White-throated Sparrows arrived en masse this morning. First sightings on the hill this year (several), and a few at home. Other species beginning to pass through also—Ovenbird, Blue-headed Vireo—and new migrants galore.
The day began fairly warm and ended up in the mid-70s (F). The air smelled pure and clean and fresh.
Lots of insects (good news for warblers). No deer ticks yet, either. Lovely.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 5:40 a.m. real time (6:40 DST), I hiked all trails.
Harder to spot wild birds in the woodlands when the trees are all leafed out. Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time just staring up into the green canopy in the general direction of a bird’s song, Jack standing patiently by.
But still I got a photo or two.
We met a few friendly people on the hill, dog and I. And a nice selection of bird species showed up. Most notably, I heard the song of a vagrant Summer Tanager (which I’d first mis-ID’d as a grosbeak, but later confirmed). Will see if it’s still around tomorrow.
Meanwhile, here’s a photo of a nuthatch.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:52 a.m., I hiked most trails.
A foggy start to a sweet morning of birding. Dog and I got a bit later start, and things were quiet at first. But a lot of the fog burned away within the hour, and birds began to sing, and one of them was a Prairie Warbler.
I love Prairie Warblers. I first heard—then saw—one near Beech Hill Road several years ago. Their song is amazing, a buzzy collection of rising notes.
Heard this one pretty far down in the barrens, and figured I wouldn’t manage a peek, but the bird kept flitting off quite a distance and singing from another tree. Remarkably, as we began to descend toward Beech hill Road, I heard the bird singing quite close—and spied it atop a trail-side birch. Got a couple photos and a video.
It’s mornings like this that give credence to my mantra: “Birding improves your life.”
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:42 a.m., I hiked all trails.
