I call ’em “big birds”—hawks and vultures and gulls and ravens and other large species that I see in the sky overhead. This morning’s fun hike with an old pal, for me and Jack, was a long but fun one. And it included several big birds.
At dawn, my indoor-outdoor thermometer showed thirties (F) first thing. By the time dog and I headed up the hill, it had risen to about 40°—and mostly sunny. An absolutely lovely, colorful woodland, with little birds flitting around in the periphery.
Granted, most of these birds were yellow-rumps, but I also heard the (off-season) booming of a Ruffed Grouse and the teeny of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Another Swamp Sparrow—bunch of sparrows moving through—and plenty of woodpeckers. A fun hike.
Looking forward to tomorrow.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:05 a.m., I hiked all trails.
Overcast and chilly when dog and I headed up to the preserve. Ordinarily I’d take us to the main trail, where the open air would brighten things photographically—but I spied a scrap or two of blue, so decided on the wooded trailhead. It was the right decision. Not only did the sun emerge, but the morning got warm and humid in a hurry.
And a bunch of birds showed up.
Corvids, nuthatches, thrushes, finches, warblers, woodpeckers, sparrows. Many, many yellow-rumps (about 90, I figured) and a good-sized flock of robins. Surprised a woodcock (no photo, dangit). But the highlight was likely a solitary Blackpoll Warbler—first of year on the hill for me.
No photo of the blackpoll, but here’s a Hermit Thrush.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:25 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow 2. Yellow-rumped Warbler 3. American Goldfinch (v) 4. Blue Jay (v) 5. Brown Creeper 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Eastern Bluebird (v) 8. Blackpoll Warbler 9. Purple Finch 10. Tufted Titmouse (v) 11. Northern Flicker (v) 12. American Robin 13. Eastern Towhee (v) 14. Hermit Thrush 15. American Woodcock 16. White-throated Sparrow 17. Gray Catbird 18. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 19. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 20. Savannah Sparrow 21. Osprey 22. Song Sparrow (v) 23. White-breasted Nuthatch (v) 24. Downy Woodpecker (v) 25. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
Elsewhere
26. Carolina Wren (v) 27. Herring Gull 28. Rock Pigeon
Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year
