Another day when rain showers didn’t come early, as forecast. Instead, some blue sky appeared, and sun streamed down into the woodlands as dog and I headed up the trail. The sky was kind of amazing, actually—blue patches, big piled-up clouds with dark bottoms, reflections on the bay. And in our little birding patch, quite a few more species than in recent days.

Notable would be the random goose flying over, a Savannah Sparrow for a change, and just watching my old dog rolling over and over on the sweet green grass atop the hill. Matter of fact, I hiked up again in early afternoon with my friend’s young dog, when I added two species to my list (and heard of a sighting of a Mourning Warbler—which would be a new addition to the Beech Hill List—from a pair of birders coming down).

Quite a few birds posed for photos, even. And tomorrow’s forecast looks similar to today’s actual weather. That’d be real nice—I do love a variable, dramatic sky.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:30 a.m. sun time (8:30 DST), I hiked all trails.

1. American Redstart
2. Ovenbird
3. Red-eyed Vireo
4. Song Sparrow
5. Chestnut-sided Warbler
6. Eastern Wood-pewee
7. Black-and-white Warbler
8. Black-throated Green Warbler
9. Veery
10. Tufted Titmouse
11. Great Crested Flycatcher
12. Northern Cardinal
13. White-throated Nuthatch
14. Eastern Towhee
15. Scarlet Tanager
16. American Crow
17. Common Yellowthroat
18. Hermit Thrush
19. Alder Flycatcher
20. American Goldfinch
21. Yellow Warbler
22. Field Sparrow
23. Eastern Bluebird
24. Chipping Sparrow
25. Canada Goose
26. Turkey Vulture
27. Common Raven
28. Eastern Phoebe
29. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
30. Mourning Dove
31. Gray Catbird
32. Red-winged Blackbird
33. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
34. Savannah Sparrow
35. American Robin
36. Pileated Woodpecker
37. Broad-winged Hawk
38. Red-bellied Woodpecker

Elsewhere

39. Mallard
40. Herring Gull
41. Double-crested Cormorant
42. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year