Beech Hill.
Rose about 6 this morning. Sunlight angled sharply against the bronzed hill out back. Heard the love songs of a titmouse, a chickadee, a house finch, a cardinal, and a crow. OK, I’m not exactly sure what the love song of a crow is—but whatever it is, I bet I heard it this morning. Just another outlandishly spring-like winter day.
A day brimming with sweet complication: I had a visitor. An Australian cattle dog mix named Roo. Or that’s possibly his name—it’s unclear. He came from a rescue shelter, and he’s a real sweetie. However, any dog of mine will have to put up with a little birding. So at midday I took him on a walk up Beech Hill.
The little guy’s a fast walker. I bet I made it up and down the wooded trails about 15 minutes quicker than usual. But I’m pleased to report that at a simple command of “Wait,” he’d stop and stand looking at me quietly while I cast about for something to take a photo of. Like Beech Nut at the summit (which I photograph on every hike). Or the common raven that, squawking, flew swiftly over our heads on the way back down. Alas, there were tree limbs in the way of the raven.
Worked up a sweat on the hill. High temps in the 50s (F) again. A lot of us birders are keeping our eyes and ears peeled for early arrivals. The natural world seems oddly discombobulated at this season in this year.
Today’s List
Tufted titmouse
Northern cardinal
House finch
Black capped chickadee
American crow
Herring gull
Ring-billed gull
Rock pigeon
Common raven
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, common raven, herring gull, house finch, northern cardinal, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, tufted titmouse
