The forecast rain didn’t arrive, and the fog at the beginning of my hike with dog vanished within about twenty minutes, but still I didn’t list too many bird species this morning. However, toward the end of this daily excursion of ours, we encountered another little mini fallout.
Today’s warbler species included redstart, yellow-rump, parula, and chestnut-sided. Chickadees and a vireo were a part of this antic collection of little flitting birds.
I love this time of year.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:14 a.m. EST (8:14 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* 2. Blue Jay** (v) 3. Black-capped Chickadee** 4. American Goldfinch 5. Gray Catbird** 6. Common Raven (v) 7. Common Yellowthroat (v) 8. American Robin 9. Savannah Sparrow 10. Eastern Bluebird (v) 11. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 12. Song Sparrow 13. Yellow-rumped Warbler 14. Red-eyed Vireo 15. Eastern Towhee 16. White-breasted Nuthatch** (v) 17. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 18. Northern Flicker (v) 19. Cedar Waxwing (v) 20. Turkey Vulture 21. Chestnut-sided Warbler 22. Northern Parula 23. American Redstart
Another cool, sunny September morning. Easier my old dog than the recent hot, muggy morns, and all in all a very nice hike. As for birds, quite a few—including three sparrow species: Eastern Towhee, Song Sparrow, and Savannah Sparrow.
The latter is my favorite sparrow, thanks to its clean, natty plumage, subtle yellow eyebrow, and sweet, sibilant, insect-like song. Alas, I only heard a couple singing on the hill this past spring, and I’m afraid only one nest resulted in fledglings (whereas in years past, there’d be at least three successful nesting pairs). So it was a nice surprise to catch sight of this one.
As summer grows long in the tooth, and signs of impending migration persist, perhaps it was just passing through.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:20 a.m. EST (8:20 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 2. Blue Jay (v) 3. Black-capped Chickadee** 4. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 5. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 6. White-breasted Nuthatch 7. Brown Creeper (v) 8. American Crow* (v) 9. Eastern Towhee 10. Gray Catbird 11. American Goldfinch** 12. Common Yellowthroat 13. Savannah Sparrow 14. Song Sparrow 15. Northern Flicker (v) 16. Eastern Bluebird 17. Herring Gull* 18. Alder Flycatcher (v) 19. Turkey Vulture 20. Cedar Waxwing 21. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
22. Chipping Sparrow
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Was supposed to rain all day, so I’d prepared for dog and me to get wet. Welp, when we got to the trailhead, the sky was overcast, the air was damp, a wind was blowing—but no rain. We hiked our usual trails for nearly two hours, but the only wet we got was by brushing against trailside bushes.
Most notable this morning was the croak of a raven I heard within a couple of minutes of our arrival. Trees all around, I couldn’t see it. I wanted badly to see it. The raven continued to vocalize—changing its cries from croaks to wails—as we ascended the hill, its sounds coming from somewhere near the summit. Could not see it. Finally, it must’ve seen us below and took flight.
I grabbed a photo.
It was a truly lovely, bracing, invigorating hike. Soon after our return home, it began to rain. Just now, in evening, it’s still raining. Tomorrow, though, the sun’s supposed to make an appearance.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:09 a.m. EST (8:09 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* 2. Common Raven 3. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 4. American Goldfinch 5. Northern Cardinal (v) 6. Song Sparrow* 7. Common Yellowthroat (v) 8. Eastern Bluebird (v) 9. American Robin (v) 10. Savannah Sparrow 11. Gray Catbird** 12. Eastern Towhee 13. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 14. Tufted Titmouse (v) 15. Cooper’s Hawk 16. Cedar Waxwing
