Blue Jay collecting birch bark as nesting material.
This Memorial Day holiday turned out to be a nice on—sunny, 70s (F), light wind, perfect for a long bicycle ride, one of which I treated myself to in afternoon. But morning began with drizzle that turned to fog that turned to drizzle again. As usual, I hiked all over Beech Hill Preserve with Captain Jack, my dog.
Quite a few species, although nothing rare or surprising. I did catch a glimpse of a Great Crested Flycatcher that was hollerin’ and carrying on in the foggy woods. I also happened to spy a Blue Jay tearing birch bark off a tree by the road and carrying it off to what I imagine must be the start of a nest somewhere.
Up near the summit, an Alder Flycatcher flew to a perch quite near us, in a little oak tree, and sang for a while. So I grabbed a video.
Gray Catbird.
Everything has really greened up in a hurry, as happens every year at this latitude toward the end of May. The foliage is vivid and fresh and unblemished, and when the sun comes out, the landscape is mottled with shade.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6:15 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Ovenbird
3. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
4. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
5. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
6. Common Yellowthroat**
7. Eastern Phoebe
8. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
9. Mourning Dove*
10. Gray Catbird**
11. Northern Parula (v)
12. Eastern Towhee
13. Scarlet Tanager
14. American Robin*
15. American Crow*
16. American Redstart**
17. Veery (v)
18. Black-and-white Warbler**
19. Nashville Warbler (v)
20. Great Crested Flycatcher
21. Northern Flicker
22. Yellow Warbler**
23. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (drumming)
24. Hermit Thrush (v)
25. Alder Flycatcher
26. Blue Jay
27. Field Sparrow (v)
28. Savannah Sparrow
29. Song Sparrow
30. White-throated Sparrow (v)
31. Northern Cardinal* (v)
32. Chipping Sparrow**
33. American Goldfinch** (v)
34. Red-winged Blackbird
35. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
36. Osprey*
37. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
38. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
39. Least Flycatcher (v)
Elsewhere
40. Herring Gull
41. Common Grackle
42. Rock Pigeon
43. Turkey Vulture
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Spruce grove.
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common grackle, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, field sparrow, gray catbird, great crested flycatcher, hermit thrush, herring gull, least flycatcher, mourning dove, Nashville warbler, northern cardinal, northern flicker, northern parula, osprey, ovenbird, pileated woodpecker, red-eyed vireo, red-winged blackbird, rock pigeon, ruby-throated hummingbird, savannah sparrow, scarlet tanager, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, veery, white-throated sparrow, yellow warbler, yellow-bellied sapsucker
