When Jack and I hit the trail, a lusty west wind was blowing the sweet smells of spring up and over the hill. Mid-May—the calendar days when the season explodes in ferns and flowers and greenery. And the birds do sing.
Another birdy one (including a crow haranguing a raven and first-of-year Red-eyed Vireo). The wind carrying birdsong all over the place. The birds themselves didn’t perch very high on the windy side, but still they sang. And on the leafy east side, the enchanting strains of a Hermit Thrush pervaded the understory.
Oh, and also: a loon flew over at one point, calling.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:57 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 2. Ovenbird** 3. Black-throated Green Warbler** 4. Common Yellowthroat (v) 5. American Robin 6. Blue Jay 7. American Crow* 8. Black-capped Chickadee* 9. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 10. Northern Parula 11. Northern Cardinal** (v) 12. Gray Catbird 13. Black-and-white Warbler** 14. Eastern Towhee 15. Tufted Titmouse (v) 16. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (v) 17. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 18. Yellow Warbler 19. Song Sparrow** 20. Field Sparrow (v) 21. White-throated Sparrow (v) 22. Chipping Sparrow** 23. Tree Swallow 24. Broad-winged Hawk (v) 25. Common Loon 26. Common Raven 27. Nashville Warbler (v) 28. Hermit Thrush 29. Red-eyed Vireo† 30. Blue-headed Vireo
Elsewhere
30. Mallard 31. European Starling 32. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Yet another excellent hike at Beech Hill. And that’s an understatement. Captain Jack and I are absolutely, truly diggin’ our return to this old familiar hill.
Another first-of-year wood-warbler today (Chestnut-sided Warbler), and I got a few photos (best maybe being Black-throated Green Warbler), and it’s fun to realize that less than half of nesting warbler species have yet returned.
More tomorrow?
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:32 a.m., I hiked all trails.
A random Ovenbird posed for me this nippy, breeze, mostly sunny morning. Although I’ve heard them a few times in recent days, this was the first I’ve seen.
More fun expected tonorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:13 a.m., I hiked all trails.