Eastern Phoebe.
In the 20s (F) this morning. Plus, quite a stout breeze. Nonetheless, I wanted to get up to Beech Hill early, hike all trails. take a long video. We got there, Jack and I, at about a quarter to 9 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
American Red Squirrel.
Bare hardwoods, bright sun, plenty of blue sky, soggy underfoot—with perhaps a faint hint of green. Spotted a bird or two every five or ten minutes. Brown Creeper. Yellow-rumped Warbler. At the frigid summit, I caught sight of a phoebe hunkered down. No flies today, I daresay, but still a few bugs in the blueberries.
Later, I saw a phoebe in the woods, too. But not before, down toward Beech Hill Road, a little flock of bluebirds flew up and spent about fifteen seconds in the branches of a tree above us. Distracted by a red squirrel just above us, I missed all but a half-decent photo.
Was a gorgeous morning, though. We didn’t see any other hikers for an hour and a half—until just as we got back to the truck, when another pair of hikers was climbing out of their vehicle.
Eastern Bluebird.
Not much better than a morning spent traipsing around a hill.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:45 p.m., I hiked all trails.
1. American Crow*
2. Black-capped Chickadee**
3. American Goldfinch** (v)
4. American Robin*
5. Brown Creeper
6. Northern Flicker (v)
7. Downy Woodpecker (v)
8. Yellow-rumped Warbler
9. Song Sparrow*
10. Eastern Phoebe*
11. Northern Cardinal (v)
12. House Finch (v)
13. Herring Gull*
14. Eastern Bluebird
15. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
16. Mourning Dove
17. Hairy Woodpecker
18. Rock Pigeon
19. House Sparrow
v = voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, yellow-rumped warbler
