Warmer than yesterday morning, and less windy. Also clearer. Twenty degrees (F) to start, with calm air in the woods. Icy trails, angling sun, a few woodland birds (including a random sharpie fly-by). And, at the summit, bluebirds.
First pair of bluebirds appeared just as dog and I were headed down the open hillside. Heard a yellow-rump there also. The sky was blue, blue.
On our return ascent, the pair of bluebirds had somehow multiplied into at least twenty birds. They were everywhere. Late December, sun, blue sky, temps in the twenties—another bluebird day. (Also a few goldfinches and ’rumps.)
A final fillip on our final decent: a solitary, croaking raven, circling in the blue, blue sky.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 8:13 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. White-breasted Nuthatch (v)
2. Pine Siskin (v)
3. Sharp-shinned Hawk
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. Eastern Bluebird
6. American Crow (v)
7. Yellow-rumped Warbler
8. Tufted Titmouse (v)
9. American Goldfinch
10. Common Raven
Elsewhere
11. Golden-crowned Kinglet (v)
12. Northern Cardinal (v)
13. Herring Gull
Mammals
American Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American red squirrel, black-capped chickadee, common raven, eastern bluebird, golden-crowned kinglet, herring gull, northern cardinal, pine siskin, sharp-shinned hawk, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow-rumped warbler
