Rained much of the night. Stopped long enough for a morning hike with dog. Damp, green, humid, lush. Interesting walk—including a first-of-year patch of fireweed (ate my first blossom of the year, yum), Mourning Dove singing from the chimney of Beech Nut, Philadelphia Vireo singing by the road, A white-tail showing up in a photo I took of a flicker.
On way back home I stopped in traffic on Route 1 to let a little family of Mallards cross.
More rain later. Precipitation is generally not a bad thing.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
Flushed two woodcock this sunny morning. Flushed one of them twice. All three times I hunted carefully for youngsters but didn’t see any—although I didn’t want to pester the woodcock families too much.
Also saw my first Beech Hill Bobolink in at least three years. Also, somehow, ended up with thirty-three species on today’s list.
Later today there came a couple of thundershowers, which was fun.
More fun tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail—and then some.
1. Eastern Bluebird 2. Blue Jay** 3. American Goldfinch 4. Veery (v) 5. American Woodcock 6. Chipping Sparrow* 7. Chestnut-sided Warbler** (v) 8. American Crow* 9. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v) 10. Alder Flycatcher 11. Ovenbird (v) 12. Tree Swallow 13. Eastern Towhee 14. Song Sparrow** 15. Field Sparrow (v) 16. Savannah Sparrow 17. Nashville Warbler (v) 18. Gray Catbird** (v) 19. Common Yellowthroat (v) 20. Eastern Phoebe* 21. Cedar Waxwing 22. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 23. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 24. Hermit Thrush (v) 25. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 26. Black-throated Blue Warbler (v) 27. Black-capped Chickadee** 28. Bobolink 29. Herring Gull* 30. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 31. Mourning Dove* (v) 32. Northern Cardinal** (v) 33. American Redstart (v) 34. American Robin*
Elsewhere
35. Mallard 36. European Starling
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Thick fog early. Again I didn’t expect much in the way of bird activity—or photos. Again I was wrong.
In fact, I had a first-of-year Blackpoll Warbler. Heard the voice of a Wilson’s Warbler for the first time (at least the first time I can remember). At home, I heard/spied a Tennessee Warbler—first in years.
Just an all around great birding day. Thanks, Nature.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Robin (v) 2. Ovenbird** 3. Gray Catbird** 4. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 5. Veery** 6. Scarlet Tanager (v) 7. Hairy Woodpecker 8. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 9. Black-and-white Warbler 10. Common Yellowthroat** 11. Blackpoll Warbler† 12. Eastern Towhee 13. Red-eyed Vireo** 14. Tufted Titmouse* (v) 15. American Redstart 16. American Goldfinch (v) 17. American Crow* 18. Yellow Warbler 19. Field Sparrow 20. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 21. Least Flycatcher 22. Song Sparrow** (v) 23. Common Raven 24. Wilson’s Warbler 25. Chipping Sparrow* 26. Alder Flycatcher (v) 27. Tree Swallow 28. Northern Parula (v) 29. Hermit Thrush (v) 30. Wood Thrush (v) 31. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 32. Blue Jay (v) 33. Ruffed Grouse (drumming) 34. Northern Cardinal* (v) 35. Black-throated Blue Warbler (v) 36. Black-capped Chickadee** (v) 37. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)
Elsewhere
38. House Finch 39. Tennessee Warbler† 39. House Sparrow (v) 40. Osprey 41. Mallard 42. Herring Gull
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year bird
Bird Report is an intermittent record of what's outside my window in Rockport, Maine, USA (44°08'N latitude, 69°06'W longitude), and vicinity. —Brian Willson
