Rose-breasted grosbeak, Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport, Maine, 18 June 2013.
Got up early enough, but there were a few clouds, so I launched into desk work right away. Come afternoon, I dressed for cycling, and then it began to rain, so I changed back into my regular clothes. Didn’t make it to Beech Hill until the end of the day—and stuck to the open trail.
Purple finch.
But, man, weren’t the birds active! By the time we made the first turn and started up the slope, I’d already counted at least a dozen birds (including a very vocal great crested flycatcher in a tree across the road). The pair of purple finches I’ve seen recently in the spruce grove at the summit were there again. Singing, cavorting. We headed down toward the woods a ways until I got a listen to a hermit thrush.
Returning, I heard the song of a rose-breasted grosbeak and though how very far its voice carries—no matter that it’s a soft sort of subtle kind of warble. The air was still, and I’m sure you could hear it for more than a mile. Also the Savannah sparrows, with their insect-like trills: a sound that really cuts the air. Birds are of course attuned to the particular voices of their species, but it’s impressive—almost miraculous—how their songs and calls let them influence the world a good long distance away. Kind of like remote control.
We’re nearing the solstice, and the photoperiod is long, and this evening, after a shower blew over, one lovely leg a rainbow sprouted from the southern horizon. Not sure I’d ever seen a rainbow in that part of the sky before
Roses.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Yellow warbler
2. Red-eyed vireo** (v)
3. Great crested flycatcher** (v)
4. Tufted titmouse (v)
5. Eastern towhee
6. American redstart
7. Purple finch
8. American crow*
9. American robin*
10. Ovenbird** (v)
11. Chestnut-sided warbler**
12. Common yellowthroat**
13. Veery (v)
14. Field sparrow
15. Northern cardinal** (v)
16. Alder flycatcher (v)
17. Rose-breasted grosbeak
18. Herring gull*
19. Song sparrow**
20. Gray catbird
21. Savannah sparrow
22. Black-and-white warbler (v)
23. Hermit thrush (v)
24. Black-capped chickadee** (v)
25. Northern flicker (v)
26. Blue jay (v)
Elsewhere
27. House finch (v)
28. Osprey (v)
29. Chimney swift
30 Common grackle
31. Mallard
32. Great black-backed gull
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, chestnut-sided warbler, chimney swift, common grackle, common yellowthraot, eastern towhee, field sparrow, gray catbird, great black-backed gull, great crested flycatcher, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mallard, northern cardinal, northern flicker, osprey, ovenbird, purple finch, red-eyed vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, yellow warbler
