Gotta admit, I love ravens. Smart birds, with a language of their own—croaks, and wails and baby-like cries and liquid sounds like water. There’s a nest somewhere near where Jack and I hike each day. Used to be just on the other side of Beech Hill Road, but I think it’s moved east a ways.
Today I heard a raven’s croak early in our hike, but didn’t see the bird (or another member of its family) until later. In flight. Croaking. Communicating with a distant relative.
Otherwise, a lovely hike—mostly sunny, with cool, dry [too dry] air and enough birds to keep my jumping. Including young waxwings learning how to pluck flies from a hatch atop the spruce grove.
Yep, we need rain. Will have some eventually—but maybe not tomorrow.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:25 a.m., I hiked most trails.
1. Blue Jay
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. Red-eyed Vireo
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Ovenbird
7. White-breasted Nuthatch
8. Brown Creeper
9. Eastern Wood-pewee
10. Northern Parula
11. American Redstart
12. Tufted Titmouse
13. Common Yellowthroat
14. American Robin
15. Eastern Towhee
16. Alder Flycatcher
17. Common Raven
18. Red-breasted Nuthatch
19. Cedar Waxwing
20. Gray Catbird
21. Yellow Warbler
22. House Finch
23. Song Sparrow
24. Herring Gull
25. Turkey Vulture
26. Eastern Phoebe
27. Northern Cardinal
Elsewhere
28. Osprey
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, Cedar waxwing, common raven, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, gray catbird, herring gull, house finch, northern cardinal, northern parula, osprey, ovenbird, red-breasted nuthatch, red-eyed vireo, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow warbler
