The air was clean and cool and dry, the sky was blue with a few clouds, the breeze was fickle, and the birds were furtive—but present. What a beautiful morning.
Right away a thrush appeared, hopping up the trail. Before long, a couple-three woodpeckers, a crow and a jay, a wood-pewee, nuthatches… At the summit, dog and I met a friend we hadn’t seen in a while, and we had a good, long chat. A swallow showed up—and a very loud military jet (first I recall seeing up there).
And, at the end of our hike, a Blue Jay on a blue sky day.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Hermit Thrush 2. Downy Woodpecker (v) 3. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 4. American Crow* (v) 5. Black-capped Chickadee** 6. Blue Jay 7. Brown Creeper (v) 8. Eastern Wood-pewee 9. White-breasted Nuthatch** 10. Red-bellied Woodpecker 11. American Redstart 12. Pileated Woodpecker 13. Eastern Towhee 14. Gray Catbird 15. American Goldfinch (v) 16. Yellow-rumped Warbler (v) 17. Eastern Phoebe 18. Song Sparrow** 19. Osprey 20. Turkey Vulture 21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 22. Tree Swallow
Elsewhere
23. Northern Cardinal (v) 24. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A bit of a late start this overcast morning, thinking it might get bright enough for photos eventually. Dim it was, and pretty quiet up the wooded trails, but things got interesting at the summit again.
House Finch was new. Another oriole (which I didn’t frankly notice until I saw the photo many hours later). Bluebirds. Big birds—osprey, gull, vulture. But most exciting was probably the big ol’ fly hatch in the summit spruce grove, which had waxwings (and bluebirds) going nuts. Also a nice chat with some friends.
I’d repeat this hike. It was a good ’un.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:53 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. American Crow* 2. American Goldfinch** 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. Eastern Towhee 5. Hermit Thrush (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Eastern Wood-pewee 8. Tufted Titmouse (v) 9. Blue Jay (v) 10. Northern Cardinal** (v) 11. Gray Catbird 12. Common Yellowthroat 13. Alder Flycatcher (v) 14. Song Sparrow 15. Baltimore Oriole 16. House Wren (v) 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. Eastern Wood-pewee 19. Downy Woodpecker (v) 20. House Finch 21. American Robin 22. Eastern Bluebird 23. Field Sparrow (v) 24. Herring Gull* 25. Great Crested Flycatcher (v) 26. Yellow Warbler (v) 27. Tree Swallow 28. Osprey 29. Turkey Vulture 30. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
31. Mourning Dove
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A warm morning, with mosquitos about. Cloudless, little wend. Felt a lot like summer.
Speaking of—I heard another singing Summer Tanager down in the bottomlands. Marched off trail for a while but never did get even a peak at the bird. Will try again tomorrow.
A lovely hike, with sweat galore,
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:20 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Ovenbird 2. Northern Cardinal** (v) 3. Red-eyed Vireo** 4. American Crow* 5. American Goldfinch (v) 6. Black-throated Green Warbler (v) 7. Chestnut-sided Warbler 8. American Redstart** (v) 9. Summer Tanager (v) 10. Veery 11. Hairy Woodpecker 12. Gray Catbird 13. Black-capped Chickadee** 14. Black-and-white Warbler 15. Eastern Towhee 16. Common Yellowthroat 17. Song Sparrow 18. Yellow Warbler 19. Field Sparrow (v) 20. Purple Finch (v) 21. Cedar Waxwing 22. Eastern Phoebe 23. Savannah Sparrow (v) 24. Mourning Dove 25. American Robin 26. Alder Flycatcher (v) 27. Hermit Thrush (v) 28. House Wren 29. Northern Flicker 30. Tree Swallow 31. Red-breasted Nuthatch 32. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 33.Broad-winged Hawk 34. Tufted Titmouse (v) 35. Common Raven (v) 36 Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 37. Wood Thrush (v)
Elsewhere
38. House Finch 39. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
White-tailed Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
