Today dawned foggy. Very, very foggy. When dog and I started up the trailhead, it felt like we were wandering around in a cloud. Foggy, wet, calm—and yet surprisingly birdy for such conditions. Many Yellow-rumped Warblers still, along with bunches of chickadees in the woods.
Most notable was a solitary White-crowned Sparrow that had been chasing after a yellow-rump when it decided to stop and check the trail for seeds. I only see white-crowns at just about this time of year.
Onward!
Beech Hill List Starting at 7:58 a.m. EST (8:58 DST), I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow* (v) 2. White-throated Sparrow (v) 3. Yellow-rumped Warbler 4. Northern Flicker (v) 5. White-crowned Sparrow† 6. Eastern Towhee 7. Gray Catbird (v) 8. American Robin (v) 9. Song Sparrow 10. Tufted Titmouse (v) 11. Black-capped Chickadee 12. Blue Jay** (v)
Elsewhere
13. Northern Cardinal (v) 14. Mourning Dove 15. Wild Turkey 16. Herring Gull 17. Rock Pigeon 18. Canada Goose (v)
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk (v)
(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
Rained a bit more overnight, but only fog dimmed the rising dawn. Wetness all about (which I appreciate), and a few birds along the roadsides.
Hiked the hill with my old pal Scott, engaged in conversation. Still spied quite a few birds, despite the fog and dimness. Sparrows, mostly, but also a kinglet, nuthatches, and a random gull flyby. Still yellow-rumps about, too. A mere thirty or so this morning.
Supposed to rain tomorrow. We shall see.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 9:01 a.m., I hiked all trails.
