The day began with a hazy sun and an overcast on the way. A different day from yesterday, in part on account of a fly hatch. At the tips of the summit spruce grove, flies attracted many (mostly young) Tree Swallows—and one Barn Swallow tagged along.
Farther down the hill, a similar hatch lured a big flock of waxwings to the tops of some small trailside hardwoods. The birds were in waxwing heaven.
Tomorrow the rain will come. Dog and I will get wet for sure. Don’t mind.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:01 a.m. EST (8:01 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 2. White-breasted Nuthatch 3. American Goldfinch 4. Eastern Towhee 5. Eastern Wood-pewee (v) 6. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 7. Downy Woodpecker (v) 8. Brown Creeper (v) 9. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (v) 10. Blue Jay (v) 11. Gray Catbird 12. Tree Swallow 13. Barn Swallow 14. American Robin* 15. Common Yellowthroat 16. American Crow* 17. Cedar Waxwing 18. Song Sparrow** 19. Chipping Sparrow 20. Purple Finch 21. Alder Flycatcher (v) 22. Eastern Bluebird 23. Yellow Warbler (v) 24. Tufted Titmouse (v) 25. Black-and-white Warbler (v)
Elsewhere
26. Northern Cardinal (v) 27. Herring Gull 28. Wild Turkey 29. Mourning Dove 30. Rock Pigeon
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
First I looked at the thermometer this morning, the temp was in the 50s (F). But soon enough, the nice cool hike to start for dog and me became rather warm. The breeze helped—as did the ol’ birding distraction. Still plenty of juvies (among them a towhee that posed), but my total species count was pretty low.
Still had a few exciting moments—a calling Red-shouldered Hawk, juvie towhees and Chestnut-sided Warblers.
This afternoon some rain fell, and I heard a rumble of thunder. Looking forward to seeing how tomorrow shapes up.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:22 a.m. EST (8:22 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Blue Jay 3. American Goldfinch 4. Black-throated Green Warbler 5. Chestnut-sided Warbler 6. Veery 7. Downy Woodpecker 8. Eastern Towhee 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Black-capped Chickadee 11. Tufted Titmouse 12. American Crow 13. Cedar Waxwing 14. Alder Flycatcher 15. Song Sparrow 16. Red-shouldered Hawk 17. Common Yellowthroat 18. Gray Catbird 19. Hermit Thrush 20. Turkey Vulture 21. Tree Swallow 22. Hairy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
23. Herring Gull 24. Eastern Phoebe
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
A hazy sun was rising when dog and I arrived at the wooded trailhead this morning. I’d seen where the smoke from big wildfires in Canada might waft this way, and I’m pretty sure that’s the source of some of the haze that turned the sun orange. A very faint smell of smoke, perhaps (but nowhere near as strong as the smell of those western fires while we were in Utah).
Birds were about, though—many of them. Notable was a solitary hummingbird, a calling sapsucker, and a posing Chipping Sparrow. The chippy got me thinking about how thankful I am for the various sparrows I see nearly every day (my favorite being the Savannah Sparrow—don’t tell the others.
First-of-year goldenrod today, and fresh red sumac drupes. Less rain in the forecast, and warm temps. Summer on the coast of Maine.
Beech Hill List Starting at 6:30 a.m. EST (7:30 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed Vireo 2. Eastern Phoebe 3. Black-throated Green Warbler 4. Ovenbird 5. Tufted Titmouse 6. Veery 7. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 8. American Goldfinch 9. Eastern Wood-pewee 10. Black-capped Chickadee 11. Blue Jay 12. White-breasted Nuthatch 13. Brown Creeper 14. Hermit Thrush 15. American Crow 16. Gray Catbird 17. Eastern Towhee 18. Common Yellowthroat 19. Chestnut-sided Warbler 20. Ruby-throated Hummingbird 21. Song Sparrow 22. Chipping Sparrow 23. Yellow Warbler 24. Field Sparrow 25. Tree Swallow 26. Savannah Sparrow 27. Mourning Dove 28. Northern Cardinal 29. Cedar Waxwing 30. Eastern Bluebird 31. American Robin 32. Downy Woodpecker 33. Black-and-white Warbler 34. American Redstart 35. Hairy Woodpecker
Elsewhere
36. Herring Gull
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
