White-breasted nuthatch.
The sky cleared overnight. This morning dawned brilliantly sunny, colder than yesterday, and with a wild wind—strong and blustery. In mid-afternoon, I took a brisk bike ride. Felt good, although I really had to hang on a time or two when the wind wound up and hit me. A little while later, I took Jack up to Beech Hill.
Beech Hill field.
A few others on the trail, people and dogs. Still bright but with a few clouds. Still pretty cold. Still very windy. Was hard to listen for birds in the wind, but I did hear little clusters of yellow-rumps bouncing around in the trees. Also chickadees. And the squee! squee! notes of a flock of pine siskins that were apparently dining at a feeder across the road.
Nothing else until the summit, when a solitary song sparrow flitted away from Beech Nut. A few ‘rumps flew over.
Returning—with less wind in my ears—I heard the calls of jays and crows. And back down near the parking lot, a white-breasted nuthatch showed up. Watched it peck around in the hardwoods for a while. (Also heard a woodpecker but never saw what kind.)
Nice day. Brisk ride. Crisp air. Bluster.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Yellow-rumped warbler
2. Black-capped chickadee**
3. Pine siskin (v)
4. Song sparrow
5. American crow* (v)
6. Blue jay* (v)
7. White-breasted nuthatch
Elsewhere
8. Herring gull
9. Golden-crowned kinglet (v)
10. Mourning dove
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, golden-crowned kinglet, herring gull, mourning dove, pine siskin, song sparrow, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow-rumped warbler
