Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Got up kind of early. The sky was gray and the temperature was a degree or two (F) above freezing. When I took Jack out, I could tell it was going to be a backyard bird kind of day.
Dark-eyed Junco.
The juncos, for one thing. Maybe half a dozen Dark-eyed Juncos flitting about and singing their little sibilant trills from branches here and there. Also the usual chickadees, titmice, jays, mourning doves. Suddenly I heard a tapping, as of someone gently rapping—the Pileated Woodpecker had returned to the (now large) hole near the broken top of a dead hardwood across the brook. I watched as it wrapped up work, climbed a few feet to the tip of the snag, and let out its declarative, echoing call.
Later, from my upstairs window, I spotted more birds—Mourning Doves heading over to the brook to bathe, Song Sparrows poking about in the grass. On one trip downstairs, I caught sight of a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers.
American Robin.
When I remembered there’d been rain in the forecast, I checked the weather radar and saw a big patch of green approaching, so Jack and I headed out at midday. Along the way, a fine mist began fogging up the windshield. Beech Hill itself was cloaked in fog.
It was also cloaked in robins. And was nice to hear the joyful little song of a Brown Creeper. It always is.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 12:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Brown Creeper (v)
2. White-breasted Nuthatch* (v)
3. Northern Cardinal** (v)
4. Black-capped Chickadee*
5. Song Sparrow*
6. American Robin (v)
7. American Crow* (v)
8. Herring Gull* (v)
9. Tufted Titmouse** (v)
Elsewhere
10. Dark-eyed Junco
11. Blue Jay
12. Pileated Woodpecker
13. Red-bellied Woodpecker
14. Downy Woodpecker
15. Rock Pigeon
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, dark-eyed junco, downy woodpecker, herring gull, northern cardinal, pileated woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch
