Savannah sparrow.
Clean air, cool day—about 60-something, tops. Looked out the window while on a happy Father’s Day phone call from my daughter and saw a young red-tailed hawk circling against the blue just above my place. Worked at the kitchen table until, in mid- to late-afternoon, Jack and I both decided it was time for a little hike.
Blackberries.
A couple other cars parked at the wooded trailhead. No big mosquito problem today, but not a lot of obvious bird activity, either. The usual vireos, chestnut-sided warblers, redstarts, and towhees. Loads and loads of blackberry blossoms still, with little green berries forming. Veeries calling—later, we followed one that hopped along the trail ahead of us—among other wood birds.
At the sunny summit, a few other hikers sat and chatted at Beech Nut, atop whose sod roof a Savannah sparrow chipped down at us. Phoebes guarding their nest on the opposite side. No sign of yellow warblers, alder flycatchers, or even song sparrows today, though. Then again, ours was a quick little hike at a quiet time of day.
Would’ve been a good day for it, but I didn’t go out cycling. [Meanwhile, a friend polished off the Trek Across Maine.] The tick bite is still bothering me. Didn’t sleep well last night. Will call the doc in the morning.
But never mind all that, because—ahhh—what a day.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:45 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo* (v)
2. Chestnut-sided warbler*
3. Veery
4. Eastern towhee (v)
5. American redstart*
6. Gray catbird*
7. American goldfinch* (v)
8. Eastern phoebe
9. Savannah sparrow
10. Common yellowthroat* (v)
11. Black-capped chickadee*
12. American crow* (v)
13. Hermit thrush* (v)
14. Black-throated green warbler* (v)
15. Eastern wood-pewee*
Elsewhere
16. Tufted titmouse (v)
17. House finch (v)
18. Herring gull
19. Red-tailed hawk
20. American robin (v)
21. Yellow warbler (v)
v = Voice
*Also elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, red-eyed vireo, red-tailed hawk, savannah sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, yellow warbler
