Welp, we’re supposed to get quite the winter snowstorm tonight and tomorrow, part of a continent-wide weather system crossing the country east to west. So today stood as a sort of blue-sky respite: chilly, a bit breezy, but lovely—and with quite a few nice birds.
Bluebirds still, along with the usual other suspects and a too-shy Brown Creeper. But most exciting was the last bird on my morning list—a lone Bald Eagle flying by in the mostly blue sky above the Beech Hill summit.
Tomorrow, from what I gather, dog and I will be hiking in snow up an already snowy hill. (Will report back.)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:53 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Tufted Titmouse (v) 2. American Crow* 3. Black-capped Chickadee** 4. Downy Woodpecker (v) 5. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 6. American Goldfinch 7. White-breasted Nuthatch** 8. Brown Creeper 9. Eastern Bluebird 10. American Robin 11. Bald Eagle
Elsewhere
12. Carolina Wren 13. Herring Gull 14. Rock Pigeon
(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)
I had no expectations when dog and I headed up the switchback this morning. After yesterday’s mostly silent stroll, I’d begun to think fall migration would be something of a dud this year.
My suspicions were unfounded, perhaps not least because of the weather. Which I hadn’t checked. There was a little (very little) rain.
And we encountered many bids—among them two dozen yellow-rumps, a gnatcatcher, and a posing sparrow.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:19 a.m. (8:19 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
