Chilly again—single digits early, but 10° or 11° by the time dog and I hit the trailhead. Blue, blue sky, and not too much breeze. A couple inches of snow fell overnight, so I didn’t need my grips. We were the first up the wooded trail, and right away I detected a bunch of bird activity.
Chickadees, robins, Pine Grosbeaks (sixteen!), raven, yellow-rump, nuthatches, titmouse, brown creepers, woodpeckers, and—perhaps most notably—a Turkey Vulture. First of year.
In all, thirteen species—most in a while—and, despite the wintry landscape, I had the distinct feeling that spring is just around the corner.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:42 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. American Robin
3. Pine Grosbeak
4. American Crow*
5. Brown Creeper
6. Yellow-rumped Warbler (v)
7. Common Raven (v)
8. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v)
9. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
10. Turkey Vulture†
11. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
12. Hairy Woodpecker
13. Downy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
14. Herring Gull
15. Rock Pigeon
16. Mallard
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
