Field sparrow.
You can tell we’re approaching the solstice because of the long photoperiod, the lush landscape, and the serious bird activity.
American redstart.
And by “serious,” I mean busy, active, mission-driven. The local songbirds are focused on their nests, their eggs, their hatchlings. Mostly hatchlings by now, I think. Warblers sing a little—not their early territory-claiming songs, rather a sort of territory reaffirmation call. Less vocal, a bit hesitant, perhaps instructive for the new chicks. Sparrows flit about with beaks full of food. The phoebes at Beech Nut zip furtively to the nest and back.
Jack and I got to Beech Hill about the time the clouds blew away and the sun came out, which likely prompted a little more singing up there. Heard two cardinals, for instance, which I don’t hear in the wild so often. Field sparrows sang from all quarters, and one bird hopped along the trail in front of us, grabbing seeds or bugs or both. Waxwings moved through. A pair of tree swallows veered and soared together above the summit.
We met quite a few fellow hikers—not surprisingly, given the weather. Together, we watched the swallows, admired the song of a summit Savannah sparrow, followed the travels of he phoebes.
Meanwhile, the site of a wood tick nibble I got a few days ago has turned itchy and rashy and swollen. I’d plucked it out within an hour, well before it’d had a chance to become engorged, but my left calf is pretty ticklish at the moment. Not Lyme, but something. I’m pulling for my white blood cells to win this battle soon.
Cedar waxwing.
Tonight is cool and lovely. Good sleeping weather, as they like to say around here.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo* (v)
2. Ovenbird*
3. Chestnut-sided warbler*
4. Veery (v)
5. Gray catbird* (v)
6. Black-and-white warbler
7. Eastern towhee
8. American redstart*
9. American crow* (v)
10. Black-capped chickadee
11. Mourning dove* (v)
12. Common yellowthroat*
13. Eastern wood-pewee
14. Song sparrow*
15. Tree swallow
16. Eastern phoebe
17. Savannah sparrow
18. American robin* (v)
19. White-throated sparrow (v)
20. American goldfinch* (v)
21. Field sparrow
22. Alder flycatcher (v)
23. Northern cardinal* (v)
24. Yellow warbler*
25. Blue jay (v)
26. Black-throated green warbler* (v)
27. Cedar waxwing
28. Hermit thrush* (v)
Elsewhere
29. House finch (v)
30. Herring gull
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, field sparrow, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, veery, white-throated sparrow, yellow warbler
