Gotta admit, I love ravens. Smart birds, with a language of their own—croaks, and wails and baby-like cries and liquid sounds like water. There’s a nest somewhere near where Jack and I hike each day. Used to be just on the other side of Beech Hill Road, but I think it’s moved east a ways.
Today I heard a raven’s croak early in our hike, but didn’t see the bird (or another member of its family) until later. In flight. Croaking. Communicating with a distant relative.
Otherwise, a lovely hike—mostly sunny, with cool, dry [too dry] air and enough birds to keep my jumping. Including young waxwings learning how to pluck flies from a hatch atop the spruce grove.
Yep, we need rain. Will have some eventually—but maybe not tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Blue Jay 2. American Crow 3. American Goldfinch 4. Red-eyed Vireo 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. Ovenbird 7. White-breasted Nuthatch 8. Brown Creeper 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Northern Parula 11. American Redstart 12. Tufted Titmouse 13. Common Yellowthroat 14. American Robin 15. Eastern Towhee 16. Alder Flycatcher 17. Common Raven 18. Red-breasted Nuthatch 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Gray Catbird 21. Yellow Warbler 22. House Finch 23. Song Sparrow 24. Herring Gull 25. Turkey Vulture 26. Eastern Phoebe 27. Northern Cardinal
Elsewhere
28. Osprey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A mostly cloudy hike this morning, and cool, with a tiny bit of breeze. Truly a lovely hike with dog—and anxious-seeming birds.
They know the photoperiod is shortening, and it won’t be long before migration beckons, and they’re flitting around, snatching up caterpillars, or flies, or grasshoppers—and/or berries.
One of the species I saw this morning is notable: a Baltimore Oriole. I’ve encountered the species three times in the past few days, and always (I’m pretty sure) poking about in the same few trees. I don’t see orioles often on the hill, so this has been pretty fun.
I was prepared for a little rain this morning, but the early weather radar showed that most precipitation was sliding off toward the north. One approaching shower could possibly graze us—but I didn’t mind.
Turns out the shower did graze us, but not for about a half hour. Meantime, the birds were shy, the woods were dark, and the air was cool. Pretty lovely, actually. When the shower did come, it turned into one of the most luscious hikes I can remember. Protected by the thick canopy, yet present for the soothing sound of the rain… Hard to describe. Just wonderful.
And after the rain let up, birds emerged—oriole, woodcock, raven, first restart in a good while.
Was looking forward to sweet rain all week, as forecast, but it seems the forecast has changed. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:37 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Hermit Thrush 3. American Crow* (v) 4. Gray Catbird** 5. Eastern Towhee 6. Eastern Wood-pewee 7. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 8. Brown Creeper (v) 9. White-breasted Nuthatch 10. American Robin* 11. Cedar Waxwing 12. American Goldfinch (v) 13. Baltimore Oriole 14. Song Sparrow** 15. Northern Flicker (v) 16. House Finch 17. Mourning Dove* 18. Common Yellowthroat 19. Common Raven (v) 20. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 21. American Woodcock 22. Chestnut-sided Warbler 23. American Redstart 24. Black-throated Green Warbler 25. Tufted Titmouse (v) 26. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v)
Elsewhere
27. Northern Cardinal
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
