The sun emerged this morning first thing, but the air remained nighttime-cool. I almost smelled a nip of fall in the air—but not quite. And it warmed up a lot as the day lengthened.
The excitement of the day—other than the random appearance of a kestrel—turned out to be a little batch of silent warblers. Their silence has persisted for a good while now, but sighting them has been a challenge, what with the tendency of most to stick to the leafy canopy. But I managed four on my list this morning (and photographed three).
Weather-wise, tomorrow’s supposed to be a similar kind of day. Hmmm…
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:13 a.m. EST (8:13 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Northern Flicker (v) 2. American Goldfinch 3. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 4. Eastern Wood-pewee** (v) 5. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. American Crow* 8. Black-throated Green Warbler 9. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 10. Ovenbird 11. Tufted Titmouse (v) 12. Brown Creeper (v) 13. Gray Catbird 14. Eastern Towhee (v) 15. Common Yellowthroat 16. Cedar Waxwing 17. Song Sparrow 18. American Kestrel
Elsewhere
19. Mourning Dove 20. Wild Turkey 21. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
White-tailed Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Another lovely Beech Hill hike with dog. A hike with a couple newly arrived warblers (at least as far as I’ve seen in our short time back here). Four species today, more to come for sure.
The lists are longer than those in Utah, so it takes me longer to compile ’em. Thus my narratives are liable to be shorter for a while (apologies). Suffice it to say Jack and I are thoroughly enjoying our return to this familiar hike and all the inspiring smells and sights and sounds and feels it brings.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:55 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Eastern Phoebe* 2. American Goldfinch (v) 3. American Robin 4. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker† (v) 5. Northern Flicker (v) 6. Black-and-white Warbler† 7. Northern Parula† 8. Black-capped Chickadee 9. Tufted Titmouse (v) 10. Yellow-rumped Warbler 11. American Crow* 12. Eastern Towhee 14. Blue-headed Vireo 15. Field Sparrow (v) 16. Song Sparrow 17. Eastern Bluebird 18. Chipping Sparrow 19. White-throated Sparrow (v) 20. Herring gull* (v) 21. Tree Swallow 25. Black-throated Green Warbler† (v) 26. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 27. Sharp-shinned Hawk 28. Blue Jay† 29. Brown Creeper 30. Hermit Thrush
Elsewhere
31. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Red Squirrel White-tailed Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
On the chilly morning of a warm day, dog and I had a lovely hike up in the foothills. Some nice sightings of bird species doing interesting things. (E.g., a Chukar calling from high on a ridge.) A few decent photos, too. A lot of spring things for Jack to smell.
Interesting to me was watching a pair of chickadees excavating a nest about halfway up the gully trail. We we got to their nest cavity, I didn’t see or hear the birds at all—which I attributed was due to a Cooper’s Hawk nearby—and sure enough a Cooper’s took wing, calling, and then the chickadees showed up, taking turns entering the hole and exiting with mouthfuls of chipped wood. (While in there, I could hear their excavations.)
Lots of birds at home, too. For possibly the first day this season, there was no trace of deep-seated doubt that spring is here.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:58 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Eurasian Collared-dove 2. Pine Siskin** 3. American Robin* 4. Spotted Towhee 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. House Finch* 7. Song Sparrow* (v) 8. Northern Flicker* 9. Cooper’s Hawk 10. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 11. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 12. Chukar 13. California Quail* (v) 14. Hairy Woodpecker 15. Turkey Vulture
Elsewhere
16. Lesser Goldfinch 17. House Sparrow 18. European Starling
Mammals
Mule Deer Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
