Cooler and damper after yesterday’s rain, sunny with a bit of a breeze. I truly had no expectations, just figured I’d hear and/or see a few birds, maybe learn a thing or two.
And I did—both. Notably, I heard/saw a Least Flycatcher, and spied a Red Crossbill (fem./imm.—first I’ve seen on the hill) high on a spruce at the summit and, in the woods toward the end of our hike, I heard two species of tanager.
First was a Scarlet Tanager, which I hunted for up in the leafy canopy but could not get a look at. Finally I spotted the bird apparently being chased by another tanager. And then I heard the voice of the other tanager—a Summer Tanager. Couldn’t get a good bead on that one, either, although I did watch it fly away
I’ll be keeping my eye peeled for tanagers going forward.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:22 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Song Sparrow** 2. Ovenbird 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Veery 6. Gray Catbird 7. Chestnut-sided Warbler 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Common Yellowthroat 10. American Crow* 11. American Goldfinch** 12. Black-and-white Warbler 13. Black-capped Chickadee** 14. Field Sparrow 15. Alder Flycatcher (v) 16. Yellow Warbler 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Red Crossbill† 21. Purple Finch 22. American Robin* 23. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 24. Prairie Warbler 25. Least Flycatcher 26. Tufted Titmouse (v) 27. Herring Gull* 28. Broad-winged Hawk 29. Hermit Thrush (v) 30. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 31. Eastern Wood-pewee 32. Scarlet Tanager (v) 33. Summer Tanager (v)
Elsewhere
34. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A day much like yesterday—but we hiked in early morning instead of early afternoon. Fog, greenery, birds, and sweet sweet water everywhere.
Seemed foggier than yesterday, in fact, but the species count was a tad higher. Notable were a Least Flycatcher, three ravens, and Cedar Waxwing. Very gray and grainy photos, but that’s what you get in fog (with my cheapo camera, anyway).
Tomorrow’s supposed to be sunny. Wonder what tomorrow will bring.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:44 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** 2. American Robin 3. Ovenbird** 4. American Crow* 5. Common Yellowthroat 6. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 8. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 9. Eastern Towhee 10. American Redstart (v) 11. Black-and-white Warbler** 12. Northern Cardinal** 13. Chestnut-sided Warbler 14. Gray Catbird 15. Veery (v) 16. Least Flycatcher (v) 17. Common Raven (v) 18. Alder Flycatcher 19. Hermit Thrush (v) 20. Tufted Titmouse (v) 21. American Goldfinch 22. Yellow Warbler 23. Prairie Warbler (v) 24. Cedar Waxwing 25. House Wren 26. Field Sparrow 27. Great Crested flycatcher (v) 28. Eastern Wood-pewee 29. Eastern Phoebe
Elsewhere
30. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year