They’re everywhere at this time of year. I’m talking about Yellow-rumped Warblers—a.k.a. (in the lingo of my birding crowd) “Butter Butts” or just “’Rumps.” There they were on this nippy, breezy, cloudless morning, flitting about in their drab fall plumage, delivering their familiar dry chip notes, by far the most abundant of the migratory species.
Also had white-throats and kinglets again, heard the voice of a Red-shouldered Hawk, had a couple other cool migrants. But just about everywhere dog and I walked, we were accompanied by yellow-rumps.
Will miss them when they’re gone.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:48 a.m. EST (8:48 DST), I hiked all trails.
Two Beech Hill hikes today: a quick, early one with Jack-my-dog, and a later, longer one with a group of curious kids on a middle school field trip. Both were fun.
Ten species early and another six later—the latter ones being most interesting (including an eagle accompanied by hawks). Alas, the last bird on my list was deceased: a dead Black-and-white Warbler I found lying along the trail near the summit. My guess is the bird flew into a window of the hut and managed to flutter across the lawn a ways before succumbing to its injuries. Whatever the case, it’s always sad to find a dead bird.
Migration is risky no matter who you are, and some migrants don’t make it to their destinations. I tossed the little warbler into a soft, shady patch of grass.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:30 a.m. EST (8:30 DST), I hiked all trails.
I had no dog with me during my hike this morning for the first time in as long as I can remember. Captain Jack had to go to the vet for a digestive issue, and since he’s 15-plus years old, I worried throughout my empty-handed, solo hike—but all turned out OK. Also, some bird showed up.
Most noteable—or noticeable—to me were the vultures soaring over, and the nervous, quiet stirrings of songbirds flitting about for food. The seasonal light (and shortening photoperiod) is a sign that fall is not far away.
Beech Hill List Starting at 8:00 a.m. EST (9:00 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Downy Woodpecker (v) 2. American Goldfinch** (v) 3. Blue Jay (v) 4. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 5. Tufted Titmouse 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. White-breasted Nuthatch 8. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 9. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 10. Gray Catbird 11. American Crow* 12. Cedar Waxwing 13. Turkey Vulture 14. Song Sparrow 15. Red-shouldered Hawk (v) 16. Eastern Towhee (v)
Elsewhere
17. Mallard 18. Mourning Dove 19. Herring Gull 20. Rock Pigeon 21. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
