v) 16. Song Sparrow** 17. American Robin* 18. Cedar Waxwing 19. Prairie Warbler (v) 20. Eastern Phoebe* 21. American Crow* (v) 22. Savannah Sparrow (v) 23. Common Loon (v) 24. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 25. Turkey Vulture 26. Broad-winged Hawk (v) 27. Tree Swallow 28. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 29. Hermit Thrush (v) 30. American Redstart (v)
Elsewhere
31. Mourning Dove 32. Herring Gull 33. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
This morning dawned cool but warmed up quickly. Dog and I proceeded up the trail amid clouds of mosquitos and the voices of many birds.
Notable were Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-billed Cuckoo, a Common Loon in flight, a first-of-year Brown Thrasher, and a pair of vocal (first-of-year) Red-shouldered Hawks having some kind of relationship high in the sky.
I got quite a few photos, too—but I’ve decided to post the last one of our hike: a Hermit Thrush, posing near the trailhead.
Supposed to be showery tomorrow. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:47 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird** 2. Red-eyed Vireo** 3. Common Yellowthroat 4. Eastern Phoebe* 5. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 6. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 7. Tufted Titmouse (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. American Goldfinch** 10. Cedar Waxwing 11. Veery 12. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 13. American Redstart** 14. Hairy Woodpecker 15. Northern Cardinal** (v) 16. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 17. Eastern Towhee 18. Gray Catbird 19. Alder Flycatcher 20. Black-billed Cuckoo (v) 21. Scarlet Tanager (v) 22. Common Loon (v) 23. Song Sparrow** 24. Prairie Warbler (v) 25. Yellow Warbler 26. American Robin* 27. Tree Swallow 28. American Crow* 29. Chipping Sparrow** (v) 30. Blue-headed Vireo (v) 31. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 32. House Wren 33. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 34. Brown Thrasher† 35. Broad-winged Hawk 36. Red-shouldered Hawk† 37. Savannah Sparrow (v) 38. Hermit Thrush
Elsewhere
39. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Such a lovely morning. Mosquitos, sure. Ticks. Brown-tailed Moth caterpillars. But also a green, green woodland, and a fresh, fragrant breeze, and distant views of the bay islands, and birds—birds galore.
Had thirty-five species this morning (a couple more than I’d counted at the time), but only two other (friendly) humans and one (curious) dog.
Later—under warm, partly cloud skies—I took a good long bike ride, did a couple errands (but mostly just did it for the ride). Felt real good, man. I sooo missed cycling the past three years.
Now to see what tomorrow brings.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird** (v) 2. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 3. Common Yellowthroat 4. Song Sparrow** 5. Eastern Phoebe* 6. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 7. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 8. American Redstart** (v) 9. Veery (v) 10. Northern Cardinal (v) 11. Eastern Towhee 12. Chestnut-sided Warbler 13. Alder Flycatcher 14. American Goldfinch** 15. Northern Flicker (v) 16. Yellow Warbler 17. Gray Catbird 18. Tree Swallow 19. Prairie Warbler (v) 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. American Robin* 22. American Crow* 23. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 24. Tufted Titmouse (v) 25. House Wren 26. Chipping Sparrow** 27. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 28. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 29. Eastern Bluebird* (v) 30. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 31. Broad-winged Hawk 32. Blue Jay 33. Field Sparrow (v) 34. Hermit Thrush (v) 35. Brown Creeper
Elsewhere
36. Herring Gull 37. Purple Finch 38. Osprey (v)
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year