Circumstances had me hiking Beech Hill twice this morning: once, briefly, early, and another hike of all trails in late morning. (Between I had a hike with Jack-my-dog and our human and doggie friends on the Community Wellness Trail.) Birds were out during both hikes—fewer in the late-morning heat (it got to 80° (F) today), but that’s also when the most interesting sighting occurred.

I’d heard the wild cheeping in the same location on a couple of earlier hikes but could never track down the source. Today I did: a juvenile Hairy Woodpecker. That little bird (or, possibly, multiple youngsters taking turns sticking their heads out of the nest cavity) made a lot of noise. Saw an adult (male) offer a quick bite only once, no doubt because of my presence.

Otherwise just a lovely (warm) day.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:45 a.m. sun time (7:45 DST), and resuming at 9:14 (10:14), I hiked all trails—and then some.

1. Red-eyed Vireo*
2. Ovenbird** (v)
3. Eastern Phoebe**
4. Veery**
5. Tufted Titmouse (v)
6. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
7. Black-throated Green Warbler** (v)
8. Blue Jay (v)
9. American Goldfinch
10. Scarlet Tanager** (v)
11. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
12. Eastern Towhee**
13. Black-and-white Warbler**
14. Black-capped Chickadee** (v)
15. Wood Thrush** (v)
16. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
17. Hairy Woodpecker
18. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (wingbeats)
19. Cedar Waxwing (v)
20. Alder Flycatcher (v)
21. Common Yellowthroat (v)
22. Field Sparrow (v)
23. Yellow Warbler (v)
24. Song Sparrow**
25. Gray Catbird (v)
26. American Crow*
27. Chipping Sparrow** (v)
28. Eastern Bluebird
29. Red-winged Blackbird (v)
30. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
31. Savannah Sparrow
32. American Robin
33. Hermit Thrush**
34. American Redstart* (v)
35. Northern Cardinal** (v)
36. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (v)

Elsewhere

37. Black-throated Blue Warbler
38. Northern Parula
39. Herring Gull
40. Osprey
41. Red-breasted Nuthatch
42. European Starling

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year