Eastern towhee (juvenile).
Ah, back on the hill. Jack and I arrived in late-afternoon to find nothing much had changed. Still leafy, still blackberries along the trail, still a paucity of birds. They’re around, though. You can hear their chips and peeps and the sudden flutter of wings in the underbrush. They’re stocking up—most of ’em—for the coming long trip south.
Luna moth caterpillar.
Had only four species on my list by the time we got about half-way up, and none of them were visuals. And then we came upon a huge green caterpillar with little red spots on it. I don’t know caterpillars well, so only after a little quick research on our return was I able to ID it as a luna moth-to-be.
Was a mild day, a sunny day. In the shade of the trees, I heard an undistinguished chip nearby. We stopped. I peered into the brush. We waited for a minute. Two. Mosquitoes began to swarm. Finally I got only the briefest glimpse of a male American redstart.
Farther up, we encountered large secretive families of towhees and white-throated sparrows. Somehow I got photos of young individuals of each species.
At the summit, to my surprise, I spotted the first hawk I’d seen up there in several weeks. A northern harrier. It was moving lazily high in the air, not teetering low over the slopes as I’ll begin to see them soon.
Returning, we snuck up on a couple turkeys. Then I happened to catch sight of an ovenbird (which didn’t make a sound). Finally, the familiar calls of a couple of wood-pewees. I even got a glimpse of one, for a change, fluttering after flies high in a tall oak tree.
White-throated sparrow (juvenile).
Tonight a cleansing thundershower just blew through. I can dig a thundershower.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:45 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. American goldfinch (v)
2. Black-capped chickadee
3. Chestnut-sided warbler (v)
4. Cedar waxwing (v)
5. Gray catbird
6. American redstart
7. Eastern towhee
8. White-throated sparrow
9. Common yellowthroat (v)
10. Northern harrier
11. Wild turkey
12. Ovenbird
13. Eastern wood-pewee
Elsewhere
14. White-breasted nuthatch (v)
15. House finch (v)
16. Pileated woodpecker (v)
17. Herring gull
18. Laughing gull
19. Mallard
20. American crow
21. Northern cardinal (v)
22. American robin (v)
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, gray catbird, herring gull, house finch, laughing gull, mallard, northern cardinal, northern harrier, ovenbird, pileated woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey
