Savannah sparrow and fly.
Sunny morning. Warm already. Deer flies, but fewer than lately. The usual species along the wooded trail—aside from ovenbird.
Eastern towhee.
Came upon another garter snake on the upper trail. It slid away before I could grab a photo. Cicadas singing everywhere. Also towhees, vireos, chestnut-sided warblers.
At the summit, Jack and I were surprised to see a young couple with an ice chest and a camp-out tent.
“Camping out?” I asked.
“We thought it was a nice spot.” Says the young guy.
“I think, technically, that’s not allowed,” says I. (They’d pitched their tent about ten feet from Beech Nut.) Then I noticed he was just twisting closed a big ol’ baggie full of blueberries. “Oh,” says I, “and FYI? I don’t believe that’s allowed, either.”
Later, heading down the open trail, I saw several herring gulls and heard the squeals of an osprey’s mid-summer display. All five sparrows again. A few thrushes. A couple flycatchers. Butterflies. Moths. Mushrooms. Cicadas.
Fly.
Coming back through the wooded trail, we came upon the same hovering fly I’d seen coming up. At least I assume it was the same fly—it was hovering in the same patch of sunlight. I tired for a good five minutes to snag a photo, but my damn auto-focus was an impediment. However, I managed a half-decent shot or two.
I’m starting realize I can count on hearing a hermit thrush, a wood-pewee, and a black-throated green warbler during just about every descent of the lower wooded trail. This morning I also heard a nuthatch, which rounded out the species for this spectacular summer day.
But the oddest part was the missing ovenbird. I can’t remember the last day I didn’t hear or see an ovenbird. Their chicks must be active, and therefore they’re especially silent. Or something.
Chestnut-sided warbler.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I walked all trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo (voice)
2. Chestnut-sided warbler
3. American goldfinch
4. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
5. Common yellowthroat
6. Eastern towhee
7. Gray catbird
8. Cedar waxwing
9. Veery (voice)
10. American crow
11. Alder flycatcher (voice)
12. Song sparrow
13. Mourning dove
14. Field sparrow (voice)
15. Savannah sparrow
16. Tree swallow
17. Hermit thrush (voice)
18. White-throated sparrow (voice)
19. Blue jay (voice)
20. Osprey (voice)
21. Common raven (voice)
22. Herring gull
23. Chipping sparrow (voice)
24. American robin
25. Eastern wood-pewee (voice)
26. Black-throated green warbler (voice)
27. White-breasted nuthatch (voice)
Elsewhere
28. Northern cardinal
29. Tufted titmouse
30. Double-crested cormorant
Tiny mushrooms.
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common raven, common yellowhtroat, double-crested cormorant, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, mourning dove, northern cardinal, osprey, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tre swallow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow
