This morning dog and I hiked a calm, cool quiet, early autumn trail. Migration was going on—many yellow-rumps, a kinglet, White-throated Sparrows—but after four sweet days on an island, it felt mostly like being back amid close family.
Best family photo? A close-up of a resident chickadee.
[On our morning hike, I dropped my Garmin device. Didn’t notice till we got back to the truck. So in afternoon, I went back without Jack—and, by golly, someone had found it and left it on a bench at the hut. Added a raven.]
Beech Hill List Starting at 8:03 a.m. EST (9:03 DST) and again at 1:09 (2:09), I hiked all trails.
I hiked the hill twice today—once with dog and a second time leading a friendly a birding group. What with the chill and breeze, not a lot of birds showed up—but both hikes were well worth it in this new young lovely fall.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:18 a.m. EST (8:18 DST) and again at 8:30 (9:30), I hiked all trails.
1. Tufted Titmouse 2. Black-capped Chickadee** (v) 3. Yellow-rumped Warbler 4. American Goldfinch (v) 5. American Crow* (v) 6. Common Yellowthroat (v) 7. Eastern Towhee (v) 8. Blue Jay (v) 9. Turkey Vulture
Elsewhere
10. Mallard 11. Herring Gull
Mammals
White-tailed Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
It was a cool and overcast morning, a kind of weather I truly love to hike in. Something about that layer of clouds above makes me feel safe, like a soft, protective ceiling. And Captain Jack, with his thick fur coat, liked the coolness.
Yesterday’s wayward solo lark appeared again. So did at least one raven—and, most surprisingly, a Sharp-shinned Hawk. I heard a jay first, just ahead of us around a leafy corner, then the hawk. It’s bright rapid cries made me stop in my tracks. I peaked around the leafy corner, and danged if the bird didn’t allow me a decent photo.
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:08 a.m. EST (8:08 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. Gray Catbird (v) 2. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 3. Black-capped Chickadee** 4. American Crow* (v) 5. Common Yellowthroat (v) 6. Song Sparrow 7. Blue Jay** 8. Horned Lark 9. Yellow-rumped Warbler 10. Northern Flicker (v) 11. Common Raven 12. American Goldfinch** 13. Eastern Towhee (v) 14. Red-eyed Vireo (v) 15. Sharp-shinned Hawk 16. American Robin (v) 17. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 18. Tufted Titmouse (v)
