Beech Nut drift.
Overnight, I awoke briefly a time or two to hear the wind and the muffled through-the-window ambience that signals a big snowfall. As promised. And when I awoke this morning, it was still coming down. We got ten or twelve inches, I’d guess, here on the 44th parallel—although it drifted so much it was hard to tell.
Snow Jack.
Worked inside until it stopped snowing, and then I shoveled for about an hour, and then I drove with Jack to Beech Hill, where we plowed our way into the parking lot and became the first man and dog to hike the hill in the wake of the big snow. I had on snowshoes. Good thing, too.
Honestly I didn’t expect any birds in blowing-snow conditions, but I spotted a hairy woodpecker in flight ahead of us coming up the trail. And later I heard a chickadee.
Meanwhile, we had a great hike and both ended up tuckered out. (Jack does love the snow.) Descending we met a hiker coming up, much to our surprise. She had no showshoes on and made a point of thanking me for laying down a track that she could follow.
Tonight is clear and moonlit, and the temperature has dripped again into the teens.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Hairy woodpecker
2. Black-capped chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
3. American crow (v)
4. Herring gull
v = Voice only
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, hairy woodpecker, herring gull
