A glimpse of sun preceded my morning hike with Captain Jack, but most of the hike itself happened in a hazy fog. Not so drippy as the past couple days, and birdier, but the sun didn’t return until afternoon (after a patch of rain).
No firsts-of-year, but the towhee’s still hanging around. Four woodpecker species, three thrushes, and a random Killdeer flyover. Notable was a late Turkey Vulture—and then seven or eight TVs flew over the house later in the day. Spring migration, y’all.
But, yes, it was a lovely, foggy morning—and in afternoon, between showers, I rode my bike around doing errands. I love this day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:51 a.m. real time (7:51 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Dark-eyed Junco 2. American Robin 3. Song Sparrow** 4. American Goldfinch 5. Northern Cardinal** 6. Hermit Thrush 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Chipping Sparrow (v) 9. Tufted Titmouse** (v) 10. Eastern Phoebe 11. American Crow* 12. Eastern Towhee (v) 13. Field Sparrow (v) 14. Yellow-rumped Warbler 15. Killdeer 16. Herring Gull* (v) 17. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 18. Brown Creeper (v) 19. Downy Woodpecker (v) 20. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 21. Northern Flicker (v) 22. Eastern Bluebird 23. Blue Jay (v) 24. Turkey Vulture* 25. Brown-headed Cowbird
Elsewhere
26. Wild Turkey 27. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
An overcast morning with temps a bit above freezing and a smattering of drizzle and flurries. But despite the weather, many bird species made themselves heard before we’d proceeded a hundred yards or so up the trail. Over time, the numbers declined—and I broke me multi-day streak of 19 spp. (18 today)—but still a nice day of hiking and birding and being outside.
Notable might’ve been a grackle flyover and a Killdeer flyover (two), but otherwise no firsts-of-year today. Those will come soon enough, though.
Tomorrow will be sun.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7 a.m. sun time (8 stupid DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Blue Jay (v) 2. American Crow* 3. American Goldfinch** 4. Tufted Titmouse (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee** 6. Red-bellied Woodpecker (v) 7. Downy Woodpecker** 8. Red-breasted Nuthatch 9. White-breasted Nuthatch** 10. American Robin** 11. Herring Gull* (v) 12. Eastern Bluebird 13. Red-winged Blackbird (v) 14. Song Sparrow** 15. Yellow-rumped Warbler 16. Northern Cardinal** (v) 17. Common Grackle (v) 18. Killdeer
Elsewhere
19. Mourning Dove 20. House Sparrow (v) 21. Hairy Woodpecker
Mammals
Eastern Chimpunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
I knew it’d be nippier than yesterday, but wasn’t expecting to get snowed on at dog and I started up the main Beech Hill trail this morning. Sure enough, a brisk west wind was blowing little flakes around, and I was thankful I decied to wear my winter coat. Captain Jack, of course, is always wearing his winter coat.
