Cooler and damper after yesterday’s rain, sunny with a bit of a breeze. I truly had no expectations, just figured I’d hear and/or see a few birds, maybe learn a thing or two.
And I did—both. Notably, I heard/saw a Least Flycatcher, and spied a Red Crossbill (fem./imm.—first I’ve seen on the hill) high on a spruce at the summit and, in the woods toward the end of our hike, I heard two species of tanager.
First was a Scarlet Tanager, which I hunted for up in the leafy canopy but could not get a look at. Finally I spotted the bird apparently being chased by another tanager. And then I heard the voice of the other tanager—a Summer Tanager. Couldn’t get a good bead on that one, either, although I did watch it fly away
I’ll be keeping my eye peeled for tanagers going forward.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:22 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Song Sparrow** 2. Ovenbird 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 5. Veery 6. Gray Catbird 7. Chestnut-sided Warbler 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Common Yellowthroat 10. American Crow* 11. American Goldfinch** 12. Black-and-white Warbler 13. Black-capped Chickadee** 14. Field Sparrow 15. Alder Flycatcher (v) 16. Yellow Warbler 19. Cedar Waxwing 20. Red Crossbill† 21. Purple Finch 22. American Robin* 23. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 24. Prairie Warbler 25. Least Flycatcher 26. Tufted Titmouse (v) 27. Herring Gull* 28. Broad-winged Hawk 29. Hermit Thrush (v) 30. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 31. Eastern Wood-pewee 32. Scarlet Tanager (v) 33. Summer Tanager (v)
Elsewhere
34. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Cool and overcast at the start of our hike, and humid, with very little wind. Thick fog and drippy at the summit of the hill, with low visibility. But never mind the weather—a lot going on out there.
For one thing, fledglings. I could hear them calling from their hiding places in the thick summer foliage. And I spied several adults with beaks crammed with food. I even spotted a few fledglings—Hermit Thrushes staying still, Hairy Woodpeckers begging from their mom.
Short-tailed Weasel.
Another exceptional moment: a Short-tailed Weasel bounding along the trail toward dog and me, pulling up short, then dashing off into the shrubbery again. Returning, seeing us, dashing off. Returning a third time.
(Never saw it after the third time, but did manage to grab a quick photo.)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo** (v) 2. Song Sparrow 3. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 4. Ovenbird** 5. American Redstart** 6. Veery 7. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 8. Northern Cardinal** (v) 9. Eastern Towhee 10. Gray Catbird 11. Chestnut-sided Warbler 12. American Goldfinch 13. Pileated Woodpecker (v) 14. American Crow* (v) 15. Black-capped Chickadee 16. Northern Flicker 17. American Woodcock 18. Common Yellowthroat 19. Alder Flycatcher 20. Yellow Warbler 21. Northern Parula (v) 22. House Wren (v) 23. American Robin (v) 24. Black-billed Cuckoo (v) 25. Scarlet Tanager (v) 26. Hairy Woodpecker 27. Downy Woodpecker 28. Eastern Wood-pewee 29. Eastern Phoebe
Elsewhere
30. Wild Turkey
Mammals
Short-tailed Weasel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
This morning dawned cool but warmed up quickly. Dog and I proceeded up the trail amid clouds of mosquitos and the voices of many birds.
Notable were Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-billed Cuckoo, a Common Loon in flight, a first-of-year Brown Thrasher, and a pair of vocal (first-of-year) Red-shouldered Hawks having some kind of relationship high in the sky.
I got quite a few photos, too—but I’ve decided to post the last one of our hike: a Hermit Thrush, posing near the trailhead.
Supposed to be showery tomorrow. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:47 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird** 2. Red-eyed Vireo** 3. Common Yellowthroat 4. Eastern Phoebe* 5. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 6. Black-and-white Warbler (v) 7. Tufted Titmouse (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 9. American Goldfinch** 10. Cedar Waxwing 11. Veery 12. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 13. American Redstart** 14. Hairy Woodpecker 15. Northern Cardinal** (v) 16. Chestnut-sided Warbler** 17. Eastern Towhee 18. Gray Catbird 19. Alder Flycatcher 20. Black-billed Cuckoo (v) 21. Scarlet Tanager (v) 22. Common Loon (v) 23. Song Sparrow** 24. Prairie Warbler (v) 25. Yellow Warbler 26. American Robin* 27. Tree Swallow 28. American Crow* 29. Chipping Sparrow** (v) 30. Blue-headed Vireo (v) 31. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 32. House Wren 33. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 34. Brown Thrasher† 35. Broad-winged Hawk 36. Red-shouldered Hawk† 37. Savannah Sparrow (v) 38. Hermit Thrush
Elsewhere
39. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
