Black-capped chickadee.
This day had sun and cloud, ending with sun—and dramatic clouds. Took care of a bunch of errands that had accumulated during this past busy week, then embarked on an early-ish hike with Jack, my dog.
Breezy on the hill. We met people on the trail right away, along with a couple of dogs. The breeze, the wind, proved fickle, whipping up a rushing sound in that canopy, then this. You couldn’t hear much but the breath of the breeze, the wind. But I did catch the caws of faraway crows and the cheeps of nearby chickadees. And that’s about the only birds I heard clear up the the summit, which revealed no other birds. Nor humans. Nor dogs.
Returning, just the wind—until a little gang of chickadees approached. Grabbed a couple photos—and that was about it, for photos.
However, as we got near the parking lot again, the voices of another group of chickadees convinced me to stop, and we stood, and I listened, and I heard a brown creeper. We stayed there in the restless wind for probably five minutes as I inspected the trunks around us looking for the bird. Never did spot it. However, I did then hear the quay! note of a vireo and managed to spy a little family of ’em up in the trees.
Four birds on the hill today. Four that appear on my list, at least.
And a fresh, cool, portentous, restless wind.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:30 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Black-capped chickadee
2. American crow*
3. Brown creeper (v)
4. Red-eyed vireo
Elsewhere
5. Herring gull
6. Mourning dove
7. Blue jay (v)
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, herring gull, mourning dove, red-eyed vireo
