I expected another sun-soaked morning, but that was not the case: a low overcast cloaked Beech Hill—foggy, hazy, quiet. I didn’t mind, though. Especially the quiet. The light was dim, so I didn’t expect many decent photos, but the birds surprised me.
Sparrows (white-throated, swamp), robins, woodpeckers (downy, hairy, flicker), two nuthatch species, two corvids—and, randomly (and most noteworthy), a Snow Bunting in the lawn at the summit. Preening.
Down in the woods, we flushed a Ruffed Grouse, which I watched sail swiftly away into the trees.
(Still nice and wet in the woodlands, as well it should be.)
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:25 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee** 2. White-breasted Nuthatch** 3. American Crow* 4. American Robin 5. American Goldfinch (v) 6. Yellow-rumped Warbler 7. Northern Flicker (v) 8. Snow Bunting† 9. Red-breasted Nuthatch 10. Dark-eyed Junco 11. Song Sparrow (v) 12. White-throated Sparrow 13. Swamp Sparrow 14. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 15. Downy Woodpecker 16. Blue Jay** (v) 17. Ruffed Grouse 18. Brown Creeper (v) 19. Eastern Bluebird (v) 20. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
21. Wild Turkey
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Thicker fog this morning than yesterday. Rained overnight but let up at dawn, as forecast, just in time for a nice damp hike for dog and me. Didn’t expect a lot of bird action—certainly no decent photos in such dim light—but was surprised to find both.
Mostly photos of sparrows: Savannah, song, white-crowned, white-throated, swamp—and a passel of juncos. Sparrows lining the trail in the grass and in small trees, leading us up and down the hill.
I shall fondly remember this fine, wet day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:24 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* 2. White-throated Sparrow 3. American Robin 4. Yellow-rumped Warbler 5. Song Sparrow 6. Northern Flicker 7. Dark-eyed Junco 8. Black-capped Chickadee** (v) 9. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 10. Brown Creeper (v) 11. Hairy Woodpecker (v) 12. Savannah Sparrow 13. Swamp Sparrow 14. White-crowned Sparrow 15. Wild Turkey*
Elsewhere
16. Herring Gull
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
Rain overnight continued into early morning, but dog and I were not to be denied. The weather radar showed a break about mid-morning, so we headed up to what turned out to be a damp and misty hill.
Still a lot of fun, though. Plenty of smells for Jack to enjoy, and I listed a dozen bird species—many of them sparrows. Juncos, white-crowneds, songs, swamps, white-throats. Yellow-rumps, of course, and a flicker, and a cardinal and kinglet down by the road.
We got pretty good and wet, but that’s all part of the fun. Especially since I managed to keep my camera dry.
More rain tonight, but it should ease up in the morning, when we’ll be joined in our fun by a friend.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:50 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Golden-crowned Kinglet (v) 2. American Crow* 3. Northern Cardinal** 4. Song Sparrow 5. Dark-eyed Junco 6. White-crowned Sparrow 7. Yellow-rumped Warbler 8. White-throated Sparrow (v) 9. Blue Jay (v) 10. Northern Flicker 11. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 12. Swamp Sparrow
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
