Northern Cardinal.
Seventeen degrees (F) out when first I checked. A little ice on the brook. Few birds about early—but they started showing up when the temps rose into the 20s.
Askance.
Got busy working and worked (with a lunch break) straight through to the end of the day, when dog and I finally headed up to Beech Hill. By this time it had begun to snow. Little tiny flakes. A bit breezy. Temperatures were coming down from their sub-freezing high. Wore my winter coat.
Bunch of birds, though. Most noteworthy, perhaps, was the bluebird calls I heard while gazing through tiny snowflakes down the southern slope, looking for robins in the sumac.
Thought we might pay for the warm winter—but that’s ridiculous. Just Nature enjoying a few giggles.
I love this day.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Tufted Titmouse**
3. American Crow* (v)
4. Song Sparrow*
5. American Robin**
6. Eastern Bluebird† (v)
7. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
8. Blue Jay* (v)
9. White-breasted Nuthatch* (v)
10. American Goldfinch**
Elsewhere
11. Northern Cardinal
12. Dark-eyed Junco
13. Mourning Dove
14. Eastern Phoebe
15. Golden-crowned Kinglet
16. Hairy Woodpecker (v)
17. Bohemian Waxwing
18. Mallard
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year-bird
Snowflake.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, Bohemian waxwing, dark-eyed junco, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, golden-crowned kinglet, hairy woodpecker, mallard, mourning dove, northern cardinal, pileated woodpecker, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch
