The air was clean and cool and dry, the sky was blue with a few clouds, the breeze was fickle, and the birds were furtive—but present. What a beautiful morning.
Right away a thrush appeared, hopping up the trail. Before long, a couple-three woodpeckers, a crow and a jay, a wood-pewee, nuthatches… At the summit, dog and I met a friend we hadn’t seen in a while, and we had a good, long chat. A swallow showed up—and a very loud military jet (first I recall seeing up there).
And, at the end of our hike, a Blue Jay on a blue sky day.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Hermit Thrush
2. Downy Woodpecker (v)
3. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
4. American Crow* (v)
5. Black-capped Chickadee**
6. Blue Jay
7. Brown Creeper (v)
8. Eastern Wood-pewee
9. White-breasted Nuthatch**
10. Red-bellied Woodpecker
11. American Redstart
12. Pileated Woodpecker
13. Eastern Towhee
14. Gray Catbird
15. American Goldfinch (v)
16. Yellow-rumped Warbler (v)
17. Eastern Phoebe
18. Song Sparrow**
19. Osprey
20. Turkey Vulture
21. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
22. Tree Swallow
Elsewhere
23. Northern Cardinal (v)
24. Mourning Dove
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, brown creeper, downy woodpecker, eastern gray squirrel, eastern p hoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, mourning dove, northern cardinal, osprey, pileated woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, red-eyed vireo, ruby-throated hummingbird, song sparrow, tree swallow, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow-rumped warbler
