Red-tailed Hawk.
Saturday is errand day. Post office, bank, grocery (and other) shopping. Then I loaded up my pickup with a piled of dead branches from the big storm early this month, since free tree-waste days at the dump are continuing. After hauling those over, Jack and I took a hike.
Birch.
Right away, I spotted a distant hawk, then a nearer one. I’d assumed two harriers, and the near one certainly was, but the far one turned out to be a hovering red-tail. Got some distant photos, then went looking for the marsh hawk, which had veered over the rise ahead. Walked slowly, with Jack behind me, until the slope opened up, but I saw no big, low-flying bird.
Then the harrier rose from the barren not thirty yards away. A rich, coppery-red bird. Wasn’t ready with my camera. Damn.
Cold up there, and windy. Twenties for most of the day. I think a warming trend is due, though—or that’s what I hear.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Red-tailed Hawk
2. Northern Harrier
3. Herring Gull*
4. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
5. Northern Flicker (v)
6. American Crow* (v)
Elsewhere
7. American Goldfinch (v)
8. House Finch (v)
9. Rock Pigeon
10. Mourning Dove
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern flicker, northern harrier, red-tailed hawk, rock pigeon
