Mama towhee (with blueberries).
This foggy, dewy morning brought out the parents of fledglings. Moist food—caterpillars, flies, blueberries—delivered to the youngsters. (In some instances, eaten by the youngsters themselves.) Waxwings catching flies, a Chestnut-sided Warbler grabbing a fat caterpillar, and an Eastern Towhee with a beakful of blueberries.
Like Jack and me, birds do love blueberries.
Random note: I got a glimpse of my first-of-year Baltimore Oriole, a species that doesn’t nest on the preserve (near as I can figure) but—like Barn Swallows—often stops by in summer when the fledglings begin to move around.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Mourning Dove*
2. American Crow*
3. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
4. Veery (v)
5. American Robin
6. American Goldfinch
7. Eastern Phoebe*
8. Song Sparrow
9. Black-capped Chickadee** (v)
10. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
11. Ovenbird
12. Eastern Towhee
13. Field Sparrow
14. Chestnut-sided Warbler
15. Cedar Waxwing
16. Eastern Bluebird
17. Gray Catbird
18. Savannah Sparrow
19. Common Yellowthroat
20. Purple Finch
21. Chipping Sparrow*
22. Northern Cardinal (v)
23. Yellow Warbler (v)
24. Alder Flycatcher (v)
25. Baltimore Oriole†
26. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
27. Tufted Titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
28. Herring Gull
29. Downy Woodpecker
30. Wild Turkey
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, Baltimore oriole, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, eastern bluebird, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, field sparrow, gray catbird, herring gull, mourning dove, northern cardinal, ovenbird, purple finch, red-breasted nuthatch, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, wild turkey, yellow warbler
