Another Beech Hill hike without Jack-my-dog (again we walked from the house to the Wellness Trail later), which still seems extremely weird. However, a little excitement on the hill. For one thing, I counted thirty-six species today.
In reviewing this total later, I realized I’d skipped a number. However, I happened upon a blurry photo, quickly snapped, that showed a bird I could not identify. Checked with an expert ID friend, who pronounced it a female Indigo Bunting. Also got nice pics of a yellowthroat for a change and encountered a Snowshoe Hare.
Another sunny one forecast for tomorrow, but rain’s gonna come this weekend—and continue all the following week. (Frankly, we can use it.)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:00 a.m. sun time (7:00 DST), I hiked all trails, and then some.
’Tis the season of the Ovenbird. Just now they’re singing teacher–teacher–TEACHER! all through the woodlands around here. I might well have mentioned before that I set my phone’s ringtone to the song of the Ovenbird so I’d never hear it at this time of year. (These days I leave my cell on mute while birding.)
They’ve been around for several days, but today was the first time one posed for a photo, perched about twenty or thirty feet up in the canopy.
Today’s first-of-year bird? Another one word species: Veery. I’ve missed this plain little thrush. Won’t be long before a lot of other species will be arriving—flycatchers, tanagers, and the like.
Also saw a hare and snake. I love these greening days.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:18 a.m. sun time (7:18 DST), I hiked all trails.
Another nippy morning, but blazingly sunny to start. (Sunnier than the forecast, in fact.) Some breeze, blue skies, but fewer bird species than yesterday at the beginning of my hike with Captain Jack.
However, that soon changed. Not only did I end up with twenty-eight species today—including a first-of-year Winter Wren, by the way—but it was a crazy cool selection. Not only that, but on our return down the wooded trail, we encountered a fellow hiker who’s just seen two Snowshoe Hares. This encounter happened just after I’d heard something crashing through the undergrowth. So I took her word for it and put the hare on today’s list
Supposed to be a rainy one tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 6:17 a.m. real time (7:17 DST), I hiked all trails.
