What a lovely morning! Clear and freezing to start, but not too much wind and warming fast. Two first-of-year species (Hermit Thrush and Brown-headed Cowbird), and a nice run-in with a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker doing its signature syncopated drumming on a particularly resonant trunk.
Harrier, bluebirds, robins, grouse, kinglet. Twenty-six species today—but those numbers will rise soon enough.
Every morning’s like a birthday.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:16 a.m. real time (7:16 DST), I hiked all trails—and then some.
1. Tufted Titmouse** 2. American Goldfinch** 3. Black-capped Chickadee** 4. Eastern Phoebe* 5. Brown Creeper 6. Blue Jay (v) 7. American Crow* 8. Northern Cardinal* (v) 9. American Robin* 10. Eastern Bluebird 11. Hairy Woodpecker 12. Downy Woodpecker 13. White-breasted Nuthatch 14. Ruffed Grouse 15. Golden-crowned Kinglet 16. Pileated Woodpecker 17. Song Sparrow 18. Pine Siskin (v) 19. Red-winged Blackbird 20. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 21. Mourning Dove 22. Hermit Thrush 23. Brown-headed Cowbird 24. Red-breasted Nuthatch 25. Northern Harrier 26. Herring Gull
This morning’s sky was overcast, and the air had wind and a chill. Becuase of those conditions, I didn’t expect many birds, but I was pleasantly wrong.
Most notable would be a pair of eagles flying over early on and the first chipmunk in a while and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drumming down in the woods and a flushed woodcock. And then, back home, a first-of-year phoebe perched on a twig by the house, flicking its tail.
I had the distinct feeling today that spring migration is all wound up and ready to go. Looking forward to my hike with dog in the morning (after tonight’s rain).
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:51 a.m. real time (7:51 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* 2. Song Sparrow* (v) 3. Tufted Titmouse (v) 4. Black-capped Chickadee* 5. Bald Eagle 6. American Goldfinch (v) 7. Herring Gull* 8. American Kestrel 9. Dark-eyed Junco* (v) 10. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker† (v) 11. American Woodcock 12. Pine Siskin (v) 13. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 14. Downy Woodpecker* (v) 15. Northern Cardinal** (v)
Elsewhere
16. Wild Turkey 17. Mourning Dove 18. Eastern Phoebe†
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A balmy, lowery morning. Temps in the mid- to upper-40s (F). Most of the snow had melted, still a little ice.
Mud like in spring—and more birds than I expected. No excellent photos, considering the dim light and secretive birds, but I did spy a siskin among some goldfinches, and got a pic of a pair of crows in a pine tree.
Ducks and a cardinal at home.
Another interesting day upcoming—and some snow later in the week, it appeares. Dog and I will be ready for whatever comes our way.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee** 2. American Crow* 3. Tufted Titmouse (v) 4. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 5. American Goldfinch 6. Pine Siskin 7. Brown Creeper (v) 8. Eastern Bluebird (v) 9. Downy Woodpecker (v) 10. American Robin (v) 11. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
