Veery.
Ah, a cloudless morning sky, and a little time for the birds. Sunrise came early enough, in fact, that 6:45 a.m. seemed late—but dog and I arrived (fifteen minutes after rising) to plenty of song. Plenty of mosquitos, too (had a few yesterday), but not so many black flies. Bird-wise, nothing new today. (Still waiting on pewees and waxwings.) But it was nice to greet the familiar warblers, vireo, thrushes, grosbeaks, towhees, catbirds, sparrows.
Ovenbird.
I got lucky early on when an ovenbird flitted up onto an open perch—open enough for a decent photo, at least. Luckier still to spot a young broad-winged hawk and find it visible through the thickening foliage. Not so lucky with the yellow warblers (many yellow warblers, and chestnut-sideds): I had a clear shot of two of them, each teed up on the sun-drenched tips of leafy branches, but missed The Shot. Same thing happened with the chestnut-sided that’s laid claim to the last stretch of trail before Beech Nut.
Had a nice shot of a redstart but couldn’t focus in time. (Still looking for The Redstart Photo.) Missed a good look at a black-and-white warbler.
But coming over the summit, I had a good listen to a dozen birds, at least. Uncommonly musical for the open trail. Jay, Nashville warbler, song and savannah and field sparrow, cardinal, titmouse—and a wood thrush delivering a beautiful solo from across Beech Hill Road.
Redstarts have taken up residence around the parking lot down there. Heard the cowbird but not the chipping sparrow. Had alder and great crested flycatchers, but I didn’t get a whiff of a hummingbird.
Broad-winged hawk (immature).
An adult broad-wing circled over as we ascended again, but I couldn’t get a good fix on it. Back at the summit, I met Steve, a fellow bird photographer from New Hampshire, who had a spectacularly large lens. He’d been photographing the chestnut-sided up there (among other things, I’m sure). We had a nice conversation—during which, a red-tailed hawk soared above us. But again, I couldn’t get a decent picture.
However, for all the misses, I got one hell of a hit as we began our descent. Coming around the soggy turn just below the summit, a veery leapt up from the shadows and perched in a little patch of sun. Jack and I stopped. The bird just sat there. Posing. With its mouth open, mostly. (Weird.) Best photo I’ve ever had of the shy thrush.
Added a few more species during my afternoon bike ride, which was marked by a stout southerly wind. One way hard, one way easy.
And so it goes.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Ovenbird*
2. Common yellowthroat
3. Red-eyed vireo
4. Chestnut-sided warbler
5. Black-throated green warbler (v)
6. Eastern phoebe
7. Black-and-white warbler
8. American goldfinch (v)
9. Downy woodpecker (drumming)
10. Veery
11. Wild turkey (v)
12. American redstart
13. Rose-breasted grosbeak
14. American crow
15. Black-capped chickadee
16. American robin
17. White-breasted nuthatch (v)
18. Tufted titmouse (v)
19. Broad-winged hawk
20. Eastern towhee
21. Mourning dove* (v)
22. Alder flycatcher (v)
23. Gray catbird (v)
24. Red-winged blackbird
25. White-throated sparrow (v)
26. Yellow warbler
27. Blue jay
28. Song sparrow
29. Purple finch
30. Northern parula (v)
31. Savannah sparrow
32. Field sparrow (v)
33. Nashville warbler (v)
34. Wood thrush (v)
35. Northern cardinal (v)
36. Brown-headed cowbird (v)
37. Red-tailed hawk
38. Tree swallow
39. Great crested flycatcher (v)
Elsewhere
40. House finch
41. Herring gull
42. European starling
43. Rock pigeon
44. Chipping sparrow (v)
45. Turkey vulture
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Yellow warbler.
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, broad-winged hawk, brown-headed cowbird, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, field sparrow, gray catbird, great crested flycatcher, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern parula, ovenbird, purple finch, red-eyed vireo, red-tailed hawk, red-winged blackbird, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey, wood thrush, yellow warbler
