Wilson’s warbler.
Up early, thanks to a little sun leaking through the blinds. However, by the time Jack and I got to Beech Hill, we were surrounded by fog. Not thick fog, but mist, grayness, dampness. However, the rain had passed and a whole new gang of migrants were moving through. Right away, in fact, I heard what sounded like a red-eyed vireo—and my binoculars helped me confirm it. First first-of-year species of the day.
White-crowned sparrow.
Just in the sugarbush near the parking lot, I heard multiple warblers: ovenbird, black-throated green, parula, chestnut-sided, black-and-white, yellowthroat, blackpoll. (An aside: I love the call of a blackpoll—the sharp, steady, monotone notes, rising in intensity, then diminishing again.) Saw an osprey fly over in the mist. Heard a raven.
About half way up, I had to stop in the leafing-out trees because of the wave of warblers moving through. Black-throated greens, chestnut-sideds, yellows, black-and-whites, Nashvilles. While attempting photos of all the canopy-foraging birds, I heard the unmistakable ch-bek! of a least flycatcher. First-of-year bird No. 2.
Heard a turkey, heard a ruby-crowned kinglet. Lots more birds flitting through the trees just below the summit. As we reached that summit, a scattering of sparrows flew, and one perched up ahead of us: a white-crowned. Another first-of-year species.
Heard another prairie warbler coming down the open trail. Heard a black-throated blue warbler. The redstart and a turkey were hanging around down at the Beech Hill Road parking lot. Lots more warblers down there, too, in fact—including a Wilson’s that posed for a photo in its jaunty toupee. The fourth (and final) first-of-year bird of the day.
American redstart.
Got to thinking what’s still missing. Alder flycatcher, for one thing. Scarlet tanager, for another. Black-billed cuckoo. Pretty sure I’ve heard or seen all the other common Beech Hill birds—thanks to a big day today.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Tufted titmouse** (v)
2. Ovenbird**
3. Black-throated green warbler**
4. White-breasted nuthatch (v)
5. Eastern towhee
6. Northern parula**
7. Red-eyed vireo†
8. Blackpoll warbler (v)
9. Black-and-white warbler**
10. Chestnut-sided warbler**
11. Blue jay
12. Osprey
13. Rose-breasted grosbeak (v)
14. Common yellowthroat**
15. Common raven
16. Gray catbird
17. Veery
18. American crow*
19. American redstart
20. White-throated sparrow
21. Nashville warbler
22. Yellow warbler**
23. Mourning dove*
24. Black-capped chickadee**
25. Least flycatcher† (v)
26. Yellow-rumped warbler
27. Blue-headed vireo
28. Wild turkey
29. Northern cardinal**
30. Ruby-crowned kinglet (v)
31. Song sparrow**
32. American robin**
33. Savannah sparrow
34. White-crowned sparrow†
35. American goldfinch (v)
36. Hermit thrush (v)
37. Prairie warbler (v)
38. Black-throated blue warbler (v)
39. Purple finch (v)
40. Wilson’s warbler†
41. Brown-headed cowbird (v)
42. Eastern phoebe
43. Chipping sparrow**
44. Broad-winged hawk (v)
Elsewhere
45. House finch (v)
46. Herring gull
47. Double-crested cormorant
48. European starling
49. Rock pigeon
50. Common grackle
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated blue warbler, black-throated green warbler, blackpoll warbler, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, broad-winged hawk, brown-headed cowbird, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common grackle, common raven, common yellowthroat, double-crested cormorant, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, least flycatcher, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern parula, osprey, ovenbird, prairie warbler, purple finch, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, ruby-crowned kinglet, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-crowned sparrow, white-throated sparrow, wild turkey, Wilson's warbler, yellow warbler, yellow-rumped warbler
