Cool, breezy, sunny, birdy. What a lovely morning—complete with familiar voices. Birds were all over the place (young and old), so I wasn’t hurting for photographs.
We had ourselves the run of the hill this morning, oddly. Where were all the early Sunday morning hikers I’m accustomed to seeing? It was weird.
But that left more birds to pay attention to. A couple of minor oddities: Red-winged Blackbird in flight, and the voice of a (migrating?) Ruby-crowned kinglet. Many, many juveniles.
Dewy blueberries, too.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
A cool, cloudless morning. Dog and I arrived at the hill in time to hear the sounds of early bird species awakening—and, later, the music of later sleepers. A couple of oddballs (including a Song Sparrow that began its tune with two clear, ringing notes of differing pitches.
My favorite of the day, though, were the juvie bluebirds.
Beech Hill List Beinning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 3. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 4. American Crow* 5. Black-capped Chickadee** (v) 6. Eastern Towhee 7. Song Sparrow 8. American Goldfinch 9. Chestnut-sided Warbler 10. Common Yellowthroat 11. Gray Catbird* 12. Eastern Phoebe* 13. Northern Flicker (v) 14. Ovenbird (v) 15. Field Sparrow (v) 16. Mourning Dove* (v) 17. Purple Finch (v) 18. Tufted Titmouse** 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Eastern Bluebird 21. Blue Jay (v) 22. Chipping Sparrow* 23. Common Raven (v) 24. Yellow Warbler (v) 25. Northern Cardinal (v)
Got to the hill early, considering today was forecast to be perhaps the hottest day of the year. In the 70s (F) already by the time we began our hike, dog and me. Wildflowers, blueberries, dragonflies.
Plenty of birds were also about, along with a few humans. And lots and lots of monarchs. Humid. Steamy. Luscious.
Sure enough turned into a scorcher, with a high in the 90s in afternoon. Kind of dug it, actually
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
