Ruby meadowhawk.
There came a change in the wind. Today—another sunny, breezy one—had a difference. A couple of differences. Quite a bit cooler, and a change in wind direction: southerly had become northerly.
Had a longer-than-usual workday, so I got out on my bike kind of late. Too late to make it to the Rockport post office before closing time, in fact, so I went ahead and rode up to Camden and Megunticook Market, where I like to stop for fancy beer and home-baked walnut brownies. Lots of Canada geese hunkered down at Alderemere Farm in Rockport, gearing up for some kind of migration or something maybe.
The twenty-mile ride took a little longer than usual also, so Jack and I didn’t make it to Beech Hill until after six o’clock.
Not many birds at first. The usual faint chips and peeps and goldfinches and waxwings. I did hear crows and a raven. Quite a few people up there (and a couple dogs), and I met fellow birder Jay on the way down while taking a photo of a little dragonfly. As we descended, we heard and saw a nice little assortment of birds: heard a single barred owl call, spotted a distant red-tailed hawk, heard and saw several young field sparrows. The trills of crickets cloak the hillsides like an aura.
The moon tonight is just past full, and the night itself is lovely and cool. There truly is something in the air.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American goldfinch**
2. American crow* (v)
3. Cedar waxwing**
4. Song sparrow
5. Common raven (v)
6. Field sparrow
7. Barred owl (v)
8. Red-tailed hawk
9. Black-capped chickadee** (v)
Elsewhere
10. Herring gull
11. Mourning dove
12. Northern cardinal (v)
13. Canada goose
14. Tufted titmouse (v)
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, barred owl, black-capped chickadee, Canada goose, Cedar waxwing, common raven, field sparrow, herring gull, mourning dove, northern cardinal, red-tailed hawk, song sparrow, tufted titmouse
