8 February 2025

Posts Tagged ‘Swainson’s thrush’

Swainson’s

Friday, September 15th, 2023
Swainson’s Thrush, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 15 September 2023.
Swainson’s Thrush.

The temperature dipped into the 50s (F) overnight, and a stout breeze was blowing when dog and I headed up the wooded trail. Very few birds made themselves known at first—my list had only five or six species by the time we reached the summit—but one of them (I found out later) proved to be rather exciting.

Not until I looked at my photo of the Swainson’s Thrush did I recognize it. (I’d assumed it was a Hermit Thrush, one of which I’d seen shortly before.) I’ve encountered only a handful of the species at Beech Hill—usually, it seems, at about this season. This one turned out to be today’s highlight.

Tomorrow—for the first time in I cannot remember how long—we might not go hiking in the morning. There’s a tropical storm warning: We’re in the path of Hurricane Lee. Gonna be very wet and very windy. We shall see!

Beech Hill List
Starting at 7:14 a.m. EST (8:14 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
2. Tufted Titmouse (v)
3. Hermit Thrush
4. Swainson’s Thrush
5. American Crow*
6. Black-capped Chickadee**
7. Common Yellowthroat (v)
8. Eastern Towhee (v)
9. Song Sparrow**
10. Red-breasted Nuthatch
11. Turkey Vulture
12. American Goldfinch
13. American Robin (v)
14. Blue Jay** (v)

Elsewhere

15. Carolina Wren (v)
16. House Finch (v)
17. House Sparrow (v)
18. Herring Gull
19. Osprey
20. Rock Pigeon
21. Mallard

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Flitting Migrants

Sunday, October 2nd, 2022
Swainson’s Thrush, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 02 October 2022.
Swainson’s Thrush.

Again nippy with partial sun, but rather windy when dog and I headed up the hill. With the loudly rustling leaves, it was hard to make out the voices of the birds in the woods—but I followed a couple pods of chickadees, who were (as often is the case) companied by quiet little warblers. Also vireos.

Four warbler spp., three corvid spp., two vireo spp, a pair of Sharp-shinned Hawks, an Osprey, and the southbound flight of three geese. Plus a raven—and another Swainson’s Thrush. (Growing to like the species a lot.)

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:20 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. American Crow*
2. Purple Finch (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. Yellow-rumped Warbler
5. Blue-headed Vireo
6. Red-eyed Vireo
7. Nashville Warbler
8. Black-and-white Warbler
9. Magnolia Warbler
10. Swainson’s Thrush
11. White-throated Sparrow*
12. Sharp-shinned Hawk
13. Canada Goose
14. Eastern Towhee (v)
15. Blue Jay (v)
16. Dark-eyed Junco
17. Osprey
18. Common Raven
19. Tufted Titmouse (v)

Elsewhere

20. Song Sparrow (v)

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

Thrush, Revisited

Tuesday, September 20th, 2022
Thrush, revisited, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 20 September 2022.
Thrush, revisited.

It rained most of last night, and the day dawned wet and drippy. The overcast lasted all day, but my morning hike with dog was all sweet, watery drippiness. Quiet, though, with few birds flitting around in the greenery.

Until (as yesterday) we reached a spot on the wooded trail where chickadees were chatting at each other. Sure enough, several species of small birds were accompanying the chickadees—vireo, warblers, a wood-pewee….

Also spied a Swainson’s Thrush again, perhaps the same individual as yesterday. I listened as it repeatedly uttered a sweet short note I’d never heard before.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:03 a.m., I hiked all trails.

1. Blue Jay (v)
2. American Crow
3. Ovenbird
4. Northern Flicker
5. Gray Catbird
6. Eastern Towhee (v)
7. Song Sparrow
8. Common Yellowthroat (v)
9. Swainson’s Thrush
10. Yellow-rumped Warbler
11. Cedar Waxwing (v)
12. Black-capped Chickadee
13. Black-throated Green Warbler
14. Black-and-white Warbler
15. Tufted Titmouse (v)
16. Red-eyed Vireo
17. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
18. White-throated Sparrow
19. American Goldfinch

Elsewhere

20. Mallard

Mammals

Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Chipmunk

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

†First-of-year

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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